by Larry Williams | Apr 29, 2014
Kentucky bluegrass, Fescuegrass & ryegrass (annual ryegrass pictured) can be seeded to provide a temporary winter lawn but will not provide a permanent lawn in Florida due to our hot, wet summers. Photo Credit: Dan Culbert, UF/IFAS
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This phrase offers sound advice for the person looking for the “perfect” lawn grass.
It’s common to see advertisements for the perfect lawn grass. You should be skeptical when reading advertisements that proclaim an amazing grass that produces a lush, green lawn with very little care. Question advertisements for grass seed mixtures that grow from Alaska to Florida. Beware of advertisements that do not include a specific name for the lawn grass being sold. Don’t believe advertisements that claim their grass even grows in impossible spots.
A number of years ago, I called a company that was advertising a grass seed mixture in hopes of finding out specifically what grass seeds were in this “too-good-to-be-true” mixture. I was told the seed mixture included Kentucky bluegrass, creeping red fescue and annual ryegrass. This information was not included in the advertisement. And it claimed that it would produce an attractive lawn for Florida.
In Florida, ryegrass, fescuegrass and Kentucky bluegrass will produce a green lawn during winter and early spring. However, as temperatures warm in late spring and summer, these grasses will die. All three are cool-season grasses that will not tolerate our hot, humid summer weather. They will not produce a permanent lawn in our area.
Basically there are seven types of grasses from which to choose when considering planting a lawn in Florida. Centipede and St. Augustine are the most commonly planted in our area. Bahia, bermuda, carpet, seashore paspalum and zoysia are used less often. All of these grasses have advantages and disadvantages, which should be looked at and understood before choosing a grass for your lawn.
With time, most people in our area will become frustrated with their lawn. As a result, North Florida is a great area to market a too-good-to-be-true lawn grass. It’s difficult to grow a lawn here. All of our lawn grasses are native to other parts of the world – they did not exist in our native ecosystem. Expectations for a Florida lawn are too high. Because of these factors, many people are looking for that too-good-to-be-true grass.
Be cautious before spending time and money on one of those “perfect” lawn grasses.
Contact the University of Florida Extension Office in your County or visit the following website for reliable information on lawn grass selection and maintenance for Florida. hort.ufl.edu/yourfloridalawn
by Beth Bolles | Apr 15, 2014
How can an animal that does such much to help rid your lawn of pests be so hated by most homeowners? Such is the life of the mole.
The beneficial mammal is a soil dweller that tunnels through the soil, increasing aeration as it searches out a meal of beetle grubs, mole crickets, and slugs. Moles prefer loose soil and can tunnel more than 15 feet an hour. Moist soil brings the food source closer to the surface which in turn bring moles up to expose raised tunnels to homeowners. These tunnels are mostly cosmetic and show up easily in mulched areas and lawns with heavier weed populations. Most homeowners with a healthy, thicker lawn will rarely notice mole activity unless they encounter loose areas as they walk over the turf. These can easily be pressed back down with your foot.
Mole tunnel in weedy area. Photo: Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
There are management techniques for moles which include traps and ridding the lawn of the food source. The best practices are to manage the turf through proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing to create a uniform, healthy cover. For the most part, mole management is not even required. Consider the benefits of the moles as predators and allow them to be a natural part of the landscape environment. For more information on moles read the University of Florida IFAS Extension publication.
by Les Harrison | Apr 8, 2014
While the azaleas may be blooming, most north Florida Lawns still need some work to be ready for the growing season.
Spring is officially here, so this means it is time to get the lawn in shape for another growing season in north Florida. The first step is to develop an action plan which sets the path to achieving turf success.
A good starting point is mowing the lawn to get any leaves removed and trim any weeds which have emerged. Empty the bagged clipping in a compost pile for later use.
Shaded areas under trees must be treated differently since grass will not grow in those areas. Just leave the natural tree leaf mulch there and add additional mulch as needed.
If there are marginally shaded areas where turf is preferred, spring is a good time to plant some grass plugs. All southern turf grasses prefer full sun, but a few St. Augustine cultivars such as ‘Seville’, ‘Delmar’, and ‘Captiva’ will tolerate some shade.
