October 25th, 2022

A lawn is a beautiful addition to your home. It adds greenery to the home design and elevates the curb appeal. The residents staying in the home feel closer to nature as well. However, lawn care is important to ensure that your lawn appears attractive. The colder months are just as crucial as the rest of the months if your region does not receive snowfall. Since you can enjoy winters under the sun in Florida; you will have to look after the lawn and ensure that the grass looks vibrant. This will allow you to host parties and family gatherings on your lawn and enjoy a gala time with your loved ones. If you are not sure about how to care for your lawn during the cold months, here are a few lawn care tips that will help you:

Do not over fertilize during the winter

You should not over fertilize in the winter. This is because excess fertilizer can damage the grass in the cold months. The best time to cut back on fertilizing your lawn is September into October.  With that said, the use of micro nutrients is still advised to provide sustenance to the turf during these winter months.

Consider overseeding

As mentioned earlier, you should not fertilize. However, overseeding can work. Get lots of grass seeds that can endure the cold weather. This will ensure that the grass on your lawn will stay healthy and green during the cold months. Once winter ends, the grass will die and you will have to replace it with your summer grass.

Just keep one thing in mind before seeding. All debris, weeds, and fungus should be carefully removed from the lawn before you start the process. Also, if you are not sure about which winter grass you should choose for your lawn, ryegrass is a great option. Not only is this affordable but also very fast-growing.

Water your lawn carefully

Watering your lawn during the winter is essential for lawn care. However, you must be careful as evaporation is less compared to summer. If you water the lawn for too long and it stands on grass, there are chances of fungus growth. The fungus can cause diseases that will completely ruin your green lawn. Always keep a lookout for the following symptoms to ensure that your lawn does not get destroyed due to fungus growth:

• Patches of grass with irregular growth that eventually turn brown.
• Patches of grass that appear blue and gray.
• Grass blades not springing back up after someone steps on them.

Check your irrigation system

Looking after your lawn is not sufficient during the winter. You must check the sprinkler system and pumps from time to time as well. Although Florida does not receive freezing cold, you will have to ensure that the pumps are working properly and the irrigation system is slick and steady. By checking them from time to time, you can easily notice any damage in the early stage and avoid costly repairs.

Get rid of lawn pests

As mentioned earlier, grass grows slower in the winter as compared to the warm months. This makes lawn care more difficult. Pests can attack your lawn and ruin it. Tackling this problem can get even more difficult in spring so you should handle this problem at the beginning of the winter before it gets out of hand. There are different types of pests. You will have to identify the culprit behind the problem before you can solve it. This is easy to determine as different types of turfs attract different types of lawn pests. Always treat the lawn for pests before the cold months begin so that the grass can endure colder temperatures. As a result, your lawn will stay healthy during the winter.

Do not walk on the lawn if it snows

There are very few chances of snowfall in Florida. However, if it does, you must avoid stepping on your lawn. This is because walking on the lawn repeatedly will compress the grass. You will have to work harder to make your lawn appear beautiful and well-maintained when Spring comes.

Mowing the lawn

Mowing is one of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy lawn. Proper mowing height increases turfgrass density and promotes deep root growth, both of which lead to a stronger lawn that is more competitive against weeds and better able to persist under environmental stresses such as drought. Proper mowing practices, along with fertilization and irrigation, can largely determine the success or failure of a lawn.

The two main components of mowing are cutting height and frequency. Both of these factors depend on the turfgrass species, cultivar, and the level of lawn quality desired.

Mowing height

The optimum cutting height is determined by the growth habit and leaf width of the turfgrass species. Grass species that have fine textured (narrow) leaf blades and that grow horizontally are usually mowed shorter than an upright-growing grass with coarser (wider) leaf blades. For example, bermudagrass is mowed at low heights because of its numerous narrow leaf blades and low growth habit In contrast, St. Augustine grass is mowed at higher heights because it has coarse-textured leaf blades.

Mowing frequency

The growth rate of the lawn determines how frequently to mow. The growth rate is influenced by grass species, time of year, weather conditions, and level of management. In north Florida, grass may not need to be mowed during the winter months, depending on climatic conditions and grass species. Low-maintenance grasses like bahiagrass are frequently mowed just to remove seedheads, rather than to cut leaf blades. You should mow often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the blade height is removed per mowing. For example, if your St. Augustinegrass lawn is mowed at a height of 4 inches, it should be mowed before it grows to a height above 6 inches. It is important to always leave as much leaf surface as possible so that photosynthesis can occur, particularly in a grass that is subject to environmental or site stresses.

Need help taking care of your lawn in Florida?

Not everyone has the time and energy to maintain the lawn. This does not mean you cannot have a beautiful lawn at your home. Get in touch with Green Pest Control Solutions, one of the leading lawn care service providers in Florida. The experts are well-trained and experienced in lawn treatment and pest control services. Dial 813-684-7336 today to get your lawn ready for the winter!

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