I will give a detailed plan on how to overseed as we get a little closer, but here is a list of items to pick up at the store this Labor Day weekend.  These are just recommendations, and the exact fertilizer numbers can vary, but it is best to keep your analysis in the range I provide.  If you are in Arizona, I will be discussing this information with ”The Garden Guy” on Saturday as well between 9-11 am on Channel 3.  Enjoy your weekend and GO BLUE!

 Fertilizer – Starter fertilizer applied with the seed such as 6-20-20, 16-24-12, or 16-20-0 at 5 pounds per 1000 SF.  Your second fertilizer application will come two weeks after the seed has been down using a balanced fertilizer such as 15-15-15, 21-7-14, or 16-16-16.  You also want to make a final fertilizer application before we receive our first frost in mid November using calcium nitrate 15.5-0-0, 15-15-15, or 21-7-14 to push the growth.  Once we receive our first good frost you can put the granular away for a couple months as you will not get the reactivity from them with the low soil temperatures.

Verticutter (Ren-o-thin) – Make sure you lightly verticut the lawn in two directions to open the grass plant up and allow for better seed to soil contact.

Sharp Mower – Take your mower blade in to get serviced and sharpened up before you go in and start taking those mowing heights down.  Ideally in the next few weeks you will let your lawn start to grow up 30-40 percent in height so when you scalp it down you are taking it to a normal height.

Perennial Ryegrass – Make sure the label has a minimum of 96 % germination.  Anything less will produce unsatisfactory results and give you less than desirable color.  Seed should be all perennial ryegrass with no annual ryegrass or fescue in the mix. Seed needs to be applied at 8-10 pounds per 1000 SF and there is no reason to go at a higher rate. A higher rate will produce excellent color for the first month and then the ryegrass will start to choke itself out.  

Seed Cover – This can be used during the later part of the year to overseed to help keep heat in the ground. 

Foliar Fertilizers for the winter – If you are in the shopping mood and already at your local store pick up some foliar iron and potassium products for the winter months to maintain color.  You can also purchase “Seasonal Booster” 7-7-7 from West Coast Turf throughout the year for $19.95.  Contact our office for details.

****TIP OF THE WEEK****  Start to let your lawn grow up in height if you will be overseeding this fall.  You will want at about 30-40 %  longer in height than you normally keep it.  This allows you to scalp in the fall to a reasonable height and will help your lawn recover next year.

Please click on the “Ask Jay” button on the top right on the page if you have some overseeding questions for me. 

Jay

PS…..Please find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/pages/West-Coast-TurfWestern-Sod/128634003982?ref=ts!

 Can I still lay bermudagrass or paspalum this season?

You can lay bermudagrass and paspalum up until about November 1^st without having any rooting issues in the winter.  If you do lay grass this fall I suggest that you hold off on any overseeding and let it go dormant for the first year.  If you do want to overseed and want a grass that will stay green longer in the fall and green up quick in the spring use paspalum.

How much water does my grass need at this time of the year?

Each watering cycle should be to a depth of 8-10 inches.  In order to water 8-10 inches into the soil you need to apply between ¾” and 1” of water per application.  The average pop up sprinkler puts out about ¼” of water every 15 minutes.  Your lawn should be watered 2-3 times per week and less during the humid, rainy weather.

How do I get rid of the mushrooms in my yard?

If you are seeing mushrooms popping up in your yard it is definitely too wet and you are hurting the lawn by overwatering it.  If you water everyday your roots will never have to go down into the soil to get water.  A similar example would be if you watered a tree daily it would eventually fall over because the roots would stay at the surface.

I plan on overseeding, what should I be doing to my lawn now?

If you will be overseeding your lawn this fall there is no reason to continue to juice it up with fertilizer giving the new ryegrass competition when it is planted.  It is a perfect time to back off the fertilization and let Mother Nature provide the grass with heat and humidity and it will grow just fine.  If you have not put any fertilizer down in a while and your lawn is yellow go ahead and add some Ironite to green it back up. 

I am not overseeding, so what should I put on my lawn?

There is plenty of time left in the season to get good grass growth so a little nitrogen will help push your lawn to fill in weak areas.  If you have a paspalum lawn use a high potassium fertilizer to strengthen the roots.  In about a month or so an application of an organic fertilizer such as Milorganite will be perfect to keep a nice dark green color in your lawn in the fall.  Later in the fall, a pre-emergent can be applied to your dormant turf to keep the winter weeds away.

Should I scalp my grass now in preparation for seeding?

Let your lawn grow up 30-40 percent in height over the next month so when you scalp your lawn you are cutting to a normal height.  Grass does not respond well when it is scalped down to the nubs as it needs extra energy to try and get re-growth in the plant.

Can I put down a pre-emergent before overseeding?

You can put down a pre emergent such as Barricade or Dimension before you overseed but it must be done 6-8 weeks before you drop seed.  Now these pre- emergents can cause root clubbing and slow the initial growth of ryegrass so be prepared for a little extra work to get your ryegrass established.

When is the best time of the year to overseed?

You will want to wait for the daytime temperatures to drop into the lower 90’s and the night time temperatures in the high 60’s.

Where can I get ryeseed?

We all know that you can pick up an ordinary cheap seed from most places, but buying a low quality ryegrass seed will cost you more in herbicides, time, and you will be looking at a yellow lawn much of the winter.  I highly suggest purchasing West Coast Turf’s BOBSeed for any overseeding that you will do, as it is the same seed as we use on our sod farms and has passed rigorous specs to be called a sod quality seed. 

 Our seed will be available at Phoenix Ace Hardware stores, Silverbell Nursery in Tucson, Preach Building Supply, Elgin Nursery and all 7 Sprinkler World locations.  If you cannot make it to one of those locations, call our office at 800/832-TURF.  You will find a complete list of our seed distributors here at http://www.westernsod.com/bobseed.php

Who has the best college football program year after year?

University of Michigan of course!!!

Enjoy the last of your summer!

Jay

NOTE FROM ADMIN:  Watch for Jay next Saturday between 9-11 am on Channel 3 in AZ!  He’ll be on with “The Garden Guy”  w/ lawn tips.

I have spoken several times before about the low nitrogen requirements of paspalum and I will hit it one more time in this blog because most people generally think lack of color is associated with a nitrogen deficiency.  While it is possible and can be possible in paspalum there is no need for any nitrogen right now with the extreme heat that we are experiencing in Arizona (and the cloud cover that much of southern California experiences) during July and August.  It has enough in the root storage to last through the season and can tolerate the use of just micronutrients. 

A lot of people are asking what kind of fertilizer to buy and what I have been telling them is to find a good queen palm tree fertilizer and sprinkle it on the lawn at about 1-2 pounds per 1000 SF.  Surprisingly this mix is packed with all of the good nutrients that paspalum thrives off of.  As we get into the fall there will be some more options to use for fertilizer such as milorganite, extreme granular by “The Garden Guy” (www.thegardenguy.com), and West Coast Turf will have a mix out soon. 

Those of us in Arizona and probably some parts of California that have experienced some increases in humidity have noticed that the paspalum needs less water than it did during the drier months.  It is important to keep an eye not just on the grass, but check your soil moisture level so you know when and how deep to water your lawn.  Grass feels the same summer stresses that our bodies feel and certain cultural practices are necessary to fight off infection. 

Here are some noteworthy things to keep in mind to help you get through the summer.  These can be adapted to bermudagrass as well but are very important for paspalum to thrive: 

1)      Maintain a healthy turf root system by using aeration in the spring and fall.  This will help reduce compaction and get oxygen to the roots.  Since paspalum is a root grown grass all its energy is sent to the roots for any re-growth. 

2)      Use frequent potassium applications during the summer.  Some good potassium products are 0-0-22, 0-0-50, 6-20-20.  As you can see all three of these products have little to no nitrogen.

3)      Avoid excess nitrogen (no more than 2-3 pounds per 1000 SF per year)

4)      Reduce traffic stress on the turf by staying off compacted areas

5)      Maintain proper irrigation scheduling by watering deep and infrequent

6)      Keep your micronutrients in balance (manganese, iron, zinc).  These can be applied monthly with granular fertilizers to keep good color during the year.

Just as with any grass there can be disease or insect damage, but the amount of cases are very low and generally limited to areas that have been over managed by using excess fertilizer and water.  I am not going to go into great detail as to what one can get in their lawn, but I’ll tell you that if you follow the 6 steps I laid out for you, there are very few pathogens that have a fighting chance against your lawn.  If you see anything that you are unsure of be sure to send me some pictures and we will get you back on track. 

****Tip of the week:  Keep your potassium levels on the higher end to maintain plant strength and fight off summer stresses.  Remember that potassium is the last number on the bag of fertilizer.  Don’t get carried away, but keep a balanced level as potassium helps you maintain a good root system and recover from injury. 

Since I do receive a lot of questions every week it is important for me to know all the details so I can give you the best advice.  If you have put down a product that may have caused harm to your turf, you have a dog, you over-fertilize or water please let me know so I can get it straightened out.  I receive a lot of emails that start by saying I did everything right and now my lawn is dead, what do I do?  This is a very tough question to answer and it doesn’t give me any place to go, so don’t be afraid to tell me what is actually going on with your lawn……really!

Please see my past blogs for info on how to keep your grass looking its best.

Until next time,

Jay

While most of us are lucky enough to rarely get hit with an insect infestation in our lawn there are several others who are unlucky.  There is not a single condition that determines why you may have grubs in your lawn, or why your next door neighbor has none.  Some possible causes are infertile soil, no organic matter, compacted or poorly drained soil, or yards that use preventative insecticides for years and have killed off all the beneficial insects.  

When going about looking for and treating grubs one needs to take the integrated management approach to control.  By definition “IPM is a long standing, science based, decision making process that identifies and reduces the risks from pests, and pest management strategies.”  In general terms this is the process by which a turf manager or homeowner determines what the threshold is for a grub population before treatment is necessary.  Many insects and insect related problems can easily be controlled without the use of pesticides and most are not harmful at all to your turfgrass. 

