New Veranda Homeowner: Besides Lawn Mowing, What Lawn Services Do I Need (and When)?

[idlewild]

We're proud owners of a brand new Veranda home near Eastport. As such, we have a newly laid Saint Augustine lawn and had some questions in both Pest Control and Fertilization.

I understand that lawns need to not only be mowed regularly - and more frequently in the summer months - but am curious as to what else do lawns really need, how frequently, and what the best service providers (including myself / DYI) are for:

(1) Pest Control / Insecticide: I believe Spring (now) is the right time to apply insecticides for cinch bugs, mole crickets, fire ants. Is that correct? Do you treat for each in one service call?

(2) Fertilizer: I also would suspect the lawn needs to be fertilized heavily now (Spring) and likely more frequently given it's newly laid sod. Is that also correct?

For both, with what frequency should you apply the Insecticides and Fertilizers? Is there any harm to pets - we have dogs - with either? Are there any recommended contractors for Pest Control or Fertilization and/or I can/should I buy them and apply them myself? It seems Pest Control might be better sourced but shouldn't one be able to fertilized his/her lawn?

Thanks!

[VApeople]

We use Arrow 4 times a year for pest control and for fertilizing six times a year.

[idlewild]

We use Arrow 4 times a year for pest control and for fertilizing six times a year.

Thanks. I called them and they seem to be quite expensive suggesting, for example, a monthly mosquito and flea treatment spraying for $55 - do I really need to spend $660 annually on mosquitoes?

The other thing that bothered me was their claim to not have contracts but “agreements” which is a signed document with teams and conditions so basically…a contract.

I’m not retired so I would like to e able to do as much of this on my own, but being new here I wanted to have a first time - of perhaps the first year - covered by a professional (or as professional as possible) to set up the lawn and shrubs for success.

[MarshBendLover]

When I first arrived I thought having someone handle my lawn monthly for awhile would give me time to settle in. But that quickly led to problems which I had only read about on here. Within weeks, weeds invaded from someone else's lawn via the mower. Some weeds are horrible and difficult to eliminate.

Found a neighbor up the street with a beautiful lawn and working on his own lawn one morning. We talked, he looked at my lawn, we talked. The next day I was set with everything I needed, including understanding the sprinklers. I handle the weeds, pests, fertilize and cut. Comes out to be about $8 bucks a month in the long run and takes me 25 min to cut 2 times a week at 4". I can easily afford to pay for anything, but I detail my own vehicles, do my own home repairs and enjoy every day.

Of course I'm 68, so I can handle being active. My next door neighbor hires out everything and his yard looks bad, but he is only 62 and thinks that swinging a golf club and a paddle is all the exercise he needs.

I find handling the lawn and landscaping as an enjoyable hobby. It's also great exercise physically and mentally. I knew nothing about St.A grass before I arrived here, much less about the dreaded C bug and nothing about sprinklers. Of course I could pay someone to play golf for me, but I enjoy it so I do it. I enjoy handling my lawn too.

[Pondboy]

I’d start by saying that no one will take better care of your lawn than yourself.

If you want the best lawn on the block, do it yourself. If you want an ok lawn, use a service. But understand that the results will be determined by the guy/gal that does the treatment. If they know their business, you are in luck. If not, your lawn will suffer. There are many things that can and will go wrong with a lawn. If they are not able to correctly diagnose and fix the problem, you could loose your lawn.

Also know that by law, your lawn service can only put down 2 lbs of nitrogen per year on your lawn. In some areas, with good soil, this might be fine. However, if your soil is very sandy, the fertilizer will soon leach out and the grass will suffer.

So I’d recommend getting on line and studying “how to grow and care for St Augustine grass. I’d start with you tube and look up either Lawn Care Nut or Better call Chad.

As far as fertilizer goes for your newly laid sod, I’m thinking that you should wait at least 6 weeks before fertilizing…but look it up on line to confirm.

If you go with a mowing service, make sure they will cut at a minimum of 3.5 to 4”. The taller the better but I understand it depends on what type of St Aug you have. Either way, not meeting the minimum height will be very detrimental to your lawn.

As far as watering….measure the output of your irrigation heads to determine how long to water. Use cups to measure. You need at least 1-2” per week. In the heat of the summer, you might need more. You will probably also have to water more than twice a week as the villages states.

I could go on and on….but mowing height, watering and fertilizer are the most important things to understand.

[idlewild]

I’d start by saying that no one will take better care of your lawn than yourself. So I’d recommend getting on line and studying “how to grow and care for St Augustine grass. I’d start with you tube and look up either Lawn Care Nut or Better call Chad.

