Landscape Workshop Aims To Plant Seed Of Knowledge

BROOKSVILLE - The phones of the county's gurus of green are already starting to ring.

With March's proverbial lamb inching ever closer, residents are calling the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Office to get tips about what kinds of plants to put in the ground and where, said John Korycki, coordinator of the cooperative's Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program.

Korycki has just the invitation for them.

The extension office will hold its "Florida Friendly Landscaping Grow-Smart" workshop from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the SNPJ Lodge, 13383 County Line Road.

The program is presented in conjunction with the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Hernando County Utilities Department.

The deadline to register is Feb. 25. Admission is $10; Hernando County utility customers who prepay are eligible for a $10 rebate on their water bills.

"It's going to be a good time for getting ideas together for spring landscaping," Korycki said.

But the goal is to go beyond superficial beauty, he said. Real beauty, by the standards of the Florida-Friendly program, shows through in a yard that protects the environment by saving water and needing the least possible amount of pesticides and fertilizer.

Korycki will talk about the program that encourages the installation of native plants, but not necessarily just those. Often more important, he said, is putting the right plant in the right location depending on soil and shade.

He'll offer tips on how to navigate www.floridayards.org, which explains the principles and provides ways to put them into practice.

The half-day event won't stop there, though. Five other speakers will talk about the ongoing drought, the importance and technique of adding nutrients to soil through composting and landscaping that minimizes fire danger.

The Hernando Chapter of the Native Plant Society and local vendors will set up exhibits. There will be door prizes, refreshments and educational materials.

The workshop would be especially helpful to new residents or first-time homeowners learning how to make the most of their piece of Florida, said Alys Brockway, the county's water conservation coordinator.

"Once they do," Brockway said, "they can save water and also have a lovely yard."

If you go

WHAT: "Florida Friendly Landscaping Grow-Smart" workshop

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 27. Pre-registration is required; deadline is Monday, Feb. 25.

ADMISSION: $10 per person; Hernando County utilities customers are eligible for a $10 rebate on their utility bills.

CONTACT: For more information or to register, stop by the Hernando County Cooperative Extension Office, 19490 Oliver St., Brooksville, or call 745-4433. For information on the rebate program, call 540-4368, Ext. 35139.