UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail: okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu  

Feature Article - for release January 31, 2010  

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

 

 Did Your Lawn Survive the Chill?

   

When we think of living in near Lake Okeechobee, we do not generally think about losing our lawns to freezing temperatures. However, some homeowners in our area may find themselves needing to replace portions of their lawns later this spring due to the freezing temperatures.  Here are some tips from UF Extension Specialists Laurie Trenholm and Brian Unruh about how to get your lawn to recover from the big chill with minimal damage.

Did you prepare your lawn for winter?

All of our warm season lawngrass species go into some degree of “dormancy” during the winter months. This means that they slow down their growth and may not stay green. This is a natural cycle, regardless of where you live in the state. Here in south Florida, lawns do not grow as quickly (less mowing required!) in the winter, even though they may remain green.  

A first step in helping Florida lawns make it through the winter is to get it as healthy as possible beforehand by using correct mowing, irrigating, and fertilizing practices.  For more information on how to properly manage your lawn, check out the UF publication ENH-979, Homeowner Best Management Practices for the Home Lawn.

Lawns in south Florida are usually fertilized year-round with no problems. However, central Florida lawns should not be fertilized after late September. The last fertilization should be done with a fertilizer higher in potassium (the third number on the bag) relative to nitrogen (the first number on the bag), such as 15-0-15.  Choose a product with equal or higher potassium to nitrogen. This helps to impart some stress tolerance to cold or freezing temperatures and may enhance spring greenup.

Keep mowing height high year-round (3.5 to 4” for most St. Augustinegrass cultivars (like Floratam) and Bahiagrass lawns for better stress tolerance.

    

Coming Out of the Freeze

Freezing temperatures will turn lawns brown. Do not panic, this is a normal part of winter dormancy. When the days become longer and temperatures start to warm up in the spring, the growing points will become active, bringing green growth to the lawn again.  

Do not fertilize your lawn in the winter to try to green it up after a freeze – WAIT for the natural cycle of events to occur in the springtime. Fertilizing after a freeze will do more harm to your lawn than waiting for spring greenup. Do not apply a weed and feed product for preemergence weed control during the winter in central Florida.

Lawns generally do not require as much irrigation during winter months, so scale back your irrigation systems. In central Florida, you may need to irrigate weekly or every other week.  In Okeechobee, the SFWMD restricts watering to twice a week;  but this would be way too much water during wintertime temperatures.

You will not need to mow for some time; when you do need to mow again, be sure to cut at the highest recommended height for your grass type. For St. Augustine and Bahiagrass, turf should be four inches tall when you are done mowing.  Do not scalp the lawn, as this makes it less able to recover from freeze damage.

Dead or Alive?

How can you tell if your grass has truly succumbed to a winter freeze or if it is only dormant?  One way is to cut small plugs of the grass (with roots and shoots attached) and plant them in a pot, put it in a warm spot with natural sunlight and see if the grass regrows. 

If your lawn does not recover come springtime, remove the decayed vegetation from the affected areas and replace with either sod pieces or plugs. Do this test before weeds have a chance to germinate and take hold of the ground. It is possible that not all of your lawn will be affected, perhaps just those areas that are most exposed to the cold temperatures.

Following these tips will help your lawn survive freezing temperatures. For more lawn care information, go to http://www.yourfloridalawn.ifas.ufl.edu or contact the Okeechobee Extension office at 863-763-6469.  I’ve placed more information about Florida-Friendly Lawns on the Okeechobee web page,  http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee.  Go Gators!

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean. Last update: 02/01/2010.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert