Soil, fertilizer & plant food
Soil, fertilizer & plant food in South Florida
N-P-K, slow-release, sandy alkaline soil and the county's summer restrictions.
Soil, fertilizer & plant food basics
Half of what goes wrong in a South Florida yard traces back to the same two facts: our soil is sand, and its pH is high. Here's the vocabulary that makes the label make sense.
N-P-K
The three numbers on the bag: nitrogen (green growth), phosphorus (roots and blooms), potassium (stress and drought tolerance). Palm Beach County limits N and P during the rainy season, so summer products are often 0-0-K.
Slow-release nitrogen
Feeds over weeks instead of days. In sand, quick-release nitrogen leaches past the roots with the first storm — pay for the slow-release form.
Sandy alkaline soil
Most Palm Beach County soil is sand over limestone with a pH near 7.5–8.2. High pH locks up iron and manganese, which is why plants look yellow even when you feed them.
Chelated micronutrients
Iron and manganese in a form plants can still absorb in alkaline soil. If a product just says 'iron sulfate,' it will do less here than a chelated one.
Selective vs. non-selective
Selective kills weeds and leaves the grass. Non-selective (glyphosate-type) kills everything it touches — driveway cracks and bed prep only.
Pre-emergent
Stops weed seeds from sprouting. Timing beats strength — put it down before the seeds germinate, generally late winter and again in early fall here.
St. Augustine turf
The default lawn in Delray Beach. Broad blades, spreads by runners, loves sun and water, and is picky about which weed and insect products touch it. Floratam is the most common cultivar.
Mulch depth
2–3 inches, and never piled against a trunk. Deeper holds too much water in the wet season and invites rot and roaches.
Wet season vs. dry season
June through October it rains almost daily; November through May it barely rains at all. Your irrigation schedule, feeding plan and pest problems all flip with it.
Grass types we help with
Four warm-season turfs cover almost every yard in Palm Beach County, and they don't take the same food, the same mowing height or the same weed killer. Identify yours first — bring us a plug or a close-up photo if you're not sure.
St. Augustine (Floratam, Palmetto, ProVista)
How to spot it: Wide, flat blades with a rounded tip. Spreads by above-ground runners and forms a thick, coarse carpet.
Best for: The default lawn in Delray Beach and Lake Worth. Handles sun, salt air and our sandy soil, and shade-tolerant cultivars like Palmetto work under oaks.
Mowing & feeding: Mow high at 3.5–4 inches, water deeply 1–2 days a week, and feed with slow-release nitrogen plus chelated iron.
Watch for: Chinch bugs in hot, sunny strips; brown patch in the wet season; thatch buildup. Very sensitive to the wrong herbicide — never use anything labeled for bermuda only, and skip atrazine above 85°F.
Zoysia (Empire, Zeon, JaMur)
How to spot it: Fine to medium blades, dense and springy underfoot, and darker green than St. Augustine. Spreads by both runners and underground rhizomes.
Best for: Newer homes and HOA communities that want a manicured look with less water. Good salt and traffic tolerance, and it crowds out weeds once it fills in.
Mowing & feeding: Mow at 1.5–2.5 inches — a reel or sharp rotary blade gives the cleanest cut. Feed lightly; zoysia needs less nitrogen than St. Augustine and yellows from over-feeding.
Watch for: Builds thatch fast, so plan to dethatch or verticut every few years. Billbugs, hunting billbug grubs and large patch fungus in the rainy season. Recovers slowly from damage.
Bermuda (Celebration, TifTuf, common)
How to spot it: Very fine, dark green blades that grow low and aggressively. Spreads by runners and rhizomes and creeps into beds and driveway cracks.
Best for: Full-sun lawns, sports and play areas, and anyone wanting a tight, low-cut finish. Best drought and wear tolerance of the four, and it repairs itself quickly.
Mowing & feeding: Mow low and often — 1–2 inches, at least weekly in the growing season. Needs full sun and more frequent, lighter feeding than zoysia to stay dense.
Watch for: Will not tolerate shade; it thins to bare sand under trees. Mole crickets, armyworms and dollar spot are the common problems, and its edging habit means monthly trimming along walks and beds.
Bahia (Argentine, Pensacola)
How to spot it: Coarse, light green, open-growing turf with tall Y-shaped seed heads through summer.
Best for: Large, unirrigated lots, acreage and swales west of town. Lowest cost and lowest input of the group.
Mowing & feeding: Mow at 3–4 inches and keep the blade sharp — seed stalks dull it fast. Iron helps the color in our alkaline soil more than extra nitrogen does.
Watch for: Never looks manicured, goes off-color in the dry season, and mole crickets love it. Not a good match for an HOA lawn.
The year in a Palm Beach County yard
| Season | Lawn | Beds & plants |
|---|---|---|
| Jan – Feb (dry, cool) | Pre-emergent for summer weeds; hold off on nitrogen until growth restarts. Water 1–2 days/week. | Peak vegetable and herb season. Prune non-blooming shrubs and deciduous trees. |
| Mar – Apr (dry, warming) | First real feeding of the year with slow-release. Watch for chinch bugs in hot, sunny spots. | Feed palms, citrus and mango. Best window for planting trees and hedges before the rains. |
| May (hot, dry) | Last feeding before the county's summer restriction window. Sharpen the mower blade. | Mulch beds before the heat. Finish hurricane pruning early. |
| Jun – Sep (wet season) | No nitrogen or phosphorus under the county ordinance. Iron for color, fungicide for brown patch, and shut the irrigation timer off when it rains. | Fungus and insect pressure peak — whiteflies, lubbers, sod webworms. Cover crops and tropicals thrive. |
| Oct (rains ending) | Resume feeding with slow-release. Second pre-emergent for winter weeds. | Plant the vegetable garden. Divide and repot perennials. |
| Nov – Dec (dry, cool) | Growth slows; cut watering back to 1 day/week and raise the mower height. | Best planting weather of the year for annuals and herbs. Watch for the rare cold snap on tropicals. |
Palm Beach County restricts nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer during the summer rainy season and requires a buffer near canals, lakes and the Intracoastal. Check your city's current ordinance — we stock summer-legal options and can point them out at the counter.