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| THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER...... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If your yard is ready to be sodded select the grass that best suits the needs of your family and your vicinity. If you have plenty of time for garden care, there are grasses that have to be "nursed" to be beautiful. If you are a busy person, select a turf that will grow with a minimum of care. There are several grasses that do well in the South. Some varieties do not produce seed and must be planted by sod or stolens. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| BERMUDA GRASS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bermuda grass is probably one of the best known and most used grasses in our area. The common Bermuda, the one most planted in the South is the only variety of this grass planted from seed. This grass spreads by runners and its leaves are medium-coarse textured. It stands wear and tear and drought very well, but needs frequent mowing during the warm months. No member of this family does well under shade trees. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| CENTIPEDE GRASS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Centipede grass is a short dark green turf that grows close to the ground by means of runners that put down roots at every joint. It does well in either sun or shade and can be planted anytime. Centipede is disease and pest resistant. It will withstand considerable drought if well established and needs to be mowed only once to twice a year! This grass is usually delivered and planted in squre sections of sod. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ST. AUGUSTINE GRASS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. Augustine, a creeping perennial, is another popular southern lawn grass. It does its best when growing in slightly alkaline or neutral soil. Planted by sprig, runners or square plots of turf, it does very well in the shade and produces a thick luxuriant carpet if - and this is a big IF - it is not mowed too closely and a careful pest control is practiced. Never mow too closely or the sun will burn it. You will want to allow the older varieties to remain a good two inches high at all times. Depending on the amount of rainfall, mowing is usually necessary at least semi-monthly during the warm months; in winter it is almost unnecessary. St. Augustine is a perfect host for the Chinch bug, army worm and several fungus diseases. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| FEEDING YOUR YARD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your grass needs to be fed....but not overfed. No matter what type of grass you have established give in a meal of a good complete fertilizer, such as 8-8-8, early in the spring. Use from five to ten pounds per one thousand square feet. Then because all green things need just enough nitrogen for steady strong growth and because soils do not retain nitrogen for too long, feed during the late spring with an organic fertilizer, such as 10-6-4. Whatever you apply and whenever you apply it be sure to water well immediately afterwards and regularly in the next few days. This is particularly important when the sun's rays are strong and hot. A word or two about encouraging your shade-tolerant grasses to grow under trees. Fertilize these areas more frequently than the rest of the lawn; feed the trees wells so that their roots do not have to rob the grass of its nutrients; remove superfluous branches or thin out those that must stay on the tree; rake fallen leaves from shady spots and water more often and longer than in sunny locations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TIPS With too much watering, grass plants can smother and drown for lack of oxygen. So, as a gemeral rule, give your lawn about 1" of water per week. To reclaim your lawn from those pesky moles, sprinkle used kitty litter along their mole runs. This will drive the little rascals out of your yard! |
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| Add interest to your lawn with herbs. If you have cold winters and your summers don't get broiling hot, you can interplant tough herbs like Roman chamomile, pennyroyal, creeping thyme, and common yarrow in your lawn. These plants tolerate weekly mowing, can take the competition from lawn grass, and form fragrant, attractive mats of foliage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Springs's first grass clippings are richer in nitrogen than those you will cut later in the season. So, as you clean up the lawn and start mowing, save all the first month's clippings for mulching your lettuce, asparagus, early beets, cabbage and celery, all of which are big nitrogen feeders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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