Landscaping

Lawn Care

  • Compost or Mulch Yard Waste. Don't blow or sweep yard waste into the streets or storm sewer systems. Grass clippings and leaves blown into the storm sewer system will contribute excess nutrients and organic matter to streams and other surface waters.

  • Don't Overwater Your Lawn. Consider using a soaker hose instead of a sprinkler.

  • Cover Piles of Dirt or Mulch being used in landscaping projects to prevent sediment impacts to roads and the storm sewer system.

  • Use Pesticides and Fertilizers Sparingly. When use is necessary, use these chemicals in the recommended amounts. Use organic mulch or pest control methods that are considered safe and 'environmentally friendly' whenever possible. Excess use of fertilizers and pesticides on yards contaminates runoff and pollutes our waterways. *Fertilizers should not be applied to impervious surfaces and should not be applied within 10 feet from the top back of any surface water, stormwater pond, wetland or seawall.

  • Fertilizer Restrictions: Manatee County regulates landscape maintenance practices and the sale and use of fertilizers containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus within the county. Fertilizer containing nitrogen (N) and/or phosphorus (P) cannot be used in lawn & landscape plants between June 1 and September 30. Manatee County Landscape Maintenance and Fertilizer Regulation. This ordinance aims to protect our local water from contaminants during the rainy season.

 

Residential Landscaping Solutions

  • Rain Barrels – These are used to collect rainwater from rooftops in mosquito-proof containers. The water can be reused to water lawns and/or garden areas.

  • Rain Gardens and Grassy Swales – Specially designed areas planted with native plants can provide natural places for rainwater to collect and soak into the ground. Rain from rooftop areas or paved areas is diverted into these areas rather than directly into the storm sewer system, so pollutants and nutrients can filter out.

  • Vegetated Filter Strips – Filter strips are areas of native plantings and grasses that are planted along roads, drainage features, and streams. They filter the pollutants that stormwater runoff picks up as it flows across pervious and impervious surfaces.

  • Permeable Pavement – Traditional concrete and asphalt don't permit water to soak into the ground. Permeable pavement systems create a surface that allows for rain to soak through, decreasing stormwater runoff.


For more information on Florida Friendly landscaping, visit the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods website.