MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE TO LAWN CARE
(From Month-by-Month Gardening in Florida by Tom MacCubbin/additions by Lukas Nursery)
JANUARY
- NO fertilizer or weed/feed for St. Augustine, Zoysia, or Bahia lawns
- Apply iron at one-half normal rate to renew green if needed
- Apply fungicide to combat “Brown Patch” if needed
- Mow, dig, and spot-kill weeds
- Sow annual rye grass to fill in bare spots and re-green brown lawns if desired
- DO NOT apply pesticides this time of year
FEBRUARY
- First-of-the-year weed/feed application can begin when danger of freezing weather is past
- Remove all growing crabgrass and dormant runners
- Apply a pre-emergence herbicide (repeat treatment may be needed)
- Apply fungicide to combat “Brown Patch” if needed
- Watch for chinch bug and grub activity and treat with insecticide if needed
MARCH
- Complete spring weed/feed applications (temperatures should be below 85 degrees)
- Apply insecticide if you haven’t already to combat chinch bugs, grubs, sod webworm, and bill bugs(Zoysia) if needed
APRIL
- Complete spring weed/feed by early in month if you haven’t already. This is the last chance to do selective weed control before hot weather
- Iron-only feeding (Summer Green) can be given b\Bahia turf if it is showing some yellowing even after earlier spring feeding
- Watch for lawn insects and treat as needed with insecticide DO NOT USE SELECTIVE WEED KILLERS DURING HOT WEATHER!
MAY
- Some vigorous and shallow rooted grasses (bermuda grass, zoysia grass) may need another fertilizer application
- Apply a pre-emergence herbicide if needed
- Apply fungicide at preventive or treatment rate if needed & watch for fungus infestation
- Check Bahia lawns for mole crickets, Zoysia for bill bugs & sod webworm, St. Augustine for cinch bugs & sod webworm, and all lawns for grubs, and apply insecticide if needed
JUNE
- Light fertilizer application if you missed the spring feeding
- Iron-only feeding or Summer Green product if grass is yellowing
- Apply fungicide at preventive or treatment rate if needed & watch for fungus infestation
- Control mole crickets, cinch bugs, grubs, and other insects with insecticide if needed
JULY
- Some yellowing and light green in the lawn is normal this time of year and may actually make the grass more pest resistant. Use iron-only fertilizer (Summer Green) for Bahia and St. Augustine grass or half-strength fertilizer if desired to improve green
- Apply fungicide at preventive or treatment rate if needed & watch for fungus infestation
- Check for Chinch bugs, mole crickets (Bahia), grubs, bill bugs (Zoysia) and other insects, and treat with insecticide if needed
- Mow, dig out, or spot-kill weeds with non selective herbicides (Weed Out/Roundup) during the hot months
AUGUST
- Iron-only (Summer Green) or light fertilizer application to make lawns greener
- Apply a pre-emergence herbicide if needed
- Apply fungicide at preventive or treatment rate if needed
- Check lawn weekly for signs of insects and fungus and treat with appropriate insecticide or fungicide
SEPTEMBER
- Fall feeding with complete fertilizer
- Summer insects and fungus will affect the lawn for at least one more month, treat with insecticide and fungicide if needed
- Apply fungicide at preventive or treatment rate if needed
- Wait until the later part of the month to begin selective weed control. Until then pull or spot-kill weeds with a non selective herbicide (Weed Out/Roundup)
OCTOBER
- Apply fertilizer or weed/feed now if you didn’t in September. Bahia grass will soon begin to slow its growth.
- Insects and fungus begin to decline, however chinch bugs, mole crickets, grubs, and a few other insects might still need to be treated with insecticide
- Mowing, digging, and spot-killing weeds can continue, as well as the use of selective weed-control products. Broadleaf weed types are the easiest to control
NOVEMBER
- Apply winterizer (potassium-only fertilizer) to your lawn.
- Apply a pre-emergence herbicide if needed
- Treat grubs in your lawn, and watch for chinch bugs and mole crickets and treat with insecticide as needed.
DECEMBER
- NO fertilizer or weed/feed for St. Augustine, Zoysia and Bahia lawns
- Fungicide for “Brown Patch” if needed (Fungicides do not help cold damaged lawns)
- Do not use pesticides at this time of year
- Overseed with rye grass if desired
Orange County Extension Office: 407-254-9200
Fertilome Weed & Feed (atrazine) (ST. AUGUSTINE ONLY!) (cool weather) Fertilome liquid Weed-Free Zone (carfentrazone) (cool weather) Fertilome Weed Out (2-4-D) (bahia, zoysia/ not for St. Augustine) (coolweather) Fertilome New Lawn Starter (new sod) Fertilome Winterizer (high potassium) Lukas Nursery Iron Plus Fertilizer (spring, summer, fall) Summer Green (iron, magnesium, manganese) Fertilome Weed & Grass Stopper pre-emergent (Treflan) Fertilome F-Stop fungicide granules or liquid systemic (Banner) Fertilome Bug Blaster, imidacloprid (systemic), or Dylox product (insect control)
