Basic Lawn Care for South Florida

There is more to mowing your lawn than simply taking the mower out of the garage or storage shed and firing it up.

We strongly recommend that you follow these guidelines!

What to wear:

• Long sleeves and pants
• Closed toe shoes (work boots if possible)
• Safety glasses and ear protection.
• Hat and gloves.

Before you mow:

• Fill mower fuel only outdoors.
• Be sure the blade is sharp (gloves).
• Clean chute (gloves).
• Remove any dead grass and oil from the deck.

Mower Operation:

• Set blade to the correct height. For St. Augustine lawns it is 3”-4”. Never cut more than the top 1/3 of the grass blade,
• Avoid mechanical damage to trees and shrubs/
• When mowing the swale be sure to face the mower so that the grass is blown back into the yard and not into the street.

Fertilizer:  Property owners sometimes fertilizer too often. We recommend applying lawn fertilizer only twice a year once in the spring (March or April) and again in the fall (October). Currently, the good and knowledgeable people at the University of Florida IFAS program recommend that you use an 8-2-12 formula with minor elements for best results. Many jurisdictions now have blackout periods restricting fertilizer application so it is wise to determine the rules in your area.

Irrigation: Have your irrigation system checked at least annually and the rain sensor tested. Typically, most lawns should only need watering twice a week (15 minutes per zone). Run your sprinklers in the early morning hours between 4:00 AM and 7:00 AM for best results. Do NOT water at night as this invites fungus and disease to form.  Again, most jurisdictions have rules for when and how often you may water so be sure to check out the rules in your area.

If you have a question feel free to contact us via email ned@skifflandscaping.com or call- 954.793.8754