Mild winter temperatures make it easy to landscape in Florida all year 'round. With no frozen ground to interfere, a homeowner can literally dig in and plant any time he wants. There are guidelines that do-it-yourself home landscapers should follow, not only to get the best results with plants, but also to keep from polluting local water sources.
How Home Landscapers Might Pollute Florida Water Sources
Stop and think about the products you intend to use before you start landscaping. Home landscapers can take steps to reduce the amount of pollution going into Florida waterways. Just how do the bodies of water become polluted by home landscapers?
- Toxic chemicals that kill weeds, garden and lawn pests can seep deep into the ground and reach underground water sources. Well water may provide drinking water for livestock and irrigation for food crops. Toxic chemicals can easily make the cycle from gardening to groundwater to food sources until the contaminants finally end up in humans.
- During a rainstorm, fertilizers and toxic chemicals wash off landscaped yards in the suburbs and flow into the storm drainage system. The flow is called " storm water runoff " and the water isn't filtered. Instead, it's piped into an outlet – usually a nearby river or lake.
- Florida beach residents landscape too. However, removing native plants on sand dunes to transplant them into your yard can cause serious beach erosion. It's against the law to remove the plants anyway, so be prepared for a hefty fine if you get caught.*
For best results, home landscapers are urged to avoid toxic weed killers and insecticides. No matter what part of the U.S. you live in, use " green methods " to fertilize and keep bugs away, instead of chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Did you know that keeping praying mantises in the garden will keep damaging bugs away? Go green with deer and rodent repellents, too. Remember, the goal is to keep soil and ground water chemical-free for the purpose of maintaining toxic-free food crops and livestock.
*Sea oats can be purchased from licensed nurserymen who are legally allowed to propagate and sell the plants. See the PDF page provided by the University of Florida, titled, "Commercial Suppliers of Sea Oats in Florida " (Educational Staff, 2003).
Landscaper Tips to Avoid Polluting Florida Waters
Residents are responsible for keeping Florida's water sources free from contaminants. Going green with pesticides and fertilizers is a positive step toward better health. What other tips to prevent water pollution can home gardeners and landscapers follow?
- Keep your lawn free of debris. Collect fallen branches; bag raked leaves and use them for mulch before they clog a storm drain.
- Properly dispose of pet droppings from your property. Rain can carry droppings through a storm drain and into a nearby body of water, such as a lake used by campers and fishermen. Owners who do not pick up after their pets are creating an environmental hazard for the rest of us.
- Select native plants. Growing native plants requires less fertilizer and pesticides. Native plants have learned to adapt to the environment, including how to defend against most diseases and pests. It means less work and expense for the home gardener.
- Maintain waterfront property to protect freshwater and marine ecosystems. Be sure to clean up fuel and oil spills from landscaping equipment like mowers, tillers and such, so that rain or watering doesn't send it into the nearest body of water.
Florida Water Quality Threatened by Pet Wastes
How bad can a little dog poop foul up a body of water? First of all, it's not a little pet waste, it's a lot. Second, pet wastes harbor dangerous bacteria. Read the dirty details on the website, USA Today, on the Health and Science page. An article by contributing writer Traci Watson, titled, "Dog Waste Poses Threat to Water" (2002) exposes careless dog owners.
Watson states, "... all dogs harbor so-called coliform bacteria, which live in the gut. The group includes E. coli, a bacterium that can cause disease, and fecal coliform bacteria, which spread through feces. Dogs also carry salmonella and giardia. Environmental officials use measurements of some of these bacteria as barometers of how much fecal matter has contaminated a body of water."
Third and last, if you don't know how to dispose of your pet's waste, then see the website Eco Cycle, and the 2005 article by Marti (no last name) titled, "Properly Disposing of Pet Wastes". Incidentally, cats aren't off the hook either, when it comes to hazardous wastes. Never flush kitty litter because it can clog your home's pipes as well as the pipes at the waste-water treatment plant. Don't dispose of a pet's waste in a compost bin either, if you have one.
Smart Landscaping Reduces Water Pollution
Smart landscaping reduces the amount of pollution that goes into Florida's water sources. Most people understand how toxic substances can get into vegetable crops and livestock feed through contaminated water. Most are willing to make changes – are turning to green products – to reduce water pollution.
Polluting the water in your own yard doesn't usually start out being intentional. Once you've learned the risks, it's time to act responsibly. Responsible dog and cat owners acknowledge that there is danger in allowing pet wastes to decompose in the yard. There is a better way to dispose of the waste, if anything to keep the yard looking and smelling clean.
It's up to residents to preserve and protect Florida water resources for our kids. Too many ponds, lakes and other waterways have been polluted to the point that no one can safely use them. This means no fishing, skiing, rafting, jet-skiing or swimming. How many more water sources will be destroyed before everyone agrees to change? How many more fines will be collected from careless individuals contributing to the water pollution problem? The time to act is now, before it's too late and there's no more clean water left to enjoy.
Mary King - Mary King is a Suite101 Topic Editor for the Caregiver Support and Home Management sections. She has authored 5 teen-based novels.
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