Earth Day Is Here!!! Happy Day.

 Green Up Your Day!

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Earth Day Count Down - 2 days to go

Recycle the rain!

Harvesting rainwater using a rain barrel helps supplement irrigation for a small cost. Storing rainwater also helps reduce stormwater runoff, which can lead to reduced levels of pesticides and fertilizers in our water. Visit http://manateefyn.eventbrite.com/ to register for a class or go to http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/fyn/rain-barrel.shtml for more information.

Florida-Friendly Family Festival

 

Come join us March 6th, 9 am - 3 pm at the Manatee County Fairgrounds for the Florida-Friendly Family Festival. The Festival will feature a variety of fun activities, eco-workshops and entertainment that appeals to children of all ages.  The Festival will offer a wide array of interactive demonstrations, ideas, workshops and exhibits to highlight our environment and show ways that families can conserve in and around their homes.  Admission is free.  Food will be provided, first come, first serve.  Local youth will be performing.  The Manatee County Utilities Department will be hosting a shower head exchange.  Bring your old shower head to be exchanged for a new water conserving model. 

Performances by the Earthlings (conservation themed entertainment), Palmetto High School Jazz Band and ROTC.  Eco-workshop topics include worm composting, life as a drip, bio-fuel blast and home conservation.  Local businesses, not for profit organizations and Manatee County Government will host exhibits.  Mote Marine's touch tank, a hybrid school bus and a 1930's fire truck will be on display.

Adopting a Florida-Friendly Landscape

Adopting a Florida-Friendly Landscape: Steps for Converting a Typical Development Landscape to a Florida-Friendly Landscape

Florida homeowners have many reasons to consider converting their existing residential landscape to a Florida-Friendly Landscape. Most importantly, a Florida-Friendly yard is an environmentally sound yard that conserves and protects Florida's waterways, soil, wildlife, and energy. Using the right plants in the right place can filter harmful stormwater runoff, improve the landscape's soil, provide wildlife habitat, and create shade for energy efficiency in the home. Landscaping also adds beauty and creates pleasant outdoor living spaces to increase the value of residential property.

For more information visit http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP396 or contact Michelle Atkinson at michelleatkisnon@ufl.edu or 941-722-4524

Protect the Waterfront

Waterfront property owners have first hand knowledge of the special contribution lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and lagoons make to Florida’s quality of life. Florida-Friendly Yards located on a waterfront must address certain challenges and responsibilities. As next-door neighbor to these natural resource treasures, you must make it your mission to practice good environmental stewardship.

To design and maintain a landscape that borders a waterfront of any sort requires a strong focus on the natural environment, as well as on environmental impact. If you presently live on the waterfront or are considering moving to a waterfront location, review these points to makethe most of your landscape — to create a yard that is beautifully functional for you and environmentally safe for the natural resources of our state.

Salt Water

Naturally sloping shorelines, particularly when buffered by a fringe of mangroves or marsh grass, help smooth out waves and reduce cloudiness in the water. In addition, mangroves and other shoreline plants contribute to the food web, attract wildlife such as wading birds, and help prevent erosion at the water’s edge.

The area in which shoreline plants grow is known as the littoral zone, the boundary between land and water. Unfortunately, seawalls have traditionally been placed directly in this intertidal, littoral zone. If you desire to restore a natural shoreline with natural vegetation, you face a complex decision. Begin by inquiring about your city and county ordinances to determine whether removal is an option. If you can legally replace a shoreline protection structure with a natural littoral zone along your property, your options will be limited by several factors:
1. Depth of your lot
2. Distance from the waterline to
upland structures
3. Wave impact against your shore
4. Your budget
5. Shoreline condition of neighboring properties

Shoreline protection alternatives comprise very site-specific considerations, and you need expert advice. The Florida Sea Grant Marine Extension agent in your county, natural resources employees of local governments and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection are good places to find help and information. Keep in mind that submerged land is probably not your property, but belongs to the State of Florida. For information on permitting requirements, contact the Florida Department of Environmental Protection office in your area.

Ponds

If your property does not border or contain a natural waterway, consider building one. A pond is relatively easy to maintain, and it can add value, beauty and ecological soundness to your Florida-Friendly Yard. It does not matter whether your pond measures in square feet or acres, it will contribute significantly to wildlife in your area.

