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CITY OF SANIBEL
Southern blue-flag (Iris virginica)
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CITY OF SANIBEL
Maritime bushy bluestem (Anatherum tenuispatheum)
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CITY OF SANIBEL
Florida tickseed (Coreopsis floridana)
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UF/IFAS Extension Lee County Master Gardener volunteers will present a free program, “Right Plant in Every Place,” on Feb. 7 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Sanibel Public Library on Sanibel.
For Florida-Friendly Landscaping, the “Right Plant, Right Place” rule is the most important. Picking plants that like a yard’s soil and sun will require less water, fertilizer and maintenance.
Between the surge from Hurricane Ian and flooding from Helene and Milton, the soil on Sanibel and Captiva has changed. The city’s Natural Resources Department, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and Florida Gulf Coast University have been studying why some plants lived and others did not. They found that:
– Geography matters: A yard’s “elevation” is key. Higher areas drained quickly; lower areas stayed underwater longer in a “salty soup” that drowned roots.
– The slow kill: Some trees, like the gumbo limbo, looked fine at first but died years later. It happened because salt pushed deep into the soil and slowly starved the roots.
Attendees will learn Florida-Friendly tips on soil and light to create a sustainable landscape.
“Living on a barrier island means our gardens must be as tough as they are beautiful. We are so excited to help our neighbors understand our unique salt and surge conditions,” UF IFAS Extension Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Sheryl van der Heiden said. “Our goal is to help every neighbor discover how easy and joyful gardening can be when you work with nature instead of against it.”
To register or for more information, visit https://RightPlantSanibel.eventbrite.com.
To get the most out of the program, attendees should download in advance the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Plant Guide at https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/resources/apps/plant-guide/.
The Sanibel Public Library is at 770 Dunlop Road, Sanibel.