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Feature Story
Each issue features stories and
Florida history about the Treasure Coast. Click on a link below to view some
of our published stories...enjoy!
Also see "Area News & Info"
PLANNING YOUR BEAUTIFUL FLORIDA LANDSCAPE
Nothing enhances our outdoor lifestyle more than plush,
topical landscaping and it’s fairly easy to do in Florida. Out of all the
states, Florida has the greatest number of native plants that can be used
for home landscaping. Native plantings are better adapted to the
environment and tend to be more bug/disease resistant when it comes to local
pests. Most greenhouses and nurseries keep a hardy supply of native plants
in stock and can advise you on the best choices for your individual
landscape.
“Shade screens can protect
your delicate plants from excess heat and provide a cool place to rest and
enjoy your garden.”
- Spencer Porteous, Everything Outdoors
When you are planning your garden oasis, keep the climate and
location of your property in mind as you choose your plantings. Coastal
properties will need plants that survive high salinity due to the salt
spray. Some inland properties don’t see as much rain and must be more
drought tolerant. Does your property provide shade during the heat of the
day? Delicate flowers need the sun to grow but will quickly wither when
exposed to scorching heat. Planting the correct plant in the appropriate
place will insure optimum growth and years of enjoyment.
“ Brick pavers are a
decorative and carefree way to create lasting borders and pathways
throughout your garden.”
- Jim Chalmers, Natural Looks Landscaping & Garden Center
Mulch is beneficial to Florida plants, helping hold moisture
in the ground, providing insulation against the sun and adding beneficial
nutrients to the soil when it decays. Commercially prepared mulches are
readily available and convenient, but lawn clippings, leaves and pine
needles make inexpensive mulch. Mulch should never be more than 2” deep for
organic variety and 3” for the commercial grade.
“Plants and trees are like
humans - they need food and water.”
- Howard Nelson, Palm Depot & Garden Center.
Consider some form of barrier or edging around any
landscaping bed. Florida rains tend to come suddenly with large amounts of
water in a short period and can quickly destroy unprotected beds. Well
intended mulch, fertilizers and topsoil can be washed away leaving plants
vulnerable. Borders come in all shapes, sizes and materials from decorative
bricks to plastic edging but whatever it’s made of, borders help retain the
water run-off allowing it to to soak in to the soil, nourishing the plants
and keeping the soil in place.
Once you have the look you want, keep it looking green,
colorful and healthy through monthly fertilization. Florida soil is often
times hard, water resistant and nutrient deficient, so you need to fertilize
regularly. Different plants need different nutrients so consult your garden
center professional for the right blend of fertilizer for the plants you
own. Treat your plants like family and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful
outdoor retreat!
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF LANDSCAPING
While most of us look at landscaping from the perspective of
improving the appearance and usefulness of our outdoor property, there are
some very viable economic reasons to landscape. It’s been estimated that
quality landscaping can add as much as 14% to the resale value of a building
or home and speed up the sale of the property by as much as 6 weeks. With
the current housing bust, improving the curb appeal of your home with plants
is one of the most cost effective ways to increase your chances of selling.
Properly selected and placed plants and trees can lower your
home heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 -25%! A simple tree shading
your outdoor air-conditioning unit can increase its efficiency by as much as
10%. According to the US Department of Energy, a few properly placed trees
can save the average household between $100 and $250 a year in heating and
cooling costs annually.
So think efficiency as well as aesthetics when planning your
landscape. Use trees and shrubs to block the sun from windows and walls.
Plant ground covers to reduce the heat reflected from the ground to walls
and windows. Talk to your local garden center professional about which
plants thrive in the hot Florida climate and create an environment that will
give you a truly beautiful return on your investment.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF LANDSCAPING
In a world plagued with global warming and pollution, it’s
comforting to know that studies conducted by the Virginia Cooperative
Extension show that just one tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere annually, equalling 11,000 miles of car emissions.
Landscape plants, including shrubs and turf, remove smoke, dust, and other
pollutants from the air. One study showed that 1 acre of trees has the
ability to remove 13 tons of particles and gases annually! Amazingly, the
average tree absorbs 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year and
releases enough oxygen each day to sustain a family of four.
Trees, shrubs and ground covers trap and filter dust and
pollutants out of the rainwater. The plants benefit from the nutrients in
this particulate matter while keeping it from being a source of water
pollution. Planting landscape buffers along a water’s edge can reduce the
flow of sediments and pollutants into the body of water and keep it from
contaminating the aquifer.
“A blanket of sod will trap
pollutants from the ground which would otherwise be airborne and potentially
harmful”
- Robert Guettler Sod.
Plants even assist in tempering noise pollution. Properly
selected and placed planting will absorb sound waves buffering the unwanted
noise. In the presence of a breeze, some plants will create their own
soothing melodies.
MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LANDSCAPE
Now that you’ve got the landscaping you want, you’ve got to
keep it healthy through regularly scheduled watering. “Installing a
sprinkler system will pay for itself just in the money you save on
conserving water” explains Jerry Stuckey of Pipe Masters Irrigation in Vero
Beach. “It’s estimated that when watering by hand, as much as 50% of the
water is lost to runoff and evaporation. In this day of watering bans and
restrictions, a professionally installed system can be programmed to run
late at night or early morning when water evaporation is at it’s lowest.”
Before you install your system you need to decide how much
water each area of your landscape needs and program the irrigation zone
accordingly. Automatic irrigation zones target water distribution more
precisely than watering with a manual oscillator and ultimately conserves
water and saves you money. Having the zones identified and regulated also
insures that one plant isn’t overwatered for the sake another.
Your plants need the nutrients that come directly from an
underground well. Watering with processed municiple water may do more harm
than good as chemicals like chlorine and fluoride are added to the spray.
“Well water for irrigation contains elements such as iron, magnesium,
calcium and/or sulphur. In most cases those nasty stains on your home and
driveway can be controlled” explains Rose of All-Rite Water in Vero Beach.
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