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2022 Lawn thread - Post your pics, updates, questions, etc.

Posted on 3/5/22 at 12:50 am
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6098 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 12:50 am
I know there are several of us on this board who like grass and the care of it. I thought it would be nice to start a thread for some of us who may want to share pics of their lawn, things you've done for your lawn, etc. Also may be useful a place to post questions and get answers and keep this information in a central location, so that it may easier to reference for the year.

I started a little bit of a guide, at least for weed control questions that get posted a fair bit. I'm sure at some point, I'll expand it for fertilization, soil analysis, etc. etc. But figured I would start here.

Most of this is just my layperson knowledge I've gathered over the years. So if there's anything I've missed, that's incorrect, or that I should add, please let me know, and will correct accordingly.

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Warm Season Grasses: - Mostly just my thoughts. Will edit/add to with others thoughts, suggestions, etc.

-- Bermuda - great for full sun .Will be very sparse in any shade. Holds up well to traffic, recovers quickly and fills in aggressively. Disease resistant. Can be as high maintenance or low maintenance as you want it to be. Downside to low maintenance is that you'll have a yard that's brown after a cut before it fills back in green(only the tops are green). Has more seeded varieties available.

-- Zoysia - Full or partial sun and there are some shade tolerant varieties. All green, very thick and soft to walk on. It's thickness helps chokes out weeds. Can be prone to fungus. Slow to recover from damage. Does not hold up well to traffic. Mostly only sod or plug available, so can be more expensive to establish a lawn. Zenith is the only seed variety.

-- St Aug - Probably the most shade tolerant of the warm season grasses, slow slow growth and recovery. Fungus prone. Looks better when cut high. Very popular grass. Blades are thick. I like the look of St Aug especially being sodded new, but see too many yards who don't keep up with fungus control and have huge brown patches. Can only be sodded or plugged.

-- Centipede. - likes acidic soil. Slow growth. Very low maintenance.Can be seeded.



Identifying your grass type:
To identify your grass, you need to locate the runners or stolon and pull a few up.
St. Aug - thick blades, blades of grass exit the stolon in a paired, symmetric pattern
Centipede - thinner blades, blade of grass exit the stolon in an alternating pattern
St. Aug vs Centipede
Bermuda - thin blades in general, hybrid varieties can be especially thin. Spreads via rhizomes and stolons, You will see grass emerging from stolon at each node. Bermuda Stolon
Zoysia - thin or thicker blade depending on the variety. Also spreads via rhizomes and stolons. Zoysia grass tends to come off the stolon at a 90 degree angle, vs bermuda. In general, you may also be able to differentiate between zoysia and bermuda, based on turf thickness and density, as zoysia tends to be very thick. Zoysia Vs Bermuda stolon

Helpful Links:
Bermuda Bible - A guide for those who have bermuda as their main lawn type.
Randy Lemmon's St. Aug Schedule

Weed Control:

Pre-Emergents:
Typical applications in the fall to protect against winter weeds, and again in spring(before soil temps get above 55 or so) to prevent the spring/summer weeds especially crabgrass with green up. For most us that’s in February. If you are planning to seed, need to adjust your pre-em application time.

Dimension - Dithiopyr - Can be better if you are late to placing your pre-emergent down as it has some post emergent activity again early crabgrass. 3-4 month control. Granular product. Put it in your landscaping beds as well if you want.

Barricade - Prodiamine - Cheaper. Many people do a split application, but can provide long-lasting control vs dimension if applied at max rates, but need to get it down early. Can cause root pruning, so need to be careful with over-application. Granular product.

*Some people will do a barricade max app in the fall for long lasting control, and a dimension app in the spring*

Specticle - Indaziflam - Expensive initial cost, although the bottle can last a while. liquid/spray, so better finite control. With granular products, you tend to break through at sidewalk edges, etc.

Post-Emergents:
They say the best time to kill weeds are when they are present. Big box store weed control can work well for many, but read labels carefully to ensure it’s appropriate for your grass type and what you are trying to control. Once temps are above 85 degrees, need to use something else.

Broadleafs:

MSM Turf - Cheap, Very potent, works on a large portion of broadleafs. good for killing bahia if that’s your main weed. Not good for dallisgrass,doveweed in particular . Centipede needs to lower rates of application. You absolutely need to pay attention to the mix rates. I’ve read about people nuking their whole yard by accident. Can kill oak trees with overapplication.
-- 1/8th teaspoon(0.5 grams) in 1-2 gallons of water to be applied roughly over 1000 sq. ft per mix, or spot spraying --

Celsius - More expensive initial cost. When you break it down per application, it’s going to be cheaper than a weed&feed etc. Safe for high temps. Covers a larger range of broadleafs. Has dallisgrass suppression. Celsius Mix Rate

Grassy Weeds:
**Sedges in particular are better controlled with a broadcast spray with a surfactant as opposed to spot spraying due to how they spread and grow, and may require multiple apps throughout the year**

Sedgehammer(halosulfuron-methyl) - As name implies, good for sedges and several types of grassy weeds. . 0.9 grams per 1-2 gallons of water (to cover 1000sq ft). Sedgehammer+(plus) has surfactant mixed in.

