9 Landscaping Principles for Sarasota & Manatee Friendly Yards
In this 3 part blog post we are going to delve in to, and elaborate on the 9 principles of landscaping a Florida Friendly Yard.
Environmental Associates adheres to the principles that have been laid out by the University of Florida IFAS Extension in each and every job they perform throughout Sarasota, Manatee, and Venice, Florida.
History & Background
Florida-Friendly Landscapes protect Florida’s unique natural resources by conserving water, reducing waste and pollution, creating wildlife habitat, and preventing erosion. Any landscape can be Florida-Friendly if it is designed and cared for according to the nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ principles, which encourage individual expression of landscape beauty.
In 2009, the Florida Legislature found “that the use of Florida-friendly landscaping and other water use and pollution prevention measures to conserve or protect the state’s water resources serves a compelling public interest and that the participation of homeowners’ associations and local governments is essential to the state’s efforts in water conservation and water quality protection and restoration.” Florida Yards and Neighborhoods is the residential program of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program.
These 9 principles will give you some ideas on how to make your yard Florida-Friendly. Plant-It Landscape conform to these principles, and every day we do our part to create a more sustainable Florida!
1. Right Plant, Right Place
Almost any plant can survive in your yard if you plant it in the right location. Did you know that you can drastically reduce the need for watering, and application of fertilizer and pesticides if you follow certain guidelines? Here are some helpful tips for you:
- Limit the number of plants that need a lot of water and ongoing care and attention.
- Take note of the type of soil, sunlight exposure, and water conditions of the particular area(s) you intend to install your plants prior to making any purchases. With your notes in hand, you can then carefully select the appropriate plants and shrubbery that will thrive under these conditions.
- Based on your own recreational needs, only keep as much grass as you feel you will use in your yard. Flower beds and mulched areas use less water than grassed areas.
- Remove any invasive exotic plants from your landscape so they do not steal water and nutrition from your Florida-Friendly plants.
2. Water Efficiently
Typically, up to 50% of a households water bill is used outside the house. If you water efficiently, it will not only conserve water and save you money, you should also be creating a healthier landscape.
Reduce your water bill, pest problems, and maintenance issues by following these tips:
- Only water your lawn and plants when you know they need it, or when they show signs of stress
- Install a drip or micro-spray irrigation system in your flower beds. This is much more water efficient than traditional spray head irrigation.
- Have a professional install an automatic rain shutoff device to avoid water your yard while it is raining or if you have recently had a good rain shower.
- Many people in Sarasota and Manatee Counties overwater their yards because it is so hot and humid all the time. Stop overwatering! If you overwater your grass it develops short roots that make it harder to survive disease, drought, and pest attacks.
- Buy or make your own rain barrel and start collecting water so it can be re-used to water your plants.
- Buy a rain gauge or water sensor so you will know if you have had enough recent rainfall to avoid an unnecessary watering.
3. Fertilize Appropriately
By using fertilizer appropriately we can all help prevent water pollution in Sarasota and Manatee. If too much fertilizer is applied to lawns and flower beds it seeps past the root system and into the aquifer, or runs off in to our creeks and streams.
Here are some helpful tips to help you fertilize responsibly:
- Use slow-release fertilizers that make nutrients available to lawns and shrubs over a longer period of time. These fertilizers are much better to the environment and can usually be more cost effective.
- Do not fertilize right before heavy rain is expected. When you do fertilize, do not over water after applying.
- Avoid where possible, weed and feed products.
- Only fertilize your lawn and shrubs to maintain their health. Do not over fertilize in situations where grass or shrubs are not growing properly due to disease or pests, or too much shade.
- Use iron instead of nitrogen if you want to get your lawn looking a lot greener.
- Apply fertilizer as per the directions and do so with a drop spreader as opposed to a rotary spreader.
Information contained in this blog post was obtained in part from the University of Florida IFAS Extension. www.FloridaYards.org