Orlando sits in USDA hardiness zone 9b with a ~300+ day growing season — most winters are essentially frost-free. When frost does occur it is usually a brief event in late January or early February, and any first fall frost comes in mid-to-late December, if at all (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals). Orlando lawns are warm-season St. Augustine (Floratam), with Bahia, Zoysia, and Bermuda — so the calendar is driven by pest pressure, fertilizer ordinances, and water rules, not frost:
- St. Augustine cannot be seeded or overseeded — it is installed as sod or plugs, and it stays green nearly year-round, so there is no annual fall overseed.
- Core aeration is a warm-season, active-growth task (spring–summer), not fall.
- Summer nitrogen is often restricted: many central Florida jurisdictions ban fertilizer N during the rainy season (~June–September) to protect waterways — check the local ordinance before any summer feeding.
Orlando turf & climate facts (Orange County)
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | 9b (Orange County; ranges 9b–10a) | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) |
| Avg last spring frost | Rare — ~late January/early February in colder years; many winters frost-free | NOAA 1991–2020 normals |
| Avg first fall frost | ~mid-to-late December, if at all | NOAA 1991–2020 normals |
| Growing season | ~300+ days (often year-round) | derived from NOAA normals |
| Primary lawn grasses | St. Augustine (Floratam) (typical lawns), Bahia / Zoysia / Bermuda — all warm-season | UF/IFAS Extension |
| Warm-season note | St. Augustine is installed as sod/plugs (no seed) and is not overseeded | UF/IFAS Extension |
Month-by-month calendar
A = Aeration · P = Planting/Sodding. Mow St. Augustine 3.5–4″. Irrigate within the current SJRWMD day-of-week schedule. St. Augustine is not seeded/overseeded, so there is no overseeding column.
| Month | Aeration window | Planting / sodding | Key lawn-care tasks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | — (cool) | — | Coolest month; St. Augustine may be off-color after a cold snap. Mow as needed. Hold fertilizer (too cool for uptake). Watch for any rare frost. |
| Feb | — | OK | Spring pre-emergent window — apply when daytime temps hold ~65–70°F for several days (typically February here, earlier than northern zones) for crabgrass/goosegrass. Green-up begins late Feb. |
| Mar | Opens (active growth) | Good | Active green-up. First fertilizer after full green-up + a mowing (St. Aug 3.5–4″). Resume regular mowing. Begin chinch-bug and weed scouting. |
| Apr | Open | Excellent | Active growth — aerate during active growth; sod/plug new lawns. Fertilize per UF/IFAS rate. Irrigate within the SJRWMD schedule. |
| May | Peak | Ideal | Peak growth begins; mow weekly 3.5–4″. Aerate/dethatch. Watch chinch bugs in hot, dry spots; large-patch fungus easing. |
| Jun | Continue | OK with irrigation | Rainy season starts. Summer fertilizer ordinance: many central FL jurisdictions restrict nitrogen ~June 1–Sept 30 — check the Orange County / municipal rule before feeding. Mow weekly. |
| Jul | Can continue | OK with irrigation | Peak heat and rain — chinch bugs, tropical sod webworm, and gray leaf spot pressure peaks; scout weekly. Hold nitrogen if under a local blackout; iron for color is OK. |
| Aug | Closes (late summer) | OK with irrigation | Pest pressure stays high (webworm/chinch); mow weekly. Sod establishes well with irrigation. Keep scouting. |
| Sep | Tail end | Good | Rainy season winding down. After the local fertilizer blackout ends (~Oct 1 in many areas), prepare to resume nitrogen feeding. |
| Oct | — | Good | Fall pre-emergent for winter weeds (annual bluegrass/Poa) as nights cool. Fall fertilizer (after the blackout). Growth begins to slow. |
| Nov | — | OK | Growth slowing; mow less often. Final light feeding early Nov. Step irrigation down (cooler weather; SJRWMD winter schedule is typically 1 day/week). |
| Dec | — | — | Coolest stretch begins; St. Augustine slows. Minimal mowing; no fertilizer. Water before a rare freeze to protect turf. Plan next season. |
Why Orlando’s calendar differs from cool-season regions
- There is no true winter dormancy most years. With a ~300+ day season, the calendar is built around pests, fertilizer ordinances, and water restrictions rather than frost dates.
- St. Augustine is sodded, never seeded. Floratam is installed as sod or plugs and is never overseeded — unlike cool-season lawns that need an annual fall seeding to stay thick.
- Aeration happens in active growth (spring–summer), not fall — aerating a warm-season lawn as it slows for winter can set it back.
- Summer fertilizer is often banned. Many central Florida jurisdictions prohibit nitrogen during the rainy season (~June–September) to protect waterways — verify the local Orange County / municipal rule before any summer feeding; use iron for color instead.
- Watering: SJRWMD enforces year-round day-of-week restrictions (commonly 2 days/week in daylight-saving months, 1 day/week in winter) — check your address’s schedule.
- Pests first: chinch bugs, tropical sod webworm, and gray leaf spot are the main St. Augustine threats — scout weekly through the summer.
Methodology & sources
This calendar compiles public, authoritative data for Orlando / Orange County, FL — an original per-city compilation, not a reproduction of any single source:
- Frost dates & growing season: NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (via Almanac.com / Garden.org frost-date tools); frost is rare and treated as an occasional event, not a hard date.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023 revision.
- Turf maintenance timing: UF/IFAS Extension — *Florida Lawn Handbook* and *St. Augustinegrass for Florida Lawns* (warm-season active-growth aeration, post-green-up fertilization, spring/fall pre-emergent timing, pest scouting), plus SJRWMD watering rules and local fertilizer ordinances.
- Dates are regional averages; adjust to the current year’s weather and your lawn’s grass type and sun exposure.
Orlando Lawn Care Calendar FAQ
When is the best time to plant grass in Orlando?
In Orlando, you can establish warm-season grass almost year-round, but spring through early summer (about March to June) is the best window, giving St. Augustine, Zoysia, or Bahia a full warm season to root. Sod and plugs establish faster than seed in Central Florida’s sandy soil. Orlando lawns never go fully dormant, so timing is more flexible than in northern, frost-driven climates – just avoid laying new sod right before the heaviest summer rains or a rare winter freeze.
How often should you mow your lawn in Orlando?
Orlando lawns grow nearly year-round, so mow about weekly from April through October and every 1-2 weeks from November through March. Keep St. Augustine at 3.5-4 inches and Zoysia a little lower, and never remove more than one-third of the blade at once. Year-round growth means Orlando mows far more often than northern lawns that go dormant in winter.
When should you aerate your lawn in Orlando?
Aerate Orlando lawns in late spring to early summer (April-June), when warm-season grass is growing fast and recovers quickly. Core aeration relieves compaction and helps water and nutrients reach roots in sandy soil. Avoid aerating in the cool season when growth slows, and topdress with compost afterward to build up Central Florida’s low-organic sand.
When can you fertilize your lawn in Orlando?
Fertilize Orlando lawns only from October through May. Orange County bans nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 to September 30, and nitrogen in the allowed window must be at least 65% slow-release. The calendar flips from northern lawns: feed in the cooler, drier months and never during the summer rainy season. See our Orlando fertilizer rules for the full ordinance.
Do Orlando lawns go dormant in winter?
Not fully. Orlando sits in USDA zone 9b-10a with an effectively year-round growing season, so warm-season grass keeps growing slowly through winter and only browns briefly during a rare hard freeze. There is no long frost-driven dormancy like northern metros, which is why Orlando lawns are still mowed and irrigated (on the winter 1-day schedule) all year.