I’ve received a lot of questions from paspalum growers who are chomping at the bit to get out there and fertilize their lawn, but let’s remember why you bought this grass.  This is a grass that likes low nitrogen and thrives off micro nutrients such as manganese, zinc, and iron.  The summer stress period brings on different animals for every grass and each grass has its way of fighting them off.  This blog will touch on the cultural techniques you can do at home to keep your paspalum strong, deep green in color, and keep costs down.  Just as is the case with all grasses, a healthy lawn is the best defense for any potential problems out there. Read the rest of this entry »

I have received many e-mails in the last couple of weeks by homeowners that cannot believe the amount of water it is taking to get their grass to maintain the correct moisture and not exhibit drought stress conditions.  If you’re following all of the cultural practices necessary to maintain a healthy lawn and you are still seeing signs of trouble you may need to take a look under the turf for grubs.  Read the rest of this entry »

Many homeowners in older neighborhoods have seeded their lawns with common bermudagrass to fix areas or to establish new lawns.  Now they have realize they can’t seem to get rid of it when they want to.  This is one of the most difficult grasses to eradicate, but I am going to tell you a way that will save some of the pain and help reduce the problem.  Read the rest of this entry »

The monsoons are upon us, and so is the humidity.  We need to take advantage of it and get our lawns and sod filled in while we have optimal growing weather.   Read the rest of this entry »

Trying to win a battle with nutsedge is one of the most difficult challenges many homeowners face with their lawns.  Many people have noticed that you can spray and spray and spray before you put in that new pristine lawn only to find that the nutsedge just keeps coming back as you start to water.  There is some hope out there to help solve the problem, but patience is going to be right at the top of the list along with a few steps I will outline. Read the rest of this entry »

My quick tip of the week is to not to let the dead ryegrass remain around in your lawn and take up valuable space that could be occupied by bermudagrass or paspalum.  It may seems like the summer is an awful time for grass to grow in the desert but it loves the heat and it can’t wait for the little bit of humidity we get to arrive.  Read the rest of this entry »

As we warm up for the summer, our grass begins to start aggressively growing.  It is important to keep it check and not get carried away with the water and fertilizer.  If you are out walking around your lawn and it feels like you are walking on a nice cushy sponge, and it has become increasing difficult to mow your lawn without scalping, you can easily conclude that there is a thatch problem.  Read the rest of this entry »

I have received a few questions asking about what the best way to repair their lawn or what is or a cheaper alternative to sod.  I’ll tell you the differences between sod, stolons and seed, and let you make an educated decision about how you would like to proceed on your own.  Read the rest of this entry »

Yes, that is the title for my blog this week.  I would agree that no one looks forward to the extreme heat, but there is nothing better to help get rid of any remaining transition issues out there.  If you have stubborn ryegrass that has been sticking around despite your low mowing heights and reduction of watering,  a few good days above 110 degrees should take care of those issues.  Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone seems to be asking the same questions about their lawns about now.  Here are the questions, and my answers.  I’ll do my best to help you have the healthiest lawn in the neighborhood! Read the rest of this entry »

I have started to notice some lawns where it is evident that the paspalum is being overwatered.  It’s contributing to some small brown areas in the lawn that rapidily increase in size if not handled properly.  Remember that paspalum is a very rhizonomous grass, and gets all its strength and energy from the roots.  If you overwater it makes for a short root system and weakens the plant.  Read the rest of this entry »

While many of us are dreading the summer heat, your summer grass is actually looking forward to it!   Bermuda, paspalum, and St. Augustine grasses do very well in the warmer climates, while fescue and blue/rye thrives in the cooler climates of northern California and Arizona.  Grasses flourish on temperatures that range from 90-105 degrees for warm season lawns, and 65-85 for cool season grasses.  Read the rest of this entry »

I know it has been a different year with the cooler than normal spring and our grass is slower to transition than normal, but it’s never too early to start thinking ahead and have a plan for the future of your lawn. Read the rest of this entry »

After the segment on “Good Morning Arizona” yesterday,  we received several questions about paspalum.  Most of them were asking if it’s right for everyone’s lawns or just select locations.  I am going to give the bullet points to paspalum here today, and then if you have any additional questions please email me.  Read the rest of this entry »

