Bonita Springs • Lee County
Plant & Shrub Installation in Bonita Springs, FL
New shrubs get their own watering allowance here. Bonita Springs Ordinance 21-07 adopts the South Florida Water Management District's year-round irrigation rule, and it gives new landscaping a 90-day establishment period with extra watering days that taper after the first month. It also lets micro-irrigation and hand watering with a shut-off nozzle happen outside the normal schedule, which matters for a bed of fresh one-gallon plants in May. Where a home irrigates with reclaimed water from Bonita Springs Utilities, the ordinance's day limits do not apply to that water at all. Plant choice depends on which side of U.S. 41 you are on. Salt spray reaches lots near Bonita Beach Road and Hickory Boulevard, so sea grape, cocoplum and silver buttonwood earn their place there; inland, Hodges leans on firebush, Simpson's stopper and coontie for shade and dry spells.
or call (239) 301-9455
Where it comes up in Bonita Springs
Bonita Beach Road corridor
Pelican Landing
Worthington
San Carlos Estates
Plants and materials that suit it in Bonita Springs
Questions
How often can I water new plants under the Bonita Springs rules?
Ordinance 21-07 allows extra watering during a 90-day establishment period for new landscaping, with more days in the first 30. The exact days are written into the ordinance and can change, so confirm the current schedule with the city before setting a timer.
What holds up to salt air near Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island?
Plants that tolerate salt spray, such as sea grape, cocoplum, silver buttonwood and beach sunflower, do well in the first rows facing the water. Less tolerant shrubs belong on the protected side of the house or farther inland.
Does my reclaimed water change how new plants are watered?
Reclaimed water is excluded from the city's day-of-week limits, and it carries some nutrients, which Bonita Springs Utilities has pointed out can reduce fertilizer needs. New plants still need steady moisture to root in, so the timer should follow the plants, not just the rules.