Green-thumb guides to eco-friendly gardening
Published: Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.
There's the Chinese Tallow, the Tropical Soda Apple and don't forget the Brazilian Pepper. Though they sound like candle scents, these exotic and invasive plants that grow so well in your garden pose a serious threat to the Florida environment. So do a few other common gardening practices: Overuse of chemicals can taint natural watering holes with run-off, and too much watering can deplete what little drinkable supply is left.
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Wendy Wilbur, horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, in the vegetable garden with two of her favorite "green" gardening guides.
AARON DAYE/Staff photographerTo avoid such catastrophes, green-thumbed experts promote environmentally friendly gardening practices, such as using fewer chemicals and less water, and using only native plants. Their advice also includes finding the right book for the right job.
Wendy Wilbur, the horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, recommends "Vegetable Gardening in Florida" by Jim Stephens.
"It's a wonderful, complete guide to gardening in Florida and it's got a lot of pictures," she says. "A lot of gardening books out there are written with a Northern bias. They don't have the bugs we have, and the planting times are so different. But this book realizes the difference between Miami and Gainesville. It's a really good book for anyone who wants to vegetable garden."
Stephens, the founder of the Master Gardener program in Florida, offers step-by-step instructions for everything from hydroponics and organic gardening to growing transplants. Dotting the pages are charts and maps, sample garden layouts, and plenty of practical tips, such as how to spot the common hunger signs of plants.
Tom Wichman, the statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener program, recommends "A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook."
"It's the best environmentally friendly landscape book for Florida," Wichman says. Best of all, it's free!
The handbook, which can be found online through the IFAS Web site, is based on the Nine Florida-Friendly Principles: putting the right plants in the right places, watering efficiently, fertilizing appropriately, using mulch, attracting wildlife, managing yard pests responsibly, recycling, reducing storm water run-off and protecting the waterfront. With colorful bullet points throughout and glossary boxes that define unfamiliar terms, the book gives helpful background for planning and planting a new yard along with practical advice about how to follow the principles.
In addition to the handbook, IFAS' sustainable gardening site, http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu, has circulars and books on practically every gardening-related topic. Visit the Landscaping in the Southeast page to get advice on how to reduce your fertilizer use, where to distribute mulch and how to get rid of pests in the most earth-friendly way. Or check the online bookstore for "Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife," a comprehensive guide on how to attract birds, butterflies and other beautiful creatures.
"Some of the best information you can get is from the extension office and it's specific to Florida gardening," says Miriam Bishop, a Master Gardener volunteer with the IFAS office.
Bishop also uses "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants" to identify plants for community members who call the Horticulture Hotline. Written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor, the book indexes every Florida flower or plant, along with what region it grows best in and its identifying details.
To get that Florida-friendly yard, it's best to use native plants.
"Probably the most important element in maintaining an eco-friendly garden is plant selection," says Don Goodman, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, "especially the use of native species."
Planting invasive and exotic plants can destroy the biodiversity of the Sunshine State, decimate animal populations and could eventually make water activities nearly impossible, according to the UF IFAS extension Web site.
Goodman and Doris Klemm, owner of Harmony Gardens Nursery, suggest "Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants," by Gil Nelson.
"It has pictures and really good descriptions of common plants people can find in local nurseries," Klemm says.
According to the book's introduction, "Florida's flora includes one of the largest assortments of spontaneously occurring species in North America." Nelson's book contains specific details, such as best features and companion plants, on 200 Florida-common species. Every page also displays colorful photos or illustrations of every variation of the species.
An essential part of any environmentally-friendly garden or yard is to minimize water use. To keep the hose in check, Wilbur recommends "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, because it touches on every topic related to creating a sustainable landscape. With chapter titles such as "Consuming Less Energy in the Landscape" and "Turning Garden Waste into Gold," Lamp'l takes garden sustainability to the next level. Sprinkled throughout the pages of the book are helpful hints to make any water-conscious gardener successful, such as how to choose a rain barrel. The book also provides some eye-opening facts: Did you know hoses with pressure nozzles emit 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute?