I am going to discuss in general terms the signs of white grub damage and without getting into extensive detail on each type of insect give you some various control techniques.  The easiest ways to tell if you have grubs are if your grass pulls up like carpet, shows signs of continual drought stress, or if you spot the c-shaped grubs underneath the sod layer in your turf.  You will have to dig up the lawn in a few areas to see them, but if they are the problem you will not miss them.

One of the largest insect populations we see in the southwest is the masked chafer beetle.  It is a C-shaped white grub with 6 legs and is a root feeding insect.  The masked chafer beetles fly around in June and July laying eggs that hatch about 4-5 weeks after they emerge.  Research at several of the universities has told us that they typically fly around and emerge right around May 25^th-June 5^th.  After they have laid their eggs one of two scenarios happen.  The young larvae hatch, pupate over winter and emerge reading to chomp at your lawn next season, while the older large larvae begin to feast on your root system.  One of the obvious signs of grubs in your lawns in several birds pecking at the lawn, continual dry areas even though they are being well watered, and even the sign of some animals such as Javelina that are in search of a nice feast.  Most of us are not going to see Javelina roll up into our backyard for a feast, but I have seen firsthand the amount of damage those guys have done to golf courses that I have worked on.  They have the noses that can sniff out the grubs and then they begin to dig into the turf for a nice feast.  So if you ever go out into your yard and it looks like your dog has dug up patches all over your yard, you may want to take a look underneath your turf to see if any grubs are present.  If you have a large population of grubs your lawn will pull right up like a piece of carpet since the root system has been severely damaged.  

Having a few grubs in your lawn is not going to hurt anything and there is no need to run out and buy an insecticide the minute you see some unless the damage is severe or deemed above your threshold.  I would say that if you see more than 10 grubs in a 1ft x 1ft area.  Even the most expensive golf courses and athletic fields determine what an appropriate amount is before they treat for them.  The life cycle of the grub is the most important part of control and it will determine how successful you are at treating them.  If you catch adult larvae late in the season they are very difficult to control and you may have recurring damage next year.  The best approach is to get them while they are young. 

As I previously said most of the eggs are hatched 30 days after they are laid and this is the perfect time to get them.  Most entomologists will tell you that when they start catching a high amount of beetles in their black light traps in the spring it is time to apply your insecticide for the best control.  You can apply products such as Mach-2 and Merit in areas that have been hit hard in past years and get control for up to 90-120 days so you don’t have trouble in the fall.  Before applying these products water your lawn deep and flood out the area bringing the harmful insects closer to the surface so they can be treated early in their life cycle.  There is no need to spray your entire lawn, nor is there a need to spray preventatively if you have not had an infestation in the past.  This is where the key principles of IPM come into play and you need to decide how much damage is too much damage.  

I talked previously about areas that grubs tend to call home and often times you can alleviate an insect problem by just providing your lawn with the appropriate cultural practices.   If aerifying your turf, or reducing the thatch layer has not helped you in years past and you are seeing significant damage then you have no choice but to eliminate them with an insecticide.   If you are now seeing damage to your turf and you have several large c-shaped grubs feeding at your root system you will have no choice but to apply a quick acting product such as Dylox or Carbaryl (Sevin) .  These should be used in limited quantities and do not exceed the recommended rate.  If you exceed the rate all you are doing is killing beneficial insects and increasing your chances of having an insect problem the next year.

As with any turf problem the best approach is to have a healthy lawn that fights off insects, diseased, and weeds that try to emerge through the ground, but even the best management strategies don’t always work.  If you have tried reducing the compaction, increasing the organic matter in the soil, and watering your lawn correctly then you may need to consider an insecticide if you see several grubs present.  Remember to practice IPM strategies and use chemicals only if necessary.

Check out my past blogs for lots of useful tips on how to have the best lawn on the block!

Jay

Call and ask about Platinum or Sea Spray today for your yard!

Golf courses and landscapers don’t have the option to use soil sterilants, but they are still available to homeowners.  This is an expensive procedure and there are other ways to achieve your desired goal without the expense.  It is important to start by talking a little bit about Round-Up or other glyphosate products.  These are products that are sprayed on weeds or grass and are taken up by the plant and translocated down through the root system killing the plant.  They have zero residual activity and will only kill what is presently growing.  So spraying Round-Up on the ground will not prevent additional grasses or weeds from coming up in that area.  In fact you can actually seed right after the Round-Up is dry because it has no effect once it hits the soil.  Round-Up and glyphosate products are non selective herbicides and should not be applied to any areas you are hoping to keep alive.  You cannot spray them on the middle of your lawn and expect not to kill the grass completely.  They also should not be used to form rings around trees or to keep grass away from the wall as they will run and you will get kill in areas you were not wanting.

Now to renovating your lawn from common bermuda to a hybrid bermudagrass.  This is a slow and tedious process so don’t expect any instant results, but achieving a good kill is quite possible.  What I am going to describe will also work for areas that have nutsedge or crabgrass taking over the yard.  As I previously stated you can only kill what is present so making the weeds or grasses as healthy as possible is the first step.  You will treat your lawn just like it is a “grow in” and water 1-2 cycles per day and let everything grow up.  Once the grass is mature and actively growing is the best time to get an application of Round-Up over the entire area.  It may help to put a dye in the tank so you can see where you have sprayed so everything is covered.  There is no need to exceed the label rate as they have been carefully calculated to get the best kill with the least amount of chemical.  You can expect with the nice warm temperatures to see total death of the lawn after 7 days.  After the lawn has died it is a good time to come in and sod cut out the existing lawn and get it prepared for the next step. 

Next, water 1-2 times daily for a week and let all the weed seeds in the soil start to grow and reestablish themselves so you can spray it out again.  Any weeds that have grown up spray out with Round-Up and then repeat the watering step again for another week.  You will need to do this three times total and you’re looking at about a month to completely transition it out. 

What makes this so difficult is that common bermudagrass seed heads and roots are not sterile and are often buried deep into the soil and raise their ugly heads as you keep watering.  Hopefully three applications will take care of your common bermudagrass, but if you still are getting more coming up and the Round-Up is not completely working, you may have to resort to digging the roots out with a shovel. 

When you are confident that the grasses or weeds have been completely killed and no new grasses are coming up when you water, you can start the soil prep process.  You can check out the old blogs on soil prep for what to do next and what grass is best for your situation. 

Good luck with this difficult problem and keep in mind you may not be able to keep it all out of your new lawn but it is possible to get very good results. 

Tip of the week: 

You should pay extra attention to your watering times during the humid times of the year because your grass does not lose the same amount of water to evaporation that it would on a dry arid day.  We will see days with high humidity over the next month and it will keep moisture in the lawn longer allowing you to space out your watering cycles.  If you are lucky enough to get some rain make sure the irrigation system is turned off completely and give your lawn a couple extra days in between watering cycles so you can save water.  Your grass does not need to be watered until you are seeing some signs of wilt so waiting a little while on a established lawn will only strengthen your root system over time.

Please review my older blogs for more information on making your lawn the best on the block!

Jay

I moved away from Michigan years ago not only because it was cold, but because I hated the humidity.   I have a different appreciation for it here.  Since I am in the turf profession being uncomfortable for a couple months is not a big deal as long as it is helping our grass.  The humidity plays a couple different roles with the grass as it actually allows us to cut the watering back, and use some of what Mother Nature has provided us with–it gets those stolons moving to fill in weak areas.   We all know that rain is a blessing and we get very little of it in the desert, but a raised dew point and higher humidity means moisture stays in the plant longer.  That in turn means a little less water that needs to be applied to the grass.  I am not talking about getting carried away, but you can take a few minutes off the timer when we have these kinds of conditions and save a few gallons of water. 

Everyone that overseeds their lawn may have noticed the sudden die off of ryegrass in the last week after we had humid conditions for a week.  It only takes a few days of humidity and 110 degree heat to wipe out that stringy ryegrass.  If you have seen a black appearance to the turf in the last few days you know exactly what I am referring to.  The unfortunate part of the die off is what is left underneath.  I have been preaching to everyone to give their lawn a 100 growing days without competition, but if you are just now losing the ryegrass you are not going to be left much growing underneath.  I am going to address how to fix the weak areas and what a few magic bullets are that will get the lawn going in the right direction.  

The weak areas still need to be verticut and thinned out before you can get any recovery on your lawn.  Take a look at the picture and you will notice how much dead material is between the bermudagrass leaves and that is preventing the stolons from filling the spots in.  While that ryegrass sure filled those voids well a few weeks ago, it is not a pretty site right now.  If you don’t want to rent a verticut or just have a few small areas take a thatch rake and get all that dead, decaying material out and fill in the areas with sand.  The sand will keep the ground level when the stolons start to move across your yard. 

If you have bermudagrass, don’t be afraid of a little nitrogen right now.  An application or two of ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 at 5 pounds per 1000 SF will give your lawn a great jump start and will green it up in a hurry.  If you have a lot of growth already but still wants to feed your lawn stick with the organic fertilizers such as Milorganite, or even a balanced fertilizer such as 15-15-15, 16-20-0, 21-7-14, 6-20-20.  Do not apply any weed and feed to your lawn during this time of the year.  It is much too hot outside and you will have a significant amount of turf loss if it is applied.  If you have a paspalum lawn there is no need to put anything down with nitrogen at this time of the year.  If you are looking for a little color stick with the micronutrients and trace elements such as Manganese, zinc, and iron.

Maintain good moisture in the grass by watering 3-4 times per week and check the depth of the watering with a screwdriver after you water.  The humidity can also bring the potential for turf diseases if you get carried away with watering or water at night so make sure you have that clock set for the right amount of time and early in the morning around 5 am.  Watering at night will leave moisture on the grass and with our heat and humidity it can produce disease symptoms in turfgrass but most diseases are very rare here in Arizona unless the lawn over continually saturated.  It is better to be safe and water early so you are not only efficient, but it allows the water all day to dry off the leaves. 

Take a look at my pictures and see if it is anything you are seeing at your house.  It is a very common sight right now and all that needs to be done is a little thatching or verticutting to give the grass somewhere to grow.  Use this season to your advantage and you will be amazed at just how much these desert acclimated grasses love the heat, humidity, and rain.