Trying some plugs of ‘Seville’ St. Augustine is a low-cost way of determining if there is enough sunlight to grow grass. The plugs are available at local garden centers.
If the plugs don’t take hold and spread, then there is not enough sunlight. Use groundcovers, mulches, or other plantings in these shaded areas.
Before mowing, use a ruler to set the cutting level. Try to never remove more than one-third the length of the grass blade at any one mowing.
Sharpen the mower blades after every four to eight hours of mowing so a ragged cut is avoided. Maintain St. Augustine grass at about three inches tall and centipede at about one and one-half inches.
Most of the weeds currently in panhandle Florida lawns are winter annuals. They are flowering and will soon go to seed, then die as the weather gets hotter.
It is difficult to kill these winter annuals at this mature stage, so applying herbicide now is pointless. The best option is to keep the weeds mown so they do not produce as many seed and reemerge next year. Also, apply a pre-emergent herbicide in October 2014 to minimize 2015’s spring weeds.
Now is the time to put out a pre-emergent herbicide for some of the summer weeds, particularly chamberbitter.
Unless a soil test indicates a need for phosphorus, the best fertilizers to use on lawns will be missing this nutrient. The commonly available 15-0-15 fertilizers should also have half of the nitrogen (7.5%) in a slow-release form.
Many local retailers have these 15-0-15 fertilizers with and without herbicide. Generally speaking apply the 15-0-15 fertilizer without herbicide. Below is a table of recommended fertilizer application rates based on typical lawn square footage.
Table 2. Recommended application rates for turfgrass fertilizers to Florida lawns: 15–30 percent slow-release nitrogen. From Publication #ENH979
| Use this table to match the size of your lawn to the percentage of nitrogen (N) in your fertilizer to find the amount of fertilizer you need to apply. If you have a bahiagrass lawn, apply this amount of fertilizer about four times a year no matter where you live in the state. For centipedegrass, apply about twice a year in north Florida . For St. Augustinegrass or zoysiagrass, apply about four to six times a year in north Florida. UF/IFAS recommends soil testing for phosphorus content before any P fertilizer is applied. |
| |
6% N |
10% N |
12% N |
15% N |
16% N |
23% N |
27% N |
| 1,000 ft2 |
8.25 lbs |
5 lbs |
4.25 lbs |
3.25 lbs |
3 lbs |
2.25 lbs |
2 lbs |
| 1,100 ft2 |
9.25 lbs |
5.5 lbs |
4.75 lbs |
3.5 lbs |
3.5 lbs |
2.5 lbs |
2 lbs |
| 1,200 ft2 |
10 lbs |
6 lbs |
5.25 lbs |
4 lbs |
3.75 lbs |
2.5 lbs |
2.25 lbs |
| 1,300 ft2 |
11 lbs |
6.5 lbs |
5.75 lbs |
4.25 lbs |
4 lbs |
2.75 lbs |
2.5 lbs |
| 1,400 ft2 |
11.75 lbs |
7 lbs |
6.25 lbs |
4.5 lbs |
4.5 lbs |
3 lbs |
2.5 lbs |
| 1,500 ft2 |
12.5 lbs |
7.5 lbs |
6.75 lbs |
5 lbs |
4.75 lbs |
3.25 lbs |
2.75 lbs |
| 2,000 ft2 |
16.75 lbs |
10 lbs |
8.5 lbs |
6.5 lbs |
6 lbs |
4.5 lbs |
4 lbs |
| 2,500 ft2 |
20.75 lbs |
12.5 lbs |
10.5 lbs |
8.25 lbs |
7.75 lbs |
5.5 lbs |
4.75 lbs |
| 3,000 ft2 |
25 lbs |
15 lbs |
12.75 lbs |
9.75 lbs |
9 lbs |
6.5 lbs |
6 lbs |
| 3,500 ft2 |
29 lbs |
17.5 lbs |
15 lbs |
11.5 lbs |
10.75 lbs |
7.75 lbs |
6.75 lbs |
| 4,000 ft2 |
33 lbs |
20 lbs |
17 lbs |
13 lbs |
12 lbs |
9 lbs |
8 lbs |
| 4,500 ft2 |
37 lbs |
22.5 lbs |
19 lbs |
14.75 lbs |
13.75 lbs |
10 lbs |
8.75 lbs |
| 5,000 ft2 |
41 lbs |
25 lbs |
21.25 lbs |
16.5 lbs |
15.5 lbs |
11 lbs |
9.5 lbs |
| *These recommendations assume use of a properly calibrated spreader. See www.yourfloridalawn.ifas.ufl.edu for instructions on calibrating your spreader. |
If the soil is too compacted, too wet, too dry, or has nematodes, certain weeds may grow better in those conditions than does your lawn grass. Take the time to identify why the grass is not growing well.
