Lawn & Shrub Care Archives - Arrow Environmental Services - Pest Control and Exterminator Services

Healthy Florida lawn with no signs of lawn pests.

29Apr2025

Lawn & Shrub Care Apr 29, 2025Jun 4, 2025

Florida Lawn Maintenance Checklist: Springtime Tips to Keep Lawn Pests Away

A healthy, green lawn is something Florida homeowners take pride in, but maintaining them can be tricky. The warmth and humidity that define Florida's spring also attract pests, which can quickly turn your yard into a mess. With pests lurking in nearly every corner of the state, two things will give your lawn a better shot: knowing how to deter pests in the first place, and maintaining strong, resilient grass. That’s where this handy checklist comes in. It’s packed with our go-to spring lawn tips to help cut down the risk of common Florida pests such as:

Chinch bugs
Mole crickets
Fire ants
Sod webworms
Armyworms
Grubs
Spittlebugs
Bermudagrass mites
Nematodes

Early Spring: First Steps

In Florida, “early spring” usually rolls around by late February or early March, when the weather starts shifting. That’s when your lawn needs a bit of extra attention.

Clear Out Debris: Fallen leaves, broken branches, and leftover clutter around the yard can hold moisture and create perfect pest hideouts, which could also promote fungus development. Left unchecked, you might unknowingly give pests a head start. Be sure to bag it all up or have it hauled away to keep things tidy.
Dethatch When Needed: A little bit of thatch is fine, but more than half an inch of that dead grass layer can trap moisture and invite lawn pests. If your lawn feels spongy when you walk on it, it might be time to remove it. Use a thatching rake or dethatcher, or let us handle it with our lawn care services.
Test Your Soil: Soil that's out of balance, whether it’s nutrients or pH, can leave your grass weak and vulnerable. Grab a soil testing kit or probe from a garden center, follow the instructions, and adjust based on your results. Getting the pH right sets the foundation for a pest-resistant lawn.
Aerate if Needed: When soil gets compacted, it blocks air and water from reaching the roots. Aerating, a technique to poke holes into the lawn, can fix this and help your grass grow strong. It’s a simple idea but can be labor-intensive, so our team would be happy to take care of it as part of your lawn service.
Watch for Early Pest Clues: Florida pests start waking up in early spring. Keep an eye out for signs of raised tunnels or small mounds, which could mean grubs or mole crickets are already on the move. Catching them early can make all the difference.

Mid-Spring: Consistent Prevention

Florida’s warm climate keeps lawn pests active for much of the year, so staying ahead of them consistently is necessary. After tackling early spring tasks, revisit your lawn care routine about four to eight weeks later with these mid-spring strategies for preventing pests:

Pre-Emergent Weed Control: Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop weeds like crabgrass before they sprout. Weeds can stress your lawn, making it more inviting to pests.
Mowing Matters: Resume regular mowing, but don’t scalp the lawn. Cutting too low can weaken the grass. Stick to the “one-third rule”, never remove more than one-third of the grass blade at a time. If you have St. Augustine grass, keep it on the taller side to help resist chinch bugs.
Fertilize Based on Soil Needs: Use your soil test results to guide fertilizer choice. A healthy, well-fed lawn can hold up better against pest pressure. Overdoing it, though, can have the opposite effect, boosting pest populations.
Grub Control (If Needed): If grubs have given you trouble in previous seasons, now’s the time to apply a preventative grub treatment. These root-feeding insects can kill off large patches of grass if you don’t remove them.
Monitor for Chinch Bugs: St. Augustine grass is especially vulnerable. Keep an eye out for sun-exposed areas that start to yellow or turn brown, as this could be a sign of chinch bugs moving in.
Scan for Sod Webworms and Armyworms: Brown patches and chewed grass blades are common signs. Regular checks can help you act fast before the damage spreads.
Handle Fire Ants Promptly: When you spot a fire ant mound, take care of it quickly. These pests aren’t just annoying, they can damage your lawn and pose a stinging hazard.
Stay Alert for Pest Activity: Regular inspections are the best way to stay on top of things. Watch for symptoms such as patches of dead or discolored grass, holes in the soil, more birds than usual (they could be feeding on grubs), insects crawling on or near the turf, and spongy or loose-feeling grass.
Water the Right Way: Deep, infrequent watering encourages sturdy roots and discourages pests and fungus. Avoid daily watering, which keeps the surface damp and attractive to bugs.
Consider Irrigation Services: Take the guesswork out of watering with a professionally installed system. Our team considers Florida’s climate, your soil type, and your home’s layout to make sure your system works seamlessly with plumbing and electrical components.

