Last month, we introduced you to the concept of Florida-Friendly landscaping with the first five recommended steps from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. With summer creeping closer, it’s more important than ever to make sure you are caring for your Spring Hill lawn in a way that is kind to your plants, grass, and the environment plus can help you save resources and money by cutting back on the amount of watering your yard requires. Steps six through nine will carry you the rest of the way in ensuring that your lawn stays healthy and green.
Manage Yard Pests Responsibly
With the proper plants in the proper place, and the proper amount of watering, you should not have to use toxic pesticides. If you begin to notice pests, select natural options – such as introducing beneficial insects – whenever possible. If natural options don’t do the trick, select a low-toxicity pesticide.
Recycle
Recycling isn’t just for newspapers and bottles – it’s also for your lawn. Instead of bagging lawn clippings and leaves, mulch them and redistribute throughout your lawn to provide natural nutrients. If you’re really ambitious, try composting kitchen and yard waste to add even more nutrients to flower beds and vegetable gardens.
Manage Stormwater Runoff
During our summer months – hurricane season, in particular – the rain tends to fall faster than it can be absorbed. When stormwater isn’t absorbed, it flows into lakes, ponds, pools, and sewers, taking pesticides and other toxins with it. Prevent runoff by incorporating gravel, stones, or pavers in your landscaping to give water somewhere to go until it can be absorbed by the earth.
Protect the Waterfront
If you live near a lake, river, or other body of water, it’s important to do what you can to keep pollutants out. To do so, make sure there is a ten-foot “no landscaping” zone between your landscaping and the water. If left alone, that ten food boundary will help keep out fertilizer, pesticides, and other chemicals that can upset the natural balance of the ecosystem.
Challenger Irrigation has been helping Hernando County residents and businesses keep their lawns Florida-Friendly for over 20 years. If you’d like to learn more or are interested in making sure your sprinkler systems are ready for Summer, contact our office today.
