As Florida residents, we know that our local climate will often bring longer summers, warmer temperatures, and temperate winters. A pro for many, our climate makes it easy to spend more time outdoors with family and friends! With this, we will want our lawns healthy and green throughout the entire year. Check out our favorite lawn care tips to keep your yard looking healthy this New Year.
Keep Your Lawn Hydrated
Having a consistent routine of watering your lawn is a crucial part of maintaining healthy turf. Watering your lawn will help encourage root growth. Depending on the area, your Florida lawn needs a certain amount of water to stay hydrated, but a good rule of thumb is to ensure it’s watered at least 1-1.5 inches a week. When temperatures reach the mid-70s and above, look to increase the water amount by two inches but no more than that, as it can cause damage to the grass. Look to water your grass in the early morning or late in the evening, ensuring there’s no chance of evaporation.
Perfect Your Lawn Mowing Technique
It’s always important to set a year-round mowing schedule. You can often base your schedule on when you fertilize, the current weather patterns, and the grass type. Depending on your area, the amount of grass a homeowner should mow can vary. In the Greater Orlando area, we typically have St. Augustine grass, which should be mowed to a height of 3 ½ – 4 ½ inches. In other Florida areas, we have Zoysia grass, which can be more drought tolerant and challenging to manage than other grass types. To keep this turf healthy, look to mow a little shorter, around 2 to 3 inches.
Don’t Forget About Nutrients
If you’re looking for green, lush grass this year, it’s critical to utilize fertilizers. Fertilizing your grass will feed nutrients to your soil that could be missing. Like watering, the number of times homeowners should look to fertilize is based on the type of grass they have. For St. Augustine grass, look to fertilize it around 4 times. Bahia grass will only need 2 to 3 fertilizations per year, while Zoysia grass could require 5. It’s always best to consult with a lawn care professional on a fertilizer schedule and the type of fertilizer to utilize.
Control Lawn Pests
Putting numerous hours and extensive effort into your lawn care only to have it ruined by pesky lawn pests can be frustrating. Lawn pests can be extremely damaging, ruining the look and health of your lawn by attacking the roots and grass. The most common lawn pests found in Florida include:
- Ants
- Chinch Bugs
- Mole Crickets
- Sod Webworms
- Fire Ants
The best way to eliminate and avoid lawn pests is to include pest control in your lawn maintenance plan. Consider contacting your local lawn care company. These lawn care professionals will set you up with a routine lawn care program to eliminate lawn pests and have your turf looking healthy year-round through fertilization, broadleaf weed control, aeration, and more!