County: Embrace brown grass during drought
Severe drought is impacting nearly all of Lee County, causing grass to change from lush green to dry and brown. From Charlotte to Collier counties, dry weather ranges from moderate to severe. The National Weather Service reported that 2025 was the sixth driest year on record in Fort Myers, and the consequences have rolled into 2026.
However, despite its negative cause, Lee County is reminding residents that brown grass is not always a bad thing. In fact, it can be Florida-friendly by resulting in less fertilizer and water usage.
During a drought, water conservation is especially important. Residents should be sure Water Smart:
– Comply with the seasonal ordinance (February through May) and reduce at-home irrigation in unincorporated Lee, which includes Captiva, to one day per week.
– Limit irrigation to when the sun is down (dusk to dawn) to ensure maximum absorption.
– Water deeply and infrequently to make your grass drought tolerant.
– Turn off garden hoses when not in use. Use an automatic shutoff nozzle.
Although fertilizer can be applied during this time of year with the right precautions that abide by the county’s year-round fertilizer ordinance, applying it to dormant turf during a severe drought can have a negative result.
If you want to restore your brown grass, go fertilizer-free with the following tips:
– Use mulch to moisture and moderate soil temperature.
– Use compost and leave lawn clippings down to act as natural compost.
– Never cut more than one-third of the leaf blade when mowing. This reduces stress on your grass and encourages deep rooting, which makes your grass drought tolerant.
While fertilizing should be minimized in the winter, residents should abide by Lee County’s Fertilize Smart regulations year-round by avoiding fertilizing within 10 feet of waterways, sweeping up spills rather than rinsing them, and not fertilizing if rain is projected.
Maintaining a green lawn with turfgrass requires a lot of time, money and fertilizer, so consider switching to a Florida-friendly alternative that requires much less, like sunshine mimosa, twinflower or frogfruit.
Do not stress over brown grass this winter. Take the right steps to reduce your water and fertilizer usage, consider your alternatives, and strive to protect our environment and waterways throughout the drought.
For more information on ways homeowners and landscapers can protect local waterways, visit FertilizeSmart.com.