How to Have the Greenest Lawn on the Street

Florida lawns are known for being lush and green, with year-round warm sunshine helping us along. Still, every lawn does struggle with our yearly droughts, seasonal bugs, and harsh conditions. Many homeowner associations require that you keep your grass and yard looking beautiful, so understanding how to best maintain your lawn is imperative. Here are some tips to make sure that not only does your lawn do well, but that it is the envy of all your neighbors.

Maintaining the Greenest Lawn Possible

• Water Properly: The best way to beat the Florida heat is to make sure your lawn is watered properly. Although one inch of water is optimum per week, our Tampa Bay area rainstorms can sometimes dump that amount in one afternoon – however, depending on the drain age and evaporation, the soil may not absorb all of that precipitation.Many Florida homeowners still find that it is best to schedule a couple of deep waterings twice a week. You will want to do this early in the morning, before the strong sun evaporates the water before it can penetrate the soil.Avoid watering in the evenings, as that may promote fungus and disease. If you see signs of over-watering, adjust your irrigation system accordingly.
• Schedule Fertilizer Treatments: For best results and the greenest lawn in the summer, you’ll want to fertilize in the spring. In fact, it is illegal to fertilize between June 1 and September 30, so the best time to fertilize your lawn is in late May.Be sure to fertilize again in late October or early November, and your lawn will be at its healthiest. Look for products with nitrogen, which encourages vigorous, lush growth; and potassium to strengthen the roots.Check out all the best fertilizer and nutritional products for Florida lawns.
• Leave Grass Longer in the Summer: Grass tends to grow very quickly in the summer months. You may be tempted to cut grass shorter in this season, in order to minimize the number of necessary mowings.However, most grass varieties have a crown from which new growth emerges. Longer blades sheils this crown and keep it from burning, allowing new, green growth year round.
• Keep an Eye Out for Problem Areas: Brown or yellow spots, burnt areas, and slimy grass blades are all signs that your lawn is stressed; and may be experiencing a host of other issues. From fungus to grubs or chinch bugs, the sooner the problem is addressed, the better.If you are not sure which problem you are dealing with, dig up a small patch of grass and bring it into a landscape supply store for diagnosing. No matter the issue, it is likely to spread quickly and require large patches of your lawn to be replaced.By applying the proper herbicide, fungicide or pesticide in a timely manner, your lawn should be the greenest lawn in the neighborhood again before long.
• Choose the Right Grass: There are many different varieties of grass and turf, and not all of them will fare well in Tampa Bay’s hot, humid climate. If you are laying new sod, consider traditional warm weather grasses which are also drought tolerant (for the winter months), such as St. Augustine, Bermuda or Zoysia varieties.

Everyone wants to have a beautiful and lush lawn all year long. If you have any questions as to the best ways to maintain the greenest lawn possible, ask the experts at Big Earth Landscape Supply.

We are happy to help you with professional advice and high quality products that will keep your lawn looking its best.