Green Industries Best Management Practices manual

Table of ContentsGOALS OF THE MANUAL ........................................iiiACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................ivTABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................vCHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................1Using Best Management Practicesto Reduce Pollution and Conserve Water ........................1Environmental Issues........................................................1Importance of MaintainingHealthy Landscapes and Turf ............................................2Cultural Practices for Healthy Landscapes ......................2Employee Training ............................................................4CHAPTER 2: BEST MANAGEMENTPRACTICES FOR DESIGN ANDINSTALLATION OF LANDSCAPES................................6Site Evaluation and Landscape Design ............................6Florida Friendly Landscape Design Standards..................6Plant Selection ..................................................................7Selecting a Turfgrass for a Florida Lawn ....................7Selecting Trees, Shrubs, and Ground Covers..............8Planting ............................................................................8Preparing To Plant a Lawn..........................................8Landscape Plant Installation ......................................8Care During Plant Establishment ..............................8Environmental Stresses on Lawns ....................................9Shade Considerations for Turf ..........................................9CHAPTER 3: IRRIGATION BESTMANAGEMENT PRACTICES ....................................11Permitting and Regulations ............................................11Reclaimed Water Use ......................................................12Irrigation System Design ................................................12Microirrigation for Landscape Plants ......................13Irrigation System Installation..........................................15Irrigation Management....................................................15Irrigation System Maintenance ......................................17Irrigation System Errors..................................................18Sources for Irrigation Standards......................................18CHAPTER 4: MULCHING,MOWING, AND PRUNING......................................20Landscape Mulches ........................................................20Benefits of Mulching ................................................20Mowing the Florida Lawn ..............................................21Pruning of Landscape Plants ..........................................22Mangroves ................................................................23Disposing of Landscape Material ....................................23CHAPTER 5: FERTILIZATION ....................................25Fertilizer Terms ..............................................................25Fertilizer Analysis............................................................25Urban Turf Fertilizer Rule ..............................................25Turf Fertilization Management........................................25Nitrogen Management ..............................................26Phosphorus Fertilization ..........................................30Potassium Fertilization ............................................31Secondary Nutrient Fertilization ..............................31Micronutrients ..........................................................31Fertilizing Grass forEstablishment or Recovery ......................................32Untreated Buffers Near Bodies of Water ........................32Impervious Surfaces ........................................................33Fertigation ......................................................................33Fertilizing Landscape Plants ..........................................33Why Fertilize? ..........................................................33Recommendations and Basic Principlesfor Fertilizing Landscape Plants ..............................34When To Fertilize ....................................................34How Much To Fertilize ............................................34Where and How To Fertilize ....................................35Fertilizer Storage and Loading........................................35Storage ......................................................................35Loading ....................................................................36Soil Testing ......................................................................36Soil Sampling Methodology ......................................36Soil Test Interpretation..............................................37Tissue Testing ..................................................................37Tissue Sampling Methodology..................................38Sample Contamination ............................................38Interpretation of Results ..........................................38Summary ........................................................................38CHAPTER 6: PEST CONTROL ..................................40Legal Issues ....................................................................40Definitions ................................................................40Licensing Requirements for PesticideUse in Lawn and Landscape Maintenance................40Pesticide Record Keeping..........................................40Restricted Use Pesticides ..........................................41Integrated Pest Management ..........................................41Pesticide Use ..................................................................42Pesticide Selection ....................................................43Pesticide Storage ............................................................44Department of Environmental Protection – Revised DECEMBER 2008v