While spring is more about yard preparation, summer is a time for maintenance. Proper lawn maintenance promotes healthy root systems, so that your lawn will be more drought-tolerant and resistant to pests and disease. Here are a few tips for summer yard maintenance in Florida:
Fertilize only when grass is actively growing. In Florida, that would exclude winter months. Do not fertilize when rain is predicted within 24-36 hours, and don’t fertilize new lawns until 30-60 days after planting. At that time, the root system will be more established and better equipped to absorb nutrients.
When you mow, don’t cut your lawn too short – not below 1/3 of the leaf blade is a good rule of thumb. Mowing lower can result in a shallow root system. Keep mower blades sharp because dull blades can damage grass. Don’t mow when the lawn is wet. This isn’t good for your mower or the lawn.
Water in the early morning hours so that grass has a chance to dry out during the day. Water enough to encourage deep root growth. During the summer, you may need to water every 2-3 days if there is no rain.
With pool parties and barbeques, backyard traffic can increase over the summer months. Consider stepping stones in high traffic areas. You also may want to consider with filling garden areas with mulch or stone to keep weeds at bay and promote better drainage.
Edgewater Yard Shop has everything from stones for beautiful decorative borders to planting soil. Proudly serving the landscaping needs of East Central Florida for over 20 years, Edgewater Yard Shop has provided homeowners and contractors with professional grade mulches, soils, sandstone and edging materials. We have clean fill dirt, peat moss, paver base, top soil and more. Our full range of landscaping materials includes mulch in cypress blend, pine bark, designer red, cypress chips and pine straw varieties. We also offer washed shell, limestone, salt and pepper granite and river rock.