Thinking About DIY Pesticides or Insecticides?

We recommend avoiding them. Many over-the-counter lawn treatments can harm your grass or nearby plants if not used correctly. If pest problems get to the point where you’re considering DIY chemicals, it’s time to bring in the professionals. Our licensed technicians know where to target treatments for the best results, while minimizing the chance of harm to people, pets, or plants.

Natural Ways to Deter Lawn Pests:

Keep your lawn healthy: Keep your lawn lush and thick to outcompete pests.
Allow beneficial insects to thrive: Attract helpful insects like ladybugs and lacewings that prey on lawn invaders.

Save Time With Help From Lawn Pest Pros

If you’ve spotted pest activity, or just want peace of mind, let our experienced team step in. We’ll inspect your lawn, identify problems, and craft a customized treatment plan that helps you enjoy a healthier, more beautiful yard. Reach out today so we can get your lawn on track for a vibrant, pest-free spring.

A beautiful green lawn in Florida. Two children can be seen running and playing in the distance. With lawn winterization services, lawns can stay healthy and lush year-round.

10Sep2024

Prepping Your Florida Lawn for Winter

While winters stay a little warmer than the national average, the temperature change is still enough to impact your landscaping. Your lawn in particular is very sensitive to the cold weather, so it’s important to prepare it for the winter. With a little extra effort toward lawn winterization, your grass will have the best possible chances of surviving and thriving when the weather warms up again. Winterization can be complicated, which is why the experts at are here to help with customized lawn care services and plans to suit your needs. Read on to learn more!

Your Lawn’s Changing Needs

In order to keep your lawn good-looking and healthy for as long as possible, there are a few steps to consider. Some can be handled with a DIY approach, but others are best handled by a lawn care professional.

Aeration is, put simply, poking holes in your lawn to break up the thatch and let in fresh nutrients and water. This is best done during fall to give your lawn a chance to absorb the sustenance it needs.
Planting different grass that is more resilient against cold weather is a great way to keep your lawn beautiful year-round. Rye and bluegrass are excellent choices.
Changing your mowing habits can help keep your lawn healthy, too. Leaving it a little longer than usual gives the roots a little extra insulation. Don’t simply stop mowing, though; bugs and other pests might think an overgrown lawn is a great place to hide.
Changing your watering habits is also important. Water less frequently than usual, but keep it up. Your grass needs less water during the cold season.
Using fertilizer during fall and early winter will give your lawn a little extra strength to survive through the cold season. It can also make it look better when spring returns!

How to Water Your Lawn During Winter

As we mentioned before, it’s important to make some changes to how you water your lawn as the weather cools down. Here we’ll go into a little more detail on what that means. lawns should be watered about once a week during the winter, but this will naturally vary from yard to yard. Keep an eye on your lawn’s signals; if it starts to look crispy and brown, water more. If it starts to get swampy, cut back.

What Time of the Day Should You Water Your Lawn?

The ideal time to water your lawn is always in the early morning, before the sun comes up. Florida nights don’t usually reach freezing temperatures, but in the event that they do, watering as the air begins to warm will prevent the water from freezing before your lawn can drink it. Likewise, getting water in the ground before the sun rises will minimize evaporation. Keeping your lawn healthy with the appropriate amount of water goes a long way toward making it look its best.