Image(Imazaquin) - easy to find at local big box store, follow directions on label, but covers nutsedge a few others.

Certainty(sulfosulfuron) - another sedge control with good effects, okay for high temps.

Dismiss - faster to act, has soil residual. Not safe for temps above 85. More prone to ding your grass.

Other:
Sethoxydim - good for killing bermuda and crabgrass in centipede grass. Can also damage St. Aug

Clegg’s Winter Weed Cocktail:(gets posted here a bit)
1 ounce Ferti-lome Weed Free Zone (Active ingredients 2,4-D, MCPA, Dicamba, Carfentrazone)
8.6 ounces of Hi-Yield Atrazine (atrazine can damage active bermuda, only use if dormant)
2 teaspoons of Hi-Yield Spreader Sticker
--Mix ingredients together in 1-2 gallons of water in pump sprayer and apply uniformly over 1000sq ft of lawn. --

Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6098 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 5:47 am to
Fertilization:
Main reason to fertilize is to provide a nitrogen source to your lawn as that is what is depleted with each season.

On each bag you’ll see a set of 3 numbers separated by dashes(N-P-K) which represent the ratio of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in each bag. If you have a 30lb of fertilizer at a ratio of 26-0-0, then you’ll put down 7.8 lbs of nitrogen if you applied the whole 30lb bag to your lawn. If your lawn is 5000 sq. ft and you distributed it evenly, then you’ve applied 1.56lbs of nitrogen per 1000sq. Ft.

A better way to do the calculation - if you’re aiming for 0.5lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sq ft, then divide 50 by the first number to give you the pounds of product to apply. For 1.0 lb/1000 sq. ft divided 100 by the first number. I.e. if you want a 1.0lb/1000 sq. ft rate of the 26-0-0 product, then spread 3.8 lbs of this product per 1000 sq ft. (100 / 26 = 3.8)

Now, you’ll get varying recommendations based on your grass type, maintenance requirement, but in general you’ll see:
St. Augustine - 2-4lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. annually, divided over 3-4 applications. I.e. putting down 0.5lbs/1000 sq. ft 4 times a year, would net you 2lbs annually.
Centipede - 1-2lbs of nitrogen per 1000sq. ft annually.
Zoysia - 2-4lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. annually
Bermuda - Bermuda loves nitrogen. University guides will tell you 2-4lbs of nitrogen per 1000sq. Ft. annually. But assuming adequate irrigation and mowing to keep up with growth, you can easily put down 1-1.5lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per month if you need aggressive growth and titrate down accordingly.

Now, most products are a fast-release nitrogen source, meaning it’s in and out pretty quickly. However, there are some products that have a slow-release component, most well known is milorganite. These products breakdown over 8-10 weeks and provide a source of nitrogen. Many St. Aug and Centipede lawn owners prefer this as their nitrogen source to avoid over fertilizing their lawns. There are also some mixed products that contain fast and slow release nitrogen. You’ll need to read the label for breakdown of percentages of each.

When to fertilize: General rule of thumb is April 15/tax day. But really, just when you’re grass is actively growing.


Other Soil amendments and soil testing:
So while nitrogen may be the most talked about additive to the lawn, there are other important nutrients and factors that are important to lawn health. Not only phosphorus and potassium, but also iron, micronutrients, pH of your soil can all have an effect. So this is where soil testing comes into play.

When, How, and Where to soil test:
-- Ideally once a year before you make any amendments to the soil, so fall or spring seems to be when most people will test their lawn.
-- Most kits will provide you suggest how to take a soil sample. In general you want to sample 4-8 spots in your lawn, mix the soil and send the needed amount off. It’s best to zone off what you are testing if you have different areas (i.e. back yard vs front yard vs landscape beds, fruit trees etc.). I personally have a soil sampler, which makes collecting a breeze: Soil Sampler - Amazon link

Where - Most university Ag extension offices offer soil analysis and kits may be found at your local nurseries or garden center. I have linked LSU website here: LSU Ag Soil testing

There are also commercial tests available as well, which may provide some more nuance in the testing. I have used A&L great lakes before: A&L Great Lakes Soil testing

Most soil analysis will provide recommendations for annual N-P-K applications, as well as possible adjustments needed to address pH (such as lime or sulfur applications). Luckily for most of you in LA, you’ll likely have nutrient rich soil. The rest of us will be adding potash(K) and a variety of other amendments to help things along.

pH - Most of us in the south are more likely to have an acidic soil vs a alkaline soil. To raise a pH, you’ll use lime. You’ll have recommendations provided as part of the soil analysis, but to add some nuance: In terms of what to use, most would tell you to get dolomitic lime which is "slow" acting. While it takes longer to get into the soil, it does last longer(3years), you can apply more at one application(50lbs/1000sq ft at one time from what I've read), so can be cheaper.

Fast acting like does get into the soil faster, but can also leach faster and you are limited to around 10lbs/1000sqft per application. So need more frequent applications, so more costly.

