Page 9 - October 2023 e-Magazine

Inside the Garden

By Karen Ehrlich

October 2023

Did you know? The purpose of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) program is to educate Floridians about environmentally friendly
landscaping that conserves water, protects the water quality, and saves @me, energy and money. FFL is based on the
Being underinsured for your business is no following nine key principles.
different than being underinsured for your home? 1. Right Plant Right Place
Select plants for a specific site that will require minimal amounts of water, fer@lizer, pes@cides and maintenance. Some
There are two components to a Property Policy that are essential for all policies to include, but many considera@ons are soil type, soil PH, drainage, light (full sun/shade), structural limita@ons, USDA Hardiness Zone (we are
9B here in Central Florida), mature size, diversity and long-term maintenance.
times these happen to be optional coverages. 2. Water Efficiently
Irriga@on management is cri@cal to protec@ng water supplies and reducing the nega@ve impacts on our natural
• Wind is one of those perils that is specifically required by most commercial leases, so you can resources. The goal is to design and install a landscape that will require a minimal amount of water once fully
expect most businesses that lease their space to be covered. What is concerning is that many established.
business owners who own their own building may opt out of this coverage just to save a couple of 3. Fer7lize Appropriately
bucks. In Florida, not being covered for damages due to wind should be highly concerning to any Proper fer@liza@on enhances growth, increases flowering or frui@ng, corrects nutri@onal deficiencies, and enhances the
individual. plant’s appearance. Improper fer@liza@on can cause damage to plants and the environment.
4. Mulch
Mulch helps retain soil moisture, discourages weed growth, gives your landscape a finished appearance, moderates soil
temperatures and improves soil structure as it decomposes.
5. A@ract Wildlife
Design landscapes that are welcoming to wildlife. Select plants with seeds, fruit, foliage, flowers, or berries that provide
food, supply water and refuge to various wildlife species.
6. Manage Yard Pest Responsibly
Integrated Pest Management is a strategy that helps manage pests with as few chemicals as possible while also
protec@ng beneficial insects that help to keep unwanted pests under control.
7. Recycle Yard Waste
Landscape maintenance ac@vi@es like mowing, pruning, and raking generate yard waste that you can compost or mulch,
recycling valuable nutrients.
8. Reduce Stormwater Runoff
Retain and use as much of the rainfall and irriga@on water that lands on our home landscapes as possible. Ensure most
• The other coverage in a property policy which is important to have, is Business Interruption. of the stormwater remains onsite and is filtered through plants and soil, reducing pollu@on coming from the landscape.
This is a coverage that unless the policy is a BOP (Business Owners Policy), which automatically 9. Protect the Waterfront
includes it, like wind, BI is optional, and in most cases, it is not required by the lessor. So, why is Help preserve Florida’s waterways, plants, and wildlife. Maintain a waterside 10-foot “low-maintenance zone.” Do not
BI so important? BI pays for a covered loss if you are unable to get into your building to conduct mow, fer@lize, or use pes@cides in this zone.
business due to the extent of the damage. BI may pay for moving you to another location. It may For more informa@on go to the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program website and Plant Guide to get details and
also pay for salaries for your employees during the time needed to close for repairs, if you are photos of over 400 Florida-friendly plants.
unable to move your operation. Just think of your management team, and how important to your
company they may be. Think about not being able to meet your payroll because the business is
not generating income and you don’t have a choice but to furlough employees. The employee may
not be able to afford to live on unemployment benefits, so they need to get another job and move
on with their lives. You could have lost a valuable employee because you may have chosen not to
invest in BI. How about replacing your equipment, computers, machinery, valuable papers, etc., is
that important to you?

Like the homeowner who loses his home in a fire, not being properly insured
could cost you the business you have worked so hard to build.

A variety of Florida-Friendly plants and Example of Florida-Friendly Gardening that
shrubs from the Orange County Extension is a7rac9ve to wildlife from the Orange
Service Demonstra9on Gardens. County Extension Service Demonstra9on
Gardens.
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