Another water-conserving resource is "Waterwise Florida Landscapes," an online pamphlet produced by the Florida Water Management District and available at the St. John's Water Management District's Web site (www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes). Klemm says the pamphlet has "good information about plants — which plants to plant together, and landscaping to promote water conservation." The pamphlet focuses on xeriscaping, a landscaping technique based on minimal water use and planting native species. The book helps the beginning green gardener from start to finish, with recommendations for obtaining a soil analysis, choosing proper plants, irrigating efficiently and keeping up with maintenance.
Klemm also suggests that gardeners try an eco-friendly approach to plants that typically require more chemicals or water, such as roses. A useful guide for keeping your roses healthy and environmentally helpful is "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt.
"This is good because roses conventionally take a lot of chemicals," Klemm says.
There's the Chinese Tallow, the Tropical Soda Apple and don't forget the Brazilian Pepper. Though they sound like candle scents, these exotic and invasive plants that grow so well in your garden pose a serious threat to the Florida environment. So do a few other common gardening practices: Overuse of chemicals can taint natural watering holes with run-off, and too much watering can deplete what little drinkable supply is left.
To avoid such catastrophes, green-thumbed experts promote environmentally friendly gardening practices, such as using fewer chemicals and less water, and using only native plants. Their advice also includes finding the right book for the right job.
Wendy Wilbur, the horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, recommends "Vegetable Gardening in Florida" by Jim Stephens.
"It's a wonderful, complete guide to gardening in Florida and it's got a lot of pictures," she says. "A lot of gardening books out there are written with a Northern bias. They don't have the bugs we have, and the planting times are so different. But this book realizes the difference between Miami and Gainesville. It's a really good book for anyone who wants to vegetable garden."
Stephens, the founder of the Master Gardener program in Florida, offers step-by-step instructions for everything from hydroponics and organic gardening to growing transplants. Dotting the pages are charts and maps, sample garden layouts, and plenty of practical tips, such as how to spot the common hunger signs of plants.
Tom Wichman, the statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener program, recommends "A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook."
"It's the best environmentally friendly landscape book for Florida," Wichman says. Best of all, it's free!
The handbook, which can be found online through the IFAS Web site, is based on the Nine Florida-Friendly Principles: putting the right plants in the right places, watering efficiently, fertilizing appropriately, using mulch, attracting wildlife, managing yard pests responsibly, recycling, reducing storm water run-off and protecting the waterfront. With colorful bullet points throughout and glossary boxes that define unfamiliar terms, the book gives helpful background for planning and planting a new yard along with practical advice about how to follow the principles.
In addition to the handbook, IFAS' sustainable gardening site, http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu, has circulars and books on practically every gardening-related topic. Visit the Landscaping in the Southeast page to get advice on how to reduce your fertilizer use, where to distribute mulch and how to get rid of pests in the most earth-friendly way. Or check the online bookstore for "Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife," a comprehensive guide on how to attract birds, butterflies and other beautiful creatures.
"Some of the best information you can get is from the extension office and it's specific to Florida gardening," says Miriam Bishop, a Master Gardener volunteer with the IFAS office.
Bishop also uses "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants" to identify plants for community members who call the Horticulture Hotline. Written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor, the book indexes every Florida flower or plant, along with what region it grows best in and its identifying details.
To get that Florida-friendly yard, it's best to use native plants.
"Probably the most important element in maintaining an eco-friendly garden is plant selection," says Don Goodman, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, "especially the use of native species."
Planting invasive and exotic plants can destroy the biodiversity of the Sunshine State, decimate animal populations and could eventually make water activities nearly impossible, according to the UF IFAS extension Web site.
Goodman and Doris Klemm, owner of Harmony Gardens Nursery, suggest "Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants," by Gil Nelson.
"It has pictures and really good descriptions of common plants people can find in local nurseries," Klemm says.
According to the book's introduction, "Florida's flora includes one of the largest assortments of spontaneously occurring species in North America." Nelson's book contains specific details, such as best features and companion plants, on 200 Florida-common species. Every page also displays colorful photos or illustrations of every variation of the species.
