Florida yards and neighborhoods
Yardstick checklist
Does your yard measure up?
Florida Yards and Neighborhoods honors model landscapes as certified Florida Yards.
To be certified as Florida Yard, your landscape must:
Collect at least 36 inches on this Yardstick checklist
Receive full points for practices marked with two asterisks**
Receive partial credit for practices marked with one asterisk*
Comply with all existing codes and laws
DO YOU ? ...
Water efficiently
- Receive two inches -- Mow lawns high to encourage a deeper, more drought and pest tolerant root system. **
- Receive three inches -- Irrigate lawn and landscape only when they wilt. Apply 1/2 to 3/4 inches water per application.
For a yard that uses an irrigation system (in-ground or hose-end sprinklers) ...
- Receive one inch -- Calibrate irrigation/sprinkler system to apply 1/2 to 3/4 inches of water. **
- Receive one inch -- Put a rain gauge in your yard to track irrigation amounts.**
- Receive two inches -- Install a rain shut-off device for in-ground irrigation systems. **
- Receive one inch -- Maintain irrigation system and make sure sprinkler heads are properly positioned.
- Receive two inches -- Make sure irrigation system waters lawn areas separately from plant beds.
- Receive two inches -- Use drip or micro-irrigation in plant and flower beds.
For a yard that does not use an irrigation system...
- Receive nine inches -- Design and maintain a landscape that exists predominantly on rainfall once plants are established.
Mulch
- Receive two inches -- Maintain a two-three inch layer of organic mulch over tree roots, shrubs and plant beds, leaving a two inch space between the plant base and the mulch. *
- Receive two inches -- Create self-mulching areas under trees where leaves can remain as they fall.
- Receive two inches -- Use by-product mulches such as pine bark, melaleuca or recycled mulches.
Recycle
- Receive two inches -- Whenever possible, recycle grass clippings by allowing them to remain on the lawn.**
- Receive two inches -- Use leaves and pine needles found in your yard as mulch.
- Receive three inches -- Create and maintain a compost pile with yard clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, etc.
Wildlife
- Receive three inches -- Plant vines, shrubs, and trees that provide cover, nesting areas or food sources for birds, butterflies and other wildlife.
- Receive one inch -- Provide a water source, such as a bird bath or a small pond for wildlife.
- Receive one inch -- Provide wildlife shelters such as a bat house, bird house, brush pile, etc.
Yard pests
- Receive three inches -- Treat only affected plants or lawn areas with pesticide applications. Avoid indiscriminate spraying. **
- Receive two inches -- Check your landscape every one-two weeks for signs of problems.
- Receive two inches -- Learn to identify five beneficial insects that provide natural control of harmful pests.
- Receive three inches -- Use environmentally friendly pesticides such as horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps.
Right plant - right place
- Receive two inches -- Ensure that your landscape does not contain plants identified by legal code as invasive exotics. **
- Receive two inches -- Replace problem-prone plants with low maintenance native or non-native species.
- Receive two inches -- Group plants according to their water and maintenance needs.
- Receive four inches -- Determine how much grass you need for children, pets, and recreation. Replace the rest with low maintenance ground covers, shrubs, mulch, or other porous surfaces.
- Receive one inch -- Use trees and shrubs to shade eastern and western walls of home and air conditioner compressor.
- Receive one inch -- Use deciduous trees on southern exposures to allow the sun to passively heat your home in winter.
Fertilizing
- Receive two inches -- Fertilize as needed to maintain quality of lawns and landscape plants. *
- Receive two inches -- Use natural organic or other slow release fertilizers. *
- Receive one inch -- Use iron instead of nitrogen to make your lawn green during the summer.
Stormwater runoff
- Receive one inch -- Direct downspouts and gutters to drain onto the lawn, plant beds, or containment areas. *
- Receive two inches -- Plant groundcovers or use mulch on thinly vegetated areas to decrease erosion. *
- Receive two inches -- Use mulch, bricks, flagstones, gravel, or other porous surfaces on walkways, patios or driveways.
- Receive two inches -- Collect and use rainwater to irrigate plants.
- Receive three inches -- Create swales or terracing to catch and filter stormwater.
On the waterfront
- Receive one inch -- Protect your mangroves. All pruning must be in compliance with existing laws. **
- Receive four inches -- Establish a border of low maintenance plants between your lawn and shoreline/seawall to absorb nutrients and to provide wildlife habitat.
- Receive four inches -- Where feasible, plant native vegetation in the littoral zone in front of your seawall or along shoreline.
- Receive three inches -- Decrease wave action and increase habitat by placing clean, native limestone rock in front of your seawall.
If your yard measures up, call the University of Florida Extension Service and ask for a Florida Yard Adviser.
University of Florida Extension Service
(386) 822-5778 West Volusia
(386) 257-6012 Daytona Beach
(386) 423-3368 New Smyrna Beach
Comments or questions?
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Copyright © 2001 Volusia County, Florida.