Florida Winter Irrigation Guide: How Often Should You Water Your Lawn?

Florida winters may be mild, but they create a unique challenge for homeowners when it comes to watering their lawns. Cooler temperatures, reduced daylight, lower humidity, and inconsistent rainfall all affect how quickly (or slowly) your soil dries. Watering too much during the winter can invite fungus and disease, while not watering enough can cause stress, browning, and weakened root systems just before spring.

This guide breaks down exactly how often to water your lawn during a Florida winter, regardless of whether you have St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bahia, or a mixed turf. You’ll also learn how to use local watering restrictions to your advantage, and how to spot signs that your lawn needs more (or less) water.

Why Lawn Watering Changes During Florida Winters

Florida’s winter conditions shift the natural rhythm of a lawn:

✔ Cooler temperatures slow down growth

Grass doesn’t use as much water in December–February, so it doesn’t need constant irrigation.

✔ Shorter days reduce evaporation

With less sunlight, the soil stays moist longer.

✔ Less rainfall means lawns don’t get natural irrigation

Florida’s “dry season” reliably brings long stretches without rain starting in November.

✔ Cold snaps can shock grass

A well-hydrated lawn handles frost and near-freezing temps much better than a dry lawn.

These factors combined mean you need to water less often, but more precisely, during winter.

How Often to Water Your Lawn in a Florida Winter (By Grass Type)

Here are the recommended general watering guidelines for Dec–Feb:

🌱 St. Augustine Grass

Water: Once per week (½–¾ inch per watering)

St. Augustine is sensitive to drought but also prone to fungus—making winter a delicate balance. Once per week is typically enough unless your soil is extremely sandy.

🌱 Zoysia Grass

Water: Once every 7–10 days (½ inch per watering)

Zoysia is drought-tolerant and goes semi-dormant in winter. Overwatering is a common problem that can lead to patch decline.

🌱 Bahia Grass

Water: Every 10–14 days (½ inch per watering)

Bahia is the hardiest winter grass in Florida and needs the least irrigation. It may lighten in color seasonally, but that doesn’t mean it needs more water.

🌱 Mixed or Unknown Turf

If you’re unsure what type of grass you have: Water once per week unless you see signs of overwatering (listed below).

The 1/2-Inch Rule (Critical for Winter)

Regardless of frequency, each watering session should apply ½ inch of water.

This ensures:

• roots stay hydrated

• runoff is minimized

• fungus risk is reduced

You can test this using:

• 3–4 tuna cans placed around your yard

• irrigation audit cups

• your smart controller’s readout (if installed)

If the cans fill to approx. ½ inch, your system is dialed in.

Signs You’re Overwatering in Winter

If you see these symptoms, reduce watering:

⚠ Mushy soil

⚠ Persistent standing water

⚠ Grass blades yellowing

⚠ Rapid weed growth

⚠ Mushrooms appearing

⚠ Fungal patches (gray, brown, or dark circles)

Overwatering is the #1 cause of winter lawn disease in Florida.

Signs Your Lawn Needs More Water

Winter dormancy can make this tricky, but these indicators mean your yard is drying out too much:

✔ Grass blades folding inward

✔ Footprints remain visible after walking

✔ Blue-gray tint to the grass

✔ Cracking or shrinking soil

✔ Irrigation zones drying unevenly

If you spot these, increase watering slightly or shorten the interval between sessions.

Florida County Watering Restrictions (Why They Matter)

The Southwest Florida Water Management District and St. Johns River Water Management District typically enforce one-day-per-week irrigation during winter.

For homeowners, this is actually ideal because:it prevents overwatering and protects your lawn from cold-weather fungus.

Most counties allow irrigation:

• before 10 a.m. or

• after 4 p.m.

Check your street number restrictions, as watering days are typically assigned based on your address.

Best Practices for Winter Watering in Florida

1. Water early in the morning

Run sprinklers between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m.This prevents fungus and reduces evaporation.

2. Avoid evening irrigation

Watering at night in cooler months keeps the lawn wet for too long—perfect conditions for winter fungus.

3. Run irrigation before a cold front—not after

Moist soil retains heat and protects roots during frost.

4. Adjust your irrigation controller seasonally

If your system stays on a summer schedule, your lawn will suffer in winter.

Switch from:

• 3 days/week → 1 day/week

• 20–30 minutes per zone → 7–15 minutes per zone

5. Check and clean sprinkler heads

Clogged, tilted, or broken heads cause uneven watering—leading to brown patches or fungus outbreaks.

6. Don’t irrigate after heavy rain

Give the soil time to dry out. Overly saturated winter lawns are at high risk for disease.

Should You Water Before a Freeze?

Yes—but only lightly.

A light watering before a freeze helps:

• protect root systems

• insulate soil

• prevent frost dehydration

Never water during or after a freeze event.

Smart Controllers Make Winter Watering Easy

If you use a smart irrigation controller (like Rain Bird, Rachio, etc.), winter adjustments are simple:

• set seasonal adjustment to ~40–50%

• let the controller react to temperature & rainfall

• add freeze-skip protection

This can reduce water waste by 30–50%.