An essential part of any environmentally-friendly garden or yard is to minimize water use. To keep the hose in check, Wilbur recommends "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, because it touches on every topic related to creating a sustainable landscape. With chapter titles such as "Consuming Less Energy in the Landscape" and "Turning Garden Waste into Gold," Lamp'l takes garden sustainability to the next level. Sprinkled throughout the pages of the book are helpful hints to make any water-conscious gardener successful, such as how to choose a rain barrel. The book also provides some eye-opening facts: Did you know hoses with pressure nozzles emit 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute?
Another water-conserving resource is "Waterwise Florida Landscapes," an online pamphlet produced by the Florida Water Management District and available at the St. John's Water Management District's Web site (www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes). Klemm says the pamphlet has "good information about plants — which plants to plant together, and landscaping to promote water conservation." The pamphlet focuses on xeriscaping, a landscaping technique based on minimal water use and planting native species. The book helps the beginning green gardener from start to finish, with recommendations for obtaining a soil analysis, choosing proper plants, irrigating efficiently and keeping up with maintenance.
Klemm also suggests that gardeners try an eco-friendly approach to plants that typically require more chemicals or water, such as roses. A useful guide for keeping your roses healthy and environmentally helpful is "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt.
"This is good because roses conventionally take a lot of chemicals," Klemm says.
There's the Chinese Tallow, the Tropical Soda Apple and don't forget the Brazilian Pepper. Though they sound like candle scents, these exotic and invasive plants that grow so well in your garden pose a serious threat to the Florida environment. So do a few other common gardening practices: Overuse of chemicals can taint natural watering holes with run-off, and too much watering can deplete what little drinkable supply is left.
To avoid such catastrophes, green-thumbed experts promote environmentally friendly gardening practices, such as using fewer chemicals and less water, and using only native plants. Their advice also includes finding the right book for the right job.
Wendy Wilbur, the horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, recommends "Vegetable Gardening in Florida" by Jim Stephens.
"It's a wonderful, complete guide to gardening in Florida and it's got a lot of pictures," she says. "A lot of gardening books out there are written with a Northern bias. They don't have the bugs we have, and the planting times are so different. But this book realizes the difference between Miami and Gainesville. It's a really good book for anyone who wants to vegetable garden."
Stephens, the founder of the Master Gardener program in Florida, offers step-by-step instructions for everything from hydroponics and organic gardening to growing transplants. Dotting the pages are charts and maps, sample garden layouts, and plenty of practical tips, such as how to spot the common hunger signs of plants.
Tom Wichman, the statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener program, recommends "A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook."
"It's the best environmentally friendly landscape book for Florida," Wichman says. Best of all, it's free!
The handbook, which can be found online through the IFAS Web site, is based on the Nine Florida-Friendly Principles: putting the right plants in the right places, watering efficiently, fertilizing appropriately, using mulch, attracting wildlife, managing yard pests responsibly, recycling, reducing storm water run-off and protecting the waterfront. With colorful bullet points throughout and glossary boxes that define unfamiliar terms, the book gives helpful background for planning and planting a new yard along with practical advice about how to follow the principles.
In addition to the handbook, IFAS' sustainable gardening site, http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu, has circulars and books on practically every gardening-related topic. Visit the Landscaping in the Southeast page to get advice on how to reduce your fertilizer use, where to distribute mulch and how to get rid of pests in the most earth-friendly way. Or check the online bookstore for "Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife," a comprehensive guide on how to attract birds, butterflies and other beautiful creatures.
"Some of the best information you can get is from the extension office and it's specific to Florida gardening," says Miriam Bishop, a Master Gardener volunteer with the IFAS office.
Bishop also uses "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants" to identify plants for community members who call the Horticulture Hotline. Written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor, the book indexes every Florida flower or plant, along with what region it grows best in and its identifying details.
To get that Florida-friendly yard, it's best to use native plants.
"Probably the most important element in maintaining an eco-friendly garden is plant selection," says Don Goodman, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, "especially the use of native species."
