There are several ways to determine when the lawn needs watering. One way is to observe the lawn daily. When the turf begins to dry, it will appear to have a bluish hue. Another method is to walk across the lawn late in the evening. If the grass blades in the footprints bounce back up, then there is plenty of moisture in the turf. If the grass in the footprints does not bounce back, then irrigate the lawn the next morning.
The irrigation interval will vary from site to site depending on the environmental conditions at that site and soil type. Localized dry spots or hot spots can be watered as needed by hand. The irrigation system should only be run when the entire lawn is dry. Insect Control: There are various insects and related pests that may infest St. Augustinegrass during the summer months. Mole crickets, chinch bugs, spittlebugs, grubs, ground pearls, and nematodes can cause considerable damage.
Each pest problem has its own management strategy and is usually handled with cultural and chemical controls. However, there can be exceptions. Mole crickets and grub eggs will usually hatch mid-summer. Insecticide applications targeted at the mole crickets in their smaller nymph stage are the most effective controls, even if damage has not yet occurred. If either of these insects was a problem early in the season, apply an insecticide during mid-July to control the younger immature insects.
Chinch bugs can be very destructive to St. Monitor the turf on a regular basis during the growing season, especially during hot, dry periods. Damage is often more severe in sunny areas near driveways, sidewalks, or roadways, where the turfgrass is under more heat stress. A chinch bug is a small black insect with silver wings that sucks plant juices from the stem. An infestation may cause the turf to die, which will need to be replaced or allowed to grow back in.
Chinch bugs are fairly easy to control using general insecticides, but applications need to be made before the population has risen to a level where damage is occurring. Research has shown that an early season insecticide application after the turfgrass has greened-up will reduce the late season activity.
When applying insecticides for chinch bug control during the summer, rotate chemical families or mode of actions to reduce the chance of pesticide resistance. If an insect problem occurs, it is important to positively identify the problem and select the appropriate insecticide to apply.
Disease Control: The most common diseases that affect St. Augustinegrass during the growing season are large patch formerly known as brown patch and gray leaf spot. Large patch is a fungal disease that is active during warm, humid spring and fall weather. Since it is fueled by moisture, it is important to maintain a rather dry condition in the lawn by employing proper watering practices, as well as providing adequate soil drainage. If the turf stays wet, circular yellow to brown areas may begin to develop and slowly grow in size.
Later, the center of the circle may start to re-green. In heavily infested turf, the rounded areas may grow together and no longer appear circular. If the turf at the edge of the dying area shows a smoky brown, rotted appearance, it will be necessary to apply a fungicide treatment. Gray leaf spot may occur on St. Augustinegrass during the heat of summer when the turf remains damp for extended periods, usually during rainy periods or on newly laid sod being kept wet.
There will be small purplish spots on the leaves and at an advanced stage, the grass will have a scorched appearance. At this point, a fungicide application will be needed. Overall, proper water management, fertilization, mowing height, and thatch control are essential to curtail large patch and gray leaf spot problems. To help reduce disease problems, fertilize and lime St.
Augustinegrass according to a recent soil test report. Augustinegrass and applied during late winter and spring will reduce many weeds the following summer. If a pre-emergent herbicide was not applied in the spring, the resulting weeds will need to be controlled using postemergent herbicides. Summer weeds, such as spurge and annual lespedeza can be managed by using a post-emergent herbicide for broadleaf weeds sometimes referred to as a 3-way mix.
Three-way herbicides typically contain 2,4-D. Augustinegrass is sensitive to 2,4-D, so follow label directions for mixing and use. Do not apply herbicides unless grass and weeds are actively growing and are not suffering from drought or heat stress; therefore, water the lawn thoroughly the day before application.
Do not mow the lawn 3 days prior or 2 days after application. As with all pest control, proper weed identification is essential for best control options. Renovation: Replant large bare areas in May using sod, plugs, or sprigs 5 bushels per 1, square feet. Mowing: Continue to mow St. Augustinegrass at the normal mowing height until the weather starts to cool in the fall.
This will allow the turf to become acclimated by the time the first frost occurs. Fertilization: Do not apply nitrogen at this time. Lime or sulfur may be applied if recommended by a recent soil test. Potassium, typically known as potash, may be applied to enhance winter hardiness if a recent soil test indicates low to medium levels of potassium. Apply 1 pound of potash K2O per 1, square feet, 4 to 6 weeks before the first expected frost, using 1.
Irrigation: In the absence of rainfall, continue to water to prevent drought stress. After the lawn has become dormant, water as needed to prevent excessive dehydration. Insect Control: Any insects that were missed during the nymphal stage in the summer will have grown to a size where turfgrass damage is occurring. Apply an insecticide to reduce the population and reduce further turf damage.
This is best done before the first frost. Disease Control: For disease control, especially large patch, it is extremely important to treat with fungicides during the fall months. With warm temperatures through September and the possibility of excessive rainfall that may occur during that period, diseases can increase rapidly.
However, with cooler nights and shorter day lengths, control can be quite difficult because of slow turf recovery during this time. Turf weakened by disease in fall will be slow to recover in the spring; therefore, fungicide applications are needed to control disease before the grass goes dormant. In certain situations where large patch has been prevalent yearly, a preventative fungicide application may be needed starting in early October to stay ahead of the disease.
Dull mower blades rip and tear at the plant as opposed to giving the lawn an nice clean cut. You can tell if your lawn more is dull if after cutting the lawn the grass appears to have split ends and you can tell that your mower blade is sharp if it is a nice clean line.
Finally, each type of grass requires different mowing conditions so it is important to know what kind of grass you have so you can cut it properly. When cutting Bermuda grass set your mower blade to cut at a height of 1 to 2 inches. If you fertilize you should mow weekly, and if you do not you should mow bi-weekly.
These practices will guarantee the best results in Bermuda lawns. When mowing St. Augustine lawn you have to remember it is a warm season perennial grass. Augustine grass should be mowed at a height of 2 to 3 inches at all times.
This medium-maintenance grass is not only attractive but also good at protecting itself when its nutrient-rich cuttings are mowed out onto itself. Bermuda grass is tolerant to both high-traffic and drought, making it an excellent choice for Central Texas. Buffalo Grass is s a low-maintenance prairie grass and has less risk for lawn disease.
It looks best and is healthiest in its natural state…nice and tall. Well, there you have it! For further reading, check out our list of Emerald Lawns blogs and also this article on St. Augustine mowing.
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