February Gardening Guide

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February Gardening Guide. By Patricia Porchey. Is your lawn taking a winter break? Has its green color faded or does it have a reddish. appearance? …

Website: sarasota.extension.ufl.edu | Filesize: 13kb

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February Gardening Guide
By Patricia Porchey
Is your lawn taking a winter break? Has its green color faded or does it have a reddish
appearance? Are you mowing less often? Does it require watering less often? The
answers to all the above is probably “yes.” In the winter, growth and metabolism is
reduced on most plants, including grass. Bermuda, Bahia and St. Augustine may actually
turn brown and go dormant if the weather gets unusually cold, but dormancy is a natural
state which protects it until the weather warms. Come spring, new leaf growth will
emerge.
Cultural practices which promote cold injury are poor drainage and over watering,
excessive fall fertilizing and thatch buildup, insufficient potassium in the fertilizer
applied, growing in too much shade and mowing too short. Improper irrigation practices
are a source of many lawn problems. Train your grass to be sturdier and more drought
tolerant by watering only when it needs moisture. By watering less, often the roots grow
deeper and are better able to handles stress. Dormancy reduces the need for water as the
roots are unable to absorb moisture in the same way as when they are actively growing.
In the winter, every…