Spring is here: Citrus Utilities watering and gardening guide, and workshops!

Citrus County Utilities

Water Conservation Updates & Water-wise News

Spring is here! Our plants are beginning to blossom and grow, especially those beautiful azaleas.

If you have not already done so, it is time to adjust irrigation to the allowable once per week schedule detailed below. If you have a Water Sense labeled irrigation controller, do not adjust your schedule because the controller will automatically increase the amount of water it applies per the weather conditions at your home.

In March, return to one scheduled irrigation of one-half inch to three-quarters inch per week. That is about 30 to 45 minutes per rotor head zone, and 15 to 20 minutes per spray head zone. This is the schedule you will maintain until next fall/winter.

Verify that your rain sensor is functioning, to reduce or eliminate irrigation during or shortly after a half-inch to a three-quarter-inch rainfall.

Per restrictions, allowable watering is limited to one day per week, either before 10:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m., but not both. See the irrigation schedule for Citrus County below. Irrigation is based on the last digit of the street address or house number. Citizens may choose to irrigate during ONE of the two time frames: 12:00 am to 10:00 am, or 4:00 pm to 11:59 pm on their allowable day, but NOT at both times.

CITRUS COUNTY WATERING SCHEDULE:
Address ending in 0 or 1 - Monday
Address ending in 2 or 3 - Tuesday
Address ending in 4 or 5 - Wednesday
Address ending in 6 or 7 - Thursday
Address ending in 8 or 9 - Friday
Locations with a mix of addresses, or no address - Friday

Call (352) 527-7669 to report new plantings that require additional irrigation.

If you are unsure how to modify the irrigation watering schedule, the County may be able to offer guidance via phone on some controller models. Call 352-527-7669 and leave a message with your name, address, phone number and irrigation controller model. The call will be responded to in the order received.

Take advantage of EPA Water Sense brand rebates:

*Rain Sensor Replacement - $50
*Water Sense labeled Toilet - up to $100. Pre-approval is required. There's a limit of two toilets per household.
*Water Sense labeled Irrigation Controller - $100 (auto-adjusting controller)

If you would like to submit an application to purchase a EPA Water Sense brand product, the county included a canary-yellow paper application with your bill this month, or you can click here to apply: citruswater.wufoo.com/forms/rebate-application-2021/. If you have questions, please call (352) 527-7669.

FREE online class, Irrigation 101

Register at: https://031721irrigation101.eventbrite.com. This class will be held on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, 1:00-4:00 pm. Experts will be available to answer your irrigation questions. Learn basics of an irrigation system, such as:
•Operating the irrigation controller
•How long to run each zone
•Seasonal adjustments
•Maintenance & checkups
•Local soils and plant water needs
•Benefits of Water Sense labeled smart controllers

Classroom Toilet Leak Detection Challenge

This annual activity is sure to prompt lots of interesting discussion with youth and teach an easy way to conserve water! Citrus County 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students test their home toilets for leaks. Citrus County Utilities provides dye tablets for the tests.

Would you like to join the EPA Fix a Leak Week activities? Test your toilet(s) for leaks by adding a half dozen drops of food coloring to the tank. Then, wait 15 minutes. If color appears in the bowl, your flapper is the likely culprit. Flush away all coloring after test. Don't worry, flappers are available at home stores for about $20 and easy to replace. Share your results with a photo on Twitter or Facebook using #FixALeak.

FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program
Thursday, Mar. 18, 6:00-8:00 pm - Lawns in Central Florida
Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2:00-4:00 pm - Florida-Friendly fertilizing
For details and to register, click here: ccufflprogram.eventbrite.com.

Florida perennial, Pentas lanceolata (see photos)

According to UF/IFAS, "When other plants fade in Florida's hot and humid summers, perennials like Pentas lanceolata truly shine. These attractive plants produce red, pink, or white flowers throughout the summer and are a great source of food for hummingbirds and butterflies."
The flowers are prolific and seem to last 8-9 months of the year. Once established, the require little to no additional water. For best results, plant pentas in late spring in a site that receives full sun and has well-drained soil. "Most pentas grow about 15 inches wide and 2 to 3 feet tall, so be sure to leave ample space for them to grow if planting in beds," per IFAS, but may grow substantially larger, to 4 feet wide and 4 feet tall. For more information on Pentas, visit
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/pentas.html.

March Gardening

Annuals/Bedding Plants:
Dianthus and other cool-season annuals continue to flourish. Consider planting warm-season annuals such as angelonia, wax begonia, and zinnia at the end of the month.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_annual_landscape_plants.

Bulbs:
Plant dahlia, canna, and gloriosa bulbs for spring and summer flowering. Provide stakes as needed to support growth. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_bulbous_flowers.

Herbs:
Consider growing edible ginger. Plant rhizomes in well-drained soil in full to part sun.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_ginger and Herbs: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_herbs.

Prune Azaleas:
Prune azaleas when they have finished blooming to reduce their size and improve theirform. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_azalea.

Vegetables:
Begin planting warm-season crops, such as beans, tomatoes, squash, and corn, early in the month for late spring harvest. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_vegetable_gardening.

Find more information here: https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/florida-gardening-calendar/.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Citrus County Department of Water Resources
3600 W Sovereign Path Ste 202
Lecanto, FL 34461-7726
Phone: (352) 527-7669
Email: Debra.Burden@Citrusbocc.com