Upcoming Events

Summer Sat. Series: Bring the family and discover interesting Florida facts, animals, plants and ways to be friendly to our environment. This event is outside please be prepared with a drink, hat and/or sunscreen.




Meet the Natives – June 26th – Rye Preserve
Rye Wilderness Preserve 905 Wilderness Trail  Parrish, FL 34219

Take a walk with one of our Master Gardeners to identify Florida native plants. Listen to stories about our native friends as you tour the preserve spying new species along the way. Pot and take home a native plant. Registration is required.

*No fee required. Please register at http://metthenatives062610.eventbrite.com/

Program Location Description: Rye Preserve is a 145 acre property located just northwest of the Lake Manatee Dam. The preserve features nature trails, horseback trails, picnic areas, a playground and a canoe/kayak launch.
The preserve's trail system leads visitors through four distinctive ecosystems, including sand pine scrub, xeric oak scrub, oak hammocks and the river community. A variety of interesting creatures can be seen in these areas including the rare gopher tortoise, and Florida scrub-jay.
Rye Preserve is home to a piece of Manatee County's early pioneer history. Within the preserve visitors can view the Rye Family Cemetery, the last remaining reminder of the old Rye river community.

Other Series Titles:
Hippity Hoppity Frog Habitats- July 10th – Palma Sola Botanical Park http://froghabitats071010.eventbrite.com/


Wiggly Squiggly Worm Composting- August 14th - Manatee County Extension Office
http://wigglysquiggly081410.eventbrite.com/

Perico Bay Club Bldg C is Florida Friendly

Congratulations to Perico Bay Building C! Thanks to Heather, Jackie and Vivian for their hard work and perseverance in acheiving a Florida Friendly Landscape.

This landscape was orginially dominated by turf. The three ladies mentioned above felt this landscape could be more water efficient and require less maintenance so they went to work designing a Florida Friendly Landscape. They have since noticed the maintenance crew visits them 1/3 as often as the neighboring buildings. Great Job Ladies!!

Nestled next to Palma Sola Bay this landscape demonstates lots of salt tolerant species. Geiger trees, Sea Lavendar, Silver Sea Oxeye Daisies and Tropical Salvia give lots of color while the Cocoplum Horizontal provides a deep green ground cover. Sea Grapes, Beauty Berries, Gumbo Limbo and Sugarberries provide food and shelter for wildlife. The Bromilads hold water for visiting amphibians.

Should you wish to convert your landscape into a Florida Friendly Landscape please contact MichelleAtkinson@ufl.edu for more information or check out http://manatee.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/fyn/index.shtml

Beware of the Monoculture Hedge

Many of us like the look and/or privacy a hedge can provide. In planning your hedge it is important to choose a variety of plants to accomplish the job.

Using one variety of shrub to make a wall or screen is a monoculture hedge.

A monoculture hedge does have a few problems. What if an insect or disease strikes your hedge? All of your shrubs could be lost or you could end up with random large dead holes.

A better alternative is to plant a hedge using a variety of large and small shrubs and trees. Generally, something that requires screening will need it the year round, so evergreens naturally predominate in any list of screening plants. But don’t be afraid to add a deciduous plant. A few deciduous plants can provide wonderful color.

When choosing plants for screening, check the available space carefully and know the mature height and width of the plant. Be sure that the plants you choose will fit in the allotted space without an undue amount of maintenance. If you have to frequently prune your plants to keep them in check, it’s more than likely you used the wrong plant for that location. Also, when mixing several different types of plants, be sure to choose ones with similar growth and water requirements.
The choice of plants for a screen is practically unlimited. Flowering shrubs can be used effectively. For something a little unusual, add a fruiting plant to your hedge. For a change in texture, consider adding ornamental grasses. Don’t forget our native plants. A Florida Friendly Landscape attracts wildlife - this is a great opportunity to supply food and shelter.

For help with plant selection visit the Plant Database at http://www.floridayards.org/ or consult the UF Florida Friendly Plant List at fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/materials/list.pdf. If you would like more information about the Florida-Friendly Landscape recognition program please visit manatee.ifas.ufl.edu and browse the FYN Program or call Michelle Atkinson at 941-722-4524

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.

Attract Wildlife

Florida has the third most diverse wildlife population of any state. But rapidly growing urban development, particularly in coastal communities, is destroying native wildlife habitat. As our communities expand, we lament the loss of birds and other wildlife, but often our own yards are partly to blame.

Your Florida-Friendly Yard can provide habitat for wildlife in two major ways:

1. By increasing biodiversity, in part by using a variety of plants in your yard’s design.



2. By creating landscaped islands and natural corridors of plants that connect bordering properties. Animals use these corridors to travel from one natural area to another, which in turn fosters and benefits wildlife on a larger neighborhood scale.

As you create a new landscape or improve your existing one, add a few features for wildlife, and you will bring your yard to life with birds, butterflies and beneficial insects. Just remember that food, water and cover attract wildlife, but providing habitat is not enough. You also need to maintain your yard so the impact it has on the environment is minimal.

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