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Sustainable Plantings, Natural Fertilizers and Pesticides

Angela Polo and Ken Micklow are on hand to show Bob the sustainable plantings selected for the Punta Gorda home. Polo shows Bob the firebushes selected for the water side of the garden because they are dwarf varieties that will not block the water views but will attract butterflies. Micklow shows Bob how the vegetable garden is built with interlocking anchor blocks and erosion cloth to prevent the rich humus mixture from seeping out of the raised bed. The soil is a mix of compost, peat moss, bark, and dolomite. This sunny spot will house tomatoes, peppers, onions, and herbs that will thrive in the heat and sun. Craig Harmer from Gardens Alive brings natural plant and animal products that are suited to specific plants to enhance the soil and promote growth. These soil mixes are completely unprocessed meals and protein blends developed for each plant. The pesticide applications are natural pyrethrins and canola oils that target specific pests. Even snails are eradicated with Escar-Go! Composting is also encouraged through the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program. Polo adds that composting clippings, trimmings, and kitchen vegetable waste will build soil enhancers and microbes to enrich the gardens and plantings.

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Sustainable Plantings, Natural Fertilizers and Pesticides

computer-generated transcript - may not be 100% accurate

" What are the great things about planning a garden in an area like this is -- you got water views in so many locations and does that interfere when -- tourism."

" why doesn't interfere but it certainly limits your selections you have many I dwarf plants or wow we've chosen here a dwarf. Bob fire -- this is a native plant to Florida. And it's also a great butterfly tractor this area of the garden is to attract wildlife and butterflies."

" Now Ken let's figure out what we're doing here this is the vegetable garden that Teresa wants correct and you're creating a raised -- Yeah we're we're bringing me anchor interlocking blocks from ground level up to courses okay and what's this black. So this is erosion cloth which stops the seepage the potting soil from coming out from the base of the -- blocks OK and we were just argue about how that's the condition of the soil here is great for yet. Vegetables need. Rich material."

" They need rich compost materials so you'll see the typical fill also allowing hair and while we've Friday and answer our rich humus potting soil next. You can be ideal for vegetables -- all the adding some soil additives to this well next."

" Stair step what do what do what are these blocks sitting realize they were hollowed out like that. Anchor block is certain type of block for the manufactured they actually interlock we use these to build retaining walls OK. And what's the nature of these that he. The soil that we're looking at for planting is is it a mix of compost derive its compost. Peat moss. Are shredded fir bark and don't mind the sweetness oil drain here comes another low down and number. All right so now we have a completed raised bed and we've got this Florida heat can you really grow vegetables in it."

" He sure can yes we have tomatoes peppers and onions that'll do quite well we have different herbs also that'll do quite well that timing here."

" Excellent and -- This the shape that you created with the cement blocks has to do with set backs and all that setbacks the area that we have to work where death and also leaving a pathway and accessibility yeah so this will be sided right correct OK. Thanks nice work now we're gonna learn a little bit more about gardening yes. Talk to Craig Harmer from gardens alive how -- thank you a lot of the importance of of gardening not just vegetable gardening bed but the whole. Garden and the brushes and everything else has to do with fertilizing and pest control and how how you grow your garden right right. And I know there's always been problems with a lot of chemicals and things going into. The environment so what -- the -- the alternatives that you're bringing us the products direct."

" for fertilizers are. Natural plant and animal by products. On the reason we do this is because one they're designed to grow the tomatoes or they're designed to grow the separate vegetables. They offer the right amounts of -- and also they provide nutrients for the soil life. To our benefit and if you -- good soil thing you're gonna have good plant so what do you guys here so we've got vegetables alive here. Tomatoes -- For the tomatoes and peppers vegetables for all the rest. And what is it about them that makes them but usually. I again and it's who they're they're unprocessed completely natural ingredients. We've just taken. -- to soy bean or alfalfa meal and god created blends. For the vegetables and tomatoes OK and what about in you know pest control. Pest control we offer a line of again natural products such as our. Iowa which is up for re -- and canola oil oh yeah this is great stuff. Yeah it actually works three different ways it covers suffocate eggs it is a contact poison and it also is an ingested poison and and it's and it's is safe for everything else it's just targeting -- she wanted to. Argenbright is negative. Harm the birds -- now -- not yet. And I can resist this -- it's an iron phosphate product for slugs and snails. Won't harm anything other than slugs and snails. Works better than a chemical product great and of course we've loaded up product compost. Wanted to take a second and talk about there's just make any sense."

" A lot of them and they Florida yard environment what you can do -- best I'm sweet advice when -- around and -- grubs in your landscape to bring your clippings and putting and to your comp minister. Your kitchen scraps in their best to balls -- salad mixes things like that. As that breaks down and built a very rich humus thank you take that humus out and put it into your garden area. It builds the soil and enriches it justice and it is the product -- Odyssey microbes that help adults hold up when."

" Makes a lot of says thank you so much correct thank you and Angelina has done a wonderful job and thank you to everybody at the University of Florida extension."

" Thank you I would really enjoy the opportunity."

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Sustainable Planting for Florida Landscape

Ken Micklow from Trent Culleny Landscaping Contractors talks with Bob about the native Sabal or Cabbage Palms that are being planted at the Punta Gorda home. The root ball has been trimmed as have the leaves to prevent stress during planting. Micklow says that it will have a full head and established roots within a year. Angela Polo looks at the Podocarpus being used for hedge plantings to screen the pool area. Their natural tendancy is to grow up not out, up to ten feet tall. They are easily maintined with tip pruing once or twice per year. Low maintenance, low pest and low water and feeding crotons are also being planted around the yard accroding to the landscape design plan. Gold Lantana is being planted as a nectar source for butterflies. Aztec grass is planted along the border with Bird of Paradise for ornamental accent plants. Micklow stresses that it's important not to add nutrients and fertilizers when planting or it could verly stress the plant by acclimating it to fertilized soil then taking it away. Ultimately it could make it more difficult for the plant to survice its natural conditions. Polo and Micklow have limited the turf area, but have provided functional grass area for their dogs and family with a transitional butterfly garden before the Lantana-planted area of the yard opens up.

Sustainable Landscaping in Florida

Angela Polo from the University of Florida's Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program is on hand to show how the Punta Gorda yard exemplifies the nine principles of their program: right plant, right place, efficient watering, recycling, protecting the waterfront, reducing stormwater runoff, attracting wildlife, managing fertilizers, and managing pests. Bob and Angela discuss the soil in Punta Gorda, which is typical of new Florida construction and is sandy with no percolation or drainage. Bob talks about the native palm of Florida, the Sabal Palm or Cabbage Palm as it is commonly called, as an example of selecting the right plant for the right place. Brian Kendzior from Sun Scape Landscaping explains the landscape design for this large corner lot with screening for privacy, minimized functional lawn areas, and large beds. Kendzior talks with Bob about addressing hurricane issues and landscaping so that the home and surrounding areas are protected from damaged landscaping and wind-borne plant debris. He explains how landscapers have reduced the size of plantings near the house and moved to sturdy, native plants to reduce hurricane damage. Kendzior also talks about plant selection and maintenance. Sustainable planting tends toward native plants that require low maintenance and thrive in natural conditions. To that end, the irrigation system provided by Toro uses a pressure compensating watering system that uses weep holes to water perimeter plants. Polo also adds that raised beds will be installed by the canal, preventing turf from going right to the edge of the bulkhead. This reduces the chance of runoff from fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides into the waterway.