The Tampa area is well-known for its balmy weather. Summers provide perfect beach days and afternoon showers, while the other seasons remain warm and welcoming for those looking to escape the chill of northern states.

The Sunshine State is also renowned for its humidity. There’s no question that Tampa Bay can be a little sticky, regardless of the season. Mix this heat and humidity together, and you have Florida’s year-round climate.

Love it or hate it, this climate presents some interesting hurdles for landscapes to overcome. If you have an HOA commercial landscaping property in Tampa Bay, you’ll want to take the following steps to help maintain it through the hottest, most humid months of the year.

Maintaining HOA Commercial Landscaping in a Hot and Humid Climate

Keeping your Florida HOA landscape looking pristine is essential to its visual appeal and the happiness of those who experience it each day. With these tips from experienced Tampa Bay landscapers, you can ensure yours stays as perfect as possible.

Water Smart

Despite Tampa Bay’s relatively consistent precipitation, it is important to water your landscape regularly. Determining the amount of water certain plants need is a job for the experts, which is why we recommend working with a professional landscaping team and a fine gardener to set up your irrigation system.

While investing in a smart irrigation system is the best long-term plan, some general guidelines for watering plants in Tampa Bay are as follows.

• Water in the morning. This limits evaporation and allows plants to absorb as much water as possible.
• Aim for the roots. This is where smart irrigation and micro-irrigation Watering at the roots is typically the most potent way to quench your plants’ thirst and protect them from heat stress.

Mulch Matters

Aside from looking great and creating visual texture, mulch serves a unique purpose in hot, humid landscapes. Most people think of the primary benefit of mulch as being a weed deterrent, and it does serve this purpose. Perhaps a more beneficial advantage for Floridians, however, is its ability to lock in moisture and reduce heat.

When considered together, these two benefits can work wonders for the health of your HOA landscaping, especially when the temperatures rise and the occasional drought strikes.

No Short Cuts

We mean this literally. Cutting your lawn too short when the weather is hot can damage roots, encourage weed growth, and even harm your soil. The standard recommendation for cutting height is a minimum of 3 inches. This height makes your Tampa Bay HOA landscaping look phenomenal while also protecting your soil and keeping your grass healthy.

When you do cut, consider leaving the clippings. While some people prefer to remove them, leaving them on the lawn can act as a natural fertilizer, benefiting your soil, grass, and HOA property in the long run.

Stick to a Schedule

Because Tampa Bay has hot, humid weather practically all year, plant life tends to flourish. Sticking to a landscape maintenance schedule is key to preventing weeds from invading, plant beds from becoming overgrown, and debris from encroaching on walkways.

In other words, regular maintenance is vital to a beautiful, well-kept HOA landscape. A reputable landscaping company can work with you to develop a schedule that works for you, your HOA, and the specific needs of your landscaping.

Trust the Experts

The hot, humid climate of Tampa Bay can be a challenge for HOA properties. Rather than going at it alone, consider working with a landscaper that has experience managing commercial landscapes in the Tampa area. They will assess the needs of your specific landscape, work with you to develop a maintenance plan, and help take your HOA landscaping to new heights.

Landcrafters has been doing exactly that for over 20 years. With a team of passionate landscaping professionals, Landcrafters can help you achieve your HOA landscaping vision. To discuss your commercial Tampa Bay property, feel free to reach out to us. You can also peruse our blog for more landscaping tips, tricks, and insights like this. It is updated regularly and completely free, so enjoy!