An environmentally balanced, low-maintenance landscape starts with the previous steps of analysis, planning and selecting the plants suitable for the site. A diverse array of plant species will attract a variety of insects to the area, helping to create a balanced food chain so that no one species can become dominant enough to become a major pest problem. This way, nature works for you to make landscaping and maintenance easy and rewarding.

Only a fraction of a percent of all insects known to humans are considered pests, and these species are generally herbivores, eating plants we want for ourselves -- either for food or for ornamental value. A food chain always has carnivores looking to eat herbivores. Predators -- including predatory insects -- that eat our "pests" are called "beneficial" organisms. But it doesn't stop there. Birds, bats, lizards and frogs also eat insects. As a part of the food chain, this diversity of life creates a living balance and will do so in the landscape if allowed.

If we try to eradicate an organism that is pestering us, we risk poisoning not only the pest, but also the beneficial organisms that would decrease the pest populations. If broad-spectrum pesticides are applied to the landscape, many beneficial organisms could be killed.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a proven concept for controlling pests. IPM is also a good way to protect water quality.

The basic premise is to use the least toxic method and to limit any treatments to affected areas, not the entire yard. Observation, or scouting, is the basis to understanding what the most effective method will be. First, determine if there really is a problem. Consider tolerating some plant damage as part of nature's process. For example, caterpillars that become butterflies can eat the leaves off certain plants before forming a chrysalis, only to have the plant come back later as healthy as before.

If observation proves there is a problem, learn about the pest organism's life cycle so you can disrupt that cycle. For example, mosquitoes need standing water to lay eggs. During mosquito season, removal of even the smallest standing pools of water -- in pots, or even in bromeliads -- will help decrease mosquito populations in an area.

When using chemicals, spot-treat the affected area only, at a time when the pest is most vulnerable.

Rather than routinely applying chemicals to the entire lawn, spot-treat pests and problem areas while problem areas are small and localized. This will minimize pesticide use and avoid killing beneficial organisms. Contact your local County Cooperative Extension Service for more information on lawn pests, their life cycles and control.

Weeds are often the hardy annuals and perennials that lead succession. Soil left bare will soon be growing something. To minimize the growth of unwanted plants, mulch and/or keep areas planted. Remove any weeds as they emerge, before they develop seed heads or extensive root systems that compete for moisture and nutrients.

Plant leaves manufacture sugar from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. Other nutrients and minerals are drawn from the soil where they have built up from decayed leaves and other material that falls in natural settings. Frequently, cultivated areas are stripped clean of these wastes, then petroleum-based fertilizers are applied to replace the natural food source.

Compost is the cheapest and most effective fertilizer available. Leaves and pine needles piled or left as mulch to decay under plants and trees slowly return essential elements to the soil, while helping retain moisture. Mulch and compost help soil maintain a healthy balance of microorganisms and other soil builders, such as earthworms.

Once established, your water-conserving yard may require only moderate amounts of supplemental fertilizer. Overfertilizing aggravates pest problems, stimulates excessive growth and requires frequent watering. Fertilizers carried by irrigation water or rain can leach into groundwater and our waterways.

When needed, the best choice for plants and the environment is slow-release fertilizer. The package label on the fertilizer will say organic, slow-release or controlled release, water-insoluble nitrogen, sulfur-coated, IBDU, or resin-coated. Check the label for inclusion of trace minerals.

Fertilization should be used when specific nutrient deficiency symptoms are evident. Natural sources of these nutrients are available and inexpensive.

• Nitrogen -- grass clippings, compost, cottonseed meal
• Phosphorus -- compost, rock phosphate (many Florida soils are already phosphorus-rich)
• Potassium -- compost, aged manure, fireplace wood ashes (raises soil pH)

Some plants can make nutrients available in the soil for the benefit of other plants. Clover, for example, "fixes" nitrogen (takes in nitrogen from the air), making it available for grass. Thus, leaving clover mixed in with lawn grasses is actually healthier than trying to eliminate it.

An example of "hat racking," a pruning practice that stresses a plant and increases the plant's water needs.

If a plant is placed in the right location and given enough room to mature, pruning should be minimal. Prune to retain the natural shape, or structure, of trees and shrubs and to promote or maintain strong structure. Less pruning is usually better because pruning is stressful to a tree or shrub, which causes it to require more water. Also, pruning at the wrong time of the year can stress plants.

Your County Cooperative Extension Service office has brochures with simple graphics showing how to make proper pruning cuts.

• Trees -- Prune carefully to promote strong development in the trunk and main branches. Don't prune the first year after transplanting. Never cut off the top of a tree to control height.
• Palms -- Only dead and diseased fronds should be removed. If a palm frond is living and green, it is producing energy for the plant and should not be cut.
• Shrubs -- Shearing shrubs results in foliage forming only at the outer, sheared surface, with no internal foliage. By selectively thinning branches following the natural shape of a shrub, you can open the shrub foliage to permit light penetration while retaining some control over its size.