Watering the Lawn

• Powerful thunderstorms are a daily occurrence during the summer in Florida, dumping plenty of water on your lawn and landscaping. Yet, winter brings an extended period of droughtlike conditions. Although it may be tempting to water the lawn more often in winter, the grass doesn't need very much water because of the cooler temperatures. Sticking to a twice-a-week watering schedule will keep your lawn healthy all year long. Set the timer on your sprinklers to keep from overwatering. During the winter months, December through March, only water 10 to 20 minutes each watering day, but during the rest of the year when the lawn is actively growing, water 30 to 60 minutes on watering day provided it hasn't rained at all that week. Be sure to check your county's watering restrictions.
  
  

Mowing

• Mowing the grass too short encourages shallow roots, while longer grass has a deeper root system. In order for the grass in your lawn to find water during the winter and not need a lot of maintenance, keep it long. Keep Bahia and St. Augustine grasses at 3 to 4 inches tall, centipede grass at about 2 inches tall and Bermuda grass at about 1 1/2 inches tall.
  
  

Lawn Fertilizer

• Regular and proper lawn fertilization promotes a healthy, lush lawn. However, too little or too much can damage the lawn. Florida grasses need nitrogen for good growth, and potassium to promote root growth and drought tolerance, but little or no phosphorus. A 15-0-15 fertilizer (15 percent nitrogen-0 percent phosphorus-15 percent potassium) is a good general fertilizer for Florida lawns. Apply about 6 1/2 lb. per 1,000 square feet once or twice a year depending on the condition of your lawn.
  
  

Citrus Tree Irrigation

• Although Florida's average rainfall exceed the amount of water a citrus tree needs each year, dry winters and sandy soil that doesn't hold moisture makes irrigating citrus trees a necessity. Proper irrigation affects fruit yield and quality. From September through February, mature citrus trees need about 6 gallons of water one to four times a week. From March through August, mature citrus trees need about 6 gallons of water two to five days a week, depending on the weather.
  
  

Citrus Fertilization

• Producing fruit requires nutrients. These nutrients must be regularly replaced for the citrus trees to continue producing. A general 8-8-8 fertilizer is ideal for young citrus trees. However, mature, fruit-bearing trees produce better with a 12-0-12 or 15-0-14 fertilizer. Apply fertilizer to the ground beneath the citrus trees, avoiding the trunk and any exposed roots, in the fall or winter, then again in the late spring or early summer, and once more in late summer. Follow the manufacturers recommendations for the amount of fertilizer to apply.