Lawn Care on the Texas Gulf Coast

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Presented by Stephen Brueggerhoff CEA Horticulture - Brazoria County February 22, 2018

LeRoy Montgomery County Extension Agent Horticulture Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

1 Presented by Stephen Brueggerhoff CEA Horticulture - Brazoria County February 22, 2018 Presentation adapted from program by Thomas R. LeRoy Montgomery County Extension Agent Horticulture Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Brazoria County offers practical, how-to education programs based on university research to help your quality of life. Illustration from Bocaccio's La Teseida (1460) Sheep grazing initiated by President Woodrow Wilson From Chaucer s tomes to the White House homes lawn culture practiced for hundreds of years 1

2 Edwin Beard Budding on left; at right, cylinder reel mower, ca 1888 Game changer: engineer Edwin Beard Budding invents the lawnmower, ca 1830 Fall Phlox (Phlox paniculata) Golden Oregano (Origanum vulgare Aureum ) Asiatic Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) Think outside of the box! Use combinations of plants or unique groundcovers that can add personality to your landscape, create biodiversity and reduce monocrop 2

grasses are originally from tropical regions; grow best when

3 Floratam Meyer Turf for Shade St. Augustine Sea Shore Paspalum Turf for Sun Bermuda Zoysia Warm season grasses are originally from tropical regions; grow best when temperatures are between and do most of their growing in the summer. Stolon runners; above ground, horizontal stems with nodes, internodes and leaflets Rhizome underground, horizontal stems; will grow a plant and roots at a node Stolon Rhizome 3

Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) from Asia, Australia, Pacific islands Varieties: Carrizo, Crowne, El

moderate shade tolerance; turns brown after hard freeze; spreads by stolons and rhizomes Only 2

Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) from tropics Varieties include Amerishade, Delmar, Floratam,

4 Zoysiagrass (Zoysia japonica) from Asia, Australia, Pacific islands Varieties: Carrizo, Crowne, El Toro, Empire, Meyer and Palisades Fine texture similar to bermuda; grows slowly; drought tolerant; moderate shade tolerance; turns brown after hard freeze; spreads by stolons and rhizomes Only 2 varieties by seed; much more success with sod or plugs Meyer St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) from tropics Varieties include Amerishade, Delmar, Floratam, Palmetto, Raleigh, Sapphire and Seville Shade tolerant; wide bladed leaf; less drought tolerant than bermuda/zoysia; spreads via stolons By sod only Floratam 4

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) from tropical

Blue-muda, Contessa, NuMex Sahara, Panama, SR

Veracruz and Yukon Fine textured; full sun;

seeded varieties; spreads by stolons and rhizomes

5 Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) from tropical Africa Seeded varieties include Arizona Common, Blue-muda, Contessa, NuMex Sahara, Panama, SR 9554, Sunbird, Sunstar, Sydney, Transcontinental, Veracruz and Yukon Fine textured; full sun; drought tolerant; garden centers carry only a few seeded varieties; spreads by stolons and rhizomes Seed, sod, sprigs or plug N-P-K Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium 5

6 Select a slow release product (3-1-2 or ratio; use moderate to low rates and low phosphorous) Role of 5 Essential Nutrients Plant Response To N P K S Fe Chlorophyll (Green Color) X X X Shoot Growth X X X Shoot Density X X X Root Growth X X X X X Carbohydrate Reserves X X X Recuperative Potential X Heat, Cold and Drought Hardiness X X X Wear Tolerance X X Disease Proneness X X Nitrogen Too Much Just Right Not Enough 6

7 Too Much Too Much Too Much 7

8 High blade growth Dark, vibrant green color Restricted root & runner systems Less starch stored High water content; thin cell walls Lawn Management Level Lbs. nitrogen applied per 1000 ft 2 Plant Response To Low Moderate High Bermudagrass St. Augustine (sun) St. Augustine (shade) X Zoysiagrass

1. Select pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 ft 2 of lawn - Example: Bag of 16-4-8; divide 100 by 16 (% N) 100 / 16 = 6.25 lbs of N per 1000 ft 2 2.

