SOD
After installation, keep sod moist by watering twice a day. Water once in the early morning and again approximately 3 hours prior to sundown. Continue this practice for at least two weeks after installation.
During the periods of high temperatures and high humidity, it is suggested that sod be treated with a fungicide and insecticide three to four weeks after installation. Newly installed sod is under great stress and very susceptible to disease.
For proper fertilization application, it is suggested that you have a soil analysis done by your local County extension office. Soil nutrients and ground conditions vary from one location to the next. The pH of the soil should be monitored on a yearly basis since that is what is going to determine the availability of the nutrients. The ideal pH of the soil to grow St. Augustine sod will be 6.6-6.8.
We suggest that you mow your lawn no lower than 3 inches, this will help your lawn develop a healthy root system.
For the watering you should determine the volume of water your system handles in relation to time so that you could adjust your watering periods most efficiently. The best way to do this will be to put a soup dish in each of your zones to be representative for those areas, run the system for half an hour and then measure the collected water. You want to be applying about one inch of water during the cooler months per week and one and a half inches of water during the hotter months.
It is very important to keep inspecting your lawn throughout the year for the different diseases as well as for the different insects that feed off lawns.
Your fertilizing program will be determined by the soil analysis, you should plan on fertilizing approximately four times a year. The first application should be of a fertilizer consisting of the same ratio of nitrogen as of potash. We recommend the 15-5-15. This will also be the fertilizer formula to use before the cooler months.
In the fall and spring you should consider using a weed and feed since those are the only times of the year when this type of product could be used, under warmer temperatures the active ingredient for the herbicide becomes un-selective and could harm your good lawn. This will only be if you have a weed problem.
In the summer you could fertilize with a lawn fertilizer. The formula of your fertilizer will depend on what the needs of your lawn are.
If lawn maintenance is not your profession, we suggest that you consult with or hire a professional lawn maintenance service to periodically inspect and treat your new lawn.
Shrubs
Newly planted shrubs will need to be watered on a daily basis to assure that the soil around the root ball stays constantly moist for approximately two to three weeks, this will promote the roots to grow and become established sooner.
Once established it is better to water deeply twice a week. Over-watering could be just as bad as under-watering, so please monitor the amounts of water you apply. It needs to be just enough to keep the soil moist.
Shrubs should be fertilized three times a year and should be monitored for any diseases or insects on a regular basis. A general purpose fertilizer is usually good enough for the shrubs, we recommend the 8-10-10 formula. Fertilizing the shrubs is important because there is little natural fertility in Florida soils.
Trees
Your new trees will require a little more water since the root ball is that much bigger. The root system is the key to a healthy tree. We need to make sure that all of the soil around the root ball stays moist to promote the growth of the roots
You should hand water the trees every day for the first two weeks and every other day for the next two weeks.
Trees should be fertilized at least three times a year. It is recommended to fertilize your trees in February, June and September. Make sure you use a fertilizer formulated for trees, especially if fertilizing fruit trees.
Trees should also be monitored for any signs of disease or insect activity and treated to prevent any permanent damage to the tree or even losing it completely.
Landscape Material
If you have any questions or problems with any of your plant material please contact us at Landscaping Tune-Ups, Inc. 813-986-7241 so that we can help you with any advice on proper care or help you with the landscape maintenance of your new landscaping.