In an area of rapid growth and development, Central Florida also has a lot of beautiful, natural resources to protect, and we all have an impact on our environment. From the aquifers to the natural springs and the marshlands, our landscapes are the home to native wildlife. Everyone has a vested interest in keeping our lakes and natural resources clean and unpolluted. Florida Friendly Landscaping is a guidebook of nine principles that help us to protect our natural environment one yard at a time.
As Florida Friendly principle #1 and any gardener will tell you, it is crucial to have “the right plant, in the right place.” What this means is take the time to evaluate the location of plants, bushes, and especially trees in your yard for the short and long term. You may think the cute little lemon tree looks great right outside your front door, but one year from now, it will be 10 feet tall and wide or more. Make sure there is enough space for future growth when planting trees. Consider the amount of shade they will provide for other plants in the yard and ensure that the proper amount of sunlight is available for the plant year-round. A happy plant is a healthy plant. When the plant is healthy, it typically has no pesky insects, either. The insects come when the plant is under stress, due to less than optimal sun, nutrients, water or other conditions.
When dealing with pests, do some research to try and understand what is causing the pest issue. Many times, there is a simple solution like too much or too little water. If the plant is not in the right place, it may need to be moved to more sunlight or maybe it’s time to fertilize. By determining the root cause, many pest issues can be treated naturally by adjusting the watering or sunlight and never touching a pest spray bottle. If pest treatment is needed, consider a natural or organic treatment. As always, read the instructions carefully for the most effective results.
When considering the health of local wildlife as well as the environment, we should work to reduce the amount of water, fertilizer and pesticides that we use in our yards from simply programming sprinkler timers to the right level of water for the season or being responsible about any fertilizer or pest management treatments used out in the yard. Imagine the water that can be saved in one week by reducing the sprinkler time from 20 minutes in the summer to 10 minutes in the fall. That’s a 50% cutback in just one yard. Then, multiply that by every yard in the neighborhood, then in the county. Now, that’s a lot of water saved by a simple sprinkler adjustment. It’s being aware of every home’s impact that will really make a difference in our community.
As for fertilizing the yard, a great option is organic compost and worm casting. This is a natural way to add nutrients the way nature intended! When done in regular feedings, small amounts of compost can be spread around the yard and absorbed into the soil and roots by watering. The compost will break down and return to the earth without concern of the chemical runoff that comes from chemical fertilizers. Isn’t it interesting that when thinking about fertilizing, it’s more common to think of a bag of chemical fertilizer than it is to naturally fertilize with compost as gardeners have for centuries? When chemical fertilizers are used and over-used, we see the results in the pollution of our aquifers and lakes. Just imagine a lake surrounded by homes that, year after year, add chemical fertilizers to every yard on its perimeter. The ground can only filter out so much before it gets into the water and affects the wildlife. Just remember, every yard can make a difference.
There are a total of nine principles of Florida Friendly Landscaping as well as an extensive list of Florida Friendly and native plants on the University of Florida website at: https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/.
If you have an upcoming project, think Florida Friendly when choosing your plants or landscape company. The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Homeowner program is a resource to get advice about how to make a yard more Florida Friendly and also be recognized for Florida Friendly modifications done to a yard. When you do Florida Friendly modifications to your home, please share them on our Facebook page @MyNonasGarden. Happy gardening!
Amber Harom is the founder and president of Sungold Gardens, formerly My Nona’s Garden, where they install and service low-maintenance, elevated, organic vegetable gardens. If you want a lush, self-sustaining food supply but don’t have the time or know-how, we’ll build your dream garden and grow you delicious, nutrient-dense organic produce, right in your own yard or business location.
Visit www.SungoldGardens.com for more information
“We make organic vegetable gardening easy!”