Changing pH is usually considered a marathon not a sprint. So most would tell you do the recommended applications and check again in 2-3 years.

Watering/Irrigation:
General recommendations is 1-1.5inch of water per week depending on the time of year and temperatures. Depending on your soil type you may be able to do this once per week(Clay soils) with a long watering session or you may need to break it up over the course of a week/daily or every other day (Sandy soils) with shorter sessions. If you are unsure of your soil type, some soil analysis testing will provide a CEC number which will guide you regarding on how well your soil will hold water and nutrients. You can use a rain gauge or a tuna can to determine how long it takes to delivery the amount of water you need.

Mowing:
Mowing often will always provide some of the best results. You take off less of the leaf blade each time, which minimizes stress on the lawn. Additionally, you don’t need to bag and can instead mulch, and with so little taken off, the clippings will breakdown quickly and provide nutrients back to your grass.
Mowing height in general - St. Aug. 2-4 inches, Centipede 1.5-2 inches, Zoysia 1-3 inches, Bermuda 1-2.5 inches. These can always be taken to the extreme and maintained a lower level (sub 1inch) if you’re trying to achieve that fairway look.
Scalping: beginning of the spring as your lawn is starting to green up. Mow as low as you can go and bag all of the clippings. You can then maintain one notch (or more) above your scalp level. This is particularly useful for bermuda. But can apply to other grass types. Some people do not likely to scalp St. Aug or Zoysia grasses.
This post was edited on 3/12/22 at 11:37 pm
Posted by GeauxTime9
Baton Rouge, La
Member since Dec 2010
6397 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 7:46 am to
Is it time to put out pre-emergent? If so, what do you recommend?
Posted by Bayou
CenLA
Member since Feb 2005
36811 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:09 am to
quote:

-- Centipede. - likes acidic soil. Slow growth. Very low maintenance.Can be seeded.

Posted by Bayou
CenLA
Member since Feb 2005
36811 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:09 am to
Although I have centipede I scalped/bagged yesterday ahead of these predicted rains
Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6197 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:10 am to
It’s time. Probably 2 weeks ago was prime time. Put down prodiamine
Posted by PillageUrVillage
Mordor
Member since Mar 2011
14784 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:14 am to
Sticky requested.

This and the annual veggie garden thread should be stickied IMO.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6098 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:22 am to
Yes, it's still a good time for a pre-em. I personally would do dimension application but barricade is fine to.
This post was edited on 3/5/22 at 8:23 am
Posted by MikeD
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2004
7238 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 8:54 am to
Is the mix ratio super important? I have like 15k sq ft that I treat and prefer to not mix 15 gallon increments. Is it ok to put the amount of chemical for whatever area and then spray that evenly. I’ve found I can make two perpendicular passes covering about 5000 sq ft with my two gallon sprayer.
Posted by notbilly
alter
Member since Sep 2015
4499 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 9:22 am to
quote:

It’s time. Probably 2 weeks ago was prime time. Put down prodiamine



Is it too late to put down the Clegg's trio? I have everything and can do it now. I just dropped the ball this year. I'm about to go mow to clean the yard up some. I planned on putting the Clegg's trio down afterwards.

oh yeah.. St aug in Baton Rouge.
Posted by TigeRoots
Member since Oct 2008
8505 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 9:43 am to
What's the mixture ratio for Pro D. I have some but don't remember off hand.
Posted by Sir Saint
1 post
Member since Jun 2010
5323 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 10:33 am to
Can someone help me ID this grass/weed? It has been here ever since I bought the house a few years ago and I haven’t really figured out how to control it, seems to be spreading. It honestly doesn’t look bad, kinda looks like turf, but I wanna nuke it to let the St aug take over. TIA!



Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6098 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 12:50 pm to
quote:

Is it too late to put down the Clegg's trio


Still good. Some people don't like atrazine during the green up, but should be fine.
Posted by Puffoluffagus
Savannah, GA
Member since Feb 2009
6098 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:06 pm to
Finished watching the lsu-bama game and then went to scalp the yard.

I bought one of the sunJoe battery reel mowers last year. Used it really for the first time today to get a scalp down to 0.6inches. will likely maintain at an inch to inch and half this year.



Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6197 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:26 pm to
You can put down cleggs mix on st Aug. you cannot put down atrazine of Bermuda that is greening up.
Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6197 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:26 pm to
That’s St Aug unless my eyes are playing tricks on me.
Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6197 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:29 pm to
Mix ratio is very important. It’s all about even coverage and dilution.
Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6197 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:30 pm to
You have liquid prodiamine? How are you applying it?
Posted by Sir Saint
1 post
Member since Jun 2010
5323 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:40 pm to
There are no runners though, each blade is rooted directly into the soil, you can kinda see the pieces in the closeup have a little root ball at the base.

Here’s another pic of some of the bigger clumps.

Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6197 posts
Posted on 3/5/22 at 3:52 pm to
Could be carpet grass. Spray Celsius on it and see what happens.
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