TIP OF THE WEEK

• My tip for the week is to use the weather to your advantage.  It should be easy to remember that everything we hate about the weather our grass loves so that means feed it, and push the growth unless you have paspalum.  If you have paspalum just sit tight and let the grass grow.

Please take a look at my past blogs for more information on keeping your sod looking the best in the neighborhood.

Until next time,

Jay

So what exactly is nutsedge?  Nutsedge is a perennial weed that loves waterlogged soil, has a tendency to adapt very well in areas with poor drainage or places that are irrigated too frequently.  We often see nutsedge in developments that use flood irrigation on their properties or have in the past.  There are two types of nutsedge and they are yellow and purple, and just for the record the purple is not any prettier than the yellow or vice versa.  Nutsedge typically lives in the upper crust of the soil and has a life cycle ranging from 1-3 years but that only accounts for one tuber. 

Both types of nutsedge produce “tubers” 8-12 inches below the soil surface and can have plants that can be as far as 10 feet apart attached to it.  I have put some pictures of nutsedge in this piece as well but one of the true signs of having it is just how much faster it grows than your turf.  They have a very upright growth habit and will grow at 2-3x the rate of a warm season hybrid turf. 

I know we all only care about trying to control the nutsedge, but it is important to know why it is there to begin with, and ways to reduce the population over time.  One of the best control methods is to remove the small plants before they become mature.  If you get the plant when it is small typically before it has 5-6 leaves it will not have produced a tuber yet and this will cut off the reserve supply to the weed.  You will be pulling these weeds constantly during the spring and summer months but you can save yourself the headache down the road.  Now if you already have mature nutsedge and you are trying to eliminate the problem take note that patience is going to be your best weapon. 

If you will be starting your new lawn over from scratch it is great to catch the nutsedge in its young stage and spray it with Roundup or glyphosphate.  After you have sprayed it water the lawn area for a week or two until any plants come back and do this process again.  This will usually take 3 good sprays to eliminate most of the nutsedge but if you have extremely healthy tubers the Roundup will just barely ding the leaves and you are stuck with a strong tuber in the soil waiting to reemerge.  The glyphosphate or Roundup should be applied when the grass is actively growing, young, and should not be applied to grass that was just mowed. 

If you have an established lawn and you are looking to get rid of nutsedge with one single chemical application, realize that you have a better shot of winning the lottery.  There are chemicals out there for control in established lawns and the directions must be followed carefully and applications need to be timed exactly as the directions indicate.  Here are a few products that you can find at the specialized landscape stores and nurseries that will slowly take away the problem.  

Sedgehammer – Halosulfuron

Certainty – Sulfosulfuron

Monument – Trifloxysulfuron

As I said patience is the key to these chemicals and it will take several applications if not a long time to fully take care of the problem but these are some of best on the market for controlling and slowing the growth.  While there is not a pre-emergent for nutsedge, you can wage a war with it by pulling it out as it comes up and depleting the energy to the tuber.  Good luck and send me some pictures if you are unsure of how to proceed with your lawn. 

Jay

A good balanced fertilizer during this time of the year is excellent such as 15-15-15, 6-20-20, or 21-7-14.  if you need to push the growth an application of 21-0-0 will be your best bet.  Don’t get carried away with the 21-0-0 or you will build up a large organic layer. 

Have a good week and keep sending me your questions and pictures.

Jay

You can never spend too much time on the prep work.  Many people just simply lay their grass on the existing dirt, and expect that it will root down and be level because it is sod.  That is definitely not the case as most of us have compacted clay, and nutrient deficient soils.  What we typically will see are soils that are high in pH, and have an accumulation of salt build up through the years.  How do you know if you have these problems?  The easiest way is to send a soil sample to your local extension office.  They can tell you exactly what nutrients your soils need, and if you should add gypsum or lime to balance out your pH.

Now I do understand that the soil test is not always economical or may be time consuming, but I will say you will save $$ down the road.  If you were to check in with any golf course superintendent they’d tell you that they want their soil tested a minimum of two times per year to determine exactly how to treat the soil.  While this is quite excessive for your home lawn, it does show you just how important this is in the prepping process.

Here is a set of steps to follow (and please keep in mind that I am giving you amendment numbers based upon a soil test that I received at my house–so the exact numbers will vary depending upon your location and soil type):

1. The first step is to remove rocks or other debris, control weeds and establish a rough grade. In order to control weeds they must be present for the Round Up to work. You cannot spray Round Up on bare soil and expect to see results. If you have nutsedge, crabgrass or common bermudagrass present you will have to spray and water several times in order to take care of the problem before planting grass. This process will consist of watering for a week and letting the plants come up, spray them out and repeat several times until they are eradicated.
2. Incorporate 1 to 2 inches of sand into your soil. I do not recommend using wood mulch as you will often bring in weed seed and it will cause a layering issue with your underlying soils. The sand will reduce compaction, improve water and nutrient retention and penetration, and provide you with a water efficient lawn.  Sand is the optimal growing medium for grass as it allows your roots to grow deep, and it makes it easy to water deep and infrequently even during the hot summer months.
3. There is a tremendous benefit to your lawn to add fertilizer and amendments into your soil. You can incorporate phosphorus at a rate of 2-3 lbs. of actual phosphorous per 1000 square feet, sulfur at a rate of 5-10 lbs. per 1000 square feet, and gypsum at a rate of 25-50 lbs. per 1000 square feet.  If you read my past blog on fertilizer calculations it will go over exactly how to get to these numbers.
4. The next step is to rototill your soil to a depth of at least 4-6 inches. While many of you will have the machine bounce off your hard pan soil this is the best way to help with water percolation, nutrient additions and to achieve optimal root growth.
5. Once you have tilled the ground and all the rocks have been removed it is time to add your sprinkler system. This will be much easier now that the soil is loose and you able to dig down into the ground. You can dig the trenches with a small irrigation shovel or ideally you would rent a Ditch Witch and this will help you with your trenches. Most landscaping companies will use a ditch witch to put your system in. I highly recommend an automatic sprinkler system to save time, water, and to help you establish a perfect lawn. You will want to set your sprinklers at ½ inch above grade so the sod lays right over them. For the areas around your sidewalks it is ideal to keep the soil 1 inch below because the soil is ½ inch and the grass is a ½ inch when it comes in.
6. The final step is the finish grade and you will want to rake and lightly roll the soil to achieve a firm surface. Once the grade is finished water the soil for a couple days to prevent any settling and then you are ready for sod.

If you follow these simple steps you to will have a perfectly graded smooth surface.  Keep in mind that sod is like carpet so you will see anything that is underneath the grass.

Now for you do it yourselfers that want to install your own lawn there here are some simple steps to make sure it goes seamlessly, and your lawn will be put down just like the pros…..  The first step is to measure your lawn area and make sure you account for waste, cutting, crazy shaped lawn edges, and slopes.  The typical lawn will need 8-10 percent more sod than the exact measurement of the yard.   

1. First lay sod all around the perimeter of the yard to make sure all areas are covered properly.  To make tight turns and curves make a slight cut in the middle of the sod roll and adjust it to fit the angle.
2. Once the perimeter is completed lay a straight line right down the middle of the lawn. You want to lay the longest straight away and this is often best executed right down the middle of the lawn. This will keep your seams perfect as you go and will eliminate waste. 
3. Each additional length of the yard will be laid in a brick formation by staggering the seams.  You will need to cut the first roll in half to make sure the seams are staggered.  Push the edges and end of the sod tightly against each other without over stretching the grass.  You do not want to leave any gaps between rolls and if you have a jiggered or dry edge of the roll cut it with a sod knife to get a straight edge.
4.  You can cut the sod with a vinyl flooring knife or box cutter to get a sharp cut.
5. After you fill in all the areas and make you cut you are ready to apply a light rate of water and roll the turf to remove any air pockets in the turf.  Rolling is not to level the ground but to get good contact with the soil.
6. Your grass should be watered 3-4 times daily after it is installed for 5-7 minutes per cycle during the day.  You are trying to keep the grass from drying out on the surface until it roots down into the ground.  Once the grass has rooted follow my water guide and adjust it to fit your sprinklers and yard.  Remember the rule of thumb for an established yard is 10 minutes of water for everyday you don’t water.  If you use low flow nozzles you need to double the amount of water.

Weekly Tip

Now you will have the perfect lawn and you can take pride that you did it yourself.  If your lawn is struggling at all right now add a little ammonium sulfate to give the bermudagrass a boost but don’t get carried away.  You don’t want to exceed 5 pounds of product per 1000 SF.  This will only be effective if the bermudagrass has space to grow so make sure you have thatched or verticut your lawn before you try to push growth.

If you have paspalum use ironite at 5 pounds per 1000 SF to keep that beautiful green color.

Please read my past blogs for more tips.  If you still have questions, please let me know and I will do my best to help you out.

Jay

I’m going to give a brief definition of thatch today and a couple of easy ways that you can manage it.  If you are dreading getting outside with a hand rake or thatch rake to remove it, I”ll make it simple by telling you exactly what to rent and how you can save yourself from a heat stroke and days of back pain.

Let me start with the definition of thatch.  Thatch is the layer of dead biomass (stems and roots) that builds up in the soil and the grass.  It’s the material between the grass blades and active roots of the lawn.  It often builds up extremely quick if you over fertilize or over water your lawn.  When the thatch layer becomes excessive it makes it extremely difficult to keep the lawn in a healthy condition.  When you get to this point over the next few weeks especially as conditions become humid and the grass starts to take off it is time to verticut. 

Verticutting is a specialized machine that uses bladed attachments to make deep, vertical cuts into the thatch.  When you are verticutting, start off on a very high setting and gradually increase the depth.  You are just looking to eliminate some of the thatch and not pull up roots from the soil.  If you set the machine too deep you will not do any good, but you will set yourself back a few weeks in growing.  After you verticut the lawn (and remove more material than you ever thought could possibly be present in a lawn!), it is best to mow up the material or rake it up and remove it from the lawn. 

