Caring For Your Lawn Tips

PRINT THE BROCHURE

St. Augustine Grasses have been used in Florida since the early 1930’s as lawn grasses.

There are over 400 different strains of St. Augustine grasses.

The following are useful qualities of turfgrass. In addition to home beautification and lush recreation area, consider these researched facts:
The front lawns of a block with eight average houses have the cooling effect of about 70 tons of air conditioning.
On a hot summer day, grass can be 10 to 14 degrees cooler than exposed soil and as much as 30 degrees cooler than exposed concrete or asphalt.
A 50 x 50 foot well maintained grass area creates enough oxygen to meet the needs of a family of four every day.
Acting like a gigantic sponge, lawns absorb all types of airborne pollutants such as soot, dust and carbon dioxide, as well as noise.
A Pennsylvania state University study showed “thick lawns slow the velocity of runoff and allow the water to infiltrate”.
Homes, sports fields and parks provide safer recreation areas. Grass acts as a cushion to reduce shock and potential injury.
Aesthetically, there is no argument that a beautiful lawn is immediately pleasing to the eye and provides a cooling and relaxing experience.

I. Characteristics of St. Augustine Grasses
St. Augustine grass is established by vegetative propagation only and not from seed. It has stolons (above ground stems) that have actively growing areas at the nodes. These areas are capable of new growth shoots and are responsible for the lateral growth along the ground. The following are just three of the hundreds of varieties of St. Augustine:

Floratam- Requires full sun, has poor shade tolerance, vigorous growth in warm climates, slower green up following frost/ cold periods, dark green coloration, wide leaf blade coarse texture.

Bitter Blue- Does well in full sun areas, will tolerate some shade, it requires at least 5 hours of DIRECT sunlight to remain thick and healthy, has a wide leaf blade, little softer texture than Floratam, dark blue-green coloration.

Palmetto- A semi-dwarf variety, good shade tolerance, requires at least 4 hours of DIRECT sunlight to remain thick and healthy, has softer texture, somewhat smaller blade size, emerald green coloration, very good cold tolerance, quick green up in spring.

II. Laying Schedule
Due to the warm climate of Florida, sod can be laid any time of the year, even during the winter months when browning occurs. Root development occurs year-round in Florida.

III. Soil Preparation
1. Rototill or spade the soil to a depth of 4”.
2. Remove sticks, larger stones, roots and any old grass and other debris.
3. Fill in any low areas, smooth and level soil by raking.

IV. Measuring and Ordering Sod
1. Use a tape measure, measure the area (length, width, and any unusual features) and put these measurements on a sketch.
2. Take this sketch or call your measurements in to your local nurseryman or retail sod dealer. He will be happy to figure the exact number of squares of sod you will need (or you may figure them for yourself).
3. NOTE: TAKE DELIVERY ON THE DAY YOU PLAN TO START LAYING YOUR SOD. INSTALL THE DAY OF DELIVERY.

V. Laying Your Quality Sod
1. Be sure to moisten the soil before laying your sod.
2. Start at a straight line, such as a driveway or walk.
3. Lay out the sod as you would a rug or tiles.
4. Make sure that all joints are butted tightly together, without overlapping or spaces between strips of sod.
5. Stagger the joints in each new row, like rows of bricks.
6. Use a large, sharp knife for shaping sod around trees, at flowerbeds or along borders.
7. Completely soak the sod with at least 1” of water. Start watering within 20 minutes after the first strip of sod has been laid.

VI. Watering Schedule
1. To gauge watering, place several upright cylinders (such as coffee cans) randomly about your lawn. When there is an inch of water (or the desired amount) in the cans, it is time to move the sprinkler to the next area.
2. For the first week apply ¼” of water in early morning and in late afternoon, depending on the time of year. Shady areas WILL NOT require as much water due to slower growing conditions.
3. In succeeding weeks watering should be on an “as needed” basis. When grass becomes gray in color or “footprints” appear; it is time to water. Water heavily (up to but NOT MORE THAN 1”) at each application but infrequently, to encourage deep rooting.
4. If significant rainfall has occurred, adjust your watering schedule accordingly.
5. Spot watering may be necessary due to reflected heat from buildings and / or sandier soils.
6. Fungus is promoted by over watering, heavy rainfall, and high humidity. Good judgment should be used when watering.
7. Fungus must be treated immediately to prevent permanent damage/loss of grass. It will require at least 2 applications of a turf labeled fungicide. If rainfall occurs before the fungicide dries on the leaf blade wait 24 hours and then reapply it. Fungus can spread to other area of your by way of foot traffic, mowing, etc. from the affected area to non-affected areas. Never fertilize a lawn that has a fungus, it will worsen. It may be fertilized only after the fungus is cured.

VII. When to Mow
1. Your new living carpet generally needs mowing 6-7 days after installation.
2. The basic mowing rule is: Never remove more than one third of the leaf blade during a single mowing.
3. Mow when grass height reaches 1 ½ to 3 inches.
4. Set your mower at a cutting height of 2 – 2 ½ inches.
5. For best appearances, a good cut and to lessen the workload on your mower, keep your mower blades sharp.