Selecting a good pond site requires evaluating many factors, including slope, soil type, water table, septic tank and house foundation setbacks, and utility easements. When planning, try to strike a balance between what your permit allows and what would fit most naturally into the landscape. In nature, Florida lakes and ponds feature some common characteristics:
1. They are usually located at the lowest elevation in a landscape.
2. They have a high edge-to-depth ratio — that means that they are wide and shallow.
3. A shallow depth increases the amount of littoral shelf area — the area receiving maximum sunlight penetration.

The shelf area provides a place for plants to root and quickly becomes a beehive of pond life activity. Florida ponds less than four feet deep often exhibit complete plant coverage. (It takes 6–10 foot depths to maintain open water.)

Stormwater Ponds

If you live on a waterfront, evaluate stormwater runoff patterns to determine if you are inadvertently “dumping” runoff from your landscape directly into the natural waterway. One way to filter runoff is by installing a series of swales and channels, followed by a small pond as a final collection point for runoff.

A pond provides a natural filter for potential waterway pollutants. Vegetation and filter traps act as active filtration systems for pollutants, and the settling action in the pond itself serves as another way to remove pollutants. A wellbuilt pond that supports plant life can significantly improve the quality of water draining into Florida’s waterways.

Another advantage these systems offer is extending the “soak time” of stormwater, or increasing the amount of water allowed to percolate. Water that percolates through soil recharges ground water directly, as opposed to water that empties into waterways.

Consult the Manatee County UF/IFAS Extension office with questions at 941-722-4524 or email michelleatkinson@ufl.edu.

Create Your Fabulous Florida Friendly Landscape

Create Your Fabulous Florida Friendly Landscape Series to start August 27th.

With the signing of S.B 2080 by Governor Crist many homeowners are looking for direction on Florida Friendly Landscaping™ practices.

Senate Bill 2080 states that a deed restriction or covenant may not prohibit or be enforce to prohibit any property owner from implementing FFL on his or her land; a local government ordinance may not prohibit or be enforced so as to prohibit any property owner from implementing FFL on his or her land; local governments shall use the standards and guidelines when developing landscape irrigation and Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ ordinances.

To help you develop your Florida Friendly Landscape we are offering a 5 step series. As a participant you will learn how to save water, time & money all while creating your Fabulous Florida Friendly Landscape.

Step 1 - Dazzling Designs on August 27th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Step 2 - Wise Watering on September 24th from 6:00pm yo 8:00pm

Step 3 - Magnificent Maintenance on Oct. 22nd from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Step 4 - Recycle the Rain on Nov. 19th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Step 5 - Compost Happens on Dec. 10th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm

To inquire or register for this series contact the Manatee County UF/IFAS Extension office at 941-722-4524 or email michelleatkinson@ufl.edu.

Recycle in the Landscape

Fun Landscape Recycling

The photos in this post are some creative and fun ways to recycle in your landscape.

Other Ways to Recycle

Landscape maintenance activities — mowing, pruning, raking — generate yard waste that you can return to the soil, recycling valuable nutrients. It is easy to recycle yard waste. Try a few of these simple ideas to get started.

Compost or mulch with yard wastes to reduce the amount of solid waste to be hauled away. Florida Statutes prohibits disposing of yard trash in landfills.

Leaves and pine needles provide a source of mulch that is a real asset in the landscape, and it is virtually free! If your yard generates more leaf mulch than you can use, compost the material or share some with a neighbor.

After pruning trees and shrubs, toss small cuttings into a compost pile or behind a shrub.

Never dump grass clippings or other yard waste into storm drains or waterways. Such activities are illegal and can pollute water systems and clog drains. Grass clippings are a significant source of nitrogen, so keep them on the lawn and out of the water.

Deciduous trees reduce energy costs by shading a house in summer and, after leaves fall, by allowing sunshine to heat a house in winter. Many new Floridians avoid having deciduous trees in their yards because they believe that fallen leaves require raking. If you desire high-quality turf under trees, then you should rake leaves to improve light penetration to the turf. If you do not want turf, permit leaves to remain under trees to form a self mulching area. Leaves add nutrients to soil as they decompose. If aesthetics are an issue, plant shrubs under trees to avoid raking. They will benefit from decomposing plant litter and help to hold leaves in place so they won’t clutter the landscape.