Very helpful - thank you! You and @MarshBendLover have convinced me to do it myself.
And, I've already started researching online - debating if I wanted to spend the money (if even CDD possible) and lay new Zoysia at least in my backyard for the dogs. I love Better Call Chad and will check out Lawn Care Nut too. Thanks again!


I handle the weeds, pests, fertilize and cut. Comes out to be about $8 bucks a month in the long run and takes me 25 min to cut 2 times a week at 4". I can easily afford to pay for anything, but I detail my own vehicles, do my own home repairs and enjoy every day. Of course I'm 68, so I can handle being active.

I LOVE this! I was thinking I would just do it all myself as (a) I'm not retired (not even 55 yet) (b) will be full time resident and (c) need the exercise! Moreover, like you, I don't mind lawn care and would actually find a sense of pride in maintaining a great lawn - despite likely cocking it up at least a few times as I learn. I'm really looking forward to hardscaping and adding drip irrigation, and growing plants and flowers we can't get anywhere else like the bougainvillea.

I'm definitely going to get the gear like a self-propelled mower, push broadcast spreader, and sprayers along with items to mix fertilizers and insecticides especially now with the Home Depot Spring Sale on.

QUESTION: Would either of you or anyone know of someone or some service - likely a much smaller operation - who could check out my lawn and minimally apply insecticide and possibly fertilize hopefully sometime this week before we get down there (with our dogs) next week? :beer3:

[darkim]

Visit the Ace Hardware in Wildwood (on 301). They have a free information sheet in the fertilizer area that tells you what and when to apply for proper lawn care

[Pondboy]

Very helpful - thank you! You and @MarshBendLover have convinced me to do it myself.
And, I've already started researching online - debating if I wanted to spend the money (if even CDD possible) and lay new Zoysia at least in my backyard for the dogs. I love Better Call Chad and will check out Lawn Care Nut too. Thanks again!




I LOVE this! I was thinking I would just do it all myself as (a) I'm not retired (not even 55 yet) (b) will be full time resident and (c) need the exercise! Moreover, like you, I don't mind lawn care and would actually find a sense of pride in maintaining a great lawn - despite likely cocking it up at least a few times as I learn. I'm really looking forward to hardscaping and adding drip irrigation, and growing plants and flowers we can't get anywhere else like the bougainvillea.

I'm definitely going to get the gear like a self-propelled mower, push broadcast spreader, and sprayers along with items to mix fertilizers and insecticides especially now with the Home Depot Spring Sale on.

QUESTION: Would either of you or anyone know of someone or some service - likely a much smaller operation - who could check out my lawn and minimally apply insecticide and possibly fertilize hopefully sometime this week before we get down there (with our dogs) next week? :beer3:

You welcome, glad to help.

Depending on your lot size, you might be better off with a hand held fertilizer spreader vs a larger drop or broad cast spreader. Storage is at a premium in most garages. Be sure to get proper eye and face protection if you go with a hand held spreader. It’s closer to your face and breathing in that dust is not good for you.

If your here next week, you lawn will be fine without any additional treatments. It just came from the “Sod Farm” where they have probably recently treated it for insects and fertilized it.

Also, thought you might be interested in this link for you venture into new plants to acquire ;

Guide to Florida Landscape Plants for the southern half of the Sunshine State (https://www.south-florida-plant-guide.com/)

Some are hardy in our zone, some are not but it’s got some good care information.

Best of luck to you!

Sal

[wayneman]

Before that St augustine takes root, rip it out and replace it with zoysia. Yes it is extra expense, but once you start replacing the St Augustine because of chinch bugs you will come out ahead in the end. Mowing is much easier also.

[Ptmcbriz]

I do my own lawn. I use Scott’s Southern Lawn fertilizer that states on the front it is ok for St Augustine lawns. Don’t mow your grass below 3.75”. St Augustine will stress. New lawns don’t get fertilized for 2 months. Water water water. You’ll find most in the Southern area with beautiful St Augustine water 3x a week because 2x isn’t enough. It stressed. Starting in April put down Triazacide every 6 wks for cinch bugs. They can kill your lawn in a week. I also alternate with Scott’s Grub X. Easy to order from Scott’s.com for everything. Most importantly is water. St Augustine is watered at my house 3x a week for 45 minutes each time in summer months and less in winter (about once a week so roots grow in winter).

[Switter]

We're proud owners of a brand new Veranda home near Eastport. As such, we have a newly laid Saint Augustine lawn and had some questions in both Pest Control and Fertilization.

