Guides
Polk County yard and landscaping guides
Practical, sourced advice for Central Florida's sand, sun and storm season. Pick a topic, or jump straight to a guide.
24 guides · Updated as rules change
Lawns & Sod
Choosing grass, laying sod and what it costs.
Lawns & Sod · 6 min read
How Much Does Sod Installation Cost in Florida?
What sod installation costs in Florida: the full range of published per-square-foot estimates, why they differ, and how to budget and compare quotes.
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Lawns & Sod · 7 min read
How to Lay Sod in Florida: Step-by-Step Guide
How to prepare soil and lay St. Augustine sod in Florida: site prep, laying and staggering pieces, rolling, first watering and when to mow and fertilize.
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Lawns & Sod · 8 min read
Florida Fertilizer Ban: What Polk County Allows
What Polk County's fertilizer ordinance actually restricts, what is and is not confirmed, and how to check your city's rule.
Read the guide →Lawns & Sod · 9 min read
Bahia vs. St. Augustine Grass in Florida
Bahia vs St. Augustine grass in Florida: sun, shade, drought, watering, mowing, chinch bugs and cold, plus Floratam vs Palmetto and which suits your Polk lot.
Read the guide →Lawns & Sod · 7 min read
How Much Does Lawn Service Cost in Polk County?
Published per-visit and per-month lawn mowing prices, what a visit includes, how lot size and frequency change the price, and how to compare quotes.
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Lawns & Sod · 7 min read
How Much to Charge for Lawn Mowing: Rates and Costs
How lawn mowers set prices: flat per lot, by size or by the hour, published per-lawn and hourly rates, costs to cover and common pricing mistakes in Florida.
Read the guide →Lawns & Sod · 12 min read
St. Augustine Grass in Florida: The Complete Care Guide
St. Augustine grass in Florida: varieties like Floratam, Palmetto and Seville, mowing height, watering, fertilizing, problems and sod, with Polk County notes.
Read the guide →Lawns & Sod · 7 min read
St. Augustine vs Bahia vs Zoysia in Polk County
Which turf survives Central Florida heat, sand and shade? Compare St. Augustine, Bahia and Zoysia by lot type, cost and upkeep in Polk County.
Read the guide →Lawns & Sod · 4 min read
When to Install Sod in Central Florida
The best months to install sod in Polk County, FL, what it costs, and how to water and care for new sod through its first 30 days.
Read the guide →Lawn Pests & Problems
Chinch bugs, yellow patches and what to do about them.
Lawn Pests & Problems · 6 min read
Chinch Bugs in Florida Lawns: How to Spot and Stop Them
How to tell chinch bugs from drought in St. Augustine grass, run the coffee can test, treat the lawn and prevent damage in Polk County, FL.
Read the guide →Lawn Pests & Problems · 7 min read
St. Augustine Grass Turning Yellow: Causes and Fixes
Why St. Augustine grass turns yellow in Polk County, FL: iron, nitrogen, water, chinch bugs, fungus, shade and herbicide, and how to tell them apart.
Read the guide →Lawn Pests & Problems · 8 min read
Brown Patch, Take-All Root Rot and Gray Leaf Spot
How to recognize brown patch, take-all root rot and gray leaf spot in St. Augustine grass, what causes them, and how to prevent them in Polk County, FL.
Read the guide →Watering & Irrigation
Polk County watering days and sprinkler fixes.
Watering & Irrigation · 5 min read
How Often to Water New Sod in Florida
How often and how long to water new sod in Florida, how to tell if it is rooting, and what Polk County watering rules mean for a new lawn.
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Watering & Irrigation · 6 min read
How to Adjust Sprinkler Heads: Rotors and Spray Heads
How to adjust sprinkler head arc, radius and alignment on rotor and pop-up spray heads, so water lands on the lawn and not the driveway.
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Watering & Irrigation · 7 min read
How to Replace a Sprinkler Head: Steps and Fixes
Step-by-step sprinkler head replacement, plus what to check when a head won't pop up or a zone won't turn on, for Florida lawns.
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Watering & Irrigation · 4 min read
Polk County Watering Days & Irrigation Rules
Polk County watering days and SWFWMD irrigation restrictions in plain English, plus how to set your sprinkler controller to comply.
Read the guide →Trees & Storm Prep
Palms, oaks and getting ready for hurricane season.
Trees & Storm Prep · 7 min read
How to Trim Palm Trees in Florida
How to trim palm trees in Florida the way UF/IFAS recommends: remove only dead fronds and seed pods, skip the hurricane cut, and know when to call an arborist.
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Trees & Storm Prep · 7 min read
How Much Does Tree Trimming Cost in Florida?
Published tree trimming costs in Florida by height, what changes the price, and how to compare quotes and check an arborist's credentials in Polk County.
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Trees & Storm Prep · 7 min read
Stump Grinding Cost in Florida: Per-Inch Prices
Published stump grinding costs in Florida: per-inch and flat-fee prices, minimum charges, what is included, DIY rental versus a crew, and what to do afterward.
Read the guide →Trees & Storm Prep · 6 min read
Hurricane Season Tree & Palm Prep for Polk County
Hurricane season tree prep for Polk County, FL: what to trim, what to leave alone, and when to call an arborist before June 1.
Read the guide →Plants, Beds & Mulch
Florida-friendly plants and keeping beds healthy.
Plants, Beds & Mulch · 6 min read
How Much Mulch Do I Need? Calculator for Florida Beds
Free mulch calculator: find how many cubic yards or bags you need for your Florida beds, plus the right depth, best mulch types and when to refresh.
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Plants, Beds & Mulch · 7 min read
Florida-Friendly Landscaping: Low-Maintenance Yards
The nine UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles applied to Polk County: sandy soil, lakefront lots, once-a-week watering and a lower-upkeep yard.
Read the guide →Plants, Beds & Mulch · 7 min read
How to Amend Sandy Soil in Florida: Compost and Tests
Why Central Florida sand drains fast, how much compost to add to beds and new lawns, how to work it in, and when to soil test first. Based on UF/IFAS advice.
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Plants, Beds & Mulch · 7 min read
Florida-Friendly Plants That Thrive in Polk County
Low-water, heat-proof Florida-friendly plants and palms for zone 9b yards in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Davenport and Auburndale.
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