VIII. Traffic Caution
1. Use your newly sodded lawn sparingly until good root establishment has taken place, generally 2-3 weeks.
2. Avoid concentrated play activates, dog traffic or similar trough plan until 4 weeks have passed.

IX. Lawn Fertilization Program
1. Within 2-4 weeks after your sod is laid, a light application of 6-6-6-fertilizer may be applied at approximately 10 lbs. Per 100 square feet. We recommend using a granular fertilizer.
2. For established lawns, fertilization is recommended in March (or after frost danger has passed), and October. During these months, our rainfall is reduced, insect problems are at a minimum, and the root system is better able to develop and repair the damage done during the growing season. Use fertilizer with an even blend 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 including iron and manganese. If additional fertilization is needed during the summer months, a natural organic material such as Milorganite can be used. Read fertilizer labels carefully to be sure that you are getting the correct analysis for your lawn.
3. For a superior lawn, a weed and feed may be applied in mid March and again (if needed) in October. Never apply weed and feed to a newly installed lawn or during the hot summer months.

X. Problems
LET US KNOW RIGHT AWAY! Don’t let the situation get out of hand before you do something about it. If you will follow the brochure that we give you with your sod purchase, you should have very few (if any) problems. WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE THE GRASS TECEIVES AFTER THE SALE OR FOR PROBLEMS DUE TO THE WEATHER (i.e. drought, heat, excessive rainfall, etc.)

If future problems do occur with your lawn, consult your retail sod dealer, nurseryman, or county agent.

XI. Detecting Insects in Turfgrass
The best method of detecting insects in trufgrass is to take a gallon bucket, fill with tap water and add dishwashing liquid and stir. Pour this mixture around the suspected area. You may want to try in three or so areas. This mixture will drive almost any insect to the surface (chinch bugs, worms- all kinds, grubs, mole crickets, and so on) within minutes.

WORMS!
Army Worms:
Adult miller (moth) is ¾ to 1” long and white or cream colored. Larvae (worms) feed during the daylight hours.

Web Worms:
Adult miller is ½ “ long and brown in color. Larvae (worms) are a litter harder to detect because they feed at night. Look for patches of dull-looking, brown areas where the blades of grass are missing. Worms chew the blades of grass. Upon inspection, there is a distinct difference between a grass blade that has been cut by a mower and one that has been chewed by worms.

During the months of July through November and until we have cooler weather, observe your lawn for any sign of these worms. The eggs are laid by millers (moths) during the nighttime. Check your lawn during the night, about 10:00 PM for the millers. They are attracted to outdoor lights when left on during the evening. They can also be flushed out of wooded or bushy areas during the daytime. The eggs are laid in the grass and hatch our worms. They feed on newer, tenderer grass blades as opposed to an older more established lawn. They chew the grass blades and will eat an entire lawn if not dealt with quickly. You can part the grass and find the worms or signs (droppings) of worm presence down around the root area. Use liquid Sevin, Drusban, Orthene, or 50% Malathion, spray as directed (apply in early evening for best results). Do not use a granular pesticide when worms or other lawn pests are present, you need to use a liquid pesticide in a spray application to be effective. You may need to treat your lawn again in a week to 10 days if you notice any further activity. There is no preventative for this problem; it has to be treated as the need arises. Please check your lawn within 7 days after new sod has been laid during the months mentioned above.

It would be wise to spray your new sod for insects after it has been down about 10 days, especially during the months mentioned. This is a seasonal problem. Being observant to your lawn can prevent extensive problems.

LAYING SOD IN SUMMER
During the hot summer season the sod needs to be laid right away after delivery. It is a perishable product! The ground should be wet down before the sod is laid. This will bring the ground temperature down a little. The new sod needs to be watered after it is installed. After the initial installation and watering. We recommend watering in the evening when it is cooler or in the early morning hours, before 9:00 AM. Ideally ¼ ‘ to ½ “ of water per day for 7 to 10 days, unless there is rainfall, then on an “as needed” basis. There will be some wilt during the day; this will be of no harm as long as the sod is getting the amount of water prescribed above. Once the sod is established it should be watered two or three times a week, depending on rainfall, apply 1” of water per application. This will encourage a deeper root system. We advise against watering during the heat of the day. When grass is kept wet, the heat and wet conditions can create a fungus. Water amounts can vary according to the area you are in and your soil type. Considerably less water will be needed in shaded and lower areas. In shaded areas water when you see the sod wilt – be very, very careful; the sun doesn’t get to the sod to dry it out as easily in these areas.

This publication was developed to help you produce and maintain a quality lawn, and to assure your satisfaction with your product.

PRINT THE BROCHURE

__

Preferred Service Providers - COMING SOON!

Customer Service Requests

Home Warranty Information

Community Contacts / Information