I understand that lawns need to not only be mowed regularly - and more frequently in the summer months - but am curious as to what else do lawns really need, how frequently, and what the best service providers (including myself / DYI) are for:

(1) Pest Control / Insecticide: I believe Spring (now) is the right time to apply insecticides for cinch bugs, mole crickets, fire ants. Is that correct? Do you treat for each in one service call?

(2) Fertilizer: I also would suspect the lawn needs to be fertilized heavily now (Spring) and likely more frequently given it's newly laid sod. Is that also correct?

For both, with what frequency should you apply the Insecticides and Fertilizers? Is there any harm to pets - we have dogs - with either? Are there any recommended contractors for Pest Control or Fertilization and/or I can/should I buy them and apply them myself? It seems Pest Control might be better sourced but shouldn't one be able to fertilized his/her lawn?

Thanks!

I am 59 and I do my own lawn and pest control. I bought a couple sprayers and for insecticides. I alternate between talspar p and termidorSC four times a year. You can get them online from "do my own pest control". I never have bugs. I also don't know if I've even seen a mosquito in The villages since I've gotten here, but I am from Minnesota so I have a very high threshold for mosquitoes.

For lawn weeds I use something called Celsius. Seem to work good but it takes a while and sometimes take a couple treatments.

There is a nasty weed called nutsedge. For that, I use something called sedgehammer. It's a hard weed to kill though but the stuff seems to control it.

For cinch bugs, which kills Saint Augustine grass, I used something called merit from bayer. It's a granular and I only had to do it one time and it worked although I might start doing an annual treatment. It comes in a big bag so you can get multiple applications out of it.

I cut my own grass.

I bet I spend under $200 a year total on all of it.

Now if I could only find something that would kill Bermuda grass, which is invading my neighborhood.

[Miboater]

I am 59 and I do my own lawn and pest control. I bought a couple sprayers and for insecticides. I alternate between talspar p and termidorSC four times a year. You can get them online from "do my own pest control". I never have bugs. I also don't know if I've even seen a mosquito in The villages since I've gotten here, but I am from Minnesota so I have a very high threshold for mosquitoes.

For lawn weeds I use something called Celsius. Seem to work good but it takes a while and sometimes take a couple treatments.

There is a nasty weed called nutsedge. For that, I use something called sedgehammer. It's a hard weed to kill though but the stuff seems to control it.

For cinch bugs, which kills Saint Augustine grass, I used something called merit from bayer. It's a granular and I only had to do it one time and it worked although I might start doing an annual treatment. It comes in a big bag so you can get multiple applications out of it.

I cut my own grass.

I bet I spend under $200 a year total on all of it.

Now if I could only find something that would kill Bermuda grass, which is invading my neighborhood.

If you want to kill Bermuda grass from St Augustine there is a cure but it's not cheap. It's a combination of Recognition and Fusilade II herbicides along with a surficant. I have tried it and it does work great and did not harm my St Augustine grass. It takes about 2 weeks to start to notice any results and about a month the Bermuda will be dead. I have to reapply twice for new growth which I think is coming up from seed and will most likely have to keep applying it for a while. The only good thing is once you buy the combination you will have enough to do your lawn probably about 100 times.

I got the Recognition from SiteOne landscaping in Leesburg for about $175 and the Fusilade II on Amazon for about $90. The

[Birdrm]

Visit the Ace Hardware in Wildwood (on 301). They have a free information sheet in the fertilizer area that tells you what and when to apply for proper lawn care

I will second the Ace Hardware on 301, for 2 years I was paying to have my grass cut and a separate company to fertilize my lawn. It never looked good and weeds were always present. I now cut my own lawn and in the 2 months since I started the program from Ace my lawn looks better already!

[Nana2Teddy]

Very helpful - thank you! You and @MarshBendLover have convinced me to do it myself.
And, I've already started researching online - debating if I wanted to spend the money (if even CDD possible) and lay new Zoysia at least in my backyard for the dogs. I love Better Call Chad and will check out Lawn Care Nut too. Thanks again!




I LOVE this! I was thinking I would just do it all myself as (a) I'm not retired (not even 55 yet) (b) will be full time resident and (c) need the exercise! Moreover, like you, I don't mind lawn care and would actually find a sense of pride in maintaining a great lawn - despite likely cocking it up at least a few times as I learn. I'm really looking forward to hardscaping and adding drip irrigation, and growing plants and flowers we can't get anywhere else like the bougainvillea.