Planting invasive and exotic plants can destroy the biodiversity of the Sunshine State, decimate animal populations and could eventually make water activities nearly impossible, according to the UF IFAS extension Web site.
Goodman and Doris Klemm, owner of Harmony Gardens Nursery, suggest "Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants," by Gil Nelson.
"It has pictures and really good descriptions of common plants people can find in local nurseries," Klemm says.
According to the book's introduction, "Florida's flora includes one of the largest assortments of spontaneously occurring species in North America." Nelson's book contains specific details, such as best features and companion plants, on 200 Florida-common species. Every page also displays colorful photos or illustrations of every variation of the species.
An essential part of any environmentally-friendly garden or yard is to minimize water use. To keep the hose in check, Wilbur recommends "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, because it touches on every topic related to creating a sustainable landscape. With chapter titles such as "Consuming Less Energy in the Landscape" and "Turning Garden Waste into Gold," Lamp'l takes garden sustainability to the next level. Sprinkled throughout the pages of the book are helpful hints to make any water-conscious gardener successful, such as how to choose a rain barrel. The book also provides some eye-opening facts: Did you know hoses with pressure nozzles emit 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute?
Another water-conserving resource is "Waterwise Florida Landscapes," an online pamphlet produced by the Florida Water Management District and available at the St. John's Water Management District's Web site (www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes). Klemm says the pamphlet has "good information about plants — which plants to plant together, and landscaping to promote water conservation." The pamphlet focuses on xeriscaping, a landscaping technique based on minimal water use and planting native species. The book helps the beginning green gardener from start to finish, with recommendations for obtaining a soil analysis, choosing proper plants, irrigating efficiently and keeping up with maintenance.
Klemm also suggests that gardeners try an eco-friendly approach to plants that typically require more chemicals or water, such as roses. A useful guide for keeping your roses healthy and environmentally helpful is "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt.
"This is good because roses conventionally take a lot of chemicals," Klemm says.
There's the Chinese Tallow, the Tropical Soda Apple and don't forget the Brazilian Pepper. Though they sound like candle scents, these exotic and invasive plants that grow so well in your garden pose a serious threat to the Florida environment. So do a few other common gardening practices: Overuse of chemicals can taint natural watering holes with run-off, and too much watering can deplete what little drinkable supply is left.
To avoid such catastrophes, green-thumbed experts promote environmentally friendly gardening practices, such as using fewer chemicals and less water, and using only native plants. Their advice also includes finding the right book for the right job.
Wendy Wilbur, the horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, recommends "Vegetable Gardening in Florida" by Jim Stephens.
"It's a wonderful, complete guide to gardening in Florida and it's got a lot of pictures," she says. "A lot of gardening books out there are written with a Northern bias. They don't have the bugs we have, and the planting times are so different. But this book realizes the difference between Miami and Gainesville. It's a really good book for anyone who wants to vegetable garden."
Stephens, the founder of the Master Gardener program in Florida, offers step-by-step instructions for everything from hydroponics and organic gardening to growing transplants. Dotting the pages are charts and maps, sample garden layouts, and plenty of practical tips, such as how to spot the common hunger signs of plants.
Tom Wichman, the statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener program, recommends "A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook."
"It's the best environmentally friendly landscape book for Florida," Wichman says. Best of all, it's free!
The handbook, which can be found online through the IFAS Web site, is based on the Nine Florida-Friendly Principles: putting the right plants in the right places, watering efficiently, fertilizing appropriately, using mulch, attracting wildlife, managing yard pests responsibly, recycling, reducing storm water run-off and protecting the waterfront. With colorful bullet points throughout and glossary boxes that define unfamiliar terms, the book gives helpful background for planning and planting a new yard along with practical advice about how to follow the principles.
In addition to the handbook, IFAS' sustainable gardening site, http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu, has circulars and books on practically every gardening-related topic. Visit the Landscaping in the Southeast page to get advice on how to reduce your fertilizer use, where to distribute mulch and how to get rid of pests in the most earth-friendly way. Or check the online bookstore for "Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife," a comprehensive guide on how to attract birds, butterflies and other beautiful creatures.
