It doesn’t matter where you live, there are things that can cause harm to your lawn and shrubbery. In North Florida, lawns and shrubbery deal with several invasive plant species and other threats. Let’s look at some of the top threats you should be aware of.
Most Common 3 Threats to North Florida Lawns and Shrubbery
1. Skunk Vine
While this invasive plant might look cool with heart-shaped leaves, it’s a threat to your lawn and shrubs. Sure, it produces little pink and white flowers in late summer. However, the beauty of this plant also comes with an incredible odor that smells like your sewer line has burst.
It’s not a native plant to Florida but has ended up here. The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council labels skunk vine as a Category I invasive species.
Typically, you will find this plant on trees, posts, fences, or anything else it can climb up. It’s not easy to get rid of, since it’s a perennial and it covers other plants. You cannot just cut it out and get rid of it. Even herbicide will likely not be a good thing because it will kill the other plants you want to keep.
You will likely need to remove the plant and use some type of chemical control. It takes some patience to get rid of this plant, too. Hiring professional help might be necessary.
2. Winterizing Fertilizer Displays at Local Stores
While it’s not a threat you have to worry about popping up out of nowhere, in North Florida, winterizing fertilizer displays can be a big issue. They promise all kinds of things for your lawn, but they could cause far more harm than good.
If you choose a winterizing fertilizer with a high level of nitrogen, it could stress your lawn. This type of fertilizer will cause new growth and in the cold of winter, this can stress your lawn. When this happened, you might end up with all kinds of other issues.
The last application of fertilizer should happen in September and no later. Since the grass in North Florida is adapted to become dormant during cooler weather, a winterizing fertilizer isn’t necessary after September.
3. Chinch Bugs
Another big threat to North Florida lawns is chinch bugs. Typically, these bugs prey on grass that is a bit dried out and unhealthy. They show up most often during drought times. These bugs will go after grass that is starting to brown and rob it of the nutrients.
These are three very common threats to North Florida lawns and shrubbery. However, there are other threats you might run into, as well, such as:
- Sod Webworms
- Mole Crickets
- Lawn Disease
- Lawn Fungus
- Fire Ants
- Dollar Weeds
- Oxalis
- Clover
- Goose Grass
There are many things you could be dealing with when it comes to your lawn and shrubs in North Florida. When you are dealing with threats to your plants and grass, you need the right treatment. Make sure you get the help you need or you could end up with a bigger issue.
