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Lawn Care

Swift Creek - Lawn Care - Mike's Tips - 2022

Neighbors,                                                                                                                                                  March 2022

Spring has SPRUNG, and with it comes the timeless challenge...how to please Saint Augie! For those who have gone to the Dark Side and are now at the foot of Mount Zoysia, I can’t offer advice from my own experience, though I suspect the general principles are the same.

DISCLAIMER: I have not graduated from a formal school of horticulture, though I can claim credit for several PhD’s from the School of Hard Knocks. It seems St Augie is a seasoned professor of this particular institution. So this is nothing more than a collection of my “lessons learned” that seem to be working.

The rising temps and recent rains are near perfect conditions for rapid growth...St Augie should be poking through and will need a haircut shortly, but WEEDS are, as always, leading the way...Now is the time to hit the weeds before St Augie wakes up from winter slumber (see product list below).

If you had damage from critters or rot last year, it will be most obvious now as the green areas appear, leaving the damaged areas easy to see.

  1. Recovery:  Most folks try dumping sand on the dead spots. Not the worst idea, since St Augie is a “Creeper” and she will not creep towards dead/diseased spots. Most sand will not introduce weeds, so this is OK, but sand will not hold water very well and offers no inviting nutrients.
     
    • Most bagged dirt/soil WILL have weed seeds in it, so these aren’t good options.
    • I’ve had MUCH better luck with Scotts Turf Soil. $4 a bag at Lowes, and it is closer to a mulch. It has a little fertilizer in it, and most importantly, holds water much better than plain sand. The moist areas will draw the creepers in. Hard rake out the old dead debris first, then cover with about 2” of the soil/mulch combo, and sprinkle into the adjacent healthy areas, about two inches in. Don’t drown the healthy borders...make sure you can see the top half of the blades. Manually water these spots (with a watering can or hose, NOT your sprinkler system!) every day until the creepers have made a strong presence. Don’t mow over the mulch.
    • If the damage was from Take All Root Rot, the spores are still there. Knock them out with Peat Moss instead. The acidity keeps them from emerging when the temps rise. Same application, just an inch or so, and keep the mossed areas damp.
       
  2. Colors/patches:  Yellow. We live on a millenniums-old beach...sand is not exactly the best soil for St Augie. Water soluble nutrients run right through, so frequent replenishment is essential. Heavy rains can wash everything away. If St Augie is looking a little pale all over, iron is my first whack at the green grass piņata. I’ve had great results with drop-spread Ironite pellets (available at Wal Mart and Lowes) and/or Ironite hose on spray. The spray takes MUCH less time to apply, though I doubt it lasts nearly as long. I found the hose-on bottles at Lowes. Four bottles did the whole lawn but you have to walk backwards rather briskly or you’ll run out quick. Maybe pick up six bottles for the first try!
     
    • If you have irregular yellow patches, that become larger DEAD patches...this could be “Take All Root Rot” and the name says it all...takes all, and relatively quickly. This is a FUNGUS that really has only one deterrent...pH. The spores won’t spawn in acidic soil, and there’s really no way to kill the spores. The best treatment is Peat Moss. It’s super acidic and helps the recovery process. Just cover the areas about with an inch or so and keep it wet for a few days to “treat” the soil. Avoid mowing over the application area for a couple weeks. This one is the hardest to defeat, but if you don’t let it get away from you, it’s winnable. Areas bigger than a cookie sheet...might as well look at replacing that spot with the same breed.
    • If you have EXPANDING patches of yellow, the most common culprits are Chinch Bugs, Sod Web Worm, and Mole Crickets...all BIG problems. It’s a little early in the season for these but by May, these guys are in full swing. Particularly if someone cuts your grass for you...they bring everyone else’s problems to your yard, “free of charge.” Best to get the first treatments in BEFORE they populate.
      • If you just see expanding dead patches and can’t see any bugs, Chinch bugs are the likely culprit. These guys are tiny.
      • If you walk through your grass and little moths fly up, this is the best clue for Sod Web Worm...flyers are the grown ups!
      • If the patches look a bit more like connected trails, Mole Crickets are more likely.

        It will take three applications to get these out of the grass. Then PREVENT DEFENSE every two months (I know, the bag says three months...marketing wank!)
         
        • Drop spread granules to give the worms/minors something to munch on (Ortho Bug Be Gone is my fave)
        • Hose/spray on top application soaking for the egg laying adults (right after dropping the granules, Ortho, Bayer, or Spectracide)
        • Repeat Hose/spray soaking on about two weeks later for the hatchlings (eggs are immune to the granules, and they will hatch)
           
  3. Height:  St Augie HATES haircuts. No tolerance for military tradition. Let her stand tall...literally 3-4 inches. If you don’t feel yourself sinking in when you walk across the lawn to pick up the morning paper, raise the mower deck another notch...or two! This is probably the biggest mistake DIY’ers make...keeping St Augie too short. No bonus points for crew cuts!
     
  4. Density:  St Augie is THICK when she’s happy. So much so that some mowers will really bog down. If yours looks more like my receding hairline, she may be hungry! Just like iron, the other essential nutrients just don’t stay with the sand, so quarterly feedings are in order. I’ve tried several, and I’m happy to report that the value line of drop-spread pellets from Lowes (Sta-Green) works great! I only needed one big bag for my lot...$40 is a small price to pay for DIY satisfaction!
     
  5. Fungus:  Yup, St Augie is NOT mold-proof. Our re-claimed water seems to be a contributor. Scotts Fungus Control (orange bag, drop spread, $16) is VERY effective. Bayer makes a spray on version too. But you gotta stay ahead of this one. If you wait until you see lots of spots on the leaves or worse, brown patches, you may find yourself calling the sod merchants. Think like Coach Madden...PREVENT DEFENSE!! If you don’t think you need it, that’s the time to apply.
     