"Some of the best information you can get is from the extension office and it's specific to Florida gardening," says Miriam Bishop, a Master Gardener volunteer with the IFAS office.
Bishop also uses "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants" to identify plants for community members who call the Horticulture Hotline. Written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor, the book indexes every Florida flower or plant, along with what region it grows best in and its identifying details.
To get that Florida-friendly yard, it's best to use native plants.
"Probably the most important element in maintaining an eco-friendly garden is plant selection," says Don Goodman, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, "especially the use of native species."
Planting invasive and exotic plants can destroy the biodiversity of the Sunshine State, decimate animal populations and could eventually make water activities nearly impossible, according to the UF IFAS extension Web site.
Goodman and Doris Klemm, owner of Harmony Gardens Nursery, suggest "Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants," by Gil Nelson.
"It has pictures and really good descriptions of common plants people can find in local nurseries," Klemm says.
According to the book's introduction, "Florida's flora includes one of the largest assortments of spontaneously occurring species in North America." Nelson's book contains specific details, such as best features and companion plants, on 200 Florida-common species. Every page also displays colorful photos or illustrations of every variation of the species.
An essential part of any environmentally-friendly garden or yard is to minimize water use. To keep the hose in check, Wilbur recommends "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, because it touches on every topic related to creating a sustainable landscape. With chapter titles such as "Consuming Less Energy in the Landscape" and "Turning Garden Waste into Gold," Lamp'l takes garden sustainability to the next level. Sprinkled throughout the pages of the book are helpful hints to make any water-conscious gardener successful, such as how to choose a rain barrel. The book also provides some eye-opening facts: Did you know hoses with pressure nozzles emit 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute?
Another water-conserving resource is "Waterwise Florida Landscapes," an online pamphlet produced by the Florida Water Management District and available at the St. John's Water Management District's Web site (www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes). Klemm says the pamphlet has "good information about plants — which plants to plant together, and landscaping to promote water conservation." The pamphlet focuses on xeriscaping, a landscaping technique based on minimal water use and planting native species. The book helps the beginning green gardener from start to finish, with recommendations for obtaining a soil analysis, choosing proper plants, irrigating efficiently and keeping up with maintenance.
Klemm also suggests that gardeners try an eco-friendly approach to plants that typically require more chemicals or water, such as roses. A useful guide for keeping your roses healthy and environmentally helpful is "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt.
"This is good because roses conventionally take a lot of chemicals," Klemm says.
There's the Chinese Tallow, the Tropical Soda Apple and don't forget the Brazilian Pepper. Though they sound like candle scents, these exotic and invasive plants that grow so well in your garden pose a serious threat to the Florida environment. So do a few other common gardening practices: Overuse of chemicals can taint natural watering holes with run-off, and too much watering can deplete what little drinkable supply is left.
To avoid such catastrophes, green-thumbed experts promote environmentally friendly gardening practices, such as using fewer chemicals and less water, and using only native plants. Their advice also includes finding the right book for the right job.
Wendy Wilbur, the horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, recommends "Vegetable Gardening in Florida" by Jim Stephens.
"It's a wonderful, complete guide to gardening in Florida and it's got a lot of pictures," she says. "A lot of gardening books out there are written with a Northern bias. They don't have the bugs we have, and the planting times are so different. But this book realizes the difference between Miami and Gainesville. It's a really good book for anyone who wants to vegetable garden."
Stephens, the founder of the Master Gardener program in Florida, offers step-by-step instructions for everything from hydroponics and organic gardening to growing transplants. Dotting the pages are charts and maps, sample garden layouts, and plenty of practical tips, such as how to spot the common hunger signs of plants.
Tom Wichman, the statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener program, recommends "A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook."
"It's the best environmentally friendly landscape book for Florida," Wichman says. Best of all, it's free!
