The Neighborhood Gardener
September 2026
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Alternatives to Turfgrass
A lush lawn can be an appealing element in the home landscape and provides many important benefits, but turfgrass can require a lot of maintenance, with frequent watering and applications of fertilizer or pesticides. There are many alternatives that can still offer green coverage at the ground level while providing greater benefits to the local wildlife. This new article lists a few Florida-Friendly options (like blue-eyed grass, pictured) that can increase the biodiversity of your lawn while reducing maintenance needs.
Lettuce
Lettuce is a widely loved vegetable, starring in many fresh salads and sandwiches across the country. And it’s an excellent option for the Florida winter vegetable garden. Of the four lettuce types grown, leaf lettuce is best suited to our climate; recommended selections include ‘Red Sails’, ‘New Red Fire’ and ‘Salad Bowl’. Learn more about growing lettuce in the home garden and the University of Florida researchers developing new lettuce varieties built to withstand shifting weather and growing challenges.
The Benefits of Non-Native Florida-Friendly Plants
Many people prefer to garden not only for themselves, but also to lend a hand to local ecosystems by making conscious gardening choices. To increase the benefits of your landscape, decisions about what and where to plant, as well as how to care for each species, should be made from a holistic perspective. Often, non-native plants get wrongly grouped as synonymous with invasives, leading to fear and distrust of non-native plants. However, there are many benefits to planting a mixed landscape of both natives and non-invasive non-native plants.
Wendy’s Wanderings
It is exciting to see students across the state returning to school. Summer may have slipped by far too quickly for students and teachers alike, but returning to the classroom brings a welcome sense of rhythm and routine to our schools and communities. For some students, returning to school also means returning to the garden. School gardens take many different forms — from tabletop hydroponic systems and pollinator gardens, to raised vegetable beds and container gardens filled with herbs and flowers. Whatever the form, kids will be digging in!
Plant of the Month: Turk’s Cap Mallow
Turk’s cap mallow is a Florida-Friendly shrub that can be grown throughout the state. Well, actually “Turk’s cap mallow” is the common name used for two different hibiscus relatives. Both Malvaviscus penduliflorus (pictured) and Malvaviscus arboreus sport lovely flowers that perpetually appear as if they’re just about to open fully, but never do. A staple of “Old Florida” landscapes, Turk’s cap will add a cheerful pop of color at a time when many summer-flowering plants have fizzled out and cooler-season plants haven’t yet peaked.
September in Your Garden
September is a transitional month in Florida, with summer-like temperatures persisting. Consider starting seeds for vegetables like squash, beans, carrots and cucumbers. North Florida gardeners can start strawberries at the end of the month. In the flower beds, add autumnal color with gaillardia, marigolds and scarlet salvia. Continue to monitor for lawn pests; fall armyworms, chinch bugs and sod webworms are still active this month.
For more month-by-month gardening tips, check out the Florida Gardening Calendar. Three different editions of the calendar provide specific tips for each of Florida’s gardening regions — North, Central and South.
What’s Going On?
If your Master Gardener Volunteer program or Extension office is having an event, be sure to share it with us.