Pests and Other Problems for Florida Lawns

Even during the winter months, pests and plant diseases are a real danger to your lawn’s health. Below you’ll find a few things to keep an eye out for:

Fire ants build distinctive mounds that can damage your lawn – not to mention lay waste to other insect populations. Their goal is to spread their colonies as far as they can, and they don’t care how much damage they cause to your lawn as they go. Luckily, professional pest control service can take care of them before they get out of control.

Brown patch fungus is a fungal disease that shows up most often during mild weather. Since winter temperatures stay right in its comfortable range, this fungus can truly thrive in your lawn. It appears, as the name suggests, as a brown patch in your green lawn. It could be confused with dead grass, but don’t mow it; it can easily spread to other parts of your lawn through mechanical means. Read more about it here.

Weeds are a constant concern. They steal water and nutrients from your lawn and make it look shabby. Wherever your lawn has a bare patch, weeds will try to invade.

As you can see, there are a lot of things to keep an eye on when it comes to lawn care. Luckily, the team at is up to the task!

Arrow Service: Florida’s Go-To Choice for Lawn Winterization

Even though winters are mild here in , your grass will still need a little extra help to stay healthy as the weather cools down. Make your lawn care concerns a thing of the past; count on our years of experience to keep your lawn looking healthy no matter what time of year it is. Give us a call to schedule a free inspection today! Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

a beautiful and verdant freshly mowed lawn in Florida

17May2023

Lawn Care Lawn & Shrub Care May 17, 2023Jul 26, 2023

Springtime Lawn Care Tips in Florida

Spring is the quintessential time for gardening in the US and for residents of Florida, that holds even more true. The sunshine state is famous for its beautiful weather year-round, but spring is when things come fully into bloom and make your yard and garden shine. Your yard is the first impression of your home. Getting it in shape for the springtime early is vital in making sure you're not playing catch up for the rest of the warm seasons. With these tips, you can get the edge on even the most driven HOA president and make your lawn a verdant gem in your neighborhood with ease!

Lawn Fertilization

Fertilizing your lawn can be a tricky business. Depending on what region of Florida you live in, the grass in your lawn will grow at different rates throughout the year, and you only want to fertilize your lawn when the grass is actually growing. Fertilizing outside of the growth period will result in the grass not absorbing the fertilizer.

Typically the ideal time to start is 3 weeks after the last frost deposits occur. Once the weather turns nicer, your grass will begin growing, and become ready for fertilizer. This is the ideal time to do a soil test to determine what nutrients your soil needs most.
Next, calculating the amount and type of fertilizer you need is also a vital part of spring lawn care. In accordance with Florida laws to protect the environment, it’s recommended you use only 1 lb of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of turf max. Depending on the results of your soil composition test, however, you can tailor your fertilizer to your lawn's needs.
Make sure to stick with only grass fertilizer as crop or flower fertilizer will have higher levels of phosphorus, magnesium, and other soil supplements that are either unhelpful or detrimental to the growth of grass.

Helpful Fertilizer Tips To Remember:

Avoid Fertilizing During Rainy Periods: Fertilizing your lawn right before a rain storm will cause it to get washed away, leaching nitrogen and other soil supplements into the water supply.

Clean Up Extra Fertilizer: Sweep up any spills on the sidewalk or excess on the lawn. A responsible lawn caretaker is a happy one!

Don’t Over Fertilize: During summer months your grass may turn a lighter shade, and while this can be caused by a lack of nitrogen in your soil, you still MUST adhere to local ordinances. Utilize chelated iron or iron sulfate as a supplement.

Professional Florida Lawn and Pest Care

If all of this sounds like a headache to deal with, don’t worry! At Arrow Environmental Services we’re ready to help! Not only are we an excellent pest control service provider but also lawn care professionals. Our lawn care will ensure not only a beautiful pest-free yard but a perfect emerald yard year-round for Florida residents.