Author: Wendy Holtz

In Florida, keeping your lawn green is a year-round task. While there are stormy seasons throughout the year, the temperature in Florida doesn’t fluctuate like it does in other areas of the country. Plant life, like grass, can survive all year long, but only if you take good care of it. Here are four tips to help you keep your grass green all year long.

1. Use the Right Lawn Mowing Techniques

Healthy grass needs a durable root system to keep the lawn resistant to drought. If you cut your grass too short, it will use its energy to grow new leaf blades instead of fighting off weeds. St. Augustine grass is the most common type of grass you’ll find in the Orlando area, and it should be mowed to a height of 3.5-4.5 inches.

Zoysia grass is another popular type of grass in this region, and it needs to be cut much shorter to a height of two to three inches. If you keep your lawn mowed to the recommended height, you’ll keep weeds from sprouting. Not sure which type of grass you have at your property? Your local lawn care professionals can help you identify what type of grass is present on your lawn and determine the proper mowing schedule and height that keeps it lush and healthy.

2. Fertilize at the Right Times

No Florida lawn care routine is complete without appropriate fertilization. Fertilizer gives your soil the nutrients it might be missing, helping your grass grow dense and green. Again, the type of grass you have at your property will determine the type of fertilizer you need, as well as an appropriate schedule for fertilization. Most lawns need fertilization two to four times each year, but you should always consult lawn care professionals to ensure your schedule works best for your unique lawn type.

3. Keep Pests Under Control

Pests are a common nuisance all year round in Florida. Between the sweltering summers and stormy weather, every Florida lawn is the perfect place for pests to make themselves at home. Grubs, mosquitoes, fire ants, chinch bugs, and many other pests are more than just a nuisance—they can cause irreversible damage to your lawn. The best method for preventing these common pests is by investing in perimeter pesticide application from your local lawn care professionals.

4. Aerate the Lawn

If you want your lawn to be as lush and healthy as possible, you should have it aerated at least once per year, especially in the fall. Aeration relieves pressure within your lawn, helping your grass breathe so it can better absorb nutrients. 

Leave Lawn Care to the Experts!

Keeping your lawn green is time-consuming and overwhelming, especially since you already have so much on your to-do list. Leave lawn care to the experts, so you can count on a lush, healthy lawn all year round. Get the lawn your neighbors will envy by contacting the lawncare experts at Evergreen Lawn & Pest Control – Apopka today at (407) 880-6655. We’re ready to provide customized lawn care services your lawn needs to ensure your landscaping is perfect.

Between extreme temperatures and severe storms, it can be tricky to care for shrubs and ornamental plants in Florida. While you already know that your lawn can benefit from regular treatment services, don’t forget that ornamental plants and shrubs need care and attention, too.

Here are 5 tips to help you care for these special plants:

1. Give Them a Good Soak

Watering is so important when it comes to keeping ornamental plants and shrubs healthy, especially throughout the summer. It’s best to give these plants a good soaking every week, rather than a quick watering. The best time to water is the morning, since it helps avoid evaporation and allows the water to penetrate the roots. Keep in mind that some ornamentals are drought tolerant, so make sure you’re watering according to the type of plant and the soil conditions.

2. Provide Plenty of Mulch

The heat in Florida can take a toll on ornamental plants and shrubs. If you haven’t freshened up your planting beds with a fresh layer of mulch this summer, now is the time. Mulch gives plants extra insulation that protects them from the heat. It also discourages weed growth, further helping the soil retain moisture so it can be used by the plants.

3. Remove Weeds

A big part of caring for ornamentals is keeping weeds at bay. Pesky weeds not only drag down the appearance of your landscape, but they also compete with plants for water and nutrients in the soil. While mulching is one way to prevent weeds, you should also go a step further and install landscape fabric and keep up with ornamental bed treatments to prevent weeds from taking root.

4. Stabilize Plants

Florida is well-known for stormy weather. Protect your ornamentals from the harsh wind and rain of severe thunderstorms by installing stakes to support taller plants. Without the extra support, tall annuals and perennials can sag and droop after heavy rains.

5. Prevent Pests

Even if you’ve taken the steps above to care for your shrubs and ornamental plants, there’s still a threat you need to be aware of—harmful pests. Florida is packed with pests that can eat away at your beautiful landscape. Check for holes in the foliage or discoloration and contact your pest control experts right away at the first sign of a pest problem. They’ll take a careful approach to get rid of problem pests while keeping your beautiful plants protected.

Elevate Your Landscaping with Shrub and Plant Care from the Experts at Evergreen

Taking care of shrubs and ornamental plants is hard work. Florida is a great place to grow unique plants that elevate your landscape and set your property apart from the rest. With a scheduled shrub care program from the experts at Evergreen Lawn & Pest Control – Leesburg, you can ensure your landscaping looks its best throughout the summer and beyond. Call us today at (407) 880-6655 to get started!

Florida residents and visitors alike know that there’s no shortage of bugs in The Sunshine State. From mosquitoes to roaches, wasps to ants, there are plenty of creepy crawlies to look out for around your Florida property. Learn more about the Florida pests you should be aware of from season to season, so you can keep your property free from pest issues all year long.