  6. Bugs:  These are St Augies’ Achilles Heel. Everything loves to munch her. Same strategy...PREVENT DEFENSE Good news here too...Ortho Bug B Gone (drop spread pellets) works like a champ. Same logic as the fungus preventer...don’t wait until the bugs take up residence. They are squatters!
     
    • Since Ortho has cornered the market, Bayer and Spectracide have launched an assault. A landscaper gave me a GREAT tip...cycle through the brands, so the invaders can’t develop an immunity. I BELIEVE!
    • Frequency: This is the tough part. I’ve settled on 2-months.
       
  7. WATER:  My landscaper surprised me...”the biggest threat to your lawn is that sprinkler timer.” The Niceville Public Works director agrees, and mentioned “when you drive through Swift Creek, and see all those sprinklers running during a rain storm, you can see why some of the lawns are having problems.” Overwatering is likely the biggest problem, and easiest to fix. TURN OFF THE TIMER!!

    So, when should you water? The clue is in the blades. They will “fold” when she’s thirsty. NO WATER until this happens. So in the morning, after sun up, take a look. If the blades are spread out “wide open”...NO WATER. If they are folding in on themselves, run the sprinkler for 30-45 minutes per zone manually, and shut it off. It should be about a week before you need to do it again, maybe twice a week in the hot summer months with no rain that week. (I haven’t run the sprinkler yet this year) Almost any rain in a week is enough. BOTTOM LINE...too much water is the what the fungus LOVES, as do the bugs, and worse, you’ll flush all your iron and food down to the creek. Don’t let a $10 clock wreck your multi-thousand dollar lawn. How do I know? PLEASE DON’T ASK!

GOOD LUCK!

Mike

Mike’s DIY Product Roster

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I’ve received a number of inquiries asking for the list of products that I’m using, so here goes! The links are all for Lowe’s, but sometimes Wal Mart, Ace, and Home Depot have similar inventories.

If you are just getting started, I wait a week between treatments. I’ve graduated to a push-broadcast spreader, so far so good.
 

SPRAY ON WEED CONTROL—NOW IS THE TIME...NOT when your lawn is already getting you notices from the Management Company...and it’s BEFORE mid-Jun...gotta get after the weeds...

Ortho Weed Be Gone for St Augustine (good for overall treatment)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/ORTHO-32-fl-oz-Concentrated-Lawn-Weed-Killer/50253605

IMAGE St Augustine with Atrazine 32-oz Lawn Weed Killer ($12, use lightly and only on the weedy areas, not the whole lawn. A treatment, not prevent defense!)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/IMAGE-St-Augustine-with-Atrazine-32-oz-Lawn-Weed-Killer/3083377
 

Fertilizer with Weed Control Drop or Broadcast Spreader Granules

Scotts Turf Builder Bonus S Southern Weed and Feed
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Scotts-Scotts-Turf-Builder-Bonus-S-Southern-Weed-and-Feed-F2-34-48-LB/1001819264
 

INSECT CONTROL Drop Granules (every other month, rotate brands, ok with a broadcast spreader too) Don’t wait!

Bayer Advance Complete Insect Control ($22)https://www.lowes.com/pd/BAYER-ADVANCED-Insect-Killer-20-lb-Insect-Killer/3005442

Spectracide Triazicide For Lawns Granules 20-lb ($15)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Spectracide-Triazicide-For-Lawns-Granules-20-lb-Insect-Killer/5001952515

AMDRO Quick Kill Outdoor 20-lb Lawn Insect Control ($16)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMDRO-Quick-Kill-Outdoor-20-lb-Lawn-Insect-Control/999990210

Follow up with the hose/spray on treatment right after spreading the granules. All these companies have a spray on version, I need three bottles for my lawn...work fast! Each bottle runs about $12
 

FUNGUS CONTROL Granules: Use BEFORE you see little spots on the blades, a heavier dose if you’re already late. If you haven’t done this yet, go ahead and prevent!

Scotts DiseaseEx Lawn Fungicide 10 lbs. ($18)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Scotts-DISEASEEx-Lawn-Fungicide-5-m-6/1000617387

BAYER ADVANCED 10-lb Moss Control ($16)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/BAYER-ADVANCED-Lawn-Fungus-Control-10-lb-Lawn-Fungus-Control/3027697
 

FERTILIZERS  (every 2 months) Weed and Feed version is OK until mid-Jun...then the warm temps make this risky later on. Go for the regular versions if you are late to the party. DON’T USE Weed Control versions after the temps day+night temp combination exceeds 150...Augie starts to pull in too much weed control...and will yellow/die!

Scotts Turf Builder Bonus S Southern Weed and Feed
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Scotts-Scotts-Turf-Builder-Bonus-S-Southern-Weed-and-Feed-F2-34-48-LB/1001819264

Sta Green Fertilizer Plus Iron (no weed control)
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sta-Green-StaGreen-29-0-5-FL-Lwn-Fert-Plus-15M/1000686540?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-ggl-_-LIA_LWN_107_Fertilizer-_-1000686540-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=Cj0KCQiAybaRBhDtARIsAIEG3knlb7V9PSQTPL04RaRU4bZ8E4fAgnXYbZtLt0ufq9nclkUbs Mmk79oaAtkmEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ironite
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ironite-15-lb-Improves-Soil-Structure/50260119

Good Luck!

Your FAVORITE Self Proclaimed Green Grass Aficionado

Mike

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Revised 4/30/2024