Do I Really Need to Winterize My Florida Lawn?

Here we are at the start of November, and temperatures are still staying pretty high. We did get a little bit of relief with a day or two of temps below 80, but still, it’s really not beginning to look anything like winter. With our year-round mild temperatures, many homeowners believe that they don’t need to change their lawncare schedules from fall to winter. However, winterizing your lawn is an important process, even for Central Florida lawns.

Why do I need to winterize my lawn?

Even when there’s no clear delineation between the seasons, your grass goes through periods of growth and dormancy. Winter is your lawn’s natural dormant season, so it slows its growth processes and stores nutrients to come back full and green when the spring returns. Of course, how your grass reacts to the season depends on what type of grass you have planted. We’re not going to have cold season grasses growing here, but the dormancy period still comes by once a year.

Winterizing your lawn helps to reduce the stress of growth during the dormant season. It also helps ward off pests and disease when your lawn is at its weakest. Finally, it helps to ensure that you have bright, lush, verdant grass when springtime arrives. Winterization helps you keep your lawn looking beautiful year-round.

How do I winterize my lawn?

“Winterizing” sounds like it involves a number of high-tech gadgets and maybe a cryogenic chamber. The good news: it doesn’t. Winterization is a pretty simple process. It just involves adjusting your treatment and maintenance schedule to reflect your grass’ reduced growth period. Here are a few things you should do to winterize your Central Florida lawn:

Adjust your mower height

You’ll want to raise your mower height by a few centimeters so you can leave your grass longer than usual during the winter months. Longer grass blades help the grass store nutrients and protect the roots from invading pests and diseases. Keep in mind, you should never be cutting your grass too short. Scalping is a big problem and can leave you with some unsightly brown patches and dead spots.

Pack up the fertilizer for now

It’s generally not recommended to fertilize your lawn after October in Central Florida. If you fertilize too late, you’ll encourage your grass to grow during the winter, which could lead to it developing a cold sensitivity. Let your grass rest during this season and it’ll reward you with abundant growth next spring.

Cut down on your watering

We always try to be frugal when it comes to watering our lawns. Water is a precious and limited resource! As your lawn will be resting during the winter, it won’t need as much water to keep it looking perky. A good rule of thumb is that if you can see your footprints when you walk across the grass, it’s time to water.

Since you might not be using your mower quite as often during the winter, now is a great time to maintain your machinery, as well. This winter, make it a point to check all your mower’s fluids, filters, and blades to ensure they’re in top shape. If you’re in need of a tune-up or repair, get in touch with the Orlando mower parts people at Gator Mower Parts. Give us a call at 407-267-1292 to schedule your consultation.