Rain has provided enough water so far this spring, but this could change at any moment. However, do not water unless it is needed.
Only water when about thirty percent of the lawn wilts, turning dull grayish color as the leaf blades roll inward. At that time water deeply, applying about one-half inch of water as measured in cans placed in the sprinkler pattern.
To learn more about proper turf care in north Florida contact your local UF/IFAS County Extension Office.
by Larry Williams | Apr 1, 2014
Sodding Lawn Photo Credit: UF/IFAS
Hand Raking Lawn Area Photo Credit: UF/IFAS
Cutting corners during lawn renovation usually results in poor turf establishment and long-term lawn maintenance problems.
Occasionally it is necessary to renovate a lawn or replant sections of a lawn. When replanting a lawn, it is best to not cut corners – you’ll usually pay for it in the long run. One of the most important factors is to prepare a good planting bed when renovating a lawn.
It doesn’t matter if you intend to re-sod, re-sprig or reseed; you need a level, loose and well-drained planting site for your lawn. A level lawn is much easier to mow. The loose soil allows for quicker root and runner establishment. Also, a well-drained site allows excess water to drain, preventing some disease problems.
One option is to spray the existing weeds and grass with a glyphosate herbicide such as Roundup. Allow the proper number of days for the weeds and grass to turn yellow (usually seven to 10 days).
Next, thoroughly till the area to a depth of 6 to 8 inches to loosen the soil.
Finally, level and smooth the planting bed, raking and then dragging (if needed) the bed. This can be done with a hand-rake and a hand-pulled drag such as a piece of chain-link fence on smaller areas. A tractor with rake and a grading box can be used on larger areas. A second option is to rent a sod cutter or remove the existing grass with a shovel before tilling and grading the site.
But whatever you do, don’t just lay new sod or broadcast grass seeds over a compacted, uneven, old lawn. There are just too many possibilities of having long-term and costly lawn problems as a result.
For additional information on establishing a Florida lawn, contact your local University of Florida Extension Office or visit http://hort.ufl.edu/yourfloridalawn.
by Beth Bolles | Oct 7, 2013
It is now too late for homeowners to apply nitrogen fertilzers to warm season lawns for the year.
Many fertilizers are available in the stores and promotions are everywhere that state that now is the time for lawns to be winterized. Applications of nitrogen after mid September can lead to turf problems next spring. Nitrogen encourages growth of the grass which uses up stored food. As the weather frequently changes throughout the winter months, grasses may use up their food reserves and not have enough carbohydrates to regrow when weather consistently warms next year.
Besides creating unnessary new growth as grasses enter winter dormancy, lawns receive additional stresses when gardeners add nitrogen this late in the season One such issue with a late season application of nitrogen is that it can make the grass more susceptible to large patch fungus. This fungus is active when soil temperatures range between 75 and 65 degrees F. Nitrogen applications encourage lush growth which can increase the incidence of the disease.
Large patch fungus can be more of a problem on turf following late season nitrogen applications.
For those that feel it necessary to apply some type of fertilizer now, potassium may be applied for the next couple of weeks. Potassium is often sold as a 0-0-60 and the rate is about 1.5 lbs. of the fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn.
Learn much more about lawn fertilization from the University of Florida IFAS Extension.
by Carrie Stevenson | Oct 7, 2013
After severe weather of any kind, homeowners must often spend a considerable amount of time dealing with impacts to their landscapes. Below are a few lessons we have learned from hurricanes and tropical storms in the past. Many thanks to fellow agent Beth Bolles for her contributions to this article.