Composting
A common misconception about plant care is that plants require fertilizer. Plants need nutrients, but they might not need added fertilizer. That is because as organic matter decomposes, nutrients are released into the soil in a form that plants can take up. Some key nutrients for plants include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron and manganese.


A great way to supply some of these key nutrients to plants while recycling yard waste is by adding compost, which you can make from yard or kitchen waste. As compost decomposes in soil, it releases essential nutrients. Add generous amounts of composted material frequently to soil and it can create the perfect medium for sustained plant health.

Manage Yard Pest Responsibly

Due to concerns about health, the environment, and pesticide resistance, pest control practices once taken for granted are now under scrutiny. Regular preventive pesticide applications are still common for some pests but are often unnecessary. Healthy plants can usually defend against or tolerate pest attacks, while beneficial insects, birds and other natural controls often suppress undesirable insects — which makes the preventive and indiscriminate use of pesticides ill-advised.

A better approach to managing pests — Integrated Pest Management (IPM) — emphasizes using a combination of environmentally friendly methods that focus on preventing pest problems.
What are the basic building blocks of IPM?

• IPM begins at planting time, with pest-free and pest-resistant plants and a landscape design that encourages natural controls.

Keeping your plants healthy is the best defense against pests.

Regular scouting, or keeping an eye on your yard’s plants, helps detect pest problems early, before significant damage occurs.

Plants with aesthetic damage don’t necessarily need to be treated.Consider the amount of aesthetic damage you are willing to accept.

If you see a pest outbreak, determine if a problem really exists or if natural enemies are already present and are working on your behalf.

If pest control proves necessary, try the safest alternatives first, such as handpicking insects or pruning infected parts of a plant. If pesticides become necessary, choose the least harmful materials. The “softest” insecticides on beneficials and other non-target organisms (people, pets and wildlife) include insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, and microbials (e.g., spinosad, abamectin, Bacillus thuringiensis ‘Kurstaki’).

Use pesticides only to spot-treat affected plants or lawn, not in blanket applications.

Also check out

http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu/community/home_gardening/index.shtml http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu/community/landscape/design/index.shtml http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_BOOK_Florida_Weeds

Consult the Manatee County UF/IFAS Extension office with questions at 941-722-4524 or email michelleatkinson@ufl.edu.

Get in the Know

Learn the Dirt on Summer Turf

July 8th 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Manatee County Extension Office

Workshop topics include summer lawn pests, diseases, and maintenance. Register online for this free workshop at http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu or call the Manatee Office at 722‐4524.

Smart Landscape - Planning & Care

July 15th 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Manatee County Extension Office

The key to smart landscaping is to develop the Florida‐Friendly Landscaping™ plan to save water, time, & money. We’ll think through and solve intended uses of your landscapes plus the care required to maintain healthy plants. Register online for this free workshop at http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu or call 722‐4524. This class will satisfy the educational requirements for the Landscape Retrofit portion of the Manatee County Water Conservation Rebate Program.

Consult the Manatee County UF/IFAS Extension office with questions at 941-722-4524 or email michelleatkinson@ufl.edu.

Introduction

The mission of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program is to educate Floridians about science-based, environmentally friendly landscaping practices and to encourage them to conserve and protect our water resources by applying Florida-Friendly Lanscaping™ Principles in their landscapes.

A Florida-friendly yard doesn’t merely offer a beautiful landscape — it also becomes an asset to the environment, protecting natural resources and preserving Florida’s unique beauty. Recognizing that the home landscape is part of a larger natural system will help in creating a Florida-friendly yard.

The University of Florida’s Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (FYN) Program provides science-based education to the public on how to create a Florida-friendly yard. A properly maintained Florida-friendly yard can help homeowners conserve water and reduce pollution of water resources. The Florida-friendly approach to landscaping emphasizes nine interrelated principles.

We will explore each of the nine principles in upcoming posts. I am looking forward to helping you create a beautiful, Florida-friendly landscape!