When you have too much thatch in your lawn it interferes with the lawns ability to use available water and fertilizer so it will actually show your lawn looking dry even though you have been pouring the water to it.  If you have more than 1/2″ of thatch it will increase disease pressure and harbor insects in the thatch layer that are not beneficial for your lawn.   If your grass roots have too much thatch it will make your lawn less drought tolerant and will actually appear to be in poor condition even though you have taken every other step to ensure a good quality lawn. When you have 1/2 inch or less of thatch it serves as a shade and actually helps cool the crowns of the plant and reduces compaction.  Another easy way to reduce compaction is through regular aerification and I will discuss that in the next couple weeks.

Now after you have finished the vertical cutting process you will actually see your lawn go into stress for about 10-14 days, so it’s important to increase your watering and apply a fertilizer to maintain plant strength.  I think it is important to water daily for 10-14 days until the grass recovers and fertilize with a product high in potassium such as 0-0-50 or 6-20-20.  You do not need a nitrogen application during this time, but keep with your usual monthly fertilization schedule. 

Just to summarize, you need to verticut when your lawn has over 1/2 inch of thatch when it is actively growing so you can reduce compaction and increase your water and fertilizer uptake.  You can often rent a verticutter at your local supply store and they will be called a Ren-o-thin, not a power rake.  A power rake can be too aggressive when overdone.  I have attached a couple pictures of what your lawn will look like after the verticuttung process.  Let me know if you have any questions about this.

Please read through my past blogs for more information on keeping your lawn healthy.  You can also find us on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=762331504#!/pages/West-Coast-TurfWestern-Sod/128634003982?ref=ts, or follow me on Twitter  www.twitter.com/westernsod.

Jay

Naturally everyone asks about seed but the most important thing to keep in mind is that there is no seed for a hybrid bermudagrass such as BOBSod.  The BOBSeed that you see online refers to our winter ryegrass that is good for overseeding any warm season grass that you may own.  Now many of you have been told by various stores that you can buy seed at their store to fix dog damage or weak areas, but these are all common bermudagrasses.  I realize that statement probably doesn’t mean much to most people, but to put it simply they are grasses that will invade your hybrid bermudas and are almost impossible to get rid of once they have been established.  Common bermudas are grown in from seed and many people suffer from severe allergies to the pollen put out by the plant.  The seed heads that you see in common bermudagrass are viable and will blow all over your yard and will grow any where the seed grows.  These are much faster growing, and typically have a much coarser leaf texture than hybrids. 

Now if you own a paspalum lawn there is seed available from us to maintain the paspalum and it does not produce viable seed heads.  A seeded lawn will take about 60-90 days to fully mature and need to be watered several times per day for the first couple weeks to get the seed to germinate.  Once the seed germinates you will need to water a couple times a day and fertilize weekly to bi-weekly until the grass is completely established.  You will have several weeds appear during the grow-in and it is important to stay on top of them and hand-pull them as they come up.

Stolons are basically a form of chopped up sod and are available when a customer is purchasing a large quantity such as for a golf course.  Stolons do have a much lower initial cost versus sod, but be sure to add the following to your budget when trying to figure out if they will work for you.  Stolons need to be watered 6-8 times daily for the first few weeks to get them established and to root into the ground.  They need to be fertilized weekly to bi-weekly throughout the grow-in and they are not forgiving if they are under fertilized or ever allowed to dry out.  A typical grow in schedule will be around 90 days to achieve growth but I do not recommend them unless you have someone watching the water all day long.  When I say you need to run 6-8 cycles of water a day it is important to know that they do not like to be flooded, under watered and the irrigation heads and timers constantly need to be adjusted throughout the day to achieve perfect watering.  Remember these are only available in areas over at least an acre.  Weeds will naturally fill in the opening of the stolons when they are applied and need to be handpicked and constantly mowed to keep any competition away from your stolons. 

Sod may cost a little more to begin with, but the cost can be made up very quickly when you add up all the fertilizer, time, and water that seed and stolons take to grow in.  Most of us prefer the instant gratification of a sodded lawn versus constantly pulling weeds and fertilizing to get a turf similar to sod quality.  Sod is extremely quick to establish and will root down in 5-7 days during the summer months and you will have a beautiful lawn for years.  Let me know if you have any questions about a particular product or seed, and be careful when you are told that a grass seed will not be invasive in your current lawn.

I will be glad to help you with any questions you may have, but please read my past blogs for more info on how to keep your lawn the best one in the neighborhood!

Jay

Bermudagrass

If you have not applied any spring fertilizers to prepare for the summer or have been spoon feeding your lawn with low rates of  nitrogen fertilizer,  it is now okay to get back on your balanced fertilizer routine.  When I refer to a balanced fertilizer I am talking about a 3-1-2 ratio such as 21-7-14 or a 1-1-1 ratio such as 15-15-15.  These will help balance your soil out and get the correct nutrients for your grass plant to survive throughout the summer.  If you are lacking color or still are slow to get some growth here go ahead and make another application of ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 at 5 pounds per 1000 SF or add some Ironite, granular zinc or manganese.

Paspalum

Keep your fertilization to a minimum in the summer and do not apply any nitrogen based fertilizers.  You can use zinc, manganese, or Ironite to maintain summer color.

Watering Schedule

As we move into the summer the general rule of thumb is to water 10 minutes for everyday you do not water.  So if you water every other day you will need to water 20 minutes in the morning.  You may need to increase your watering times depending on your soil conditions, water pressure, and of course your sprinklers.  If you have sprinklers such as MP rotors make sure you put down 2x the required water to achieve the best results.  Make sure to check your heads and see if you are getting a good deep watering by sticking a screwdriver in the ground 6-8 inches after you water.  Make sure you set your water to run first thing in the morning so you don’t have the water sitting on the leaf blade throughout the night giving your grass the potential to get a fungus.

Be sure to read my past blogs to get more tips on getting your best lawn!

Jay

•  When will my lawn be fully transitioned out?

We have had a much cooler than normal spring and it has allowed the perennial ryegrasses to stick around longer than normal.  We have now reached optimal soil temperatures for a few weeks and the warm season grasses are starting to push their way to sunlight.  Remember you need to encourage your grass to do so by gradually lowering your mowing heights and not letting the ryegrass stick around because it looks perfect.  The longer it sticks around, the more shade you will provide and that can lead to thinning and loss of your underlying warm season grass.

•  What is the best fertilizer to use on grass that is not overseeded bermudagrass?

 Your grass needs a balance of nutrients and that includes nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.  It is ideal to stick with fertilizers that have a 3-1-2 ratio such as 21-7-14 and occasionally mix it up with 21-0-0 (ammonium sulfate) during the summer months.  These fertilizers are not okay for paspalum growers so stick to the paspalum section.

• What is the best fertilizer to use to help aid in transition of bermudagrass?

You have a few options, including spoon feeding your lawn every 2-3 weeks with low rates of nitrogen to encourage growth–or you can apply a heavier rate of ammonium sulfate to really push the growth.  A heavy rate is 5 pounds per 1000 SF and doubling or tripling the rate does not speed up the process any.  You can spoon feed the ammonium sulfate every two weeks at .25 pounds of nitrogen which is 1.25 pounds of product per 1000 SF until the warm season grass pushes its way through the ryegrass. 

Recent studies have shown that granular managanese sulfate and zinc sulfate applied at 2-3 pounds of product each per 1000 SF will help the warm season grass in transition by sending available nutrients down to the roots for a healthier plant.  Please note that these must be “granular” products.  You can often find these at a nursery in the section with palm tree fertilizers.

•  What is the best fertilizer for paspalum in the summer?

These are all loaded questions and can have several answers but here are a few good choices for the next few months…..

Granular manganese and zinc sulfate applied at 1 pound of product per 1000 SF.  Again these can be found at most nurseries in the palm tree fertilizer section.  Paspalums do not need nitrogen in the summer months and are best left mean and lean.  Some fertilizers to help keep the color are Ironite, Milorganite at a ¼ rate, and sea weed extracts which help the root system.

•  What height should you maintain bermudagrass? Paspalum?

Once you have eliminated all of your ryegrass and are growing a warm season grass, you want to grow the lawn at a height that is manageable for your mower without scalping.  It also needs to be in line with the type of grass you have. 

Here are some general guidelines:

• BOBSod/Bull’s-Eye -  ½” to 1 ½”                                                 
• EZ-Turf (Midiron) – ¾” to 2”
• Tifway 419 – ¼” to 1”
• Tifgreen 328 – 1/8” to ¾”
• Paspalum – ¼” to 2″
• Tifway II – ½” to 1 ¼”

You never want to mow more than 1/3^rd of the blade when you mow the grass.  You will always be able to mow lower with reel mowers than rotary mowers.  Don’t set the mower to the ground expecting to achieve a ½ inch with a rotary mower.  You can get most rotary mowers as low as ¾” when the grass is properly maintained and thatch is at a minimum.

• How much should I water right now?  I have been told to turn off the water and let the ryegrass die, is this okay?

There is not a set amount of water I can tell you that your lawn will need each week because it will vary depending on your soil type, temperature, and environmental conditions.  What I can tell you is that the general rule of thumb during this time of the year and throughout the summer for pop up sprinklers is to water 10 minutes for every day that you don’t water.  So what this means is to water 20 minutes every other morning or 30 minutes every third morning.  You do not want to water every day or you will eliminate your root system entirely.  One of the best ways I can describe this scenario would be a tree and that if you watered the tree daily the roots would never get any water and it would naturally fall over.  The best determination if you need water is the footprint test.  Walk on the grass and if it doesn’t stand back up and shows signs of wilt you know it is time to water.

As far as the second question is concerned you all know my answer to this by now and that is NO.  If you turn off the water for two weeks you will not give the warm season grass any water and it cannot emerge from dormancy.  You will actually shock the grass and put it in a sleep mode where it doesn’t react again until you turn the water back on.

• Which grass uses the least amount of water and fertilizer? 

Paspalum.  It uses 2/3rds the nitrogen of bermudagrass and can thrive on low water inputs.  Much evidence has been shown of the negative reactions to overwatering paspalum and since it has such a short dormancy period you don’t have to overseed it and get the ultimate in savings but not wasting water in the winter. 

• What is the best grass in the shade?