I'm definitely going to get the gear like a self-propelled mower, push broadcast spreader, and sprayers along with items to mix fertilizers and insecticides especially now with the Home Depot Spring Sale on.

QUESTION: Would either of you or anyone know of someone or some service - likely a much smaller operation - who could check out my lawn and minimally apply insecticide and possibly fertilize hopefully sometime this week before we get down there (with our dogs) next week? :beer3:
Be careful with the bougainvillea. We get freezing temps in winter that can kill it. It’ll likely need to be covered during those temps like some of the palm trees that also don’t do well in a freeze. Oh, and Crotons too. Good luck! Enjoy!

[drrichard]

Before that St augustine takes root, rip it out and replace it with zoysia. Yes it is extra expense, but once you start replacing the St Augustine because of chinch bugs you will come out ahead in the end. Mowing is much easier also.

AMEN! We did that 16 years ago and have not been sorry. MUCH better lawn now. (When I was a kid growing up in PA, the stuff they call St. Augustine here we called crabgrass and we killed and kept it out of our bluegrass lawn!)

[Miboater]

Be careful with the bougainvillea. We get freezing temps in winter that can kill it. It’ll likely need to be covered during those temps like some of the palm trees that also don’t do well in a freeze. Oh, and Crotons too. Good luck! Enjoy!

I have two bougainvillea plants that I've had for over 3 years and I've never covered them during cold snaps. I've never had any damage even the winter when it got into the mid 20's overnight. Neighbors also haven't covered theirs with no problems.

[Boston1945]

With all the posting here, not one word about SOD WEB WORMS. Get them in the Saint Augustin grass and the first time you scratch your head and wonder what the heck is going on here.Most folks will treat it for cinch bugs. It's best to get down and start pulling apart the area in question.The little suckers look just a little worm. They will suck the juice out of the grass.

[Michael A. David]

We're proud owners of a brand new Veranda home near Eastport. As such, we have a newly laid Saint Augustine lawn and had some questions in both Pest Control and Fertilization.

I understand that lawns need to not only be mowed regularly - and more frequently in the summer months - but am curious as to what else do lawns really need, how frequently, and what the best service providers (including myself / DYI) are for:

(1) Pest Control / Insecticide: I believe Spring (now) is the right time to apply insecticides for cinch bugs, mole crickets, fire ants. Is that correct? Do you treat for each in one service call?

(2) Fertilizer: I also would suspect the lawn needs to be fertilized heavily now (Spring) and likely more frequently given it's newly laid sod. Is that also correct?

For both, with what frequency should you apply the Insecticides and Fertilizers? Is there any harm to pets - we have dogs - with either? Are there any recommended contractors for Pest Control or Fertilization and/or I can/should I buy them and apply them myself? It seems Pest Control might be better sourced but shouldn't one be able to fertilized his/her lawn?

Thanks! Go to google and look up Worx robotic lawnmower. It will keep your lawn in great shape and will pay for it's self in a short time. If you are a Vet you can save 10% with a military discount. Good Luck Also get a worx weed eater to trim with.

[Michael A. David]

Google Worx robotic lawnmower. You can order it through Lowes. If you are a Veteran you get a discount. It will cut your lawn just like a rumba does your floor. You will save enough to pay for it soon. You will also need a weed wacker to trim around where the Worx cant go.

[Nana2Teddy]

I have two bougainvillea plants that I've had for over 3 years and I've never covered them during cold snaps. I've never had any damage even the winter when it got into the mid 20's overnight. Neighbors also haven't covered theirs with no problems.

Good to know! That wasn’t our experience in SoCal. We had several beautiful bougainvillea plants in our yard, and all died when we had a winter where temps dropped to the high 20s several nights in a row. We’ve been afraid to plant them here since we’ve had even colder temps here in winter since moving here in 2022.

[retiredguy123]

I use Massey for everything, except that they will not trim shrubs. I like dealing with only one company, and they are the least expensive company I could find. And, don't forget about irrigation system maintenance. When you have a leak, you will be calling around to find someone to fix it if you don't have a regular service. I don't have a pest service for inside the house because I just don't have any bugs in the house. I rarely see a mosquito anywhere.

[Babubhat]

Watch the YouTube videos or get 15 dollar app from the lawn care nut.

The guide covers month-by-month exactly what to put down, and when to put it down with recommendations on exact products to utilize, most of which can be found easily at big box stores or independent garden centers in your area.

Warm Season Turf - Digital Lawn Program
– LawnCareNut (https://thelawncarenut.com/products/warm-season-turf-hybrid-organic-program)