In this guide
1. The two-season year
Rainfall in Miami-Dade is heavily concentrated. Most of the annual total falls between May and October, often in intense afternoon storms. From November to April, weeks can pass with no meaningful rain at all.
Temperature varies far less than rainfall does. That is why the wet-dry split, rather than a temperature-based four-season model, is the more useful way to organise plant care here.
2. Wet season: May to October
The dominant risk in the wet season is too much water, not too little. Sand that has been saturated for days holds no air, and roots need oxygen as much as moisture. Plants declining in August are far more often drowning than thirsty — and the symptoms look almost identical.
- Turn irrigation down or off. Two to three inches of rain in an afternoon plus a scheduled cycle is how roots suffocate. A rain sensor pays for itself in a single season.
- Check drainage after storms. Water standing more than a few hours marks a problem to fix, not a plant to replace.
- Watch for fungal issues. Humidity plus dense canopy produces leaf spot and stem rot. Thin congested plants to get air moving.
- Light trims only. Growth is fast, so hedges need trimming — but keep it light rather than hard.
- Follow local fertiliser rules. Miami-Dade restricts application during parts of the rainy season to limit runoff into Biscayne Bay. Check current guidance before feeding.
- Stay on top of weeds. They grow faster than anything you planted, and bare sand colonises within days.
The wet-season paradox. A wilting plant in August is often over-watered rather than under-watered. Check the soil four inches down before adding more water — saturated soil and dry soil produce the same droop.
3. Hurricane season within the wet
Hurricane season officially runs 1 June to 30 November, peaking in September. Two care decisions matter.
Do not hard-prune from August to October. Cutting hard pushes soft, weakly attached new growth at exactly the wrong moment, and leaves open wounds during the most fungal part of the year.
Thin tree canopies well in advance — late winter is ideal. A properly thinned canopy lets wind pass through; a dense one acts as a sail. Never allow palms to be “hurricane cut” to a narrow plume, which weakens rather than protects them.
Before a named storm, move containers to shelter, secure anything that can become a projectile, and leave planted material alone. Our guide to preparing your yard for hurricane season covers the sequence in detail.
4. Dry season: November to April
The dry season is when Miami gardens are most pleasant and most demanding of irrigation. It is also when the productive work gets done.
- Irrigation back on schedule. Deep and infrequent — two sessions a week for established planting, more for anything installed recently.
- Main feeding programme. A slow-release granular with chelated micronutrients, applied in late autumn and again in late winter.
- Structural pruning in February or early March. The plant then has the whole growing season to recover and refill.
- Top up mulch. Levels drop as organic material breaks down. Restore to three inches before the dry period bites.
- Plant. February to April is the best window of the year — warm soil, low storm risk, months of establishment ahead.
- Watch for scale and mealybug. Populations build through the cooler dry months on many ornamentals.
Cool fronts occasionally push temperatures into the 40s Fahrenheit in January. That is rarely damaging to established landscape plants here, but it can mark tender tropicals. Newly planted material benefits from being watered before a cold night — moist soil holds heat better than dry.
5. The shoulder weeks
The two changeovers are where most mistakes happen, because irrigation controllers do not change themselves.
Late April to early May. The rains start becoming reliable. This is the moment to reduce irrigation. Leaving a dry-season schedule running into June is one of the most common causes of root problems in Miami gardens.
Late October to early November. Rain stops, often abruptly. Irrigation needs to come back on within a week or two, and new planting from the autumn needs closer attention than it did through the summer.
6. A one-page calendar
| Period | Water | Feed | Prune | Plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov–Dec | Regular schedule | Slow-release feed | Light shaping | Good window |
| Jan | Regular schedule | — | Light shaping | Fair |
| Feb–Mar | Regular schedule | Slow-release feed | Structural pruning | Best window |
| Apr | Regular, taper late | — | Post-flush trims | Good window |
| May–Jun | Reduce sharply | Check local rules | Light trims only | Fair, watch heat |
| Jul–Aug | Minimal / off | Check local rules | Light trims only | Avoid |
| Sep–Oct | Minimal / off | — | No hard pruning | Avoid |
If you want a more detailed month-by-month version, our Miami plant care calendar and planting calendar break it down further.
Frequently asked questions
When is the wet season in Miami?
Should I turn off irrigation during the rainy season in Florida?
When should I prune in South Florida?
When is the best month to plant in Miami-Dade?
Can I fertilise during the summer in Miami?
Why do plants wilt in the rainy season?
References & further reading
- UF/IFAS EDIS — seasonal landscape maintenance for Florida
- NOAA National Hurricane Center
- South Florida Water Management District — irrigation guidance
Planting this season? Tell us when you plan to plant and we will tell you honestly whether the timing helps you or works against you. Get a quote or call (786) 283-3401.