New homeowner’s first-year lawn plan in Celebration

If you just bought a home in Celebration, the first year of lawn care comes down to three things: get new sod rooted under the South Florida Water Management District rules, follow a simple Central Florida calendar for feeding and weeds, and mow at the right height for your grass. This plan covers the first 90 days and then the year, month by month.

What should I do in the first week?

• Find out what grass you have. Most yards here are St. Augustine; some are Zoysia or Bahia. Each is mowed at a different height.
• Find the irrigation controller and write down the zones, the days and the run times. Check that the rain sensor works; Florida law requires one on automatic systems.
• Check your watering days. Celebration is in Osceola County, under SFWMD’s year-round rule: two days a week, odd addresses on Wednesday and/or Saturday, even or no address on Thursday and/or Sunday, never between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. When we checked on October 7, 2026, there was no shortage order for Osceola.
• Read your community’s landscape standards. Celebration neighborhoods have their own rules for front yards; know them before you change anything.

How do I water new sod in Celebration?

If the builder or the seller laid new sod, it needs more water than an established lawn, and the rules allow it. UF/IFAS recommends watering new sod 5 to 10 minutes several times a day for the first 7 to 10 days, then about once a day with ¼ to ½ inch for another 7 to 10 days, then tapering off. SFWMD allows new landscaping to be watered any day except Friday for days 1 to 30, and on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday for days 31 to 90. After that, go back to your normal two days.

Mow new sod only once it has rooted, when it no longer lifts at the edges. Wait at least 30 days after planting to fertilize.

What does the first year look like, month by month?

The UF/IFAS Central Florida calendar is the backbone. Expect your lawn to run a few weeks early or late.

• February: pre-emergent weed control around February 15, before five straight days at 65–70 °F. Not “weed and feed”.
• March–May: the dry spring. Growth picks up; return to a regular mowing schedule. Irrigation coverage matters most. Watch for chinch bugs in sunny spots from May.
• Early April: the first lawn fertilizer of the year, after green-up, with little or no phosphorus unless a soil test calls for it.
• June–September: the summer rains. Weekly mowing. Hurricane season starts June 1. Osceola has no summer fertilizer blackout, but its ordinance prohibits fertilizing during tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings.
• September: watch for armyworms, chinch bugs and sod webworms.
• Early October: the last lawn fertilizer of the year.
• November–December: large patch season. Water only in the morning and only when the lawn needs it.
• December–January: slow growth; mow only when the grass needs it.

The Florida lawn calendar has the full list, and our fertilizer rules by county post explains the Osceola rules.

How high should I mow?

UF/IFAS: standard St. Augustine such as Floratam at 3.5 to 4 inches, dwarf varieties at 2.5 inches, Zoysia at 2 to 2.5 inches. Never take off more than a third of the blade at once. See how often to mow St. Augustine.

What about the beds and trees the builder planted?

Builder beds are often thin on mulch. Keep 2 to 3 inches around established plants, about a foot clear of tree trunks and a few inches from small plants, as UF/IFAS recommends. Young trees and palms need their own watering until they establish. If you plan to add beds or change plants, our new homeowners page covers the first 90 days in more detail.

What should I leave alone?

• Do not mow short to make the lawn look neat; it invites chinch bugs and weeds.
• Do not fertilize new sod in the first 30 days, or before heavy rain.
• Do not cut green fronds off young palms.
• Do not dig for new beds without calling Sunshine 811 first.

Want it handled?

We care for lawns in Celebration, with lawn care in Celebration on one weekly or every-other-week schedule. Request a free quote or call (407) 577-6400; we identify your grass and check the irrigation on the first visit.