Frost in Florida

As a proactive measure, Landcare would like to inform you of the conditions that may affect the Tampa Bay area this winter season and might impact the landscape material. We believe that this communication will help you stay informed as it relates to overall plant health as well as standard recommendations for pruning or replacements.

This winter may bring about freezing temperatures throughout the area. Here’s some of the impact you would expect to see:
1.) Bahia grass is dormant and even with irrigation, completely brown. It’s not dead, it will come back.
2.) St. Augustine grass is mostly brown. Overwatering is not the answer to green it back up- this will only result in root issues and/or fungus. The vast majority of the turf will come back but this is dependent on various factors including establishment (newer turf may not have a solid root structure and is more susceptible to irreparable damage), location, condition (turf that is has previously been stressed or is aged and declining will not recover the same as healthy turf).
3.) Freeze damage on various landscape materials. This does not necessarily mean the material is dead. Seasonal pruning is recommend only when it is assumed that we won’t have any more freezing temperatures. Pruning too early leaves the material open for another frost and may result in plant death.

Highly impact areas would be the areas I would recommend replacements. As a rule of thumb, a lot of the more vibrant plant material is the material that gets hit the hardest. While it may come back, growth habits of varying material may prove to be less than acceptable.

Companywide we will be focusing on clean up from all the leaves that are dropping, making educated decisions on when to mow turf (it can damage the root structure of St. Augustine that is already stressed), and which material to prune. We thank you for trusting in our expertise; please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Jerry Roque,
Vice President
Landcare Landscaping