9 Landscaping Principles for Sarasota and Manatee Friendly Yards
In part 2 of this 3 part blog post we are going to delve in to, and elaborate on the 9 principles of landscaping a Florida Friendly Yard.
Sarasota, Florida is a popular place to live because of its appealing climate, unique beauty, and great quality of life. However, gardening here can be tough! Florida soils are typically sandy, summers are hot, and insects are abundant. As a gardener, you know how hard it can be to keep your plants alive, your lawn green, and your flowers blooming.
These 9 principles will give you some ideas on how to make your yard Florida-Friendly. Plant-It Landscape conforms to these principles, and every day we do our part to create a more sustainable Florida!
4. Mulch
No-one likes weeds in their yard! Regular mulching of your flower beds helps control weeds. A mulch layer around trees, shrubs, and planted beds provides many benefits to your yard. Asides from weed control, it retains soil moisture, reduces erosion and storm water runoff. In areas that are difficult to mow, irrigate, or otherwise maintain, use mulch to replace turf or groundcovers. Also consider placing mulch in shady areas where many plants don’t grow well.
Here are some helpful tips for you:
- Apply 3 to 4 inches of mulch for a layer that will be 2 to 3 inches when settled. You should apply mulch once or twice a year to maintain a 2 to 3 inch layer.
- When applying mulch keep a 2 inch area around your plants to avoid disease.
- Instead of picking up fallen leaves under trees, leave them in place to create self mulching areas.
- Avoid using cypress mulch which is harvested from wetlands.
- Cut down on mowing by taking grassed areas that are shaded and difficult to get to, and turning them in to mulched areas.
In summary, mulch is a wonderful addition to any landscape, because it buffers soil temperature, keeps soils and plant roots warmer in winter and cooler in summer, and reduces the water needs of plants. It adds beauty to any yard by giving flower beds a neat and uniform appearance, and its color and texture can complement plantings.
5. Attract Wildlife
Everyone enjoys a bit of wildlife in their South West Florida yard, and you can bring your yard to life by providing water, food, and shelter for birds, butterflies, and other creatures.
You can attract wildlife by following these simple tips:
- Provide a water source for wildlife such as a small pond with a fountain or a birdbath.
- Wildlife like food, so if you can select plants with seeds, fruit, foliage, or flowers that butterflies, birds, and other wildlife like to eat, you are sure to attract lots of wildlife. Berries, fleshy fruits, nuts, and acorns are all treats for many animals!
- Manage your pets. If you want to see wildlife in your yard, you will seriously hinder your efforts if you allow pets to harass or kill them. Try and keep your cats inside.
- Reduce your insecticide use. Insecticides reduce insect population, which form an important food source for birds.
- Create wildlife shelters in your yard such as a bird house, or bat house.
6. Manage Yard Pests Responsibly
Pest management in the home landscape once relied heavily on the use of chemicals. Today that is changing because of concerns for human health and environmental safety. Scientists now recommend using Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a strategy that helps gardeners prevent and manage pest problems with as few chemicals as possible.
You can create an effective defense against pests in your yard and at the same time minimize your impact on the environment by following these tips:
- Plan carefully before you plant. Plants in locations not suited to them may be stressed and thus more susceptible to pests.
- Start early. IPM begins at planting time, with the selection of plants that are pest-free and pest-resistant.
- Keep your plants healthy. Using appropriate amounts of water and fertilizer is the best defense against pests.
- Conduct regular checks on your plants. Keep an eye on your yard’s plants to detect pest problems early, and prune off a plant’s infected area, or pick off insects when possible before significant damage occurs.
- Go easy on water and fertilizer. Too much of either can cause excessive growth, making plants vulnerable to some insects and diseases. Encourage healthy growth by applying fertilizer and water only when they’re needed and in moderate amounts.
- Mow to the proper height and prune selectively. Mowing grass too short and severely pruning trees and shrubs weakens them, potentially inviting problems.
- Encourage beneficial insects. Learn to recognize the insects in your garden that help manage pests and let them continue their good work!
Information contained in this blog post was obtained in part from the University of Florida IFAS Extension. www.FloridaYards.org