Check out our “Mr. Wise Grass” with Dave “The Garden Guy” on today’s “Good Morning Arizona!”  Find out more about seashore paspalum, and why it might be the perfect lawn for you. Read the rest of this entry »

I am often questioned about what the grass on your Arizona lawn should look like during the transition period.  Below are some pictures of our turf test plots with non-overseeded plots on the left and overseeded plots on the right. Read the rest of this entry »

I think it would be fair to say that we have seen one of the most unusual April’s on record here in the Southwest (rain and cool temperatures).  It’s been nice to get to experience spring again, but our grass lawns are feeling the effects of the up and down weather.  Read the rest of this entry »

We put down an acre of sod yesterday on top of a parking lot for the McDowell Mountain Music Festival.  We think lush cool grass is a a lot cleaner and more fun than a dirty parking lot!  What a great idea! Read the rest of this entry »

I think we’ve all noticed the steady increase in our temperatures over the last couple weeks and as the weather warms up so does our soil. As of this morning, the current soil temperature was 60 degrees at 6:30 am. This is a good indicator that over the next few days we will be in the range to get our warm season grasses up and growing. Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that the average homeowner can waste over 60 % of water they use each month?  In the west we have a tendency to believe in the theory that just because it is hotter than most climates that we need to use more water.  We actually do not need to use any more water than the cooler states as we have grasses that are well adapted to the area.  Watering your lawn is vital to the survival and appearance of your lawn, but overwatering is just as detrimental as under watering.  Read the rest of this entry »

I just wanted to let everyone in Arizona know that we’ve now teamed up with Sprinkler World all across Arizona to stock and special order our sod. Not only are they carrying our sod, they also carry everything you could possibly need to get your yard in tip top shape. Read the rest of this entry »

Seashore Paspalum Maintenance Tips Read the rest of this entry »

Well it’s April 1^st!   As usual we have some really warm days followed by a string of a few cooler days until the real heat begins.  You’ve started to see that flush of spring ryegrass growth if your lawn is overseeded, or you are starting to see a little color if your bermudagrass is coming out of dormancy.  I am going to go over some easy things you can do to help your lawn get through the next couple months and ease the “Spring Transition” anxiety.  Read the rest of this entry »

Spring has arrived!  Those of us that did not overseed our lawns are either looking at either a mostly brown bermudagrass lawn or a dark green seashore paspalum lawn.  I am sure you know which sod I have in my Arizona backyard.  I want to talk about the paspalums again for those of you who are new to my blog or are interested in learning what the craze is all about these days in the grass  and turf world.  Read the rest of this entry »

Now that spring has arrived our bermudagrasses are starting to get a little color and the paspalums are starting to show one of their biggest strengths–an early green up.  For everyone who has overseeded turf or a cool season grass you are quickly realizing that mowing once a week clearly is not enough and turf canopy is getting denser and the ryegrass is getting extremely green and lush.  While your overseeded turf looks amazing this time of year, you don’t want to lose site of the big picture and that is transitioning to your summer lawn.  Read the rest of this entry »

With baseball’s Opening Day quickly approaching, we thought this piece that ran on FOX was worth a repeat!  Check out our own “Mr. Wise Grass” Jay Danek talking about BOBSod–the official turf of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chase Field.  What better way to start out your spring than with a new earth cooling BOBSod lawn?!  BTW, it is called “Bull’s-Eye Bermuda” ouside of AZ……! Read the rest of this entry »

If I ask around my office or look on my blog for the most asked question it is definitely “How do I keep my dog from killing my lawn?”  We all love our pets and of course love our grass, too, so how can we make them compatible?    How can I solve the burn issue in the grass, and is there a supplement that my dog can take to reduce this problem?   Read the rest of this entry »

We finished up Oakland Coliseum last week for the A’s….another great field for the 2010 MLB season!  They went w/ overseeded Tifway 419.

