Lawn care in Clermont, FL
Galapagos cares for Clermont lawns on the hills of the Lake Wales Ridge: mowing set up for slopes, cycle-and-soak watering on your St. Johns River district day, and feeding planned around Lake County’s summer fertilizer ban. The result is even turf from the top of the yard to the bottom, without runoff down the driveway.
One watering day, on a hill
Clermont follows the St. Johns River district’s current Phase III order: odd addresses Saturday, even addresses Sunday, no watering 8 a.m.–6 p.m., no more than ¾ inch and no more than one hour per zone. On slopes, splitting a zone’s run time into shorter cycles with a pause between them lets water soak into sandy soil instead of running off — and still fits inside the one-hour limit.
Feeding around the summer ban
Lake County bans nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer on residential turf from June 1 to September 30 in unincorporated areas, and requires at least 50% slow-release nitrogen the rest of the year. We front-load spring feeding with slow-release nitrogen and pick back up in October. Whether the City of Clermont has its own seasonal rule is still being confirmed, so we use the county’s dates inside city limits too.
Mowing slopes safely
Steep banks are where mowers slip and scalp. We choose the mower and the path for each slope, string-trim the sections that are too steep for a machine, and keep the height at the top of your grass’s range so the crest doesn’t burn out. In the cool months, low spots that stay damp are where large patch shows up — UF/IFAS says the fungus is active below about 80 °F — so we tell you if we see the orange-edged rings starting.
What a Clermont lawn visit includes
- mowing with a slope-appropriate path, removing no more than a third of the blade
- string-trimming steep banks and edges along walks and the drive
- clippings left on the lawn and blown off the drive, so they don’t wash downhill to the street and the lakes
- a look at dry crests and wet low spots, with irrigation notes
- an optional fertilizer program timed around the June–September ban
How we start
- Walk the yard and note slopes, sun and how water moves.
- Set the controller to your district day, with cycle-and-soak where it helps.
- Pick a fixed visit day and frequency.
- Send a written quote in English or Spanish.
What affects the price
- lawn size, and how much of it is steep
- banks that need hand trimming
- weekly or every-other-week service
- fertilizer, weed control and irrigation work
Related services in Clermont
Pair mowing with irrigation and sprinkler service to set up cycle-and-soak, and see landscaping in Clermont for banks that are better as beds. The Clermont service area page lists the local rules, and lawn fertilization explains the program.
Watering rules here
St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD)
Phase III water-shortage order: odd addresses Saturday, even addresses Sunday, nonresidential Tuesday; no irrigation 8 a.m.–6 p.m.; no more than one hour per zone.
Checked October 7, 2026. Rules change during droughts — confirm with the official source.
Fertilizer rules
Lake County (unincorporated): no nitrogen or phosphorus June 1–September 30; at least 50% slow-release nitrogen the rest of the year; 15-foot buffer from water. Inside Clermont city limits, confirm current rules with the city.
Questions about lawn care
What is cycle-and-soak watering?
Instead of one long run, the controller waters each zone in two or three short cycles with a pause between them. On a slope, the pause lets water sink in before more arrives, so less runs off. Total time per zone stays within the district’s one-hour limit.
How does my Clermont lawn stay green through the summer ban?
A slow-release spring feeding carries it into summer, and mowing high with deep watering on your allowed day does the rest. Feeding resumes in October.
I see brown rings in my lawn in winter. What are they?
Often large patch, a fungus that UF/IFAS says is active in cool weather, especially where turf stays wet. Watering only in the morning and only when needed, and going easy on nitrogen, help. We can confirm what it is on a visit.
Can you mow a very steep bank?
If a mower can’t hold the slope safely, we cut it with a string trimmer. If that is a weekly struggle, a planted bed may be the better long-term answer.