Florida Friendly Landscaping Wendy Wilber UF/IFAS Alachua County - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Florida Friendly Landscaping ™

Wendy Wilber UF/IFAS Alachua County Extension Service wilbewl@ufl.edu

Gainesville Clean Water Partnership -

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97% of all water on earth is salt water. 1% of all water on earth is available to drink. 2/ 3 of all fresh water is frozen in polar and glacial ice.

Satellite

Domestic Water Use

 American water use is high compared

to other nations

 Twice European use

 Florida has the highest domestic

water use in U.S.

 Partly due to irrigation of lawns

and landscapes

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USGS, 1998

Where does it come from?

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 95% of Florida’s drinking water comes from

groundwater

Citrus Grove

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Creeks and ponds and Ultimately the groundwater

What Can I Do?



Right plant, right place.



Choose Florida native plants or low maintenance plants.



Group plants according to their water needs.



Use mulch.

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Design a Florida friendly landscape:

www.floridayards.org

A Florida Yard incorporates the following 9 principles:

Right plant, right place * Water efficiently * Fertilize appropriately * Reduce stormwater runoff * Manage yard pests Provide for wildlife Mulch/ Recycle Protect the waterfront

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What is a "Florida Yard"?

A Florida Yard can take any form, unique or traditional. You can have a Florida Yard simply by changing the way you take care of your yard.

Right Plant, Right Place

Reduce the need for water, fertilizer, pesticides and pruning by using plants suited to the specific site conditions.

Water Efficiently

Design and maintain a yard that thrives predominantly on rainfall once plants are established.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

Maintaining a 2-3” layer of mulch will help retain soil moisture, prevent erosion, and suppress weeds.

Recycle Yard & Household Waste

In a Florida Yard, grass clippings, leaves and yard trimmings are recycled on site to provide added nutrients to the soil and to reduce waste disposal.

Fertilize Appropriately

Less is often best.

Over-utilization of fertilizers can be hazardous to your yard and the environment Low Maintenance schedule Use Slow Release Fertilizers

AVOID Combination products

Control Pests Responsibly

Unwise use of pesticides can harm people, pets, beneficial organisms and the environment.

Reduction of Stormwater Runoff

Water running off a yard can carry soil, debris, fertilizer and pesticides that may harm water quality.

Provide for Wildlife

Plants in your yard that provide food, water and shelter can help conserve Florida’s diverse wildlife.

Proper planning and plant selection:

• It affects everything else

you do in your landscape

• Can save energy, effort,

water, money, etc.

• Makes the landscape more

enjoyable

The Key to Landscape Success

Florida Friendly designs work

with nature to create a healthy landscape

The plants are well suited for

your landscape

There will be less maintenance

needed, but it will be different

Once the plants are established

 They will need minimal

water

 The Florida Friendly

landscapes are designed to survive off of rainfall

 If there is a drought or

plants look wilted, hand water to restore or keep the plants from being stress

Mulched beds

 Some weeding maybe

needed to keep the weeds

• ut of the mulched areas

 Mulch needs to be

maintained at 3 inches deep

 You can use fallen leaves

as mulch

Grass grows best in full sun

 Bahia grass needs to be

mowed at a height of 3-4 inches

 Bahia grass needs minimal

watering once it is established

 Bahia grass needs to be

fertilized only 1 or 2 a year with a slow release fertilizer

Fertilize carefully

 If you have to fertilize use

a slow release nitrogen product.

 Fertilize during the

growing season

 Sweep any spilled fertilizer

back to the grass of plant area

Prune only as needed

 Most of your shrubs won’t

need pruning for a few years

 Prune evergreen shrubs in

the spring or during the growing season

 Prune azaleas before July

4th and Prune roses on Valentines day

Trees

Live Oak

 Quercus virginiana  Highrise, Cathedral

• ak ™

 45+ feet more upright

growth

 Tough tree  Long lived

Bluff Oak

 Tall to 50 feet  Deciduous Oak  Great shade tree  Leaves stay green up to

leave fall

 Straight trunk no

pruning needed

Sugar Maple

Acer saccharum

 30- 40 feet  Deciduous  Beautiful shape  Yellow to red fall color

Winged Elm

 Ulmus alata  Fast Growing  Deciduous  Native  70+ feet

Southern Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

Little gem DD Blanchard Brackens brown beauty Hasse Cultivars

Dogwood

Cornus florida

Vitex or Vitex Agnus castus

 15- 20 feet tall  Deciduous  Grow quickly  Flowers purple flower is

the summer

 Full sun

Yaupon Holly

 Evergreen holly  Small leaves  Very dense growth  Very tough plant  Wonderful red berries

for birds

Flatwoods Plum

Prunus umbellata

 15 – 20 feet  Deciduous  Drought tolerant  Flowers in spring  Edible fruit

Shrubs

Simpson stopper Myrcianthes fragrans

Fire bush Hamelia patens

Florida Anise

Loropetalum

Wax Myrtle

Camellia

Oak leaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia

Azalea encore white

Beauty berry Callicarpa americana

Walters viburnum Viburnum obovatum

Dwarf densa

Lonicera sempervirens Coral honeysuckle

vine

African Iris

Fakahatchee grass Tripsacum dactyloides

Alpinia zerumbet 'variegata'

Coontie Zamia pumila

Lantana

Dianella Tasmania Variegated blue flax lily

 Very adaptable  Partial sun to shade  Interesting flower  Some freeze damage in

cold spots

Crytomium falcatum Holly fern

 Sun: partial to full shade  Soil: acid pH  Height: 2 feet  Coverage complete  Native non  Winter? Evergreen for some  Interest tropical looking

foliage

Liriope muscari Liriope

 Sun: full sun to shade  Soil wide range  Height 6-12 inches (24” for

giant)

 Coverage: not total  Non Native  Winter?: evergreen  Interest:

 some purple spike blooms

Bahia grass

For more information visit: Floridayards.org And Solutionsforyourlife.com