It’s starting to look and feel like a tropical paradise here at Earth Works! The Garden Center is bursting with vibrant tropical shrubs, lush palm trees, and exotic flowers that bring instant vacation vibes to any landscape.

Now’s also the perfect time to bring in the pollinators—birds, bees, and butterflies are buzzing, and our wide selection of hardy perennials and dazzling annuals will keep them coming back all season long.

Don’t miss the gardenias this month—these fragrant beauties are ideal for planting near patios or porches, and a few fresh cuttings indoors will fill your space with their signature scent.

And finally, our Tree of the Month, the magnolia, is ready to steal the show. If yours isn’t blooming yet, it will be soon—those iconic blossoms are a sure sign that summer’s just around the corner.

Hope to see you soon,

—Matt & Rhonda, Garden Center Managers

Spring is the perfect time to shape up your landscape—and a little thoughtful pruning goes a long way toward keeping your plants healthy, blooming, and looking their best.

Pruning Basics for All Plants

Before you get too clip-happy, start with these universal tips:

• Remove dead, diseased, or damaged wood as soon as you see it—this helps prevent insect damage and disease spread.
• Cut out crossing branches, water sprouts (vigorous upright shoots on trunks/branches), and suckers (fast-growing shoots from the base or roots).
• Always use clean, sharp tools and make cuts just above a healthy bud or branch.

What to Prune in Florida This Spring

🌸 Azaleas & Other Spring Bloomers

Prune right after flowering. These plants bloom on last year’s growth—cutting too late removes next year’s flowers.

🌼 Crape Myrtle & Summer-Blooming Shrubs

These bloom on new growth, so prune in late winter or early spring. You can even cut them back hard—they’ll still bloom beautifully!

💐 Hydrangeas

Most types bloom on old wood—prune before midsummer to avoid cutting off buds. Newer reblooming varieties are more forgiving.

🌿 Foliage Shrubs (like Loropetalum & Ligustrum)

These can be shaped almost anytime—just avoid heavy pruning in late fall when growth won’t harden off before winter.

🌳 Clipped Hedges (Boxwood, Podocarpus)

Shear frequently in early spring to maintain a tidy shape. Stop by late fall to prevent frost damage.

🌹 Roses

For repeat bloomers like Knock Out and Drift roses, prune in early spring to remove winter damage and shape the plant. For once-a-year bloomers, wait until after flowering.

🌼 Perennials & Annuals

Deadhead often to keep the blooms coming. Leggy plants? Cut them back by half to encourage stockier growth and rebloom.

🍊 Citrus Trees

Remove suckers from the base of young trees. Mature trees need little canopy pruning—only cut to remove freeze or disease damage, or to prevent crowding.

Spring is here—and so are the bugs. As temperatures rise, lawn and garden pests become more active and can quickly take a toll on your landscape if left unchecked. That’s why we’re launching a new monthly feature to help you spot and stop common pests before they do serious damage.

Each month, we’ll highlight a few of the usual suspects, show you what to look for, and share the best ways to manage them—naturally or with targeted treatments.

This month, we’re kicking things off with a video about chinch bugs—a tiny menace that can cause big problems in your lawn. We’re also spotlighting three more pests you may encounter: mole crickets, grubs, and aphids. Scroll down to learn how to identify each one and what to do if you find them.

Common Lawn & Garden Pests

Mole Crickets

1. What They Look Like: Light brown, about 2 inches long, with large front legs that look like tiny shovels—perfect for digging.
2. Where You’ll Find Them: These pests tunnel underground, usually in lawns or vegetable beds, and are active at night. Their presence is often spotted by raised, loose soil and ½-inch wide tunnels.
3. How to Control Them:

• Apply beneficial nematodes or insecticides labeled for mole cricket control in early evening.
• Water the lawn before treatment to draw them closer to the surface.
• Late spring and early fall are key treatment windows.

Grubs

1. What They Look Like: “C”-shaped, dirty white larvae with darkened rear ends and reddish-brown heads, ranging from ¼ to 2½ inches long.
2. Where You’ll Find Them: In the root zone of your lawn or garden beds, often under the turf. They feed on plant roots and tubers, causing grass to brown or lift easily.
3. How to Control Them:

• Apply grub-specific insecticides in late summer or early fall when young grubs are near the surface.
• Beneficial nematodes are a great organic control option.
• Keep your lawn healthy and well-aerated to discourage infestation.

Aphids

1. What They Look Like: Tiny, pear-shaped insects (1/32 to 1/8 inch) that may be green, yellow, black, pink, or brown.
2. Where You’ll Find Them: On the undersides of leaves, tender stems, or flower buds—often in clusters.
3. How to Control Them:

• Spray plants with a strong stream of water to dislodge them.
• Use insecticidal soap or neem oil for heavier infestations.
• Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to keep aphid populations in check.
• Watch for curled leaves or stunted growth—aphids also spread plant viruses.

🌸 Give Mom the Gift That Grows 🌸

This Mother’s Day, skip the usual and surprise her with something blooming from the Earth Works Garden Center! From fragrant flowers and tropical plants to beautiful pottery and garden décor, we’ve got everything to make her feel loved and celebrated, just like her garden.

Gift cards available too—perfect for the mom who loves to choose her own favorites!

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