We all live on the water, even if we don't have a view. Runoff from yards and neighborhoods carry fertilizer, pesticides and small debris into storm sewers that drain to neighboring lakes and streams. Help keep Florida waters healthy by minimizing outdoor water use and limiting the chemicals you spray in your yard.
The average American family spends hundreds of dollars each year on lawn care, and many people hire a service to handle weekly or monthly yard chores. Do you know what's being sprayed in your yard? To protect your yard - and the surrounding environment - ask your service if they use Florida-friendly practices:
o Do you mow often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the blade is removed at one time?
o Do you leave grass clippings on the lawn?
o Do you remove debris from sidewalks, driveways and roads without blowing or sweeping it into storm drains?
o Do you use organic or slow-release fertilizers?
o Do you check for pests each time you mow so they don't have a chance to get out of hand?
o Do you apply preventative pesticides or do you treat on an as-needed basis?
Florida Yard tip: Get a sample lawn service contract with additional information online at Tampa Bay Water.
Any more than an inch of water once a week is wasted, and may even damage your landscape. To see how much water your sprinkler system is applying, place tuna cans or other low, straight-sided containers randomly in your yard on a day when it is not windy or raining. Run each zone for 15 minutes then measure the water in each can to determine the average depth. Use the chart below to set your sprinklers to apply the optimum amount of water.
If water levels vary widely, it means your irrigation system is not applying water evenly. To make the system more efficient, you may need to have heads repaired, replaced or relocated.
Most automatic sprinkler systems run in the middle of the night, so you may waste a lot of water - and damage valuable plantings - without even knowing it. To get the water you need without the waste:
o Check and clean/repair sprinkler heads monthly during daylight hours when you can detect problems.
o Prune plants and grass around sprinkler heads or raise them to minimize interference with irrigation spray coverage.
o Set the controller to vary water amounts according to season.
o Check the functioning of the rain shutoff device quarterly during dry season and monthly during the rainy season.
o Check micro-irrigation filters quarterly.
o Replenish organic mulch at least annually.
o Calibrate irrigation zones yearly using the tuna can test.