The Angels, D-backs, and A’s all got new fields this year.  And we’re also supplying for the Dodgers and Pads.  Read the rest of this entry »

We’re at Chase Field installing BOBSod for the D-backs this week. We’ll be done by tomorrow. You can check out our video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2lZHVyLFQs.

Read the rest of this entry »

We sodded the WM logo into the “waste area” on #16 at TPC Scottsdale over the weekend for the Waste Management Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour.  The logo is 82′ x 40′. It was a fun project, and proves that you can pretty much do anything with grass!  Read the rest of this entry »

Fertilizer

 -          Paspalums use 66 percent less nitrogen than bermudagrass, and should be treated with 2-3 pounds per 1000 SF of total nitrogen per growing season. Read the rest of this entry »

Pre-Emergent Herbicides

Just some quick reminders to help you keep your California and Arizona lawns their best.  As you go out to the store this week don’t forget to pick up a bag of pre-emergent herbicide for your lawn and get it ready for the spring season.  Read the rest of this entry »

Last week I went over getting lawns in the warmer climates ready for the summer months, and now I’d like to touch on the grasses that work best for the cooler climates.   Read the rest of this entry »

I am often asked what is the best grass to put in a home lawn.  The answer is that there’s not one grass that will be perfect for every situation or house.  There are so many different types of grass, and there is a grass for every situation whether you have shade, sun, high salts, etc.   I am going to go over some of the most popular types of grass used in Arizona and California to help aid in your decision process.  Read the rest of this entry »

Most of us cross the path in our life when we learn the “4 C’s” of buying a diamond.  But how about the 4 C’s of buying sod?  Read the rest of this entry »

Our recent rain storms have been great to help move the salts through the soil, and provide our grass with the best kind of irrigation out there.  But it also means that we will start to see our weeds emerge from the ground. Not good if you want to have the best sodded lawn in California! Read the rest of this entry »

As we begin another week of winter we are finally getting the storms that we so desperately need.  The forecast for the week looks like nothing but RAIN.  If you are in the Phoenix or in So Cal areas we’ve already seen our share of it this morning.  This is a great time to give your irrigation system and pocket book a rest.  Read the rest of this entry »

I have received a lot of questions about “home lawns and how to make them their best” through this blog.  I am happy to answer them, and help you have the best grass in your California neighborhood. Read the rest of this entry »

It was the “game seen around the world” last night, but it was the field that received more praise than either of the teams. Read the rest of this entry »

Ready for tomorrow’s BCS National Championship Game!  Texas Longhorns vs Alabama Crimson Tide……… Read the rest of this entry »

New “Blog” from Jay coming soon!  In the meantime, here are some pics from the sideline @ the Rose Bowl on New Years Day.  Also of the field “overlay” we did right after that game in preparation for the BCS National Championship Game to be played @ the Rose Bowl Stadium on 1/7.  Read the rest of this entry »

Jay is enjoying his holiday, but we thought we’d pass on some exciting turf news on to you anyhow!  We have an exciting project going on this New Years Day in the world of college football (and sorry Jay, there is no “Michigan” involved in this story….). Read the rest of this entry »

The preparation of your soil is as important as the quality of the sod you put down.  If your ground is not prepped right to begin with, you can anticipate several problems down the road.  I am going to lay out a few easy steps for you to follow to make sure that your ground is ready to go for sod. Read the rest of this entry »

As we approach the colder months of the year you may notice that your ryegrass is starting to turn a little brown in color and lose some of that new “bright green” color. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re around your 2nd-3rd week of letting your overseeded lawn come in, it’s time to get that second fertilizer application down. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m extremely happy with the positive response we’ve received from our readers in the first month of our “sod blog.”  It is great to see that many of you are passionate about having a healthy lawn!  Read the rest of this entry »

Over the weekend I had several people wondering what the best option for grass is if they don’t want to overseed. There are a couple of choices.  Read the rest of this entry »

Since this is my first blog, I think it’s important to introduce myself, and give you my background in the turf industry. Read the rest of this entry »

We’re excited to launch our new blog!  Our turfgrass expert is Jay Danek.  We decided to call him “Mr. Wise Grass” (a term of endearment) as we think he knows it all when it comes to your turf–and probably does!  Read the rest of this entry »