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FLORIDA
FRIENDLY GARDENING Gardening in Northwest Florida A Newcomer’s Introduction Understanding
How to Enhance Nature’s Beauty In Your Own
Backyard
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Gardening Facts for Newcomers Welcome to
Okaloosa County! Our area is one of
the most beautiful on the Gulf Coast.
We hope this information will help you learn to garden here and enjoy
one of the benefits of living in Okaloosa County. Weather Our plant
hardiness zone is 8a and 8b Our heat zone is 9. Average annual
temperature is 76˚. Summer highs can
be in the 90’s and winter lows occasionally dip below freezing. Temperatures vary between the north and south parts of the county. Growing season is
from mid-March to mid-November. Average rainfall
is 62 inches yearly. Monthly average
rainfall is 5.1 inches. Expect the
most rainfall in July; least rainfall is from October to February. Soil Soil is extremely
sandy and pH varies widely throughout the county. A soil test by the University of Florida is
recommended. Use of renewable organic supplements is recommended to enhance soil. |
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Plant
Selection Native plants are
a good choice for home landscapes.
These plants tolerate local conditions and help conserve water. They must be planted in areas they are
adapted to. Right Plant, Right Place Choosing plants to
fit specific locations is critical to success in the garden. Sun, shade, salt spray and soil pH are
factors to consider. Recent hurricane
damage has shown some landscape plants are better able to withstand wind
damage than others Lawns & Watering Water conservation
is essential to maintaining our quality of life in Florida. Please do your part. Proper watering of your landscape will save
water for us all. Water only when
the landscape needs it. Watch for
Lists of plants
that do well in our area are available from the Extension Office. |
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Protecting Our Resources If you pull a
thread in nature, you will find it is connected to the rest of the
earth. Protecting our natural
resources is the responsibility of us all. Reduce the use of
pesticides and fertilizers and apply only the water the landscape needs. Information on insect pest management,
proper use of fertilizers and ways to reduce water consumption are available
from the Okaloosa County Extension office. “Your yard is the
first line of defense for Florida’s fragile environment. The health of Florida’s estuaries, rivers,
lakes and aquifers depends partly on how you landscape and maintain your
yard.” (Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Handbook http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP079) Landscapes that survive hurricane force winds can reduce damage to your property. Advice on planting a landscape that is less susceptible to high winds is available from the Extension office. Ask for Circular 1183 or check online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FR010. Some trees that showed a better survival rate after recent high winds were slash and longleaf pines, Sabal palm, live oak and magnolia. Sound cultural practices should be observed in tree selection, location and maintenance. |
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An Educational
Landscape Garden Is located at the Okaloosa County Extension building. The garden is open to the public. 5479 Old Bethel Road Crestview, Florida 32536-5512 –––––––––– Soil pH can be
tested at the Extension Office.
Complete soil tests are available from the University of Florida. These soil test kits are available at
either of our locations. Call or come
by. –––––––––– Plant Clinics March through
October, Extension Horticulture Agent Larry Williams invites county residents
to bring in samples of plant material for identification. Mr. Williams and the Master Gardener
volunteers will diagnose diseases and pests of turf and landscape plants as
well. The free clinics are held at 127
Hollywood Blvd in Ft. Walton Beach.
Call the Extension Office for dates and times. Speaker’s Bureau Master Gardeners provide programs for garden clubs, civic groups, church groups, etc in Okaloosa County. Call the office for more information. |
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Okaloosa
County Extension Agents: Gerald Edmondson-Ext. Director/Agriculture Agent;
Larry Williams-Residential Horticulture Agent; Sheila Dunning-Commercial
Horticulture Agent; Elaine Courtney-Family & Consumer Sciences Agent;
Jennifer Heady-4H Agent; Scott Jackson-Marine Science Agent. Help
with gardening questions is available through the Okaloosa County Extension
Service. Phone support is provided by
the Okaloosa County Master Gardeners.
Find answers to your gardening questions. We can help with plant
selection, watering questions, lawn care, soil pH testing, pesticides,
insects, plant diseases, and landscape ideas. Call
850-689-5850 (north of the Shoal River) or 850-729-1400
ext. 5850 (south of the Shoal River
Please visit the Okaloosa
County Extension web site at http://Okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu http://okaloosa.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture.html and the Master Gardener
web site at http://ocmga.org Additional sites of
interest: http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu |
