Install Your Own Rain Barrel

We haven't had a lot of rain, but now is the time to start thinking of all the rain we get in the summertime and make good use of it. A great way to harvest the rainfall is with rain barrels.  They are easy to install and are now legal for use in all communities including HOA's.  The Florida-friendly statute states that HOA's cannot prohibit rain barrels. 

We'll be talking to Jerry Butler today from Industrial Containers Services in Zellwood.  His company recycles 55 gallon drums as rain barrels available to homeowners inexpensively.

 
The rain barrels cost $38 plus tax.  Very reasonable, especially when purchasing multiple barrels to irrigate your lawn compared to a water bill. To contact Industrial Container Services and purchase a rainbarrel, call 407-889-5500.

Florida Winter Is Driest In 80 Years

Florida set records this year in more ways than one.  Not only did we have colder temperatures earlier (November) but from October through February, it was also the driest winter in eighty years. In December, we had less than an inch of rain for the entire month, January we had 2" - 3" more than normal, and in February, there was less than an inch. March's month totals look to be below the average 3" with no rain anticipated for the next week, leaves Florida in a rainfall deficit.

The lack of hurricanes and tropicals storms last fall, and the lack of adequate rainfall this winter means that lake levels are low, wells will be running dry, and the aquifer will be low with more saltwater intrusion. 

These conditions mean that more landscapes will fail and high maintenance lawns will not survive. Reducing your fertilizing schedule, retrofit your irrigation to be efficient, watering only when your yard shows signs of stress will help your lawn manage till summer rains set in.

Inefficient irrigation system doesn't have head to head coverage.

Want more ways to drought proof your lawn? Check out the University of Florida's recommendations.

Harvesting Rain From The Skies

Polish architect students Ryszard Rychlicki and Agnieszka Nowak use gutters that surround the entire building to harvest rainwater for its 500 residents.  Rychlicki and Nowak hope to reduce water use by 25%.

Using rainwater to irrigate is a way of life in Europe and other continents around the world. 

Since 1900 the total water consumption in the US has increased by 1000%. At present, an average American uses five times more water than a citizen of developing countries. Such an increase is related to among others, improved living standards. On the other hand, a national hobby of the Danes is collecting rain water for washing and watering plants. within the last ten years average use of pure water in Denmark dropped by 40% and inhabitants of the so called eco-villages use a third part of the national average.

While acknowledging the health factor of sanitation is important to Americans, we have to really work hard to increase our water efficiency of indoor plumbing and outdoor irrigation.  Using rainbarrels, cisterns, and surface water needs to become more than a hobby - it should become a way of life for our country.

H/T to WebEcoist

Cooler Temps In Your Backyard

NOAA have analyzed the La Nina weather patterns and are predicting Florida will have a warm, drier than average winter forecast. Rainfall during December, January, and February are normally low and temperatures will fluctuate. We didn't have any hurricanes or tropical storms so our water levels will be lower with very little chance of recovering before our dry spring. What does that mean for Florida gardeners? It means that we probably won't have to worry about losing plants from excessive freezing but homes in wild fire zones will have to be on the alert. Florida has a greater risk of wildfires this year.


How can you fireproof your landscape?

• Find out if you live in a fire-prone area.



• Keep all mulch two feet away from your house. Decomposed mulches that are wet will likely not combust but will be a source for mold, mildew, and termites.



• Don't use rubber mulch around your home.



• If you have wood entries such as decking, trellises, or benches near house, remove during winter season or replace with metal, concrete, or other noncombustible materials.



• Remove vines, hanging branches, and overgrown shrubs away from roof and entryways.



• Make sure you have clean gutters. Fall leaves, pine cones, pine needles, are flammable and pose a risk to roofs.



• Remove all dead plants and underbrush from your landscape.



• Design your landscape so that you have vertical and horizontal separation between plants. That means keeping 15 feet between trees and shrubs. If your plants all touch each other, fire can spread quicker.



• Keep all trees 30 to 50 feet away from home.


• Regular maintenance such as pruning and checking irrigation systems is important.

Landscape plants and their fire-resistance.

Printable Preparing a Fire-Wise Plant list.

University of Florida/IFAS provides questions to determine how fireproof is your landscape?

More fire-wise information.

Printable Important - Mobile Home Fire Safety brochure.

2007 Wildfires

If You Can't Stand The Heat...

We're only mid-way through the summer and the heat is right on schedule. Rainfall is above average in Central Florida with Lake receiving nearly 53 inches, 5 inches over the norm. Orange and Seminole counties rainfall totals of 53 inches gives the residents 1 inch more than average.

So why is it so hot? It's July in a subtropical temperate zone! Thank goodness for air conditioning. Yes, we could be in Alaska with snow on the ground. Our aunt and uncle are visiting her home state and were given a weather buffet of everything you could ask for sun, rain, sleet, snow, but no heat.

As you can see with their beautiful photographs, Alaska's summertime flowers are Florida's wintertime annuals of lobelia, pansies, snapdragons, and phlox.

Okay, so it does look refreshing but it's not reality for Floridians. The bad news is that with our rainfall, expect to see more dollarweed, mushrooms, fungal diseases. Good news is that you don't really need to do anything to your turf but turn off the irrigation and let Mother Nature do the irrigating. Dollarweed can be reduced by reducing the amount of water your turf receives. It's too hot to spray herbicides. Mushroom spores are airborne and the mushrooms will eventually die. Fungicides are productive only if you spray them preventatively. If you can't get to Alaska, we're going to have to settle for a/c because we have at least three months till cooler weather arrives to our great outdoors.

Two weeks ago, WLBE's antennae took the brunt of a lightning strike that had the station out of operation for two weeks. Fortunately, last Tuesday the station had it repaired but not in time for "In Your Backyard." We're back this morning at 11:06 for your gardening questions. Looking forward to chatting with you.

Water Gardening - Daytona Beach Style

UPDATE: Setting historic record (5/17 - 5/23)

Daytona Beach 23+ inches
Ormond Beach 30+ inches
New Smyrna Beach 20+ inches
Orlando 12 + inches (my home)

Daytona International Speedway gives flash a different meaning when it comes to flooding. Click here for more photographs of the 25" + of rain dropped in the last ten days on the most famous beach in the world.

Photo credit: Nancy501s