The best grass for a shaded area is St. Augustine, but you still need to get at least 3 hours of direct sunlight on the grass between 10 am and 3 pm for it to hold its vigor.  The only option for bermudagrass in the shade is BOBSod, and this needs 4 hours of sunlight between 10am and 3 pm. This is the reason the Diamondbacks have used it with their limited light situation.  There have been a few grasses that have promoted their shade tolerance lately, but as we all know, living things need sunlight and nothing is going to be perfect in the shade.  Don’t believe the hype.

I hope I have answered your questions.  If you have more, or have an idea for a blog topic, please click on the “Ask Jay” button to the top right of this page.  I will do my best to help you out.  Also, be sure to follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/westernsod for all of the latest news.  Thanks for reading, and for all of the great feedback.  It’s much appreciated!

Until next time,

Jay

Take a look and if you see these at your house.  You can apply a small amount of granular fungicide to the areas or just wait for them to grow out, as it is short lived once you get the water under control.  These spots will often be seen in low areas or spots that retain moisture, so it’s a good idea to not water more than 2-3 times per week. 

If you have applied the Milorganite as instructed earlier in the month, and you want to keep that color and growth, going some applications of Ironite, manganese sulfate and zinc sulfate work very well at ONLY 1 POUND PER 1000 SF.  You don’t need to exceed this rate for these products.  All of these products are granular products that you are applying to your queen palms in the summer so go ahead and use it on your lawn also.   These will help those of you who are in the middle of transitioning from ryegrass to your summer grass also. 

I’m going to send out a simple “easy to use” guide to growing paspalum in the next week or so.   The extensive guide to maintaining paspalum has been posted in previous weeks and is great as a reference, but some of the applications are geared towards the high maintenance of  golf course so I will make the next guide very simple to use.

As always, shoot me an e-mail if you have any questions.  Just click on the box to the right that says “Ask Jay.”

Thanks, Jay

Which grass should you choose?

I am not here to tell you what grass you should use, but I will tell you the things to consider before choosing your lawn.  It is extremely important to ask yourself the following questions:

1)  Do you live in a warm or cool season climate?  

If you live in a warm climate you can choose between bermudagrass, seashore paspalum, and St. Augustine.  If you reside in a cooler part of Arizona or California then I recommend you look between the West Coaster tall fescue and our bluegrass/ryegrass mix. 

2) Does your yard get full sun, partial sun, partial shade or all shade?  

If you have a full sun area you can choose between any of the bermudas, paspalums, fescue, blue/rye and St. Augustine. 

Full sun indicates that your lawn gets complete sun between 10 am and 3 pm in the summer.  Afternoon sun does not have any effect on grass so afternoon shade will not hinder your lawn. 

Partial sun is a lawn that gets 3.5-4 hours of sun during 10 am and 3 pm.  For these situations your grasses of choice are BOBSod (Bull’s-Eye Bermuda) or St. Augustine in warmer climates and blue/rye or fescue in the cooler areas. 

Partial shade indicates that your lawn receives mostly shade during 10am and 3 pm, but you still receive 2.5-3 hours of sunlight.  For these areas you can choose between St. Augustine for warm climates, and fescue or blue/rye for cool season climates. 

If you have less than 2.5 hours of sunlight during the day you are going to struggle to grow any grass.  All living things need sunlight so your best option for this situation is a light pruning to at least allow for filtered sunlight throughout the day. 

3) Will you be mowing with a rotary or reel mower?

If you are using a reel mower than all of the grasses available on the market are well suited for you and your lawn.  If you will be using a rotary mower as most people do than you want to stick with grasses that can handle mowing heights of 3/4 inch or higher.  You will find that most grasses fit into this range except Tifgreen 328 and some of the ultra dwarf “Tif’s” on the market.  Some of the best home lawns have been proven  to be Sea Spray seashore paspalum, Platinum paspalum, BOBSod (Bull’s-Eye), Tifway II, and EZ- Turf in the warm season areas and fescue or blue/rye in the cool season areas.

4)   Are you willing to do the necessary maintenance to keep your lawn looking perfect all season long or are you looking for a lawn with virtually no maintenance except watering and mowing? 

All grasses on the market need to be lightly verticut, dethatched, and aerified at least once each season.  Hopefully you are not reading this saying that you don’t want to do any of these throughout the year so I am not going to put in any grass.  All of the items listed above are extremely simple to perform and all make for a healthy turfgrass plant. 

5) Do you want an environmentally friendly grass?

Try the new paspalums and realize how nice it is to cut 2/3rds of your nitrogen fertilizer program out each year.  Do you not like to overseed?  These are grasses that can hold  color 4-6 weeks longer than bermudagrasses and will green up 4-6 weeks earlier giving you a shorter dormancy period.  Check out my old blogs on this and check out the video with “The Garden Guy” to see just how amazing the color is on this warm season grass wonder.

6) What grass has the best drought tolerance?

I am not going to run through the list of each grasses’ drought tolerance, but I will tell you that these studies show  how long a grass can stay alive without watering, not how aesthetically pleasing they are.  You will have to water most grasses every 2-3 days throughout the summer season.

So ask yourself these questions before choosing your sod.  Don’t get caught up in the price of each particular grass– concentrate more on the attributes of the lawn you desire. 

Do you still have questions about what is best for you or your area?  Call us or e-mail us for advice.  We’re always willing to help you!

Until next time,

Jay

P.S. Don’t forget to find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/West-Coast-TurfWestern-Sod/128634003982?ref=ts and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/westernsod for more tips!

Many of you probably decide if you are going to overseed your lawn or let it go dormant on a whim, while others are required to do so by their HOA’s or really like the winter grass look.  The truth is that even though we have not transitioned out from last year’s ryegrass, we need to be thinking about next year’s ryegrass.    In order to get to that point we must first focus on the warm season grass that we have planted.  Did you know that your warm season grass needs a minimum of 100 days of growth with no competition to thrive and hold onto its form year after year when you overseed?  Since the average lawn area is overseeded the first week of October, that means we need to have a 100 percent warm season lawn by the first day of summer.

Our warm season grasses are very finicky when it comes to growth because we are stuck in an area with excessive heat, but very little humidity.  If you have been reading my blog you know that the best way to get your summer lawn to thrive is with nice warm temperatures and high humidity.  It makes it difficult when we live in a desert and a high humidity day is around 40 percent, but we still are able to grow a solid stand of grass.  I am sure that many of you have noticed that your lawn grows the best during monsoon season and often needs to be cut a couple times per week during July and August.  So the question is what do we do when we don’t have heat and humidity to get our lawns growing?  We can begin to accomplish this by taking away the competition for sunlight, water, and nutrients.  Ryegrass serves as a shade and as too many people have noticed warm season grasses don’t take to kindly to the shade.  I am sure there are more people than I can count that have that lovely ring  of dirt underneath the large tree in their yard.  Ryegrass has the same exact effect on the bermuda or paspalum grasses and that a large tree does except it may actually be more detrimental over time.

If we don’t eliminate the ryegrass in a timely fashion and allow our grass to grow free and clear for at least 100 days we will start to see it thin out.  It starts at the newest leaf tips and works its way down to the oldest leaf when finally we are stuck with dead grass.  This is a common problem on homes and parks that keep their ryegrass too long in the spring and then quickly find out they have no grass left underneath as soon as monsoon season comes roaring in.  The heat and humidity will quickly take out your ryegrass over night and if your underlying grass isn’t well established by then you will be looking at some big yellow areas or dirt. 

I realize that many people find it undesirable to go through a month of transitioning their grass and expect it to just happen naturally, but anyone that has ever had a lawn in California or Arizona knows it  doesn’t happen that way.  I am going to keep giving you some pointers to get you going in the right direction and make sure there are no bumps in the road come summer.

I suggest right now you go to the calendar and start to think about what you are going to be doing this fall.  Will you overseed or will you let your lawn rest and go dormant?  If you already know you will be overseeding then it is time to find the approximate day you will be scalping and dropping seed so you can count back 100 days.  Remember this is the day you must be fully transitioned by in order to ensure you have a healthy lawn next summer.  We all the love the green color of overseeding, but it is single handily the worst agronomic thing we do to our grass each year.  Grass was not designed to be scalped down and seeded into every fall so in order for it to adapt, we must make it adapt.  The best way to do this is to give it a fighting chance now.  Make sure your mowing heights are currently no longer than 1 inch and if you can get your mower to ¾” or lower without scalping the lawn then you should be there.  As I have spoken about many times, you never want to cut off more than 1/3^rd of the leaf at a time so if you are currently mowing at 2” you have some work to do in the next couple weeks.  When your lawn gets too long and the ryegrass roots are taking up warm season space you are limiting your spring growth. 

One of the best ways to start getting rid of the rye is to lightly verticut the lawn with a Ren-o-thin.  Do not set the machine down to the roots but instead just lightly tickle the grass and start to thin it out.  Even on a very high height setting you will remove loads of grass and give your warm season grass space to breathe and receive much needed sunlight and water.  The Ren-o-thin will also allow you to mow your lawn a little shorter without scalping and causing injury to the grass below. 

So not to be annoying and continue to repeat myself on transition tips I will say them one last time.  Your watering should be 15-25 minutes 2-3 times per week for an established lawn and when we see temperatures on the rise for a good week cut the water back 40 percent and allow some of the ryegrass to die off.  After you have succeeded and removed some of the unwanted winter grass, apply fertilizer either by spoon feeding small amounts of slow release fertilizer (21-7-14) or applying heavier amounts of quick release fertilizers such as 21-0-0 (ammonium sulfate).

If you have followed these steps you will have no problem having a 100 percent warm season lawn come June 21^st.  If you are having trouble still removing your ryegrass after June 21^st or want to get rid of it now there are chemicals on the market that will kill your cool season grasses.  Now these chemicals take 7-10 days to work and then there is a grow-in period for your warm season grass so don’t think it is the magical cure.  They are the answer if you don’t mind looking at a brown lawn for a couple weeks and you don’t mind removing any dead material from the lawn with a dethatcher or verticutter.  With these chemicals it is extremely important to follow the directions to the T as any over application will burn your warm season grasses.  A typical rate of these products is .4 oz/1000 SF so you don’t need much.  In order to get the correct rate out it is important to calibrate the sprayer before applying any chemicals. 

Since I don’t endorse any products, I am not going to give any product brand names, but there are several “sulfonyureas” on the market and they can be found at the larger landscape stores in your area.  Don’t expect to find a product like this at the big box stores. 

