Every place in our country is subject to unique climates, soils, and plant life native to their areas. This is no different here in Florida, where you can see the sun shining ahead and a storm brewing in your rearview at any given time.
Our properties all share some similarities with other parts of the country, but the differences can be a bit more prominent. Florida’s weather is volatile, our soil sandy, and our moisture levels incredibly high for being the Sunshine State. These factors tend to lend themselves to providing some unique issues you may not encounter in other areas.
Lawn Diseases – What are the Worst of the Lot?
Because things like snow are not common to our fair shores, lawn disease isn’t as common here in Florida as it is in other parts of the country. That’s not to say that there isn’t any that we need to be aware of.
Because Saint Augustine grass is one of the most commonly used grass is here in Florida, the most likely culprit of the lawn diseases to infect your yard would be the brown patch fungus disease. This disease loves humidity, which is why it loves Florida. One of the best solutions to this problem is to lower the level of nitrogen that you’re introducing into your soil.
Overwatering our lawns is a common issue here in Florida because we associate the heat with scorching our grass is – forgetting, of course, the daily rainstorms that we have during the summer and fall times. This can cause what’s known as rust fungus to develop on our lawns. While this particular fungus in and of itself is not too dangerous, it leaves your grass is vulnerable for other lawn diseases to make their way in easily.
Wouldn’t it be fun to have fairy rings in your yard? While that sounds magical, we assure you it’s anything but. Fairy rings are all often indicative of the circular mushroom pattern that grows in spots throughout your yard. This fungus has a bad habit of taking all the nitrogen from your soil and give it to the mushrooms. The brown patch fungus disease- fairy rings should be treated by introducing more nitrogen into your soil.
Lawns Gettin’ Buggy
You know the feeling. You step outside your back door, trays full of all the delicious makings for s’mores at your fire pit. Then the smile disappears from your face when you get the first of many mosquito bites that are swarming your yard. And not just mosquitoes – but checks, cinch bugs, and all manner of pesky pests that have invaded your property.
Our climate tends to draw in not just snowbirds but all manner of pests from everywhere. The moisture combined with the heat makes it a wicked breeding ground for all the things that you don’t want in your yard. While treating these unwanted creatures with a host of pesticides is alluring, be careful, as the chemicals used can be dangerous and unhealthy for you and your family.
The good news is, when your lawn has a regular maintenance schedule, this will go a long way in ensuring that pests won’t be too big of a problem.
H2O Knowhow – Are You Watering the Right Way?
You may be thinking but wait, is there a wrong way to water your lawn? Let us assure you once and for all – there certainly is. The truth is there are more ways to improperly water your yard space than there are to water it appropriately. Because Florida is so subject to storms that provide vast amounts of water, we must be careful not to overwater here more diligently than other places.
Overwatering can provide lasting damage in many ways. Your landscape is at risk for things like erosion, improper drainage, and a host of lawn diseases and pests infesting your yard. Keeping an irrigation system that is well maintained and well-controlled could be key in ensuring the lawn gets the proper amount of water at just the right times.
Don’t forget to adjust your watering schedule per seasonal changes as well! Your landscape needs less watering in the summer and fall months than it does in the winter and spring months due to the lack of natural watering occurring.
Get Weeds Before They Get Your Lawn
Weeds. Those troublesome invaders of your picturesque lawn scape are challenging to control once they’ve announced their arrival. One of the biggest keys to dealing with weeds is to get them before they get you. Preemergence treatments are often the best way to go – and often come in varieties that are green to the planet.
If you can’t catch them before they catch up with your lawn, there are precise ways to deal with them after they have menacingly made their home of your yard. Discussion with your lawn care professional will help ensure that you get rid of these invaders once and for all.
Give Your Flowerbeds Mulch Love
We know how much value your flowerbeds bring to your home, as well as to your psyche. Seeing the brilliant colors bloom and grow with your gentle cultivation is a rewarding sight indeed. Make sure to treat your flower beds as well as they treat you – use a mulch to protect them, shade them, and make sure their soil stays nutrient-rich all year round.
Mulch is the ultimate defender of the plants and flowers it protects. Keeping moisture in the soil at the root of the plants and flowers that you hold dear is a goal easily attained by mulch. Don’t be afraid to lay out a well-defined plan on how to apply mulch with your valued landscape advisor.
Give Yourself the Gift of Experience
Your friends at Premier Lawn Care don’t just understand any old lawns – they get Florida lawns. They have years of experience in knowing how to treat the unique qualities that makeup Florida landscapes and have cultivated that knowledge to provide premium services to the communities of Gainesville, Alachua, and High Springs. Now that you’re ready to love your landscape, you’ll love Premier!
