Horticultural Successes for Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco

Hillsborough County's Pesticide Program

Hillsbourough is the United States' main producer of the most tropical fish and strawberries. Strawberries, in particular, hit its highest sales at $305.55 M, or 39.3 percent of the county's total agricultural sales for 2008. The Tampa Bay Business Journal also reported that other production of crops such as ornamental plants, vegetables, and citrus have gained higher rates of sale for the same year. But acquiring such a high rank in the agricultural industry took a long process and a well executed plan.

Specific factors such as the use (or avoidance of use) of pesticide was a key factor in the county's success in agriculture. The locally funded Hillsborough County program led the promotion of safe and environmentally sound pesticide use and disposal. The collection and proper disposal of unused pesticides (since its ban) was conducted throughout the county and results of the program indicated less health risks for the community and farmers, and more developed planning for safer commercial and residential farming. Furthermore, the program also conducted mini seminars on fertilizer use and production for higher crop productivity and quality.

Pinellas' Fertilizer Ordinance

The aim of the ordinance is to lessen the amount of nitrogen that flows out from lawns and landscaping into waterways during the rainy season. The ordinance was based on an existing ordinance from Sarasota whose objective was also to lessen the use of fertilizers during the dryer seasons.

Before its proposal, researches showing the presence of harmful algae blooms, fish kills, and red tide have been confirmed, thus stressing the need for better management of fertilizer use from commercial farmers, as well as private households. The panel is essentially proposing the use of slow-release fertilizer which is requires less application on lawns and other landscapes.

According to Pinellas County Commissioner Susan Latvala, the ordinance will save a lot of money for the taxpayers and the county on landscape water use and maintenance. It was estimated that 20% of the allotted budget will be saved after a year of following the fertilizer ordinance. Less use of pesticides also followed with the reduced application of fertilizers. Though there has been some resistance from the landscaping industry in Sarasota in 2007, results have shown that there was hardly an impact on this industry, and to date, the landscaping business continues to thrive in Sarasota. The same is expected with Pinellas.  The ordinance is set to push through by the end of the 2009.

Pasco's Residential Lawn Care Services

Grass, trees,and shrubs, have been getting the best of care from the thriving landscape industry in Pasco. Landscapers have been continuously developing programs to further enhance and develop the ways of caring for residential house's front and backyards. A few of their services include a lawn care program, core aeration, tree and shrub fertilization, micro injection, irrigation winterization, and de-icing. Their innovations on better treatment of landscape has received recognition from other states because of their unique system of getting the job done in a short span of time. Companies have also been exploring the use of less harmful pesticides and fertilizers that need application once every 4 to six months. This industry expects to gain more business growth by 30% in 2010.