The best grass for an Orlando lawn
Orlando is warm-season turf territory. Here are the realistic options for a Florida lawn:
The default lawn across Orlando and Kissimmee — broad blades, the best shade tolerance of the warm-season grasses, and happy in sandy soil. Floratam is the most widely sold cultivar; the dwarf types like Seville hold up better in shade.
Finer textured and denser underfoot than St. Augustine, and it takes foot traffic well. It wants full sun and builds thatch, so it needs dethatching every few years.
The tough, cheap choice for big Osceola County lots and anywhere without irrigation. Deep roots handle drought and sand, but it looks coarse and throws tall Y-shaped seed heads all summer.
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Your Orlando lawn year, at a glance
Timing matters more than products. Here's the month-by-month rhythm for an Orlando lawn — built around St. Augustinegrass, the most common local choice:
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Orlando soil temperature right now
Soil temperature — not the calendar — is what actually triggers your treatments. This is the same live gauge you get in your plan, reading Orlando:
Orlando's soil
Orlando-area soils are deep, sandy, and low in organic matter, so water and nutrients drain straight through and slow-release fertilizer is worth the extra cost. Inland Central Florida sands usually run acidic, but lawns near the metro's lakes can sit on very different muck or organic soils. Most of the metro also falls under the St. Johns River Water Management District, which sets year-round watering-day limits that change with daylight saving time — check your current schedule before setting an irrigation timer. Get a UF/IFAS soil test through your county extension office before liming rather than guessing.
Weeds that hit Orlando lawns
Round coin-shaped leaves that signal overwatering — in this metro it usually means the irrigation timer is running more than the district allows.
Triangular stems that shoot up faster than the lawn after summer storms; it needs a sedge-specific herbicide, not regular weed killer.
Emerges late, hides in the turf, and thrives in the wet compacted ground common in newer Kissimmee subdivisions.
Looks like a miniature mimosa seedling and seeds itself across a lawn in weeks — pull or treat it young.
A summer annual that a February to early March pre-emergent stops before it ever germinates.
Not sure what you're fighting? Identify it with a photo →
See your Orlando lawn measured in about 2 minutes
Drop your address, trace your lot on satellite imagery, and the tool cuts out your house, driveway and beds for an exact lawn square footage — then turns it into a free, Orlando-specific care plan with the right product amounts.
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The tools and products that do the most for a Florida lawn — expert-ranked picks, no measuring needed.
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Top picks for Orlando lawns
Matched to this metro's climate and the season ahead.
Ortho BugClear Lawn Insect Killer (Granules)
Beginner friendly
Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer for Lawns (Granules)
Beginner friendlyKills ants, grubs, chinch bugs and other listed lawn insects. One 10 lb bag covers up to 12,500 sq ft.
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Orlando lawn care FAQ
What is the best grass for an Orlando lawn?
St. Augustinegrass suits most Orlando and Kissimmee yards — it handles the heat and sandy soil and tolerates more shade than the alternatives, which matters on lots with mature oaks. Floratam is the common cultivar, with dwarf types like Seville for shadier lawns. Zoysia is the pick for full-sun lawns wanting a finer texture, and Bahiagrass makes sense for large, unirrigated Osceola County lots.
Why is my St. Augustine lawn turning brown in patches?
In Central Florida the first suspect is chinch bugs, not drought. They attack the hottest, driest strips first — along driveways, sidewalks, and sunny edges — and leave spreading yellow-to-brown patches that keep growing even after you water. Part the grass at the edge of a dying patch and look for small black-and-white insects at the soil line. In cooler, wetter stretches, large circular patches are more likely brown patch fungus, which needs a fungicide instead.
When should I fertilize my lawn in Orlando?
Wait until the grass is fully green and actively growing — usually March — then feed again in September or early October. Use slow-release nitrogen, because Orlando's sandy soil lets quick-release nitrogen leach past the roots. Do not fertilize during winter dormancy, and check your county ordinance first: Orange County and several Central Florida jurisdictions restrict nitrogen and phosphorus during the summer rainy season.
How often can I water my lawn in the Orlando area?
Watering days are capped year-round by your water management district rather than left to preference. Most of the metro falls under the St. Johns River Water Management District, which allows more days during daylight saving time than in winter, and many Orlando-area subdivisions irrigate with reclaimed water under separate local rules. Check your address's current schedule, then water deeply on the days you are allowed instead of lightly every day.
How much does lawn care cost in Orlando?
A standard mowing visit around Orlando and Kissimmee generally runs about $35-$65 depending on lot size, and a full year of professional treatment covering fertilizing, weed control, and pest applications typically lands between $900 and $2,400.
My new Kissimmee build has thin, patchy sod. What went wrong?
New subdivisions across Osceola County are commonly sodded over compacted fill sand with almost no topsoil, so the roots never get established and the lawn thins within a season. Water deeply and less often to push roots down, hold off on heavy nitrogen until the grass is actively growing, and topdress thin areas with a thin layer of compost. Measure your lawn first so you are dosing to the actual square footage rather than the builder's lot size.