Landscaping for a Florida yard
Your yard is an integral part of Florida’s natural environment. How you design and manage your yard is directly linked to the unique and fragile ecosystem that give our state its beauty and sense of wonder. Landscaping for a Florida yard promotes the recognition of this relationship and provides you with the means of creating a yard that becomes an asset to our state’s ecosystems and not a burden on it. Whether your goal is to create a playground, provide habitat for wildlife, or simply to reduce your water and energy bills, you can easily do so by adopting a few simple guidelines.
Getting started
The University of Florida Extension Service has created a Florida Yards and Neighborhood program (FY&N) to guide you through all of your landscaping needs. To begin landscaping for a Florida yard, use the step-by-step guide from FY&N to determine the needs for your yard.
Tips
- Right plant, right place: Understand the soil, sunlight and water conditions of the area you are planting. Choose native plants that match and thrive under the conditions noted in your yard.
- Water efficiently: Select plants that don’t require regular watering and group plants based on water needs, use low-volume irrigation like micro-irrigation in beds, water your lawn and plants only when you know they need it or show signs of stress, and use a rain gauge and a soil moisture sensor so you will know if rainfall has done the job.
- Fertilize appropriately: If needed, use natural, organic slow-release fertilizers to maintain plant health. Numbers on the fertilizer bag represent Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, in that order. Nitrogen and Potassium numbers should not exceed 10. Phosphorus should be 0, as we do not need this in our soils, Also, do not exceed recommended amounts and keep fertilizers away from lakes and rivers.
- Mulch: Adding mulch to landscaping beds helps conserve water, prevent weed growth, and improves the look of the yard. Use recycled mulch from your own landscape or get free mulch from the county. Be sure not to use Cypress mulch, which comes from fragile wetland ecosystems.
- Attract wildlife: Increase the variety of plants in your landscape design, create natural corridors, and reduce pesticide and chemical use.
- Manage yard pests responsibly: Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- Recycle: Leave grass clippings on the yard to decompose and fertilize the soil, and create and maintain a compost pile or bin.
- Reduce stormwater runoff: Use porous surfaces from walkways, patios, and driveways; and direct downspouts and gutters into your lawn, plant beds, rain barrels or containment areas on or near your property.
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Pick up pest waste and trash: Pet waste is a big source of bacteria
in our water. It is also the law to pick up after your pet.
For More Information:
Florida-Friendly Landscape Interactive Tutorial teaches the principles of low-impact and Florida-friendly landscaping.
EDIS is the searchable Electronic Data Information Source of UF/IFAS Extension, a collection of information on topics relevant to sustainability.
