Typically, at least 50 percent of water used by households is used outdoors. Creating a yard that thrives on rainfall only is the best way to reduce maintenance, save on water bills, conserve our water resources and have a healthy landscape. Follow these tips for success:

• Select plants that don't require regular watering after becoming established, and group plants based on water needs. For example, group sun-loving, drought-tolerant plants in the sunniest, driest part of your landscape;
• Use low-volume irrigation like micro-irrigation in beds;
• Use a rain sensor or other automatic technology like a soil moisture sensor to override the irrigation timer when water is not needed, and;
• Plan for uniform coverage in irrigation system.

Fertilizers encourage plants to grow faster and greener or develop more blooms and fruit. Fertilizing can be done by applying composted organic material, packaged fertilizer or a specific mineral, such as iron.

Fertilize lawns, trees and plants only to maintain health. Over fertilizing lawns aggravates pest problems and stimulates excessive growth. Under-fertilizing lawns may lead to thin grass or weeds. When excessive fertilizer is applied, it can leach past the root zone and into the groundwater, the source of our drinking water. Excessive fertilizer application also contributes to pollution in Florida's springs, rivers, streams, lakes and bays.

Here are some quick facts about mulch:

• Mulch maintains soil moisture, reducing the need to water established plants.
• Mulch inhibits the growth of weeds, reducing the need for chemical herbicides or other weed control techniques.

• Mulch buffers soil temperature by keeping it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
• Over time, organic mulch decomposes and improves your soil.
• Mulch can be used in place of lawn in areas that are difficult to mow or where grass does not grow well.

Mulch offers many benefits to your landscape. Adding mulch to your landscaping beds is perhaps one of the easiest things you can do to help conserve water, prevent weed growth and improve the look of your yard.

Make your landscape a habitat for wildlife                                                                                   

Florida has a diverse wildlife population, but rapid growth throughout Florida is destroying native wildlife habitat.  We notice the loss of birds, butterflies and other wildlife in our communities but do not realize that our landscapes and maintenance practices can be a part of the problem.

You can create a habitat that encourages wildlife by:

1. Increasing the variety of plants in your landscape design
2. Creating natural corridors with bordering properties to allow wildlife to move through the larger neighborhood.
3. Following Florida Yards & Neighborhoods recommended landscape maintenance practices.

By making some basic changes to your landscaping plan, you can create a yard that will provide habitat for variety of birds, butterflies and beneficial insects.

Traditional pest control practices are under scrutiny because of growing concerns about health, the environmental and pesticide resistance. Regular preventive pesticide applications are still common but are often unnecessary. 

Healthy trees and shrubs can usually defend against pest attacks, while beneficial insects, birds and other natural controls often suppress undesirable insects -- which makes casual use of pesticides unnecessary.

A better approach to managing pest in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which emphasizes using a combination of environmentally friendly methods that focus on preventing pest problems.

Traditional pest control practices are under scrutiny because of growing concerns about health, the environmental and pesticide resistance. Regular preventive pesticide applications are still common but are often unnecessary. 

Healthy trees and shrubs can usually defend against pest attacks, while beneficial insects, birds and other natural controls often suppress undesirable insects -- which makes casual use of pesticides unnecessary.

A better approach to managing pest in Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which emphasizes using a combination of environmentally friendly methods that focus on preventing pest problems.

Landscape maintenance activities -- mowing, raking, pruning -- generate yard waste that you can return to the soil, recycling valuable nutrients. In addition, composting and reusing yard wastes reduces impact on landfills. In fact, it is illegal to dispose of yard waste in landfills.

However, be careful to properly dispose of plant material when removing or trimming invasive plants to avoid their spread. Don't dispose of invasive plants to uncontrolled dump sites or where they could be recycled as mulch. Small amounts can be included in household waste if buried in a landfill or burned. If composting on-site, watch for reproduction or re-compost if necessary