Did you know Lee County has strict watering policies based on the ending number of your address? Furthermore, Cape Coral, Fort Myers and all other cities in the county follow different variations of these rules.
Southwest Florida is a lush, green subtropical paradise famous for clear azure skies in winter and abundant greenery year round.
But you struggle to keep your landscape healthy, pest-free and beautiful so your family can enjoy the sunshine. It’s challenge to know what to do to keep your yard looking best, and following the local water and environmental conservation guidelines.
Before you despair, concentrate on these four Florida-friendly points for landscape management. They will ensure that your yard is pest-free, looks flawless and conserves resources.
1. Landscape Management by Design
Maintaining a great landscape starts out with a thoughtful plan. Sketch a simple plan of your property. Think about the structures, existing trees and shrubs, and garden use.
Add the features you want to see, like outdoor living areas, access paths, and other elements, such as a climbing structure or lawn. Plan so the much used (and irrigated) lawn is farthest away from waterways or drainage. Select and group your plants by water use and plant hardiness zone.
Biodiversity is important, as it encourages beneficial insects and frustrates the pests. Make your garden interesting from the ground to treetops with height, color, and texture. The master plan will be an essential illustration how you want your landscape to come together.
2. Go Native!
Native plants offer easy beauty and ecological benefits to your landscape management. They are crucial to restoring balance to local ecosystems, providing habitat for native wildlife and increasing biodiversity.
Native vegetation contributes to Southwest Florida’s ecosystem, replacing otherwise invasive and unsuitable species. Once established, native plants require low maintenance and minimal irrigation to thrive.
3. Water the Right Amount
The lush green of Cape Coral/Ft. Myers is easy to maintain in the summer, but cool, dry winters often mean supplemental irrigation to maintain the look. Part of landscape management is planning and maintaining an irrigation system, so each plant gets the right amount of water, nutrition, and sunlight.
Water by hand early in the morning to prevent excessive evaporation or runoff. Use mulch to direct and retain water at the roots where it’s needed and not the air or sidewalk. Calibrate your irrigation system to only water enough for the plants, not for runoff.
4. Less Is Best
Use less water, reduce pesticide use and fertilize sparingly. If you have chosen native plants, half the work is done! Due to their hardiness and high resistance to brackish water, native plants are effective filters for stormwater and greywater recycling systems. Native plants are adapted to the climate and local pests and often do not need supplementary fertilizer or pesticides.
Minimize your lawn. Choose the type of grass carefully to match use and location. To avoid watershed runoff, keep lawns as far away from drainage, waterways or slopes as possible and minimize irrigation.
Ask the Experts!
Still baffled by irrigation zones or native Florida-friendly selections?
A healthy, lush landscape is the cornerstone of an attractive home. When you start with the four tips here (or even easier, let us handle landscape management), you’re on your way to achieving the green garden of your dreams.
Interested in finding out more about our landscaping services? Get in touch…we’d be pleased to meet you!