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Summer Landscape Care: 4 Ways to Keep Your Landscape Healthy in Florida's Heat

by Emily Durgan | Fri, Jun 28, 2013

summer landscaping care in floridaFlorida's summer heat is great for business at Disney World, but elsewhere in the state, it can really wreak havoc on homeowners' landscapes. It's more important than ever to take good care of your lawn and plants during the summer — for your property's year-round health!

Here are a few pointers on summer landscape care that will help keep all your outdoor life in great shape.

Pick the right plants

Summer landscape care actually begins long before truly hot weather sets in, even when you're planning your landscape. Be sure to choose the best plants for our unique Florida climate, and plant them in the best places possible.

If you select appropriate placement of plants — planting full-sun plants in areas that get full sun, and shade-loving plants under trees and in shady corner nooks — they'll have a much better chance at survival, especially when the weather places extra stress on them.

Be vigilant about your turf

If your landscape includes turfgrass, it's important to keep it at an appropriate length. That length depends on the type of grass you've planted, of course: Centipede grass, for instance, should be mowed at 1.5 to 2 inches tall.

You should also plan a turf-appropriate chemical program to keep your lawn balanced and healthy. (Curious about the best lawn care program for your landscape? We're happy to answer your questions!)

Irrigate, irrigate, irrigate!

Even if we get decent rainfall during the summer here in Florida, remember that rain isn't the same as proper irrigation. We'll talk more about that in a future post — stay tuned! — but be sure to create an irrigation schedule that's appropriate for your turf type.

The bigger picture: Consider aeration

In established landscapes, core aeration can be a great refresher to keep your lawn healthy. The process actually punches holes in the ground and pulls sections out, eliminating thatch and other compactions and making it easier for oxygen, water and nutrients to access the roots.

It also opens up the ground to allow your lawn to breathe and giving roots a little more room to move. "Extra" measures like aeration help maintain nutrients, support drainage and promote better lawn health in general.

Summer can be a tricky time of year to take care of your landscape. If you need help, get in touch! We'd love to help you put together a plan for year-round outdoor health.  Call our Panama City Beach office at (850) 236-1959 or our Santa Rosa Beach office at (850) 267-0010. Or, fill out our web form to have a GreenEarth landscape professional call you.

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