What else should you know about applying these?  Let’s just say that if you miss, you sure will know in 10 days when you see that lovely green streak down the middle of your lawn.  These should only be done as a last resort if you cannot remove the grass.  Many golf courses use these chemicals early in the year because time is not on their side.  Most club owners and managers want to see revenue and that is why you often see golf courses seeding in September.  The quicker the grass is up the more money they make, but agronomically they are doing nothing but hurting the grass.  So in order to combat this problem they know they need to have the ryegrass history by mid May to early June.  Thankfully we are not in that situation at our homes and we can seed as late as we like before it frosts. 

So what did we learn today besides that I have a big tendency to ramble and get off subject when I type these blogs?  “100 days” is the minimum amount of time a summer lawn needs without competition in order to survive and maintain its vigor year after year.  If you cannot dedicate yourself to a good transitioning program, I highly suggest you don’t overseed your lawn, or use one of the paspalums so you have a shorter dormancy period.  Letting your lawn go dormant is with a doubt the best thing you can do for it, but if you do overseed then follow the simple steps to ensure you are happy every spring when it is bermudagrass or paspalum weather.

Please e-mail me with your questions and ideas for future blogs.

Jay

1) Sea Spray has a dark green color with a medium fine leaf texture.  The leaf has waxy appearance and shine so it seems to have a wet look to the leaf blade. 

2) Platinum TE Paspalum has a fine leaf blade with a dark green color, and has the same waxy leaf appearance as Sea Spray

3) Can handle a pH range of 4.5-9.0  (Arizona and California soils are definitely on the higher end and loaded with salts)

4) Can tolerate salinity up to 3500 PPM

5) Dormancy period is 2-3 months vs. 4-5 months for bermudagrass.  It can be overseeded, but for the ultimate in water savings let it go through the quick dormancy period.

6) Prefers “organic fertilizers” and does not react well to synthetic fertilizers such as ammonium sulfate

7) Try “The Garden Guy’s”  extreme organic fertilizers at www.gardenguy.comor Milorganite

8 ) Uses only 2-3 pounds of nitrogen per year versus 6-8 pounds per year for bermudagrass

9) Tolerates reclaimed, effluent water high in salts

10) It is not a shade tolerant grass, but can handle low light better than most grasses.  Low light would indicate foggy conditions typical of San Diego in June.

11) Seed is available to strengthen or fix weak areas in the sod for Sea Spray seashore paspalum, but not Platinum paspalum

12) There are a few types available currently (Sea Spray, Platinum TE, and Sea Isle 1)

13) Platinum TE will be available July 1^st, 2010 and exhibits all the characteristics of Sea Spray, but it can be maintained as low as 1/10^th  of an inch and as high as 2 inches.  Sea Spray should be maintained between ¼ inch and 2 inches

14) Light dethatching should be done each season to improve growth, stolon activity, and allow for better water infiltration

15) Apply late fall and early spring applications of organic fertilizers and sea weed extracts to maintain good winter color and allow for a quicker spring green up.

Here are some pictures of the Sea Spray and Platinum so you can take a look for yourself.

And here are the maintenance tips for paspalums:  http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/297

Here’s the link again for yesterday’s piece on “Good Morning Arizona” in case you missed it.

http://www.azfamily.com/good-morning-arizona/Garden-Guy—-Now-is-the-time-to-sod-your-yard-92983484.html

Jay

http://www.azfamily.com/good-morning-arizona/Garden-Guy—-Now-is-the-time-to-sod-your-yard-92983484.html

Admin

As you can see from the pictures the overseeded material has been mowed down to ¾” and the warm season grasses are starting to push their way to the surface.  We have cut the water back about 40 % on the ryegrass to help aid in any volunteer ryegrass from sticking around.  This is the typical look for ryegrass during this time of the year.  Don’t be alarmed that your ryegrass is starting to go a little off color as the temperatures warm up.  This is a necessary part in the transition process. 

These plots were just fertilized yesterday with 21-0-0 at 5 pounds per 1000 SF to give them an extra boost now that temperatures are on the rise.  Keep following the past tips and I will keep posting photos of how our transition is going.

Non Overseeded Test Plots

 The non-overseeded turf on the left side of the screen will give you an idea of what type of color your grass will be during the summer months.  The picture has all of our varieties next to each other so that you can view the characteristics and growing habits of each variety.  I have also provided close up pictures of all the specific plots and a single leaf blade so you can see how they grow.  The turf plots are in the following order from the top of the screen to the bottom.

 S. Creek Sod

LQ Gold

BOBSod (darkest green in color)

Tifway 419

EZ-Turf (Midiron)

Tifway II

Tifsport

Tifgreen 328

Sea Spray seashore paspalum (very dark green color)

 Be sure to e-mail me if you have any questions.  I’ll be glad to help you have the best lawn on the block!

Jay Danek

If you haven’t put any thought into your summer fertilization program now would be a great time to start.  Since the average home lawn has right around 1000 square feet it makes buying fertilizer painless and very expensive.  If you have a slightly larger lawn you will be buying fertilizer a couple times throughout the summer.  I know we went over it a couple weeks ago, but I do want to review a typical fertilizer schedule this week so any newcomers to the blog are on the same page.  Keep in mind that all the archives from past posts are available online, and there are many useful tools that can help you through your situation.  These are just basic examples and each lawn will vary depending on soil conditions, location and weather but that is what I am here for.  If you want to send me pictures and ask questions feel free. 

Water – 2 times per week and reduce water by 35% the first week of May for 1-2 weeks to promote bermuda growth.  1 inch of water per week.  Most sprinkler systems will run 15-20 minutes per cycle.

Mowing Heights – ¼ inch to 1 inch

Cultural Practices – Aerify if necessary and lightly verticut to reduce ryegrass turf canopy 

Fertilizer:

May (Option 1)

Spoon feed ¼ to ½ pound of nitrogen per 1000 SF every 10-14 days to promote bermudagrass growth.  Good products for this application are calcium nitrate, 15-15-15, Milorganite, or Turf Royale 21-7-14.  You will want to make sure your mowing heights range from ¼ inch if you have Tifgreen to 1 inch maximum if you have BOBSod, Sea Spray, or EZ-Turf.

May (Option 2)

Apply ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at a rate of 5-10 pounds of product per 1000 SF.  This will give you two pounds of actual nitrogen and will give the bermudagrass a kick start to push through the ryegrass.  If you choose this or option 1 make sure you water the fertilizer in right after it is applied and it is best to apply early in the morning.

June/July/August

Turf Royale 21-7-14 at 5 pounds of product per 1000 SF followed by 21-0-0 every other month to ensure good root and shoot growth.  During the summer months after you aerify it is an excellent time to apply Gypsum at 10 pounds per 1000 SF to help loosen the soil and balance out the soil pH.  Some other excellent fertilizers to have on hand depending on your soil situation are 0-0-50, 16-20-0 for root development, 15-15-15 for balanced growth, Milorganite for slow release organic nitrogen, and Ironite.  You will not need all of these products but since only you can see your lawn it is important to know what your grass needs. 

Here is a little check and balance sheet to know what you need for your lawn.  Remember that a bag of fertilizer reads nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium in that order on every bag (ex. 21-7-14). This is the percentage of each that is in the bag.

Some products that I suggest are – Panasea Plus, Ironite, Milorganite (5-0-0), Ammonium Sulfate (21-0-0), Ammonium Phosphate(16-20-0), Calcium Nitrate(15.5-0-0), Turf Royale (21-7-14), Zinc/Manganese (can usually find a good mix in the palm tree section), K-Mag (0-0-22), 0-0-50, Gypsum, Lime, 15-15-15.  I am not suggesting that you go and buy all of these products but these are basic checklist of products that will help you find the appropriate nutrients.  Stay away from the weed and feed products at this time of the year and give your grass the appropriate nutrients. 

Now many of the products I list are straight nitrogen so you do need to balance these out with balanced fertilizers at least every other month.  If you over apply fertilizer you will also see some negative effects.                                                                                         

Nutrient Deficiency Checklist

Nitrogen – Grass is yellowing on the older leaves and you start to notice a slowdown in growth

Phophorus – Shallow root system, leaf tips and leaf edges look burned  

Potassium – Excessive water loss through transpiration of the leaves (meaning you are compensating with more water than normal), leafs will go from being dark green in color to having a reddish hue.

Magnesium -Leaves are yellow-green in color with red tinted leaf edges

Calcium – New grass shoots/leaves are small and rust colored

Manganese/Iron – New grass leaves are immediately turning from green to yellow (most products will stain your walks so be careful)

Zinc -Grass leaves start to show a shriveled up look and the new leaves become extremely narrow

If you are asking yourself where you can find products that contain macro nutrients I suggest going to a nursery or a specialty landscape store.  Many of these products are found in various amounts in several of the fertilizers I suggested.  You will have to look on the back of the bag to see what percentage of the macro nutrient is in the package.  If you are a paspalum grower these macro nutrients are your best friend since it is not a fan of excessive nitrogen like bermudagrass.

Remember that transition is upon us and your mowing heights should be gradually lowered until you are to as a low as you can mow without scalping.  As usual you never want to cut more than 1/3^rd of the leaf blade at a time and DO NOT TURN YOUR WATER COMPLETELY OFF TO TRANSITION. 

Have you signed up to receive the blog weekly yet?  Put your email address in so you can stay up to date with everything that is happening in the turf world and what you should be doing with your lawn.

I have attached a couple links to some past blog topics for those that have not seen some of the older posts. 

Do you have questions about your prep work?  http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/147

Want to find out more about paspalum and other grasses we offer?  http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/239 or http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/286

As I said you can access all the archives and you should be able to find answers to all your questions, but feel free to ask me if there is something you would like to learn more about.

Jay

ADMIN

The first option is to use ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 at 5-10 pounds per 1000 SF and water it in for a minimum of 7 minutes afterwards. This is providing your lawn with one pound of nitrogen per 1000 SF so you do need to make sure that if you choose this option that you stay on top of the lawn and begin mowing 2 times per week to keep thinning out the ryegrass. If the weather stays in the optimal range for your cool season lawn to thrive it will be very important to concentrate on mowing heights and lightly verti-cutting to aid in the transition process.