Dealing with Toppled Trees
It may be difficult to turn an uprooted favorite tree into firewood, but this is probably the best choice. A small or young tree may be replanted successfully if done immediately. These trees will require bracing for up to two years until the root systems regrow and are able to support themselves. If the roots have been exposed for an extended period of time, don’t try and save the tree. Exposed roots should be covered with soil or moist burlap for protection from drying out. Large or older trees will typically not survive this ordeal even with the best of care. Because the root system is compromised, attempting to keep the tree may create a hazard down the road with the next storm.
If a tree is completely uprooted, its odds of recovery are severely limited and it is best to remove the tree. Photo courtesy Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension
When removing fallen trees, think ahead about whether you plan to remove stumps. It’s a lot easier to pull instead of dig stumps out of the ground, so leave a four-foot stump to make your life easier. Be careful using power equipment like chain saws. It may be better to hire a professional to deal with removing large trees, especially around power lines.
Exposed Roots or Leaning Trees
Any exposed roots should be covered immediately. Cover roots with nearby soil at the same level roots were originally growing. Do not bank the soil higher because this will cut off oxygen supplies to roots in an already oxygen deprived, saturated soil.
If small trees are leaning and need straightening, they can be staked and treated like a newly planted tree. Larger trees with trunks greater than six inches in diameter can be saved but should be removed if they are a hazard to structures, power lines, or roadways. Reset the trees with stakes or guy wires for support. Trees with trunks measuring less than two inches in diameter can be supported with two or three forty-eight inch, two inch by two inch wood stakes placed one foot outside of the root ball inserted eighteen inches into the ground. Larger trees should be anchored with three or four guy wires or cables. Cover guy wires that are in contact with the trunk with rubber hoses to prevent damage.
A leaning, partially uprooted tree may recover if it is righted and its roots are covered back with soil. Photo courtesty Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension
Replace the soil around the area and firm to assure there are no air pockets around the roots. Make sure the top root coming off the trunk is level with the existing soil. If many trees were swaying back and forth during the wind, there may be air pockets underneath the trees. If this is obvious, add soil and water to eliminate any air pockets. If root damage is obvious, do not fertilize at this time because salts in the fertilizer may damage new feeder roots.
Broken Branches
Broken branches should be removed from trees and shrubs as soon as possible to prevent tearing into trunk wood. Make clean cuts just outside of the branch collar to avoid damaging the trunk. If these are large branches, make three separate cuts to prevent tearing. Make the first cut on the underside of the branch about fifteen inches from the trunk and one-third through the branch. The second cut is made from the top, a few inches out from the first cut. This cut should remove the weight of the branch so the next one will not rip the trunk. The remaining stub can be held while the last cut is made. Make the last cut just outside the branch bark ridge and end outside the trunk collar (swollen area on lower side of branch). This is not a flush cut with the trunk and should leave a small protrusion on the trunk. Do not use wound dressing on the cut surface, as this practice is no longer recommended.
If trees lost all of their branches, it is advisable to remove the tree. The natural shape is gone and trees like pines will typically not recover. Some trees may lose the majority of their leaves, but these will flush back out so they should be okay.
Repairing Lawns
Keep a close eye on lawns for disease problems due to all the rain. Brown patch and take-all root rot would be the major concerns. Rake and remove all debris to give lawns a chance to dry out. If lawn areas are damaged, now is the time to replace with plugs or sod so they can establish before winter. Sod webworms are bad now so don’t mistake this damage for diseases. If adult moths are obvious and grass blades are closely cropped, this is due to caterpillar damage…not disease.
Watering
Most soils are saturated and irrigation systems should be in the off-mode. If there is standing water around trees or in other low areas, use a hose to siphon water to a retention pond or a better-drained area. Once soils dry out and the sun comes out, keep a close eye on plants as they may require more frequent irrigation because of root damage. Coastal areas flooded with saltwater may experience damage from extended exposure to high salinity; it is recommended to run a sprinkler system to flush out a lawn after the water retreats.
If you have questions, contact your local UF IFAS Extension Office!
