Celebrate Florida’s Fall!

Celebrate Florida's fall weather and the beginning of the holiday season by giving your lawn the gift of smart irrigation. Although more subtle than in most areas, Florida does have a fall and a winter. During these seasons, we experience reduced sunlight, cooler temperatures, and reduced rainfall. Fall is also when we return to Eastern Standard Time.

Both your clocks and your irrigation controller need to be reset to reflect these cooler seasons. On November 3, your clocks need to be set back one hour. At the same time your irrigation controller needs to be reset to its fall and winter irrigation schedule. The fall and winter irrigation schedule (November 3 through March 9) restricts outside irrigation to one day a week. Odd-numbered residential addresses may irrigate on Saturdays; even-numbered residential addresses may irrigate on Sundays; and commercial and non-residential properties may irrigate on Tuesdays. In Titusville, well water, city water, and reclaimed water all fall under the irrigation restrictions.

Irrigation is reduced during the fall and winter because the growth of both plants and grasses slows down, reducing their need for food, which in turn reduces their need for irrigation. Watering your yard more than is needed encourages fungal growth and leads to increased runoff into the stormwater system and local water bodies. Excess irrigation when a plant is in a reduced growth period causes stress and increases the plant's susceptibility to disease and pests. A severe cold snap will also harm any new growth and possibly the entire plant.

Urban landscape irrigation is one of the largest growing water use sectors in Florida. as residents of the third most populous state, it is up to every Florida homeowner and business to conserve water and protect our environment. Making environmentally conscious choices about simple activities like plant choice and irrigation can go a long way towards achieving conservation and sustainability goals.

So celebrate the holidays, just remember to include your lawn on your gift list and water smart.

To learn more about the irrigation restrictions and Florida-Friendly landscaping contact Titusville's Water Conservation Program's pages at www.titusville.com/irrigation.