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Landscaping Best Management Practices John Pfeiffer Pampered Yards LLC www.pamperedyards.com

Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

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Page 1: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Landscaping

Best Management

Practices

John Pfeiffer

Pampered Yards LLC

www.pamperedyards.com

Page 2: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

About Me

• Installed first yard at 8 years old

• Owner of full-service lawn/landscape

company; certificate in turfgrass

management from University of Georgia

• Pest Control Operator’s license

• Inspector and BMP instructor for Pinellas

County and State

• Grew up learning golf course maintenance

Page 3: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

How we care for our grass makes

all the difference

Page 4: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Only rain down the drain!

One storm drain

Page 5: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Thousands of

storm drains

Source:healthebay.org

Source: secure.healthebay.org

Source: time.com

Page 6: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Grass is a

plant

Your lawn is composed of LOTS of individual plants

Page 7: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Types of Grass

Zoysia

Less nitrogen needed; does

well in heat, but very slow

growing; not shade tolerant;

can get brown patch

Bahia Grass

Most water-thrifty, needs

less fertilizer, but difficult

to mow; can get weedy,

prone to mole crickets

St. Augustine

Most common lawn grass: Shade-

tolerant varieties; Needs extra water;

prone to pests (chinch bugs), thatch

Bermuda Grass

Good in full sun; drought and

salt tolerant; prone to pests

and disease

Page 8: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Mowing Heights

Bahia 3 - 4”

Standard St. Augustine 3.5 - 4”

Dwarf St. Augustine 2 - 2.5”

Zoysia 1.5 -2.5”

Bermuda 2”

Mowing below recommended

heights is the main cause

of turf death!

Page 9: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Grass mowed higher has stronger, deeper roots

It is more drought tolerant

and pest resistant

Page 10: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Benefits of A Healthy Lawn…

• Prevents erosion

• Healthy, dense grass absorbs

rainfall and reduces stormwater

runoff

• 50’ x 50’ plot can provide oxygen for

family of four

• Filters and removes contaminants

• Supports worms, grubs that are food

for birds and other wildlife

Page 11: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

However…

• Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s

humid, pest-friendly climate

• Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

in the United States

-- Floridians use 1 billion gallons of

water every day just to water lawns

• Overuse of fertilizer causes algae blooms in

our waterways

-- Urban fertilizer is responsible for at

least 20% of the harmful nitrogen

entering Tampa Bay in stormwater

runoff

Page 12: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Florida –Friendly Landscaping™

and Lawns

• Use grass only where you need it (play or entertainment

areas) and where it can be easily maintained

• Do not overwater!! Overwatering is the main cause of

lawns pests and diseases

• Fertilize sparingly and only when needed

• Provide for wildlife- enhance biodiversity!

Page 13: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

13

Good Use of Turf

Page 14: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Poor Use of Turf

14 What’s wrong with these pictures?

Grass always in pool Wasting Water

Both are inappropriate places for grass

Think Florida friendly plants

Page 15: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Recommended

“no-mow’ zone is 6 feet

away from water

(keeps clippings out

of water)

15

This includes Seawalls

and Wetlands!

Protect The Waterfront

Page 16: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Install a Buffer-Zone Garden

Page 17: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Keep a 6 foot no mow zone around water bodies or else

Page 18: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Blow or sweep clippings back onto the lawn

After Mowing

Page 19: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Keep fertilizers out of the water

Sec. 58-478. - Fertilizer-

free zones.

Fertilizer shall not be

applied within ten feet from

the top of bank of any

surface water, landward

edge of the top of a

seawall, designated

wetland or wetland as

defined by the Florida

Department of

Environmental Protection

Page 20: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Grass clippings that get into

waterways add nutrients that

contribute to algae blooms

Page 21: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Mulching mowers return

nutrients back into the lawn

Page 22: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

How to Tell When Your

Lawn Is Thirsty

• The grass has a dull,

bluish-gray color

• Footprints remain in

the grass

• Leaf blades are folded

in half

Apply water when about 50% of your grass shows wilt

Page 23: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

•Sedges

•Dollar weed

•Bluegrass

•Alligatorweed

•Goosegrass

•Diseases like fungus

What are Signs of over watering

23

Page 24: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Watering your yard

About ½ - ¾ inch a week in the

summer; less in the winter

Best time to water is early morning

Use a rain gauge so you know how

much rainfall your yard has received

then subtract this amount from the next

irrigation.

•Make sure you have a working rain

sensor: Florida law requires it!

Rain gauge

D. Rainey UF/IFAS

Page 25: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Plants do not waste water, people do!!

/www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org /www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org /www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org

25

Inspect your sprinkler system,

repair any problems and adjust

spray heads and nozzles so you’re

not watering hard surfaces

Page 26: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Native Plants Provide Habitat

for Wildlife

• Beautyberry

• Callicarpa americana

• Perennial

• Partial shade to sun

• Drought tolerant

tolerates poor soil

• Birds feed on berries

• Does not require

fertilizer

Page 27: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Plant for Wildlife!!!

Monarch Butterfly Swallowtail Butterfly

Little Blue Heron

Green Heron Tricolored Heron

Redear Sunfish

Bluegill Largemouth Bass

Page 28: Landscaping Best Management Practices - Tampa Bay€¦ · •Grass is difficult to maintain in Florida’s humid, pest-friendly climate •Grass is the most heavily irrigated “crop”

Thank you

Questions?

Pampered Yards, LLC

www.pamperedyards.com