By now you may have heard that this February, a Phase II Severe Water Shortage was declared in Duval County.  We also had some unusually cold temperatures through the winter months that killed many of our landscape plants.  But what do those two things have to do with one another, and what does it all mean to you?  We’ll unpack the details below.

Let’s start with the crispy brown landscape plants.

Here in Florida, unlike in other parts of the country, we aren’t used to seeing plants go totally dormant or die to the ground from cold temperatures.  For this reason many homeowners move to immediately pull visually dead plants and replace them.  However, given the chance, many will come back from the roots and begin to show signs of life over the next month or two. But what about the plants that are total goners, or the ones that are right in front of the house and will take years to regrow to their former glory? We might feel compelled to replace those sooner than later. Read on for considerations to avoid this costly replacement in the future.

Choose plants rated for your growing zone.

Part of Duval County is in USDA hardiness zone 9A and part is zone 9B.  Find your zone here. Almost all local nurseries are guilty of carrying some trees, shrubs, and perennial plants that are rated for zone 10 and up and will not survive the cold temps we just had.  Resist the urge to use tropical plants such as sea grape, Hawaiian ti, autograph plant, copper plant and tender palms like robellini and Christmas palms in North Florida.  Instead opt for hardier options like Florida-Friendly azaleas, podocarpus, cast iron plants, camellia or native Florida anise and coonties. For palms, consider native cabbage palms or Florida-Friendly jelly palms.  Remember, just because you can purchase it in a local store does not mean that it is suited to our local climate long-term.

All plants, even native selections, will need regular watering to get established.

This is why understanding our local watering restrictions is an important piece of the plant selection puzzle.  A Phase II Severe Water Shortage has been declared due to ongoing dry conditions across portions of the St Johns River Water Management District. Below-average rainfall, declining groundwater levels, and reduced river flows are contributing to water resource stress.

On average, between 50-60% of homeowner water use is for irrigation.

The increased demand for irrigation to establish new plants after the recent freezes is going to stress our water supply even further. With this in mind, selecting plants that are drought tolerant and will not need consistent watering after their initial establishment is critical. When to plant is also a significant consideration. Visit ENH1130/EP391: Establishing Shrubs in Florida Landscapes for full details about establishing new plants in your yard.

A closer look at the Phase II declaration indicates the following measures be taken:

• Lawn irrigation is limited to one day a week regardless of irrigation source (city utility, well, reclaimed). To learn your watering day see here.
• Wasteful and unnecessary water use is prohibited.
• Aesthetic uses of water are prohibited. (Think fountains and water features)

Dry conditions may persist, and residents and businesses are encouraged to plan ahead. Taking conservation steps now can help reduce the need for more restrictive measures later if the water shortage advances to a more severe phase.

Micro irrigation is the most efficient form of automatic irrigation.

It is always recommended to utilize separate zones for turf and landscape beds.  Use micro irrigation in plant beds to apply water at the roots right where it is needed and reduce water waste. At present, there are no restrictions on micro irrigation or hand watering individual plants, so utilize these options when establishing new plants.

In conclusion, when selecting landscape plants keep both hardiness and drought tolerance in mind.  To help you make informed choices, the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program has a searchable database of native and Florida-Friendly plants which can be found here: https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/resources/apps/plant-guide/ It’s very easy to use and you can sort and filter by plant type, hardiness zone, sun/shade requirements, flower color, native status and more. Give it a try today!  As always, if you need further guidance, please reach our office at 904-255-7450 or find your local county extension office here: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office/

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