Florida Friendly Landscaping
 

I want to be FFL compliant with the landscaping for my new build so am starting to look at guidelines such as these to discuss during my Design visit.

https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/FYN_Pla...Guide_2015.pdf

Community Association & Property Managers Kit - Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Anyone have experience to share related to FFL in the Villages?

A Villages presentation including the topic.

https://www.districtgov.org/committe...ion-2-2019.pdf

Florida friendly plants are a wonderful idea - but I have noticed that very few things are planted in the actual soil around TV. There is a landscape sheet, in a raised bed, and different soil in it or there is mulch and stone. I’d like to know what grows in the natural soil other than the thick stemmed grass that everyone seems to have? I drove around to the surrounding farms and Ocala forest etc to get an idea as to what grows naturally around here. There are these beautiful oaks that grow naturally but I seem to have a palm in front of my house. I’d love to bring back some of the natural plants if the deeds allow it.

I've learned The Villages supports FFL but you do need to plan and have your plan approved as for anything else.

This plant selection guide from the University of Florida has a great deal of info:

https://ffl.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/FYN_Pla...Guide_2015.pdf

I have no idea what species of palm you have in your yard, but there are a few that are native to Florida.

•Everglades Palm / Paurotis Palm. Acoelorrhaphe wrightii
•Florida Silver Palm. Coccothrinax argentata
•Needle Palm. Rhapidophyllum hystrix,
•Royal Palm. Roystonea oleracea
•Cabbage Palm. Sabal palmetto

I've seen Everglades, Needle and Sabal palmetto in The Villages, Sabal palmetto by far the most common. The Royal & Silver would not be cold hardy in TV.

Yes, I noticed some types of palms were there in the “forest” where there was some sun and they seemed native. I need to do so much more research. I love Central Florida! Such an intriguing place to be.

Keep in mind that vermin love palms.

Yes -- that's where rats make their home!

In both new homes here we were given the landscaping that comes with which is small at the beginning, but water and wait 18 months and see how fast it grows. Also talk to long time or native Floridians before you add palms or change anything. The original landscaping that came with our home is still growing and doing well after eight years, has weathered all conditions, super hot, frost, drought.... and I personally think it's lovely.

Many Villagers use Florida Friendly Plants.


I used them once, but did not inhale.

Good to know about rats, not among my favorites. My house is 12 years old but I’m not sure how old the landscaping is. It needs to be redone though as the people I bought it from had left it some time ago.

Gracie, your house looks wonderful!

If it’s that kind of plant maybe inhaling is a good idea, the less the other people have to smell it...;)

14 years 11 palms 0 rats.

I like those stats.

Zero rats that you know about makes one wonder how many of them are there that you don't know about???
They mostly come out at night and like it or not, they are there, even if they're just occasionally visiting.

Generally speaking, they're mostly in the palm trees unless they're in your attic.

That sounds like a great reason for anyone with an attic to have palms. Keeps the rats out of their attics.

Meanwhile, you can find all you seek right here:

Native Plants - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

We are active gardeners so are out in our yard very frequently. Have never seen any or evidence that there are rats in our palms.
Nothing in the attic either.
I think you are making too much about nothing.

My Comments are Based on Facts, Not Opinion
 

You and your wife may be active gardeners but that has nothing to do with whether or not you have rats in and/or around your house.
In addition, unless you are doing your gardening at night, you WON'T see any rats!
And pray tell -- what kind of rat evidence are you looking for that you have not found?

If they are in your attic or walls, etc., you probably won't see them but probably will hear them.

For your information, I'm not making up "much ado about nothing."
I speak from experience and education.
What are your credentials for not believing me???

Go to University of Florida site
IFAS dot UFL dot EDU

Then, search Palm Tree Rats

There’s more info there than I could cut and paste. Sad to say, they love palm trees. They also love citrus. They are not the same type of rat one finds in urban areas. They don’t necessarily want to get into your home. They love fruit produced by palms and palms provide them cozy shelter. I’ve had them run in front of my cart on golf cart paths. When we had our Sylvester trimmed, the workers found a nest of them. Sorry, guys, they’re everywhere—even if you never see one.

I may be wrong but it sounds like you are interested in Native Plants. Not all Florida friendly plants are native. If you google FNPS, you can drill down to the Villages chapter. Or search TV Recreation Guide. They have at least one meeting per month. I believe it’s Friday afternoon at the Rec center close to Pinellas Plaza. Big Cypress maybe? If you go to a meeting, you’ll meet many like minded folks who are happy to share their knowledge (and sometimes plants). They can also help you get started and jump through the administrative hoops to get a plan approved. Good luck.

Sorry I don't need your lecture...………………..
I speak from experience and education.

See post 17.

Appreciate your reference. I have read that in the past. Still doesn't mean every palm has a rat.

To make sure that no rats etc climb the palms in Hawaii they use an 8 inch or so band of thin metal wrap around the tree.

Have heard this story for a long time, along with pine straw is full of bugs, moss is full of chiggers and Elvis is alive living on Mars. If rats are everywhere why after 2 years of having bait stations around my house have I not found one of the deadly hoard around my house. By the way if you have rats or mice one of the biggest signs are droppings everywhere.

Rats don't bother me at all, as long as they stick to their trees, or are the domesticated variety some folks keep as pets (or feed to their snakes). Chipmunks, on the other hand, are evil. They have burrowed holes through the foundation in our northern home and are now living between the concrete wall of our basement and the dirt under our back yard. They have burrowed into our concrete front stairs and built nests inside the burrow. They come out to the first step after I get the mail and yell at me, daring me to come back up and inside the house.

I usually just walk around the back instead.

Evil evil evil. Rats - timid little critters, they mostly keep to themselves and avoid contact with people. Chipmunks are bold and sassy and in-your-face and know they are the boss of you!

My biggest problem with the palm tree that we inherited with our current house is that it is getting so tall I can't find anyone to climb it and trim it. My husband doesn't know it yet, but I am going to lobby to have it taken out and replaced with a nice crepe myrtle. We are not there year-round. Apparently the palm tree fruits when we're gone.

Bingo! The rats are nothing to be scared of or in denial about.:ohdear: Like you, we’ve found it to be very difficult maintaining palms. After a lot of coaxing, DH finally relented and we had 4 removed. It’s a great relief. No more calls from house watch telling us pods have formed or the palms are touching the house. I love palms—but don’t want to own them.

I agree. I would never remove a tree because there might be a rat in it. This is Florida

I realize this is a thread about plants, but I must ask... how are rats getting into ones attic?