9 1. Select pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 ft 2 of lawn - Example: Bag of ; divide 100 by 16 (% N) 100 / 16 = 6.25 lbs of N per 1000 ft 2 2. Determine lawn area - Example: if your lawn is 5,000 ft (5,000 / 1,000) x 6.25 = lbs of fertilizer 1 st Application after the 2 nd or 3 rd mowing in the spring 2 nd Application (optional) mid to late May 3 rd Application mid October 9

Mowing Remove no more than ⅓ of the leaf

Halted Stems & Crowns -Too Hot 1/3 Mowing

10 Mowing Remove no more than ⅓ of the leaf blade each time you mow 3 tall = remove tall = remove ½ Optimum Scalping Scalping (> 1/3) Root & Runner Growth Halted Stems & Crowns -Too Hot 1/3 Mowing Roots & Runners Thrive Stems & Crowns are insulated 10

Seashore Paspalum. 5 2 Bermudagrass 1 2 St.

morning: prevent diseases and minimize evaporation Wet soil to 4-6

necessary Avoid wasting water on sidewalks and paved areas Try to keep

11 Seashore Paspalum. 5 2 Bermudagrass 1 2 St. Augustinegrass 3 4 Zoysiagrass 3 5 Water Use Efficiency Water early morning: prevent diseases and minimize evaporation Wet soil to 4-6 inches depth: allow soil to dry out between watering, weekly as necessary Avoid wasting water on sidewalks and paved areas Try to keep water from running off your yard Sprinklers: consider one that will spray large droplets, not a fine mist 11

12 Grow St. Augustine grass Raise mower height ½ inch Water more heavily during dry weather Trim lower limbs on trees to allow more sunlight to grass Consider planting groundcovers Fertilize around October 10 Do not mow after November 15 Mulch tree leaves with mower raised (save fertilizer $) Do not dethatch or aerate after first freeze or before spring green-up Continue irrigation if needed (reduced amount) Avoid water logging Fertilization Thatch control Mowing Watering 12

Aeration annually Mulch clippings Timing of fertilizer applications Measure and control ph Water efficiently Mow 1/3 of blade maximum Aeration:

13 Aeration annually Mulch clippings Timing of fertilizer applications Measure and control ph Water efficiently Mow 1/3 of blade maximum Aeration: increase water and nutrient infiltration Thatch Removal: always commit when thatch build-up < 1/2 inch Brown Patch Gray Leaf Spot Slime Mold 13

14 St. Augustine Decline Iron Chlorosis Cultural Control Well aerated soil Adequate water Chemical Control Soapy water Neem oil Pyrethroids (Bayer Advanced Lawn and Garden Multi-Insect Killer, Real Kill Multi-purpose, Spectracide Bug Stop) Sevin 14

15 Control Bacillus thuringiensis Pyrethroids ( Bayer Advanced Lawn and Garden Multi-Insect Killer, Real Kill Multi-purpose, Spectracide Bug Stop) Sevin Orthene Cultural Controls Well aerated soil Avoid water during adult flight Chemical Control Soapy water Neem oil Pyrethroids ( Bayer Advanced Lawn and Garden Multi-Insect Killer, Real Kill Multi-purpose, Spectracide Bug Stop) Sevin Fairy Ring Crawfish Mound Fire Ant Mound 15

16 TX A&M Soil, Water & Forage Testing Lab: Lab soil test calculator: Urban Fertilizer Mngmt Calculator: Texas Urban Landscaping Guide: Aggie Turf: Turfgrass Producers of Texas: Thanks to You! Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Brazoria County Stephen Brueggerhoff CEA - Horticulture sbrueggerhoff@tamu.edu This presentation is meant for educational purposes only; property of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Contact presentation author for use in full: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Brazoria County, CEA-Horticulture Stephen Brueggerhoff; sbrueggerhoff@tamu.edu 16

Warm Season Turfgrasses for North Texas

Warm Season Turfgrasses for North Texas Warm Season Turfgrasses for North Texas You may think that all grass in North Texas neighborhoods is just that grass. It s green, you mow it, you water it. It s