The second option is to spoon feed your lawn with slower release products such as 21-7-14, 15-15-15 and ¼ to ½ pound of nitrogen per 1000 SF.  Remember the first number on the bag is the percentage of nitrogen so to determine your rate you would divide the percentage by 100 to determine the amount of nitrogen in a 100 pound bag. Since most if not all bags are 50 pounds you would divide that number in half. For example 21-7-14 is 21 percent nitrogen, it would have 21 pounds of nitrogen in a 100 pound bag, so therefore it would have 10.5 pounds in a normal 50 pound bag. What this means is that to get a ¼ pound of nitrogen you need to divide the percentage on the bag by your desired pound rate to determine pounds per 1000 SF. (1/4 pound of nitrogen or .25/.21 “percent on bag” = 1.19 pounds of product per 1000 SF to get ¼ pound of nitrogen) If you have paspalum for a lawn remember that you do not want to ever apply products such as ammonium sulfate and it is best to stick with organic fertilizers such as Milorganite.

Your watering should continue to be around 15-20 minutes twice per week depending on your sprinkler head and water pressure. Make sure you test your soil with a screwdriver and you should be able to push it down 6-8 inches into the soil to ensure a deep watering. At this time do not back your watering down. We are still a couple weeks away before temperatures will be optimal to get a faster transition. The soil is currently warm enough for growth, but since we are just getting into range for growth, cutting the water back now would be detrimental for both grasses. In a couple weeks it will be a good idea to cut back your weekly watering by 35-40 percent to help aid the transition process once we are seeing good warm season growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where can I get seed for my lawn? If you have a hybrid bermudagrass there is not a seed for your grass as they are all grown vegatatively. The only warm season grass out there with seed currently is Sea Spray seashore paspalum. If you put a common seed down be prepared for it to take over much of your lawn–keep in mind that it will have a huge effect on your allergies as the seed heads are not sterile like the hybrids.

• Where can I buy the products you are suggesting? You can check your local nursery or any of the 7 Sprinkler World locations. They can be found at www.sprinklerworld.com

• What time should I be watering? Watering should be made early in the morning between 4-8 am when environmental conditions are best.

• Should I turn off my water to transition my lawn? This was an old turf philosophy but has proven to be extremely harmful for your warm season grass below. It is best to cut the water back 35-40 percent for a week or two and then continue normal watering. If you turn the water off completely you will damage the grass below.

• What height should I cut my lawn? Keep your lawn between ¼ inch to 1 inch depending on the type of mower you have. If you have a rotary mower do not try and cut below ¾” and never mow more than 1/3rd of the leaf blade at a time.

• Where can I pick up a few rolls of your sod? Call our office and we will let you know the store that is close to you that carries our sod and what days they are receiving it.

Please e-mail me if you have any more questions!

Jay

I start many of my blogs by telling you to check your sprinkler heads and clocks regularly.  This is because one broken sprinkler head can waste 12 gallons of water per minute.  Even if you just checked your heads last month it is a good idea to check them every couple of weeks in case you accidentally hit it with the mower, or some unknown damage was caused to the sprinkler.  If you lose power to your house and your clock does not have a battery back up your run days and times will reset to the factory setting which inevitably is every day.  These are quick tests and are an easy way to save you lots of money throughout the year and save our water at the same time. 

In the grass business you hate to hear someone say that if less people had grass, we wouldn’t  be in a drought.  The truth is grass doesn’t waste water, people do and having grass at your house actually helps the environment.  Did you know that 8 houses with a front yard of grass has the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning?  This is a pretty good number considering that the average house has a 3-4 ton capacity air conditioner.  While that is not a relevant issue when it comes to watering, it is important to keep in mind when people are complaining about houses with turf.  The truth is that grass is an important part of a home and it makes us happier to have a green lawn so let’s put one in, and use our water wisely to make our lawn as aesthetically pleasing as possible. 

I am going to give you a few tips for checking your system and making your lawn an asset, not a watering liability.  The irrigation check is a simple process and takes no longer than 15 minutes per month.  You will want to space some small cans out over different areas of your lawn and run the system for 15 minutes.  Do not place the cans along the edges of the lawn or right next to the heads so you can determine the sprinkler head output.  This is known as the tuna can test to most, but any old can will do, as long as you have a way of measuring the output of your sprinklers.   After the sprinklers have run for 15 minutes, you will measure the amount of water collected, and it is important to make sure your sprinklers are putting out an even amount of water.  It is also nice to  know how quickly the water is being put out.  If you are getting different amounts of water in each can you know that a nozzle may be bad or you may not have even coverage.  If you don’t have even coverage you will see weak areas in the lawn and will give you the perception that your lawn needs more water.  If this is the case you may have to add a head or change the nozzle to get the desired output and coverage.  Sprinklers are a cheap fix and can save you hundreds of dollars in a year by just having the right equipment.

Just how much should you be watering?  It’ll vary depending on your soil type, temperature, and altitude but your grass has a very tell tale sign of when it needs water and when it doesn’t.  Your lawn will start to have a blue-grey appearance when it is thirsty and is in need of replenishing its supply. 

Some of the other easy ways to tell if you should be watering is the foot print test.  If you step on your lawn and your foot print doesn’t bounce back up immediately your lawn needs water.   At this time of the year your lawn should not be getting any more than 30 minutes of water per week and that should be applied with two 15 minute cycles spaced accordingly.  The cooler months allow us to conserve water and water every 3-7 days.  During the summer months you will have to increase your watering, but one additional day is plenty.  It is much better to water deep and infrequent versus daily irrigation cycles.  By watering your lawn daily you are not making the roots work at all for water, and they consume all there water in the top inch or two of the soil.  Why is this bad?  I think that is an easy question to answer because without long roots you will not a strong grass plant.  Make those roots go down and get the water.  During the summer the general rule of thumb is to water 10 minutes for each day you skip.  So if you are watering every third day, you would run 30 minutes.  If 30 minutes of water is causing runoff then split the time into a cycle soak separated by a minimum of 30 minutes in between cycles.  While this may seem unrealistic to get your lawn to stay green watering 2-3 times per week in 115 degree temperatures, you are actually doing it a favor.  Over applying water can cause root rot, fungus, and can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.  After the long irrigation cycle has been made, make sure that you can stick a screwdriver 6-8 inches into the ground.  If this is not the case, more water will be necessary to feed the deep root system.  Overwatering is an easy thing to spot as many lawns become soggy, show signs of algae or have mushrooms popping up in the lawn.

These are just some easy tips to conserve water and the best way is to not just set a clock and walk away from it, but to check the needs of your lawn.  You can sometimes stretch a good watering out for 10 days during the cooler months and 5 days in the summer.  So go out and buy yourself some sod, and use the core principals I just talked about for watering.  Don’t be afraid to get the screwdriver out and check the soil.  Your neighbors may think you’re crazy, but they’re not paying the water bill.

Until next t ime,

Jay

 Fertilizer

 -          Paspalums use 66% less nitrogen than bermudagrass, and should be treated with 2-3 lbs./1000 sq. ft. of total nitrogen per growing season.

-          Do not exceed 4 lbs. of nitrogen/1000 sq. ft. per growing season.

-          It is best to use organic type or slow release fertilizers. These are ideally applied during early spring and fall.  Paspalums do not require nitrogen during the summer months to maintain colo,r but a high phosphorus rate is recommended. Ideal fertilizers for this application include (Foster Turf Products – organic mix, foliar and granular fertilizers), 15-15-15 or 11-52-0, Milorganite, and “Seasonal Booster” 7-7-7

-          During the summer months or in areas with high salt content it is important to maintain a high level of phosphorus and to periodically check your calcium, magnesium, manganese, and iron rates. These can be applied with a foliar or granular application to achieve desired results. The color of the paspalum in the summer is a direct reflection of your micronutrients and is not as dependent upon nitrogen like in bermudagrass.

-          Foliar applications of seaweed extracts in the spring encourage a deep root system.  Seaweed extracts can be found in products such as Panasea plus, Promax, and Kelplex.  If your turf is dormant, it is a good idea to apply granular manganese and zinc to help speed up spring color, along with an organic fertilizer such as Foster Turf Product’s “organic mix” or Milorganite.  When the soil temperature is above 60 degrees (May 1^st) apply an application of 6-20-20 or similar product high in P and K to promote spring rooting.

Watering

 -          For established paspalum watering deep and infrequent is best. You will want to water every 3-4 days during the growing season and apply an inch of water per week.

-          The general rule of thumb is 10 minutes of water for everyday your lawn is not watered.  For example if you water every third day you will water 30 minutes. If you have extreme slopes or areas where water cannot penetrate the soil or runs off, it is best to apply the 30 minutes in a cycle soak pattern. This would be to set your clock for two cycles during the morning and a soak time in between to allow water infiltration and control excess runoff.

-          Paspalums should be watered early in the morning to eliminate any environmental competition and so the leaf dries faster eliminating any disease potential.

Mowing

 -          Paspalums have a wide range of mowing heights depending on the specific variety. Paspalums can be maintained between 1/10” for the finer leaf bladed plant and between ½” to 2 inches for the coarser varieties.

-          Decide on a desired length for the turf.  Continue to mow maintaining this height so that no more than 1/3 the height is being mowed off at one time.

-          Grass should be mowed 1-2 times per week for coarse varieties and 5-7 times per week to maintain grass at putting green height.

Herbicides

 -          Pre-emergent herbicides can be applied in February and post-emergent grasses can be applied during the growing season.

-          Rock salt and water solution can be used to treat selective broadleaf weeds

Overseeding Paspalum

 -          During the cooler months of the year paspalum can be overseeded to maintain winter color. When nighttime temperatures are in the low 60’s it is ideal to begin the overseed process.

-          Raise the height of your lawn by 1/2 “inch prior to scalping your lawn in the fall. Maintain your lawn at this higher than normal height for two weeks prior to scalping your lawn. When the height is raised you will scalp the lawn down a little lower than your normal mowing height as to not injure the paspalum. Your lawn can be mowed around ½” on finer paspalum such as Platinum or Sea Isle One and to ¾” on coarser paspalums such as Sea Spray.

