Tips and Inspiration for Your Lawn and Garden

When setting up an outdoor play space for kids, two popular options often come to mind: sand and grass. Both have their appeal, and if you’re fortunate enough to have room, having both can offer the best of both worlds.

Picture this: it’s a warm afternoon, and your kids are darting across the backyard in a blur of giggles and bare feet. The family dog bounds behind them, tail wagging, ears flopping.

Florida’s warm climate creates favorable growing conditions for lawns, but one factor that often poses a challenge is the state’s naturally sandy soil. From the Panhandle to the Keys, much of Florida’s landscape sits on a foundation of large, loose sand particles with very little organic matter.

Planting grass on a slope may look easy, but anyone who’s tried knows it can quickly turn into a frustrating task. Between water runoff, erosion, and poor soil stability, it’s common for newly planted grass to struggle—or even wash away—before it gets the chance to root.

When you’ve finished installing grass plugs, you may find yourself with a few extra, and you’re faced with the question: can you save those leftover grass plugs for later? Grass plugs are mature grass plants that are pre-grown in small trays, ready for planting.

Core aeration is one of the most effective ways to improve your lawn’s health, particularly when preparing the soil for new grass plugs. It’s an essential part of lawn care that addresses compacted soil—a common issue caused by foot traffic, heavy equipment, or natural settling over time.

You’ve probably checked the weather forecast to time your yard work, but did you know that air temperature isn’t the best way to judge when to plant grass plugs? It’s the soil temperature that actually tells you if your lawn is ready. It is one of the most reliable indicators of whether your grass plugs will thrive or fail to root.

Easter is a time of joy, celebration, and gathering with loved ones. Whether it’s hosting an egg hunt for the kids, setting up a backyard brunch, or simply soaking up the spring sunshine, your lawn becomes the centerpiece of the festivities.

A well-maintained lawn sets the stage for a perfect gathering during Easter celebrations, whether you're hosting an outdoor brunch or planning an Easter egg hunt. While festive decorations can temporarily mask a patchy yard, nothing quite compares to the beauty of a lush, green lawn.

Lawn mowing is a familiar part of most homeowners' routines—but it's not something you should do on a strict schedule. While it may be tempting to fire up the lawn mower every Saturday, the truth is that grass mowing height matters more than frequency.

Few things frustrate dedicated homeowners more than spending countless hours tending to their lawns only to be met with stubborn bare patches or thinning grass. Whether due to heavy foot traffic, pests, or simply poor growing conditions, these unsightly areas can make an otherwise healthy lawn look neglected.

Even the most committed lawn enthusiasts can fall behind on yard care. Maybe you had a string of busy weekends packed with holiday celebrations, you left town for vacation, or—let’s be honest—you simply didn’t feel like mowing.