Have you ever thought that a team of volunteers from a local gardener for Master gardeners is available for your home and offers advice? This free service is part of the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods (IFAS expansion program in Leon County).
The FYN program is intended to help home owners to make their landscape design and lawn care more environmentally friendly, which in turn contributes to protecting the environment in Florida and saving water.
Fyn encourages homeowners to create a Florida-friendly landscape (FFL) by following nine principles: no case, correct place; Water efficient; adequately fertilize; Folk blanket; Tighten the wildlife; Manage responsibly; recycle; Reduce rainwater outflow; and protect the riparian promenade.
On site, homeowners can do the home owners in the UF/IFAS expansion Leon County (615 E. Paul Russell Road in 615 E. Paul Russell Road in 615 E. Paul Russell) and the homeowners in Florida-friendly. They do this by aligning consultations about the specific concerns of the home owner in connection with the nine FFL principles or by evaluating landscapes, the owner of which is fulfilled by the recognition of Florida-friendly farm.
The UF/IFAS FIELD and FORK employees and the students install a Florida-friendly landscape building of natural demonstration garden in May 2024.
Do you want court advice?
Yard advice offers homeowners a valuable service by judging how well a landscape corresponds to the nine FFL principles. The team members may assume that plants propose based on location conditions such as soil and sunlight or recommend alternatives for problem areas. However, they do not offer landscape designs.
To apply for a consultation, homeowners can fill out the application form that is available under SFYL.IFAS.UFL.EDU.
After submitting the form by e -mail, the homeowner is assigned to one of five MGV teams. The team chair will then contact the homeowner to collect additional information and plan a visit on site.
During the visit, the team meets with the homeowner, touring the yard, takes notes and photographs – with permission – photographed key areas. Then create a comprehensive report with suggestions that are aligned with the FFL principles. In our experience, homeowners will find these visits and report incredibly helpful to identify the next steps to improve their shipyards.
This Tallahassee Yard proudly shows a flag that reflects the Florida-friendly landscape design at the gold level.
Are you ready for recognition?
Leon County also offers special recognition for homeowners who carry out sustainable landscape design practices based on an evaluation with the checklists in Florida-friendly landscape.
Florida-friendly landscapes reduce the use of drinking water, minimize the drainage of fertilizers and pesticides and offer habitat for wild animals. Meter of any kind – traditional or of course – can qualify. Ultimately, it is the design and maintenance of the landscape that determines whether it is qualified as Florida-friendly.
Pollers such as this Golf Fritillar are of crucial importance for the development of our food supply.
The FFL Home Landscape silver and gold detection apply to yards that use fertilizer, irrigation and other “traditional” garden practices.
A new measure of recognition – FFL Natural – was introduced in 2024 as an alternative to silver and gold levels. This level focuses on low -maintenance methods and plant selections that thrive with minimal intervention. His goal is to recognize homeowners who protect the water resources and provide pollinators and wild living spaces.
The application process for the detection of Hof begins with the execution of the FFL -Home -Recognition checklist, in which the best practices are described in accordance with the nine FFL principles. There are two versions: the Home Landscape checklist and the natural checklist. Both are available at fffl.ifas.ufl.edu.
Homeowners use the checklist to evaluate their landscape and make all the necessary adjustments. The publication resources at FFL.Ifas.ufl.edu offer instructions to make a farm in Florida-friendly.
Plants that are located in North Florida improve this backyard pond. Lush green leaves of the alligator flag on the left; Cardinal flower blooms in the middle.
If the homeowner believes that the landscape is finished, the application form should be filled out for a home visit given above and returned to the expansion office. In addition, the homeowner must provide a plant list for his landscape, since the knowledge requires a certain percentage of the local plants in Florida. The assigned MGV team then plans a visit to the website, meets with the homeowner and checks the reactions provided by the homeowner for self-assessment.
After the visit, the applicant receives an e -mail report. If the team recommends the farm for silver, gold or FFL natural recognition, the local horticultural company in the residential building checks the documentation and notifies the homeowner about the final results. Homeowners who receive recognition are given a flag to display their silver, golden or FFL natural status.
Every Florida-friendly landscape detection is valid two years after the original identification date. A re -assessment is required at this point to determine the continued authorization on the basis of the latest version of the checklist. The new evaluation process follows the steps described above.
Show your commitment to the protection of Florida's water and natural resources by making your landscape Florida-friendly-with the help of your local gardeners. I hope that many of you will receive recognition for your efforts to gardle.
Susan Barnes is a Master Gardener -volunteer at UF/IFAS Leon County Extension, an equally institution. For garden questions, send an e -mail to ascamastergardener@ifas.ufl.edu.
This article originally appeared at Tallahassee Democrat: Master Gardener volunteers provide advice for a Florida-friendly courtyard.