Winter Landscape Maintenance: Do’s And Don’ts

Although the winter weather in Florida is never going to be as severe as our counterparts residing in other states, living in north Florida does come with the occasional cold weather. Unlike neighbors to the south, where the temperature may never drop below 60 degrees, there are a few things to be cognizant of in your landscape with regards to the weather. Not necessarily do or die, but being aware will give you a bit of an advantage over the competitors. Whether it be the frequency at which your turf is mowed, or the part of the season where you fertilize, the timing of service is vital. Many find their way to Florida for the winter, and while there is time for rest and relaxation, landscaping is a year-round endeavor. With that being said, here are a few simple winter landscape maintenance do’s and don’ts tips for your Florida landscape this winter.

Mowing: Weekly to Bi-Weekly

Whether or not your lawn is serviced by a landscape provider or not, the drop in temperatures means a slowing of growth. This applies to your entire landscape, but specifically your turf. During the warmer months in Florida, you may be mowing your lawn every single week, which is understandable given the abundance of nutrients derived from the sun and rainfall. While your lawn will not hit complete dormancy, with slowed growth, frequent mowing can be harmful. Only taking off a third of the blade at once, you should probably drop down your mowing frequency to once every two weeks, rather than weekly. Priming your turf for healthy growth in the spring is a universal tip.

Winter Landscape Maintenance Do's and Don'tsKeep an Eye Out for Lawn Pests and Disease

While the slightly cooler temperatures may slow the growth of your lawn and landscape, pests and disease can still thrive in this weather. Identifying these issues early and often is paramount to avoiding an infestation. Common symptoms include chewed-up blades of grass or unexplained brown patches across your turf. If you are keeping up with your regular lawn maintenance, there should not be dead patches of turf randomly appearing, so a pest or disease may be the problem.

Do Not Prune Damaged Plants, Do Prune Existing Plants

If the cold weather has caused damage to your plant material, now is not the time to prune. Although it may seem counterintuitive, you actually want to prune your healthy plant material now, and your damaged material later. This is because the damaged material will begin to grow back at one of the worst times, where it will possibly face more pressing cold. However, when pruning existing plants, the recuperating process will not be as intense, with fewer nutrients required.

Maintain Weeds in Plant Beds

Just like pests and diseases, weeds are another common issue during the wintertime. They thrive in medium temperatures and can cause problems throughout your plant beds. Ensuring that you thoroughly remove them during the winter, prevents the potential for an outbreak when the spring weather brings about the perfect formula for spread. The more nutrients that are present, as in the spring, the higher the potential for growth, whether weed or plant. Keep your landscape looking clean, and get rid of your weeds.

Commercial or Residential, Taylor Anthony is prepared to help you manage your landscape by providing the right solution for your situation, call us today at (904) 230-3386.