Understand Winter’s Pace
Central Florida turf doesn’t go dormant the way northern grasses do, but it absolutely slows its growth from November through February. Cooler nights and shorter days reduce evapotranspiration, so the blades simply do not need as much supplemental moisture. Overwatering in this window suffocates roots, encourages brown patch fungus, and wastes hundreds of gallons every week.
Dial Back Each Zone
Start by reviewing your controller. Most Central Florida properties run 8–12 irrigation zones split between turf, ornamental beds, and drip lines. During winter, cut each turf zone to one cycle per week at 20–25 minutes. Beds and drip can usually run every 10–14 days unless you have newly installed plantings.
- St. Augustine: 1 day per week, 25 minutes per zone
- Zoysia: 1 day per week, 20 minutes per zone
- Bermuda: 1 day per week, 15–20 minutes per zone
If your controller supports seasonal adjust, drop it to 60%. If not, go zone by zone and manually reduce the runtimes.
Watch for Overwatering Symptoms
Shallow puddling or spongy turf a few hours after a cycle is your first warning. Look for:
- Yellow-orange patches that quickly turn brown — often brown patch fungus
- Mushrooms emerging the morning after irrigation
- Blades that pull up easily because roots are rotting
- Consistent standing water around hardscape edges
Any of those signs mean scale back further and consider a fungicide application guided by a licensed applicator.
Mind Microclimates
Shaded areas, north-facing lawns, and beds beneath dense oak canopy all dry more slowly. Adjust those zones independently. It is perfectly acceptable to skip an entire irrigation cycle if you’ve received a half inch of rain during the prior week — that’s the law in many jurisdictions and just good stewardship.
Lean on Your Sensors
Test your rain sensor or soil moisture sensor quarterly. A stuck sensor is a silent water waster. Tap the sensor housing to ensure the controller registers the interruption, and replace batteries where applicable. Southern Oaks clients on our maintenance program receive these inspections automatically.
Need help programming seasonal changes? Our estate managers reset controllers for every maintenance client in late October so you never have to guess.