Want to receive these emails in your inbox each month? Subscribe to the Pilcher Post.
Summer is officially knocking on the door here in Northeast Florida. Between the heat, the humidity, and the afternoon storms rolling in, May is a critical month to get your outdoor spaces dialed in. Here’s what the Pilcher team is focused on this month.
Half-Off Design Consultations — Through June!
Thinking about refreshing your landscape this summer? Now’s the time. Through the end of June, Trudy’s $300 landscape design consultations are just $150 — that’s half off.
Here’s what you get: a 45-minute walkthrough of your property with Trudy, where she’ll assess your existing landscaping, turf, and irrigation, answer your questions, and talk through possibilities for improvements — whether you’re planning a full renovation or just want expert guidance. After your consultation, Trudy sends a follow-up email summarizing everything you discussed along with recommended next steps.
Trudy brings a BS in Horticulture and decades of experience on the First Coast. She’s worked with dozens of HOA boards and loves projects of all sizes — from full property redesigns to quick consultations with new homeowners trying to figure out what they’ve got growing.
New on the Site: Trudy’s Favorites
After years of designing landscapes across the First Coast, Trudy has put together her personal plant library — the species and varieties she reaches for project after project because they look great, grow reliably, and thrive in our heat, humidity, and sandy soils.
Some highlights from the collection:
Foxtail Fern — Lime green color with loose foliage; gorgeous against a dark hedge
Lomandra Platinum Beauty — Trudy’s new favorite. Cold tolerant, whitish grass you only trim every 3–4 years
Penta — The go-to flower for hot summer months (pro tip: get them in the ground before it gets too hot)
Thryallis — Yellow blooms ALL summer long in a sunny spot
Pringles Podocarpus — Trudy’s Florida-friendly replacement for boxwood hedges
Browse the full list, with photos, at pilcherdesigns.com/trudys-favorites.
May Pest Alert: What’s Bugging Your Yard Right Now
As temperatures push into the upper 80s and the rain picks up, pest activity in Northeast Florida landscapes explodes. Here’s what our team is seeing — and what you should be watching for:
🔥 Chinch Bugs — The #1 threat to St. Augustine lawns this time of year. They thrive in hot, sunny areas and can wipe out large sections of turf fast. Look for irregular brown patches that spread outward, especially along driveways and sidewalks where heat radiates.
🐜 Fire Ants — After spring rains, mound activity surges. Fire ants are aggressive and can take over landscape beds, turf areas, and anywhere near irrigation heads. Bait treatments are most effective before mounds get established.
🕷️ Aphids — Podocarpus shrubs: time to watch out for aphids! They love new growth!
🌴 Palm Tree fertilization — after the cold winter, palms are starving for nutrients. We offer quarterly palm tree fertilization and also for serious concerns, we are certified for Arborjet Tree Injection.
Pilcher Pest Prevention specializes in outdoor lawn and landscape pest management — keeping your turf, ornamentals, and landscape beds healthy and pest-free. If you’re seeing any of the issues above (or just want to get ahead of them), give us a call.
Summer-Ready Irrigation: Set It Up Now, Save Later
May is when irrigation shifts from “nice to have” to “absolutely essential.” As the dry stretches between afternoon storms get hotter and longer, your system needs to be running efficiently — or your landscape will show it fast. Here’s what we recommend:
Run a Full System Check — Walk every zone while it’s running. Look for heads that aren’t popping up, leaking valves, misaligned spray patterns, and dry spots where coverage is falling short. Small issues now become expensive problems by July.
Adjust your zones to a summer schedule — With St. Johns County restrictions, we want to be careful not to overwater, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get the max out of every watering zone.
Check Your Rain Sensor — If your system ran during last week’s rain, your rain sensor may be faulty or disconnected. A working rain sensor prevents overwatering, protects your landscape from fungal disease, and keeps you compliant with local watering ordinances. Rain sensors can also save you money, because if we have rain, they will shut off the system and keep you from wasting water.
Whether you need a quick tune-up, a full system evaluation, or a brand new irrigation install, Pilcher Irrigation has you covered. We service Ponte Vedra Beach, the Beaches communities, Nocatee, and surrounding areas.
Love Your Pilcher Experience?
If you’ve had a great experience with any of our Pilcher companies, we’d be grateful if you’d take a moment to leave us a Google review. It helps our small, family-owned business more than you know — and helps your neighbors find us too.
Review Pilcher Property |
Review Pilcher Pest Prevention
Meet Mark & Trudy Pilcher
For decades, Mark and Trudy Pilcher have been the heartbeat of Pilcher Companies. Both horticulture graduates with a passion for Northeast Florida’s unique landscape, they’ve built a family of businesses dedicated to making your outdoor spaces beautiful, healthy, and pest-free. Trudy brings her artistic vision and plant expertise to every landscape design, while Mark ensures operations run smoothly and your property stays protected. Together, they’ve created a legacy of excellence that serves our community with integrity and care.