Now that we’ve sprung ahead to Daylight Saving Time, it’s time to think about spring and your Central Florida lawn! Although we’re fortunate to have relatively mild winter temperatures that don’t kill turfgrasses, don’t think you have nothing to do just because your lawn will green up on its own in the coming weeks! Practicing conscientious lawn care now will pay off in a healthy, verdant blanket of grass guaranteed to make your property the envy of your neighbors!
Our Daniel’s Lawn Service & Pressure Washing Inc. experts offer the following five steps to get your lawn ready for the growing season.
- Resume a regular mowing schedule
There wasn’t much to do during your lawn’s winter dormancy. But now that those green shoots are emerging, mow once a week. First, however, make sure your lawn mower is up for the job! Check the mower’s fuel system, air filter, spark plug and sharpen blades. LawnWorx recommends attaching a mulch spreader to your mower (if possible) to help provide nutrients to your lawn.
According to University of Florida IFSA Extension, mowing is actually one of the most important home lawn management practices. To maintain the optimum health of your grass, regularly mow throughout the summer months.
The general rule of thumb is to never mow lower than ⅓ inch tall, as it weakens the root system, and can badly stress your turf, leaving it vulnerable to disease, drought and insect or weed invasion. However, University of Florida IFSA Extension provides recommended mowing heights for your lawn’s specific turfgrass species, which are as follows:
- Bahiagrass: 3.5 – 4″
- Centipedegrass: 1 – 2″
- St. Augustinegrass: standard cultivars, 3.5 – 4″; semidwarf cultivars, 2 – 2.5″
- Zoysiagrass: The majority of these cultivars should be mowed at 1.5-2″
Other lawn mowing tips include:
- Leave grass clippings on the ground. They act as compost, returning valuable nutrients to the lawn.
- Keep mower blades sharp. Dull mower blades tear leaf blades, stressing the grass and making it more vulnerable to pests and disease.
- Do not mow when your lawn is wet. Wet grass clippings keep your mower blades from making the cleanest possible cut.
If you do miss a weekly mowing, bring the height of the grass back down to the recommended level slowly. Raise the mower height so you don’t remove too much leaf tissue at once.
- Water less frequently for longer periods of time
Florida newcomers make the common mistake of watering too frequently. Afternoon temperatures are hot – especially during summer – so your turfgrass must get thirsty, right? Not so! Overwatering encourages shallow root growth, which reduces your lawn’s ability to tolerate stress. A healthy lawn has deep roots. How often to water depends on the season, your soil type, the amount of shade in your yard and other factors.
During times of active growth – now through autumn – lawns generally need watering once or twice a week. To encourage deep root growth, however, depend more upon observing your lawn than looking at the calendar, and only water when it “tells” you.
Signs that your lawn is ready to irrigate include the following:
- Folded leaf blades.
- Blue-gray color.
- Footprints visible in grass (the grass doesn’t spring back).
When you do give your lawn a drink, be sure not to saturate it – especially to the point of runoff, which wastes water. A simple watering schedule is to apply ½ to ¾ inch of water when the grass begins to show the signs listed above. Once you’ve applied this amount, don’t irrigate until your grass looks “thirsty” again. Moreover, don’t irrigate if rain is forecast within the next 24 hours.
Also observe your county’s lawn watering restrictions. Each Florida county has different restrictions on days of the week, hours of the day and length of time you can water, so check your county’s website or call your county government’s office.
- Aerate your lawn
Although many homeowners skip this step, aerating the soil keeps it from getting compact, and supplies roots with water, oxygen and nutrients. There are three types of aeration methods: core, spike and liquid. Lawn care professionals prefer the core method, as it removes plugs of dirt from the lawn, relieving pressure in compacted soil and providing more breathing room for air and water to travel through to reach your grass’s roots.
The best time of year to aerate in Central Florida is late spring or early summer, when the grass is growing most rapidly and will be able to recover quickly from the stress of aeration. Our blog post – “Why You Should Aerate Your Lawn” – covers this topic in detail.
- Apply the first round of fertilizer
Fertilizing your grass should follow aeration. Wait to apply the first round of fertilizer until the grass comes out of dormancy. Applying fertilizer now can help prepare your grass for the heat of summer months ahead.
Start with a soil test to determine nutrient requirements as well as your soil’s pH level. Fertilizers are composed of three main elements – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – as well as a variety of other ingredients. Opt for a balanced blend of granular, slow-release fertilizer to adjust the acidity/alkalinity and nutrient content of your soil accordingly. When applying granular fertilizer, a drop spreader is suitable for small lawns, while larger areas of turf require a rotary spreader for even coverage.
