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I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!
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Author:  nomkitac [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:49 am ]
Post subject:  I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

When we bought our house the lawn was plush and gorgeous! So we hired a yard guy to keep it up. He shut off our sprinkler system in the middle of the summer saying that he would program it for us and never came back. We thought that the lawn was being watered atleast once a week until it started dying(which doesn't take long in the Texas sun)!! We have a mixture of Bermuda and St. Augustine. I read that I can use epson salt as a fertilizer, but haven't tried it yet. We have tons of weeds and bare spots.
How do I bring my lawn back to it's former glory?

Author:  user_48634 [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

  1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds and prevent new (weed) seeds from germinating.
  2. Mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you're developing in 1 above.
  3. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 5 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above.

If you follow this 1-2-3 of lawn care, your St Augustine will take over and choke out the bermuda. If you skimp on watering, the bermuda will take over.

If you mow low you will favor the bermuda but not enough to kill out the St Aug.

Where do you live?

Author:  Trop John [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 6:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

Just wanted to make something clear. Watering for one hour per zone will only work if you break that up into segments. I suggest watering each spray zone for no more than 10 or 15 minutes. Total up the times on your entire system then set it to run back to back 1, 2, or 3 times. This allows for better water penetration. Running for an hour straight usually ends with water running down the street.

Author:  nomkitac [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

Thanks for the advice!!! We live in Arlington,TX. Most of the front yard is St.Augustine, but the back yard is half and half literally! We're still struggling with the sprinkler system, but I think once a week watering should be easy enough to set. I look forward to have the beautiful lawn we had when we bought the house!!!

Author:  user_48634 [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

Trop John has a point but it is not necessarily always applicable. I'm on a hill and water for 3 hours continually in the same place with no runoff. If you get runoff, no matter how long it takes for the water to run off, stop watering immediately and let what you have soak in for 10 to 15 minutes. Then resume watering. Like a sponge sometimes all you have to do is get the sponge damp and then it absorbs all the water it can stand.

Author:  Trop John [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 5:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

good point!
we all must monitor our own situations and use a little common sense

Author:  Trop John [ Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: I have no idea how to care for my lawn!!!!

i would assume that when you refer to "weed killer" you are refering to 10 % vinegar or agrilawn crabgrass control seeing that this is an organic forum.

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