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Overthinking my lawn so my head hurts, Looking for advice
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Author:  Jawdat [ Wed Apr 13, 2011 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Overthinking my lawn so my head hurts, Looking for advice

I live in a suburb of Atlanta GA in a subdivision built within the last 5 years, the lawns of all the houses in the subdivision were planted with cheap Bermuda sod. Every lawn has bare spots, uneven growth, and all around variably unpleasant lawns. Ours is the only household that does use copious amounts poisons or fertilizers, we have been using the yard signs left by the neighbor's lawn care services as tomato stakes. I probably spend several hours a week hand pulling weeds and trying to make the red clay soil useful for the lawn. There is one side section of the lawn that does pool water and is full shade for half the day where nothing grows except weeds.

TLDR version:
I do not use any pesticides on my lawn.
Right now the lawn is mostly cheap Bermuda sod planted by the building contractor two years ago that has lots of weeds that are hand pulled.
I want to use native grasses only such as Buffalo, I bought several pounds of buffalo seed to make my own sods and plugs.
I have conflicting information from dozens of websites that the "best" way to have a dense lawn preventing weed growth and stay organic is to use Zoysia.
Buying a full lawn of sod or tearing out the entire lawn isn't really possible because of the cost and the HOA.

Can a thick healthy lawn be made with Buffalo? Should I just ignore the native species and use Zoysia instead? Zoysia is looking more appealing now because over time it will crowd out the Bermuda that is there now.

Author:  sandih [ Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overthinking my lawn so my head hurts, Looking for advice

Nothing crowds out bermuda.

Author:  Jawdat [ Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Overthinking my lawn so my head hurts, Looking for advice

Here's my plan in progress:
1. Planted Zoysia and Buffalo seed inside in long flat containers and a burpee greenhouse to make sod and plugs. Buffalo sod and plugs are going to the bald areas where nothing grows.
2. Hand pulled weeds down to the roots and put Zoysia seed in the newly bare spots where the weeds were.
3. Did the same in the bad scraggly area on the side and raked up some soil, laid down Zoysia seed and covered with a light dusting of grass clippings and soil.
4. By the next time I mow (every pay day so I can keep track easily) the sods and plugs growing indoors should be strong enough to use in my thin backyard lawn as a test after I mow.
5. Reuse the containers that the sod and plugs grow in for more seed then plant those after I mow the next time (on payday, 2 weeks) seeing how the backyard test area works then if all goes well plant the new plugs in the front yard.

Slow but sure this should work. Any suggestions or advice is more than welcome.

Author:  cfsteak [ Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overthinking my lawn so my head hurts, Looking for advice

Sounds like a good plan
The I don't know how Buff will do red clay you have, loves the black clay I have, it needs full sun and light traffic
depending on water bermuda will take over buffalo needs little once you get it going, I starve it of water for this reason and it does well, I also pick bermuda runners if it's been raining a lot

Know nothing of Zoysia

checkout how this woman did her yard with buffalo
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load ... 88229.html

Author:  user_48634 [ Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Overthinking my lawn so my head hurts, Looking for advice

Quote:
the lawns of all the houses in the subdivision were planted with cheap Bermuda sod.
The sod used by builders is cheap because it grows easily - not because it is a substandard variety. It is usually Tiff 419, a very nice grass and much MUCH nicer than seeded varieties of buffalo. I believe the seeded buffalo will not stand a chance in the Tiff.

Quote:
Can a thick healthy lawn be made with Buffalo?
It absolutely can but it absolutely cannot from seed. It must be a sodded variety. There are two excellent varieties - Tech Turf and UC Verde.

Quote:
Should I just ignore the native species and use Zoysia instead?
Ignore both. Zoysia has other issues such as being prone to disease and the inability to restore itself in less than 6 months from being killed off.

Quote:
Zoysia is looking more appealing now because over time it will crowd out the Bermuda that is there now.
I am experimenting with zoysia next to bermuda. They blend well but bermuda is the dominant of the two. Why? Because the zoysia takes 6 months to recover from a drought while the bermuda takes 6 days.

Search the Internet for a document titled, The Bermuda Bible. Read it. Memorize it. Learn it. Follow it. You can turn your bermuda into a showplace with some work.

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