9
Principles
to
Achieving
a
Florida-
Friendly
Yard
1. Right Plant, Right Place
Achieving a healthy, low-maintenance
home landscape starts with putting
the right plant in the right place.
Select plants that match a site’s soil,
light, water, and climatic conditions.
Buy quality plants that welcome
wildlife, consider plant size when
you make your purchase, and aim
for a diversity of trees, shrubs,
groundcovers, and flowers. Once
these plants are established, they’ll
require little—if any—supplemental
water, fertilizer, or pesticides, saving
you time and money. Help stop the
spread of invasive plants by removing
them from your yard.
2. Water Efficiently
Choosing the right plant for the
right place goes a long way towards
conserving water. So does grouping
plants with similar water needs
together and zoning your irrigation
system appropriately. Watch for
signs of wilt before you irrigate, be
a weather watcher (don’t irrigate if
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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MARCH 2019
it’s going to rain), and water early in the morning if you can, following any
restrictions in your area. Hand-water when possible, using a watering can,
pail, or hose. Check your irrigation system regularly; repair any leaks, clogs,
or breaks; and make sure all sprinklers are irrigating your plants, not the
sidewalk. Mulch and mow properly to increase plant health and drought
tolerance, and use micro-irrigation wherever possible. Rain barrels are a
great way to save water and money.
3. Fertilize Appropriately
Fertilize according to recommended rates and application timings to prevent
leaching—fertilizer leaking down through the soil rather than being absorbed
by plant roots. Look for fertilizers with slow-release nitrogen and little or
no phosphorous. Never fertilize within 10 feet of any water body, and don’t
fertilize before a heavy rain. If you spill fertilizer on the lawn or on a sidewalk
or driveway, sweep it up and put it back in the bag. For a quick summer
green-up, use iron supplements (ferrous sulfate or chelated iron) on your turf
instead of nitrogen fertilizer. Avoid “weed and feed” products that contain
both fertilizers and herbicides, as these can damage some plants.
4. Mulch
Mulch helps retain soil moisture, protects plants, and inhibits weed growth.
It gives your landscape a neat, uniform appearance and is a great Florida-
Friendly choice for hard-to-mow slopes and shady spots. Keep a 2- to
3-inch-deep layer of mulch on plant beds. Always leave at least 2 inches of
space around tree trunks to prevent rot. Create self-mulching areas under
your trees by letting fallen leaves lie. Be sure to choose sustainably harvested
mulch like melaleuca, pine straw, or eucalyptus – the use of cypress mulch
is not recommended, as its origins may be difficult to determine.
5. Attract Wildlife
Animals have trouble living in today’s heavily urbanized landscape. By
providing food, water, and shelter for birds, butterflies, bats, and others,
you can help these displaced Floridians while bringing beauty and benefits
to your home landscape. Select plants with seeds, fruit, foliage, flowers, or
berries that animals can eat. Supply water, such as a rain garden or bird bath.
Leave snags (dead trees), if they do not create a hazard, for birds to perch
and nest in. Increase vertical layering to provide more cover and feeding for
wild critters. Build a small bat house, or plant host plants for butterflies, to
attract these Floridian friends to your yard. Reducing insecticide use can be
good for you and many animals and beneficial insects. They eat pests and
help pollinate your flowers!
6. Manage Yard Pests Responsibly
Concerns for human and environmental health have led scientists to
recommend Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a strategy that helps
gardeners manage pests with as few chemicals as possible. To prevent disease
and insect outbreaks, select pest-resistant plants and put them in suitable
locations. Use appropriate amounts of water and fertilizer, and mow grass
at its proper height. When problems do arise, remove the affected leaves or
plant parts, or pick the insects off by hand. Don’t treat by default—some of
the insects you see may be beneficial, actually helping to control pest insect
populations. Spot-treat only, rather than blanket spraying, and use selective
rather than broad-spectrum insecticides. Always read and follow insecticide
label instructions. With these and other IPM techniques, you can create and
sustain a low-maintenance, cost-efficient, healthy landscape that uses as