Central Florida Lawn Care Calendar: Month-by-Month Guide

Wondering when to mow, water, fertilize, and watch for pests in Central Florida? This month-by-month lawn care calendar covers the whole year for St. Augustine, Zoysia, and Bahia lawns in the Orlando, Kissimmee, and Saint Cloud area — mowing cadence, watering-day switches, fertilizer timing, the summer fertilizer blackout, and pest windows, all in one place.

Your Central Florida lawn care calendar at a glance

Central Florida's long growing season means your lawn is never truly "done" for the year. Homeowners here mow roughly 42 or more times a year — compared with about 28 up north — because the grass keeps growing through most of the calendar. The tasks shift by season, though: pre-emergent weed control in late winter, heavy mowing and pest patrol all summer, and a fertilizer blackout during the rainy months.

The table below is the reference version. Bookmark it, then read the season-by-season notes underneath for the "why." Everything here is grounded in University of Florida IFAS Extension guidance for St. Augustine, Zoysia, and Bahia lawns.

*The exact June feeding depends on your county's blackout rules — see the Summer section below. Watering days shown are the Orange County schedule; Osceola County (Toho Water Authority / City of St. Cloud) publishes its own dates, so always check your utility.

What should I do for my lawn in winter (December-February)?

Winter is your lightest workload of the year, but it isn't nothing. Growth slows dramatically, so you'll mow only every two to three weeks — and only when the grass actually needs it. Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single pass, even in slow season.

Watering drops to one day per week across most of Central Florida for the cooler months. In Orange County that one-day schedule runs from the first Sunday of November through early March, by odd/even address. Osceola County (St. Cloud) runs its own schedule through Toho Water Authority, so confirm your day.

Winter is also pre-emergent season. Applying a pre-emergent herbicide in the late January through early March window stops warm-season weeds like crabgrass before they germinate. Time it before soil temperatures climb — once weeds are up, pre-emergents can't touch them. Winter is the peak window for brown patch and large patch fungus, which shows up as circular yellow-to-brown patches in cool, wet conditions. Avoid overwatering, water in the early morning only, and treat with a labeled fungicide if patches spread.

Use the slow season to sharpen your mower blade, service your irrigation system, and confirm your rain sensor works — it's required by Florida law and it saves you money.

How do I care for my lawn in spring (March-May)?

Spring is when Central Florida lawns wake up, and your calendar gets busier fast. As growth picks up in March, move to weekly mowing. Keep St. Augustine at 3.5-4 inches, Zoysia at 1.5-2.5 inches, and Bahia at 3-4 inches, and keep that blade sharp — dull blades tear the grass and invite disease.

Watering steps up to two days per week starting March 8 in Orange County (again, by odd/even address; St. Cloud follows Toho's schedule). Water deep and infrequently — about three-quarters of an inch per application — to push roots down.

The single most important spring task is your first fertilizer application in mid-to-late April. Feeding too early, before the grass is actively growing and roots can use the nitrogen, wastes product and feeds weeds instead. If you only remember one feeding date, make it this one — see when to fertilize your Florida lawn for rates and product choices. Spring (March-May) is also a prime window to lay new sod, while soil is warming but summer heat hasn't arrived.

What lawn tasks matter in summer (June-September)?

Summer is peak growing season — and peak everything else. St. Augustine can put on 2-3 inches of growth per week, so weekly mowing is non-negotiable. Mow high and never scalp below 3 inches on St. Augustine in summer heat; a taller canopy shades the soil, holds moisture, and crowds out weeds.

The rule that surprises the most homeowners: the summer fertilizer blackout. Many Central Florida counties and municipalities — including Orange County — enforce a rainy-season ban on nitrogen and phosphorus, commonly June 1 through September 30, to keep fertilizer runoff out of local waterways. During the blackout you can still apply iron for green-up and potassium for hardiness, plus slow-release, no-phosphorus products where allowed — but not standard N-P fertilizer. Because start dates and exact rules vary by county and city, check your local ordinance before that June feeding. Our Florida summer fertilizer ban guide walks through what's allowed and what isn't.

Summer is also pest season:

• Chinch bugs attack St. Augustine from late May through September, leaving expanding patches of dead, straw-colored grass in the sunniest, driest parts of the lawn. Here's how to spot and treat chinch bugs.
• Fall armyworms appear July through October and can chew a lawn down in days — scout early morning and after storms. See our armyworm treatment guide.
• Gray leaf spot shows up in hot, wet stretches, especially on stressed or over-fertilized St. Augustine.

Keep watering at two days per week (deep and infrequent), and let afternoon storms do some of the work — that's exactly why the fertilizer blackout exists.

What should I do for my lawn in fall (October-November)?

Fall is the payoff season, and October is arguably the best all-around month for Central Florida lawns. Once the blackout lifts on September 30, apply your third and final fertilizer of the year in early October to strengthen the turf before cooler weather. This feeding helps the lawn store energy and enter winter healthy.

October is also the ideal month to lay sod — warm soil, less heat stress, and fewer weeds than a summer install. New sod even gets a roughly 30-day exemption from county watering-day restrictions so it can be watered in properly.

Mowing tapers as growth slows through November, easing back toward every two weeks. Leaf drop runs from mid-October through late November here — even in Florida — so keep beds and turf clear so grass isn't smothered. Watering returns to one day per week starting the first Sunday of November. And as nights cool, brown and large patch fungus returns for its long November-through-May run, so ease off water and watch for those telltale circles.

Adjusting the calendar for your grass and your city

This calendar assumes the St. Augustine that dominates most Central Florida yards. If you have Zoysia, mow lower (1.5-2.5 inches) and expect it to go off-color in winter; if you have Bahia, it needs full sun and less input but produces tall seed heads that drive extra mowing. Not sure what you're growing? Compare the options in our best grass types for Central Florida guide.

City matters too. Orange County (Orlando, Lake Nona, Apopka) runs the two-day/one-day schedule above. Saint Cloud and much of Kissimmee sit in Osceola County under Toho Water Authority, which publishes its own watering days and fines — so verify your schedule rather than assuming the Orange County dates. When in doubt, follow your local ordinance and the product label; both override any calendar, including this one.

Let us keep your calendar for you

A good lawn calendar is simple to write down and easy to fall behind on — especially the April, June, and October feedings and the two watering-day switches. That's what we do every week. ProV Lawn Care & Landscape has served Central Florida since 2018, and every mowing visit includes a professional mow, string trimming, edging, and blow-off, with the same crew each time. No contracts, transparent pricing, and English, Spanish, or Portuguese — whichever you prefer.

If you'd rather hand off the whole calendar, request a free estimate. We'll build a season-by-season plan for your specific yard in Saint Cloud, Lake Nona, Kissimmee, Southeast Orlando, or Apopka.