The handbook, which can be found online through the IFAS Web site, is based on the Nine Florida-Friendly Principles: putting the right plants in the right places, watering efficiently, fertilizing appropriately, using mulch, attracting wildlife, managing yard pests responsibly, recycling, reducing storm water run-off and protecting the waterfront. With colorful bullet points throughout and glossary boxes that define unfamiliar terms, the book gives helpful background for planning and planting a new yard along with practical advice about how to follow the principles.
In addition to the handbook, IFAS' sustainable gardening site, http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu, has circulars and books on practically every gardening-related topic. Visit the Landscaping in the Southeast page to get advice on how to reduce your fertilizer use, where to distribute mulch and how to get rid of pests in the most earth-friendly way. Or check the online bookstore for "Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife," a comprehensive guide on how to attract birds, butterflies and other beautiful creatures.
"Some of the best information you can get is from the extension office and it's specific to Florida gardening," says Miriam Bishop, a Master Gardener volunteer with the IFAS office.
Bishop also uses "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants" to identify plants for community members who call the Horticulture Hotline. Written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor, the book indexes every Florida flower or plant, along with what region it grows best in and its identifying details.
To get that Florida-friendly yard, it's best to use native plants.
"Probably the most important element in maintaining an eco-friendly garden is plant selection," says Don Goodman, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, "especially the use of native species."
Planting invasive and exotic plants can destroy the biodiversity of the Sunshine State, decimate animal populations and could eventually make water activities nearly impossible, according to the UF IFAS extension Web site.
Goodman and Doris Klemm, owner of Harmony Gardens Nursery, suggest "Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants," by Gil Nelson.
"It has pictures and really good descriptions of common plants people can find in local nurseries," Klemm says.
According to the book's introduction, "Florida's flora includes one of the largest assortments of spontaneously occurring species in North America." Nelson's book contains specific details, such as best features and companion plants, on 200 Florida-common species. Every page also displays colorful photos or illustrations of every variation of the species.
An essential part of any environmentally-friendly garden or yard is to minimize water use. To keep the hose in check, Wilbur recommends "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, because it touches on every topic related to creating a sustainable landscape. With chapter titles such as "Consuming Less Energy in the Landscape" and "Turning Garden Waste into Gold," Lamp'l takes garden sustainability to the next level. Sprinkled throughout the pages of the book are helpful hints to make any water-conscious gardener successful, such as how to choose a rain barrel. The book also provides some eye-opening facts: Did you know hoses with pressure nozzles emit 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute?
Another water-conserving resource is "Waterwise Florida Landscapes," an online pamphlet produced by the Florida Water Management District and available at the St. John's Water Management District's Web site (www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes). Klemm says the pamphlet has "good information about plants — which plants to plant together, and landscaping to promote water conservation." The pamphlet focuses on xeriscaping, a landscaping technique based on minimal water use and planting native species. The book helps the beginning green gardener from start to finish, with recommendations for obtaining a soil analysis, choosing proper plants, irrigating efficiently and keeping up with maintenance.
Klemm also suggests that gardeners try an eco-friendly approach to plants that typically require more chemicals or water, such as roses. A useful guide for keeping your roses healthy and environmentally helpful is "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt.
"This is good because roses conventionally take a lot of chemicals," Klemm says.
There's the Chinese Tallow, the Tropical Soda Apple and don't forget the Brazilian Pepper. Though they sound like candle scents, these exotic and invasive plants that grow so well in your garden pose a serious threat to the Florida environment. So do a few other common gardening practices: Overuse of chemicals can taint natural watering holes with run-off, and too much watering can deplete what little drinkable supply is left.
To avoid such catastrophes, green-thumbed experts promote environmentally friendly gardening practices, such as using fewer chemicals and less water, and using only native plants. Their advice also includes finding the right book for the right job.
Wendy Wilbur, the horticulture coordinator at the Alachua County IFAS Extension Office, recommends "Vegetable Gardening in Florida" by Jim Stephens.
"It's a wonderful, complete guide to gardening in Florida and it's got a lot of pictures," she says. "A lot of gardening books out there are written with a Northern bias. They don't have the bugs we have, and the planting times are so different. But this book realizes the difference between Miami and Gainesville. It's a really good book for anyone who wants to vegetable garden."
Stephens, the founder of the Master Gardener program in Florida, offers step-by-step instructions for everything from hydroponics and organic gardening to growing transplants. Dotting the pages are charts and maps, sample garden layouts, and plenty of practical tips, such as how to spot the common hunger signs of plants.
Tom Wichman, the statewide coordinator for the Master Gardener program, recommends "A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook."
"It's the best environmentally friendly landscape book for Florida," Wichman says. Best of all, it's free!
The handbook, which can be found online through the IFAS Web site, is based on the Nine Florida-Friendly Principles: putting the right plants in the right places, watering efficiently, fertilizing appropriately, using mulch, attracting wildlife, managing yard pests responsibly, recycling, reducing storm water run-off and protecting the waterfront. With colorful bullet points throughout and glossary boxes that define unfamiliar terms, the book gives helpful background for planning and planting a new yard along with practical advice about how to follow the principles.
In addition to the handbook, IFAS' sustainable gardening site, http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu, has circulars and books on practically every gardening-related topic. Visit the Landscaping in the Southeast page to get advice on how to reduce your fertilizer use, where to distribute mulch and how to get rid of pests in the most earth-friendly way. Or check the online bookstore for "Landscaping for Florida's Wildlife," a comprehensive guide on how to attract birds, butterflies and other beautiful creatures.
"Some of the best information you can get is from the extension office and it's specific to Florida gardening," says Miriam Bishop, a Master Gardener volunteer with the IFAS office.
Bishop also uses "Florida Wild Flowers and Roadside Plants" to identify plants for community members who call the Horticulture Hotline. Written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor, the book indexes every Florida flower or plant, along with what region it grows best in and its identifying details.
To get that Florida-friendly yard, it's best to use native plants.
"Probably the most important element in maintaining an eco-friendly garden is plant selection," says Don Goodman, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, "especially the use of native species."
Planting invasive and exotic plants can destroy the biodiversity of the Sunshine State, decimate animal populations and could eventually make water activities nearly impossible, according to the UF IFAS extension Web site.
Goodman and Doris Klemm, owner of Harmony Gardens Nursery, suggest "Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants," by Gil Nelson.
"It has pictures and really good descriptions of common plants people can find in local nurseries," Klemm says.
According to the book's introduction, "Florida's flora includes one of the largest assortments of spontaneously occurring species in North America." Nelson's book contains specific details, such as best features and companion plants, on 200 Florida-common species. Every page also displays colorful photos or illustrations of every variation of the species.
An essential part of any environmentally-friendly garden or yard is to minimize water use. To keep the hose in check, Wilbur recommends "The Green Gardener's Guide" by Joe Lamp'l, because it touches on every topic related to creating a sustainable landscape. With chapter titles such as "Consuming Less Energy in the Landscape" and "Turning Garden Waste into Gold," Lamp'l takes garden sustainability to the next level. Sprinkled throughout the pages of the book are helpful hints to make any water-conscious gardener successful, such as how to choose a rain barrel. The book also provides some eye-opening facts: Did you know hoses with pressure nozzles emit 4 to 5 gallons of water per minute?
Another water-conserving resource is "Waterwise Florida Landscapes," an online pamphlet produced by the Florida Water Management District and available at the St. John's Water Management District's Web site (www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes). Klemm says the pamphlet has "good information about plants — which plants to plant together, and landscaping to promote water conservation." The pamphlet focuses on xeriscaping, a landscaping technique based on minimal water use and planting native species. The book helps the beginning green gardener from start to finish, with recommendations for obtaining a soil analysis, choosing proper plants, irrigating efficiently and keeping up with maintenance.
Klemm also suggests that gardeners try an eco-friendly approach to plants that typically require more chemicals or water, such as roses. A useful guide for keeping your roses healthy and environmentally helpful is "The Organic Rose Garden," by Liz Druitt.
"This is good because roses conventionally take a lot of chemicals," Klemm says.
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