Applying the proper amount of fertilizer will help your lawn resist weeds. However, applying fertilizer at the wrong time or applying too much can damage your lawn. If you’ve installed a new lawn, wait at least one or two months before fertilizing so it doesn’t run off because the root system isn’t developed. Be sure to read the label carefully before applying. Never apply more than one pound of nitrogen per application.
- Monitor for weeds, insect pests and diseases, and treat accordingly
Weeds, destructive insects and diseases all spell trouble for your slice of Central Florida paradise! This is the time of year to prevent them from gaining a foothold. While a healthy lawn is the best defense, here’s what you need to know to get the most from your efforts.
Weeds are first on our list. There are three traditional ways to control them:
Removal by hand – This method is practical only for small yards or flower beds. The obvious drawback is that it’s labor-intensive and time-consuming, should you decide to do it yourself. The best time to hand-pull weeds is when the soil is moist. For this method to be effective, you should make sure you remove the whole plant with its roots.
Proper lawn care – Fertilize your lawn frequently every six to eight weeks during growing season. This helps your lawn stay thick, leaving little space for the unwanted weeds. As mentioned earlier, mowing your lawn at a taller height shades the soil, making it harder for the weed seeds to sprout, since their growth relies heavily on sunlight. Proper irrigation is another important component. Watering heavily and infrequently is the key to a thick grass and deeper roots, giving weeds tough competition.
Herbicide application – Usually, two types of chemical treatments are used to control the spread and growth of weeds: post-emergent and pre-emergent herbicides. Post-emergent chemical treatments kill a weed that is already growing, while pre-emergent herbicides are formulated to prevent germination.
Post-emergent herbicides can be selective – only targeting weeds – or non-selective, killing everything they come in contact with. As for pre-emergent herbicides, be aware that they will also prevent grass seeds from growing, if you plan to reseed any area of your lawn. To know when to apply a pre-emergent, learn the growing season for specific weed species, and apply 14 to 21 days prior to expected growth. Our blog post – “Common Weeds in Central Florida Lawns” – covers this topic in detail.
Central Florida’s subtropical climate is conducive to a long growing season and beautiful variety of plant life. Unfortunately, it’s also conducive to destructive insects that thrive on devouring your lawn! Common culprits include chinch bugs, cutworms, fall army worms (which are also active in spring), mole crickets and sod webworms. Our blog post – “Insect Pests to Look Out for in Your Central Florida Yard” – covers this topic in greater detail.
Again, a healthy lawn will go a long way in preventing these pests from gaining a foothold. When possible, it’s best to avoid applying pesticide, as this will also kill beneficial insects. If necessary, use a pesticide formulated to target a specific insect. Putting the following practices in place can help.
Encourage natural enemies – Introduce beneficial insects such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps and predatory beetles, which naturally minimize pest populations. Birds are also helpful – set up feeders to attract them.
Add nematodes to the soil – These microscopic roundworms are effective at controlling a wide range of harmful soil-dwelling pests – especially insect larvae and grubs – by releasing bacteria that kill them, and are a natural, eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. Introduce nematodes to your lawn when the soil is moist.
As for lawn diseases, they can be tricky to identify because the damage they cause in the form of discolored or patchy turf is sometimes mistaken for insect infestation. The two main symptoms of turfgrass diseases are a circular patch that is no longer uniformly green and/or spots on the foliage. If you spot these signs, further examine the leaves and roots of your turf for more symptoms.
Fairy ring, dollar spot, leaf spot, rust and root rot are among common lawn diseases in Central Florida. University of Florida IFSA Extension provides a helpful flow chart to help identify turfgrass diseases. Click here to access it.
Many diseases can be avoided through good lawn management, especially through avoiding over-watering. Keep these tips in mind:
- Avoid mowing down that affected grass and don’t compost it, because that can
further spread the spores. - Enhance lawn drainage so that water doesn’t pool on the lawn.
- Follow best mowing practices.
- Don’t allow thatch to build up, as it can become a breeding ground for fungi.
- Apply the appropriate fertilizer.
The Take-Home Message
Even here in Central Florida where there isn’t much differentiation among the seasons, spring is a special time that’s crucial in establishing a healthy lawn that will be a great asset to your property throughout the year! Taking these steps now can save you a lot of the frustration, work and – yes, money – that correcting the consequences of an unhealthy lawn would entail.
However, we know that you may not be willing or able to put in the time and effort necessary. That’s what we’re here for! Our professionals at Daniel’s Lawn Service & Pressure Washing are true locals with a passion for keeping your Central Florida yard beautiful and healthy!
In addition to lawn care, our full-service company provides landscape design, plant and tree installation, tree trimming, yard maintenance, land clearing, pressure washing and so much more. Contact us today so we can do the work, and you can do the enjoying! We proudly serve all of Central Florida – including Orlando, Sanford, Longwood and Lake Mary! We look forward to helping you achieve your goals and bring your vision to life!
