Flowers are a beautiful addition to any landscape, but have you ever wondered why some plants bloom in the spring while others show off in the summer?
Let’s start with why plants produce flowers. Simply put, flowers are the sexual reproductive structures a plant uses to increase genetic diversity by incorporating DNA from male and female flower parts into seed produced as a result of pollination and successful fertilization. For a plant to produce flowers it must be sexually mature which might be determined by triggers such as how many leaves and nodes the plant has produced or the amount of time that has passed.
Maturity A plant grown from seed must reach the markers required for that species to become mature, however, a plant that is propagated vegetatively (cuttings, division, grafting, etc.) is the same stage of maturity as the parent plant so if the parent plant is mature then the vegetative “offspring” will also be mature and able to bloom.
But if we only went by plant maturity then a mature plant would flower continuously, but even the novice gardener knows that is not accurate. So, what else needs to happen to induce flowering? There are two other important factors that play a role: photoperiods and temperature.
Mona Lavender Plectranthus bloomed sporadically through the summer but as the days got shorter it burst into bloom. Photo: J_McConnell, UF/IFAS
Photoperiod Photoperiod is the number of hours of daylight in a 24-hour period. Flowering plants are separated into three main groups: short-day plants (SDP), long-day plants (LDP), and day-neutral plants (DNP. But wait, it gets a touch more complicated – the plants are not technically sensitive to the hours of daylight rather it is the hours of uninterrupted darkness. Think of short-day plants as long-night plants, long-day plants as short-night, and day neutral plants do not have a preference.
Have you ever seen the recommendation to put a Christmas cactus in a dark cabinet for a few weeks to induce flowering? It works because Christmas cactus requires short days (long nights) to initiate flower bud development. If the plant is exposed to lights in normal household settings or you keep opening the cabinet and allowing light in this can delay flower bud development.
Temperature The last factor that affects flower production is temperature. Plants have ideal temperatures where they thrive, for example tomatoes grow well when temperatures are warm and are damaged by freezes. But did you know that even a heat-loving tomato also has a heat limit? When day temperatures are above 90 degrees and nights are above 70 degrees tomatoes stop producing flowers and fruit. Along these same lines, perennial plants may require a designated number of hours below approximately 50 degrees to initiate flower buds. If you have grown fruiting trees and shrubs, you may be familiar with the concept of chill hours which is the number of accumulated hours between 32-45 degrees needed by a plant to flower.
Practical Application
Why does any of this matter? If you are planning a flower garden and want to maximize your seed/plant budget, understanding the bloom requirements of the plant will help you make better choices. It also may help explain why plants seem to behave differently depending on the time of year, such as when you are successive planting flowers.
Example 1: A long-day plant seeded in May has time to reach full vegetative size before the days are long enough to trigger flowering. The same seed planted in late July flowers on a shorter vegetative plant because the daylength hours have been met triggering earlier flowering (fewer days from seed to bloom).
Example 2: A bedding plant you purchased in March that looked great in the spring, stopped blooming in summer, then started blooming heavily in the fall was triggered by photoperiod and/or temperature.
Plant breeding can affect bloom triggers even within the same species, so it is difficult to compile a list of true short-day, long-day, and day-neutral plant lists, but now you know this is a feature to look for during your garden planning!
Do you enjoy cutting flowers from your garden to enjoy indoors?
Have you ever considered turning that passion into a small business opportunity or earning a little cash to help to support your flower habit?
If you answered yes to these questions, then you should plan to attend the “Cut Flower 101 Growing for Fun & Profit” workshop on November 14, 2025, in Live Oak!
Flower farms are popping up across the state on small parcels of land, including urban settings. Social media posts of flower growers look like it’s all blooms and bucks, but there are a lot of factors that need to be weighed before jumping into any agricultural endeavor.
Learning what, when, and how to grow specific flowers are key factors to developing a successful grow plan. Options to consider include bed preparation for raised beds, crates, or in-ground production. Should you direct seed or grow transplants? When do you start the seeds and when do you put the seedlings outside? How to prepare for adverse weather conditions? Which types of irrigation and fertilization methods should you use? And of course, how much money is needed to invest for the best returns while minimizing risk?
All those choices may seem overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own! Spend a day at the UF/IFAS Small Farms Academy at the North Florida Research and Education Center Suwanee Valley in Live Oak, Florida for an introduction to small scale cut-flower production.
Sidenote – Even if you have no inclination of starting a business, but just want to grow cut flowers you can enjoy you are welcome to attend!
Last month we focused on the 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census and how Florida residents and visitors could join in this citizen scientist project. Since this was only the second year Florida participated, we knew you would have lots of great questions!
Below is a recap of your inquiries and any references the panelists shared in case you wanted to dig deeper into the topic.
What is the Great Southeast Pollinator Census (GSEPC) and what is the data used for? The pollinator census brings awareness of pollinators, encourages people to create habitat, and collects information that can be used to create baseline numbers and compare the population growth or decline over time.
How to identify bees, wasps, and other pollinators I see?
Luckily, you do not have to identify these insects to species – you only have to classify them into broad categories. Resources to help you spot key characteristics can be found here: Bees of Florida Pollinator Census Google Site
What time of day should I count?
Mornings and evenings are a great time to count because it is comfortable for the counter but also consider that time of day will affect the insects seen. For instance, many moths and beetles are active at night while honey bees are active during the day. Basically, there is no wrong time to count!
Will we be able to indicate which plants and whether or not they are native or non-native?
The GSEPC count sheet has a place for the plant name you are observing which can be common or scientific. There is not a designation on the form for native/non-native but if you use the scientific name that is easy to check when data is available. Great Southeast Pollinator Census Counting Sheet
How to best encourage neighbors to get involved? Print off some extra count sheets and invite people to join you or host a pollinator party!