Spring Showers and Rising Temperatures

The arrival of spring means plenty of rainfall and rising temperatures throughout the State of Florida, and with it comes the beginning of insect season. As you’d find in other regions of the country, water and higher temperatures make insects more active. Some of the nuisance pests to be aware of include:

• Stinging Insects. Bees, wasps, and other stinging insects mate in Florida during the spring into early summer. As plants start to bloom, bee activity increases.

• Ants can be a pesky problem for Florida home- and business-owners. They mate in the spring and love to build their nests near a steady food source, like your home or business.

Summer Heat and Humidity

Bugs run rampant in Florida all summer long due to the state’s high heat and humidity. These conditions are ideal for ants, termites, and other destructive insects to cause major problems at homes and businesses throughout Florida. In the summer months, look out for these pesky pests:

• There are several types of termites to be aware of in Florida, from native drywood termites that can live inside your home’s wood framing to invasive, destructive Formosan and Asian subterranean termites that live in nests in your yard, transporting wood in your home to feed the colony. Schedule an annual termite inspection to keep your property termite-free since these pests can go unnoticed until they do significant damage.

• Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance; they can even spread disease. Wearing insect repellant and removing standing water can keep mosquitoes at bay, but your best bet is to invest in professional, eco-friendly mosquito control to keep these terrible guests away.

Cooler Temps in Fall Bring More Pests

As temperatures cool in Florida in the fall, there are still nuisance pests to look out for, including:

• Ghost ants, Caribbean crazy ants, fire ants, and more are more active during the fall. They can do everything from damaging your home to biting people and pets, so getting them under control is essential.

• Stinging Insects. Yellow jackets and wasps are active in the fall. You should never attempt to remove a hive or nest—instead, call the pest control experts to relocate hives and remove nests safely and responsibly.

Winters Are Warm in Florida

While temperatures do drop during Florida winters, it’s still warm enough to support certain pests. As the temperatures and humidity fall, make sure your property is protected from:

• Holiday traveling often leads to an uptick in bedbug activity. Instead of tackling this problem on your own, call the pest control experts to rid your property of bedbugs.

• These resilient pests are adaptable to cold, which means they can be a big problem in the winter. Infestations prove difficult to eliminate with DIY methods, so call your eco-friendly pest control experts as soon as you spot even one single roach.

Florida residents have plenty of pests to look out for from season to season. Unfortunately, home remedies or DIY pest control treatments aren’t enough to keep your home or business free from these unwanted intruders. Reach out to the eco-friendly pest control experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control today at (407) 565-9250 and say goodbye to unwanted pests for good!

Want to make sure you’re taking the best possible care of your property, but don’t have time to deal with lawncare or pest control duties? Leave everything to Evergreen! By becoming an Evergreen VIP, you purchase all the services described below and receive a generous 15% discount on all pest control and termite services. What’s more, you get your initial pest control treatment fee waived! Here’s what’s included when you become an Evergreen VIP:

Lawn and Shrub Services

If you want your lawn and landscaping to look their best all year long, you’ll love the perks of the Evergreen VIP experience. We understand how to care for grass and all the various plants you’ll find in Florida, and we visit your property 7 times per year to make sure your lawn and landscaping are holding up well to whatever the Florida weather throws at it. Our lawn and shrub services include:

• Applying slow-release granular or liquid lawn fertilizer appropriate to your soil conditions
• Applying contact and systemic insecticide
• Applying selective weed control products
• Inspecting the property before treatment, and suggesting custom solutions to improve the look of your lawn and shrubs

Pest Control

Living in Florida, you already know how problematic pests are throughout the state. Pests love the warm temperatures and high humidity, which makes nuisance pests an issue during every season of the year. From fire ants to yellow jackets, spiders to cockroaches, any infestation is tough to control with DIY methods. As an Evergreen VIP, you can rest assured that your property is well-protected from pests year-round. Our comprehensive pest control services include:

• Interior and exterior pest prevention, including sweeping all cobwebs, removing mud dauber nests, removing hornet nests, etc.
• Applying seasonal insecticides (each quarter) to the exterior of the structure
• Baiting all insect harborage areas

Termite Prevention

Termites are a huge problem throughout the United States, but in Florida, there are three types of these nuisance pests to look out for: subterranean termites, dampwood termites, and drywood termites. A termite infestation usually isn’t spotted until the damage to your home or business is already done, which is yet another reason why the Evergreen VIP package pays for itself. We come to your home or business each year to make sure it’s termite-free, so you can rest assured these problematic pests don’t eat away at your property. Our complete termite prevention service includes:

• Performing full perimeter treatment of the structure
• Applying industry-leading termiticide
• Performing yearly interior and exterior home inspections
• Providing a generous 10-year termite bond

Evergreen’s VIP Service Provides Peace of Mind and Incredible Value

The Evergreen VIP experience is all about helping our clients live better, worry-free lives. We handle all the lawn care, pest control, and termite prevention tasks that keep your property safe and attractive, so you don’t have to! Become an Evergreen VIP today by reaching out to the friendly staff at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control. Give us a call at (407) 565-9250!