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Lawn maintenance calendar for the Casselberry, Winter Springs, Winter park, Altamonte Springs area!
We created this general lawn maintenance calendar to give the home owner a general idea of what needs to be maintained on your property though out the course of the year to keep it looking it’s best
Pruning of Palm Trees:
Pruning or trimming of palm trees can be done at any time except for when frost is expected. You should only prune off dead or dying growth, flower, and fruit stalks. Never prune off healthy leaves since it will weaken the palm tree and slow its growth. If you are wondering how to prune your palm tree use a clean sharp pole saw (manual or gas) and never use spikes to climb the palm tree since this can cause serious damage to the tree.
January / February:
January is a dry month in Florida,so make sure you keep your azaleas and camellias watered,or the buds will drop when it’s time for them to bloom.
Rosebushes that are a year or older should be trimmed back for they are dormant in January, they also should be watered and fertilized after trimming them.
When it comes to cleaning out your flowerbeds or garden from weeds roundup is most effective.
Be sure to fertilize all your fruit trees.
Remember the key to a healthy lawn is water,so you should apply at least 1/2 to 1 inch of water a week on your lawn.
March / April:
March is a good month to plant any trees or shrubs especially ones that are tender.
Between March and April is a very good time to go ahead and re mulch your flower beds. Mulching keeps down weeds and protects roots from the sun,and most important making your flowerbeds or garden very attractive. This also is a good time to spray roundup on those weeds.
When it comes to that healthy lawn just as it needs water, it needs to eat, this would be a great time to put down a quality fertilizer.
Remember to water your lawn between 1/2 ” to an 1″ a week.
May / June:
June is a good month if you are looking to plant a new lawn, it will benefit from the June rains.
Since the most common lawns in Florida are St. Augustine and Bahia, be sure when you go to cut your lawn, or if your landscaper cuts your lawn, they cut it at 2 1/2 to 3 inches in height. This will keep your lawn from burning out.
This is a very good time to fertilize your fruit trees, shade trees, hedge plants,shrubs,and rosebushes.
Most likely June is going to be a rainy month making the weeds grow out of control, so remember roundup is most efficient.
July / August:
Insects are usually full force out this time of the year so be out on the look out for sod webworms,armyworms,and chinch bugs.
Make sure when using any fertilizer or weed killer on your lawn it is compatible with your type of grass. Care should be taken in the use of these products as these selective herbicides can kill trees, shrubs and even lawn grasses as easily as weeds if misused or misapplied. Read completely and follow the label instructions to avoid problems.
September / October:
September is usually the beginning of hurricane season for Florida, so be sure to check all of your trees around your home to be safe in case of a hurricane.
This is also a very moist time of year, so beware of any fungus problems that might occur on your lawn, if so be sure to spray with a good fungicide.
Since winter is right around the corner you should fertilize any fruit trees, shade trees, shrubs, or rosebushes that you might have,especially rosebushes!, they are very hungry plants. This will help carry them through the winter months with plenty of nutrition to keep them healthy.
November / December :
These are usually dry months so watch out for any mites in your rosebushes, pyracanthas, camellias, azaleas, citrus, and annuals. If you should discover any mites spray with a good miticide. If you were looking to plant any rosebushes this would be an excellent time to do so.
In the middle of December you’ll probably start feeling the frost of the winter. Make sure to cover those plants, shrubs, etc.
Well, you spent all year maintaining your lawn, “good job”! Do yourself a favor and enjoy a Merry Christmas.
P.S. Please be advised that the weather in Florida can be unpredictable, and when it comes to chinch bugs and mole crickets you especially have to keep a watch-full eye for activity since they can appear at unscheduled times.
Watering Days
Seminole County Mandatory water restrictions:
The following restrictions that include Seminole County were issued by the St. Johns River Water Management District.
* Residential watering is allowed only two days a week and not between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Odd addresses may water Wednesdays and Saturdays, even addresses or no addresses on Thursdays and Sundays.
* Watering with a hand-held garden hose is permitted anytime, provided it is fitted with an automatic shutoff nozzle.
* New landscapes may be watered on any day between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. during the first 30 days after planting.
* First offense of these restrictions will be a warning, and the second will be a $50 fine. Repeated offenses can be subject to a $500 fine.
Reference: Seminole County
How To Water Your Lawn In Florida:
Watering your lawn is often necessary in Florida's hot climate. In our State, rainfall averages 60 inches per year, but half the amount falls from June through September, often in sporadic large rainstorms. Another factor is that Florida's sandy soils do not hold much water. Thus, to water your lawn, you have to make certain decisions such as, when the lawn should be watered, how much water should be applied and how the water should be delivered.
When to water: The most efficient way to water a lawn is to apply water only when it begins to show signs of stress from lack of water. Signs of water stress are bluish-gray areas in the lawn, footprints or tire tracks that remain in the grass long after being made, many leaf blades folded in half and dry soil samples from the rootzone. Watering immediately when the lawn first shows signs of stress is the most economical way to water; delay can cause permanent damage. Add on devices are available for some sprinkler systems to automatically determine when to water. Electronic moisture sensing units or tensionmeters allow automatic sprinkler systems to operate only when soil water is getting low. These devices eliminate overwatering, a situation that often leads to disease problems and can save water and money.
How much: The amount of water to apply at any one time varies with the amount of water present in the soil, the water holding capacity of the soil and drainage characteristics. Florida's sandy soils typically hold 1 inch of water in the top 12 inches of soil. If the roots are in the top 12 inches of soil and the soil is dry, then 3/4 to 1 inch of water (or 465 to 620 gallons of water) is required to wet the area thoroughly. As a general rule, turfgrasses require no more than 0.3 inches of water per day or 0.4 inches of water per day under extreme summer conditions and 0.05 inches of water per day during the winter when grasses are not actively growing. Your irrigation system should deliver between 3/4 inches to 1 inch of water when the turfgrass shows water deficiency. Typically, two waterings per week are applied under normal conditions and once every 10 to 14 days in the winter. If rainfall occurs, irrigation should be adjusted according to the amount of rainfall.
Applying water: Water should never be applied at a rate faster than it can be absorbed by the soil. If the sprinklers apply too much water, it runs off and is wasted. Light, frequent watering is inefficient and encourages shallow root systems. Excessive irrigation keeps the root system saturated with water displacing oxygen from around the roots, a condition harmful to the grasses. The best time for lawn irrigation is early in the morning hours. Watering during the day can waste water by excessive evaporation and during very hot periods can scald the lawn. Watering late in the afternoon will increase the time that leaves remain wet, therefore, promoting fungal growth.
Reference: Seminole County