What can we do to increase pollinators in our yards? Provide nesting habitats for native pollinators such as undisturbed bare ground, hollow stems, small debris piles, and pollinator hotels. Be sure to maintain pollinator hotels to encourage use.
Responsible use of pesticides – always read labels and avoid products with pollinator warnings. Pollinator Hotels
Plant diverse flowering plants to provide pollen and nectar and provide water resources. Simple Steps to Create a Pollinator Paradise in Your Landscape Provide Water for Pollinators
Are bumble bees a protected species?
There are almost 50 different bumble bee species in the United States, and not all live in Florida. Two are listed as protected species, one that occurs in Oregon and another in the Central Plains and may be in our area. The common species we see in Florida, American Bumble Bee and Eastern Bumble Bee are not currently listed as protected or endangered. Find a Species | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Resources for Schools and Home Schools Some public libraries have “Seed Libraries” and give out seed which may be appropriate for pollinators. Seedlings for Schools Grants
Balance of controlling pests in vegetable garden but still welcoming pollinators.
Be tolerant of damage! Regardless of your tolerance level of damage be sure to use Integrated Pest Management strategies which may include trap crops, cover crops, and scouting regularly so you can catch pests early and hand pick when possible. If a pesticide is needed, use very specific targeted products such as Bt, soaps, or oils instead of broad-spectrum pesticides. (Always ensure products are listed for use on vegetable gardens and follow labels). Pesticide Labeling – A Guide to Users
Do you need a license to keep honey bees?
A license is not required; however, all bee hives must be registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Beekeeper Registration– Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services UF/IFAS Research and Extension Honey Bee Lab has great resources for beekeepers!
If you missed this or other episodes be sure to check out our YouTube Playlist
We are just around the corner from the 2025 Great Florida Pollinator Census, and we need your help!
2024 was the first year Florida joined the Great Southeast Pollinator Census, a pollinator stewardship project launched by University of Georgia in 2017. In our inaugural year we recorded over 89,000 insects in 55 of 67 counties in Florida which is no small task, but wouldn’t it be great if at least one person in each county of the state took 15 minutes to observe pollinators?
How can you help?
Join the census yourself on August 22nd and 23rd and share information about the census with your friends and family in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama to maximize this valuable citizen scientist project!
Additional resources and a few upcoming events!
Great Southeast Pollinator Census Great Florida Pollinator Census Facebook Group August 21st Gardening in the Panhandle LIVE! Great Southeast Pollinator Census – Bee a Citizen Scientist! Webinar August 22, 2025 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. CDT Pollinator Count at the UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County Demonstration Gardens, 3740 Stefani Rd, Cantonment, FL. Drop in during the times listed to join a 15-minute count, no registration required. For questions contact Beth Bolles at bbolles@ufl.edu August 22, 2025 9:00 – 9:30 a.m., 12-12:30 p.m., or 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. CDT, Count Pollinators with us at the UF/IFAS Extension Washington County Office, 1424 Jackson Avenue, Chipley, FL. Three designated times for guided pollinator counts, no registration required. For questions contact Julie McConnell at juliebmcconnell@ufl.edu August 22, 2025 9:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. EDT, Pollinator Census with UF/IFAS Extension Taylor County, 203 Forest Park Dr, Perry, FL. For questions contact Lisa Strange, lstrange@ufl.edu August 22nd & 23rd 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. EDT,The Great Southeast Pollinator Census in Brevard County, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Extension Office, 3695 Lake Dr, Cocoa, FL. Class and pollinator count, free but requires registration through Eventbrite. For questions contact Sally Scalera, sasc@ufl.edu Friday August 22nd ticket or Saturday August 23rd Ticket
Sunflower after the rain. Photo: J. McConnell, UF/IFAS
Summer showers are finally giving gardens relief, but in addition to happy flowers, mosquitoes are also benefitting from the rainfall. Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but they can also transmit diseases and parasites to people, pets, and livestock so managing them on your property is a matter of public health!
The knee-jerk reaction to mosquitoes is to try to kill the blood-sucking flying fiends, but targeting this life stage will not solve the mosquito problem. Instead, focus your efforts on breaking up the breeding cycle to reduce the population. Less ideal breeding sites equals less larvae (juvenile mosquitoes) and pupae which equals less biting adults!
A female black salt marsh mosquito emerges from submerged pupal skin. UF/IFAS File Photo
In addition to being more effective than targeting adults that can fly away or avoid insecticides, most of your breeding site reduction methods are free or low cost; the biggest investment is your time! Step one is to recognize potential breeding sites on your property. Most people recognize that a stack of tires, buckets full of water, or even that decorative bird bath are potential breeding sites but there are also less obvious ones. A covered grill that has an indention that holds a few tablespoons of water, boats or kayaks, children’s toys, gutters that have accumulated leaves or other debris, the saucer under your container plant, or the leaf axils of bromeliad plants are all potential breeding sites.
So, what do you do about this? When practical dump or drain out the water every 3-4 days and wipe down any vertical surfaces of containers where mosquito eggs could be laid. If you are unable to drain or dump, consider treating the water with Bti (Bacillus thuriengiensis israelensis) which is a targeted biological control that only affects mosquitoes, black flies, and fungus gnats. Bti is a naturally occurring bacteria that impacts the digestive system of a few select species in the order Diptera (flies). It is not toxic to people, pets, or wildlife and depending on the formulation can last several weeks before reapplication is necessary. Commonly sold as “mosquito dunks” or “mosquito bits” this insecticide is sold at garden centers and home improvement stores and is relatively inexpensive. As with any pesticide, follow all instructions on the label.
