Daylight saving time watering restrictions start March 14

Friday, March 12, 2010

Beginning on March 14, watering is allowed within the St. Johns River Water Management District region no more than two days a week.

But that doesn’t mean you have to water two days a week. By being aware of rainfall and whether your landscape truly needs water, you can help conserve our finite water resources.

All of the details on when you can and can’t water are on the District’s Web site. There are also some exceptions to the watering restrictions.

Watering hours have been limited (never between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) in the District’s region since 1991, and watering has been limited to no more than two days a week during daylight saving time and no more than one day a week during Eastern Standard Time in the District’s region since March 2009.

Make your landscape Florida-friendly

Friday, March 5, 2010

As you consider what you’re going to do to rid the winter freeze evidence from your landscape, you have an opportunity to ensure that your landscape is Florida-friendly and that it will be more cold tolerant in future winters.

Planting the right plant in the right place is important to achieve a landscape appropriate to your region while reducing the need to apply water and fertilizers. Visit the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Waterwise landscaping Web pages for tips and a searchable plant database.

This is also a good opportunity to reduce overall water consumption inside and outside by obtaining Florida Water Star^SM certification. By meeting the program’s water-conserving criteria, you can have your home certified under the “bronze” program. Details on how to qualify are in the qualifications points list.

The University of Florida also maintains a Florida-friendly Landscaping Web site that offers many tips for landscaping in Florida.