-          A light verticut can be performed at this time to open up the turf canopy followed by mowing to clean up any additional debris left on the turf.

-          Apply a starter fertilizer to the mowed down turf such as 6-20-20, 16-20-0 or 18-24-12.

-          Seed your lawn with perennial ryegrass at a rate of 10-12 lbs./1000 sq. ft. We recommend “BOBSeed,” “Chaparral”, or “Simple Seed” for this application.  These are a high end seed blend that will provide a deep green color throughout the winter months.

-          Apply water 3-4 times throughout the day for 5-7 minute cycles to keep the seedbed moist during germination and grow in of the ryegrass.

-          After the seed has been down 10 days apply a second fertilizer to stimulate the ryegrass growth such as 15-15-15.

-          You will want to apply one last fertilizer application after the turf has been mowed and is growing well just before we receive any frost. The best time for this application is early November and some good fertilizers to use are 15-15-15, 21-7-14, or 15.5-0-0 (calcium nitrate).

-          These fertilizers applications are very important as ryegrass does start to get a yellow tint after we receive heavy frosts but if it is actively growing prior you will have no trouble in the winter.

-          During the cooler months of the year apply “Seasonal Booster” 7-7-7 or 16-4-0. These are foliar applied products and are available from West Coast Turf. Granular fertilizers will not work during the colder months so it is best to use foliars in December, January, and February.

Spring Transition

 -          When soil temperature reaches 64 degrees for three consecutive days you will start to see active growth of the paspalum. At this time you will want to begin to gradually take down your ryegrass mowing heights and stop any fertilization.

-          The paspalum will emerge and take over the ryegrass as temperatures become favorable for growing.

-          Once the paspalum begins to emerge it is important to manage the grass with organic fertilizers and put away any fast release fertilizers that will cause excessive growth to the paspalum.

-          Apply an organic fertilizer such as (John Foster’s Mix, TBA), 11-52-0 or Milorganite to stimulate paspalum growth throughout the spring and summer. This is an application that should be applied around April 15^th-May 1^st to maintain growth and color throughout the summer.

Aerification and/or verticutting

 (COMPACTION IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM FOR HEAVY USE FIELDS/LAWNS)

 -          For a warm season turf like seashore paspalum you will do these aerification and verticutting activities typically during the late spring, summer and if needed early fall. 

-          These activities used in the spring will help transition and encourage bermuda grass growth by opening the canopy allowing sunlight in. 

-          Top-dressing after verifications is recommended to fill-in the holes/gaps.  This will promote new growth and improve soil structure.

-          The amount of aerification and verticutting depends upon your individual turf and how much traffic it’s receiving.  Aerification/verticutting/top-dressing may only be needed once or twice a year and the top-dressing portion  can be done monthly or more during the summer on high use fields.

-          Light verticutting is best on seashore paspalum only done during growing season (April-September)  

 SEEDING – Growing in Sea Spray Seed

 -          Seed at a rate of .75 – 1.25 lbs./1000 sq. ft. for uncoated seed and 1-2 lbs./   1000 sq. ft. for Zeba Coated Seed.

-          The best time to seed is in late spring through mid-summer when temperatures are between 80-95 degrees.

-          Paspalum seed should be grown in with fresh water that contains less than 2000 parts per million (PPM) of total dissolved salts (TDS). Once the grass is established water higher in salinity will work well.

-          During the seed grow in you will want to water lightly and frequently to keep the seedbed moist. An average amount of water during this time period is 6-7 cycles of 5 minutes per cycle.

We have all seen our beautiful green ryegrass go away overnight as the temperatures change and many times people find nothing underneath except the soil you planted the sod on.  For this reason it is important that you follow a few basic steps.  Warm season grasses such as bermudagrass, St Augustine, and paspalums will not physically grow until the soil temperature reaches 64 degrees at a 6 inch depth at 8 am.  You don’t need to run out to buy a thermometer–just keep a watch on my blog and I will let you know when that time comes.  The general time frame for your soil temperature to reach 64 degrees is between April 15^th and May 1^st.  Does this mean you don’t need to cut your lawn until then?  NO–it just means you will not see the grass start to move and see an influx of growth until this happens. 

Most people out there overseed their lawns for winter color and are now coming to the period of transition.  As I said in the last paragraph your warm season grass will not grow until the soil reaches 64 degrees, but there are steps that need to be followed so when that happens you have very few transition problems.  The very first thing everyone needs to do is check your clock and sprinkler heads to make sure everything is functioning properly.  Your clock should be running twice per week for about 20-30 minutes per cycle.  If you can’t get 20 minutes of water on your lawn without runoff it is time to go rent an aerifier.  When you have extreme compaction your roots grow shallow and it does not allow water to penetrate or percolate into the soil. 

The next item is to start to lower your mowing heights.  I think everyone that has a tree has quickly learned that warm season grasses are not shade tolerant.  With that being said take note that your ryegrass is shading your underlying grass.  Shade is definitely not your friend during transition and neither is an extremely lush lawn.  By lowering your mowing heights and increasing the mowing frequency to two times per week, you will start to weaken the ryegrass and reduce the turf canopy.  The turf canopy and density can be managed when appropriate mowing practices are followed.  During the month of April your lawn should not exceed 1 ¼” inches, but it is best kept at 1” or below if possible.  If you are using a rotary mower it is unlikely that you can mow lower than 1” without scalping.  Scalping is not going to do you any favors and that is why mowing twice per week will help you get your heights down.  You never want to mow more than 1/3^rd of the leaf blade in a single mowing so take your time. 

One of the best known secrets for reducing the ryegrass stand is to lightly verticut or aerify your lawn.  When you verticut you are reducing the amount of grass that is on the surface and not harming the root mass underneath the soil.  Your local rental place will have a “Ren-o-Thin” or a similar machine that is perfect for this job.  Anytime the turf density is reduced it will allow you to mow your lawn just a little shorter and also allow the sun to get into the grass and work its magic.  Since warm season grasses and shade don’t mix creating light from the verticut is extremely important.

When soil temperatures hit the magic number of “64” don’t be afraid to start your summer fertilizer program.  You have a couple of options to go with and it will depend on the amount of time you have available as to which option is best for you.  The first option is to slowly feed your lawn with nitrate fertilizers such as calcium nitrate 15.5-0-0 at ¼ pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF per application.  (This is about pounds of product per 1000 SF)  You can spoon feed your lawn every 7-10 days and start to promote your warm season growth.  Once the grass is off and kicking it is time to switch over to a quick release fertilizer such an ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 and apply it at 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 SF every other month throughout the summer.  If you do not have time to spoon feed your lawn you can start right in with the ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 and apply it at a rate of 1-2 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF.  This is 5-10 pounds of product and as is important with all fertilizers it needs to be watered in immediately for about 10 minutes. 

Once your warm season grass is starting to poke through the ryegrass and is starting to transition out you can give it one more push of 21-0-0 before starting on a balanced fertilizer program.  Either option will work well, but keep in mind that if you are trying to promote the grass underneath so the ryegrass needs to be in check and kept at a low height to ensure the right growth.  Now that your warm season grass is up and growing you can get on a program to release your growth slowly over time.  Some great products to use monthly throughout the summer are Turf Royale 21-7-14, 15-15-15, Milorganite.  These products can be applied at 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 SF.  If you need a refresher on how to calculate the fertilizer analysis I have attached a link to a previous blog. http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/111

These are all slow release products and will control your growth so when you do start to lose color 21-0-0 is always a cheap and quick fix to get your lawn to green back up.  If you have a paspalum lawn you do not want ever want to use ammonium sulfate and you are best sticking to Milorganite or another organic fertilizer.  The paspalums can use calcium nitrate to help aid in the transition but once you have fully transitioned make sure you switch your fertilizer program.  Here is a link to the paspalum maintenance schedule.  http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/250

Now that we have covered a couple topics lets discuss watering.  NEVER, EVER LISTEN TO SOMEONE THAT TELLS YOU TO JUST TURN YOUR WATER OFF FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND YOUR GRASS WILL TRANSITION.  How is your underlying grass supposed to grow without any water?  Yes–you will smoke the ryegrass, but you will also affect your underlying grass.  Your watering should be reduced by 30-35 percent once soil temperatures are in the range of warm season growth.  You will want to reduce your watering for one to two weeks to help push out the ryegrass and at the same time maintain moisture for your warm season lawn.  Even though I told you not to turn off your water, you will hear someone say “I have always turned my water off and it worked.”  They are usually the people with some nice bare spots come midsummer.

If you have some areas that don’t transition out perfectly or have some dog repairs to make find a local retailer such as Sprinkler World (www.sprinklerworld.com) and pick up a few rolls of sod to patch the areas.  You can also call us to do a farm pick up if you are close by.  You will not find straight bermudagrass until May 1^st or so because the roots are not strong enough to hold the plant together so don’t be led a stray by companies trying to push it on you before it is strong enough.  The color may look good, but root strength is the most important part of a good harvest.

Do you have questions for me?  Do you need lawn advice?  Click the ask Jay button, include some pictures if you have them and I will answer you within 24 hours. 

Also, you can find us on Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Coast-TurfWestern-Sod/128634003982?ref=ts and follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/westernsod for updates, tips, and special discounts.

Just want to keep your neighbors “green with envy” over your lawn…….  Jay

Seashore paspalums are salt tolerant grasses that were originally bred for coastal areas high in salinity.  As time has gone on, and as research has been done it has been discovered that not only do these grasses do well in coastal areas high in salts, they also thrive in hot climates with clean or effluent water.  So what does that mean for you as a homeowner in Arizona or California?  What it means is you have a new choice in the grass market besides going with bermudagrass and the best part is they are “eco friendly grasses.”  Even Al Gore would say so. 

Anyway, what makes them an eco-friendly grass is the low impact they have on our natural resources as well as the low fertilizer requirements.  Sea paspalum gets the food reserve it needs from mostly micronutrients such as manganese and zinc, and uses 66 % less nitrogen than bermudagrass.  Some of the other products that have proven to be an extreme asset to paspalum are seaweed and kelp extracts.   You did read that correctly.   These are products that are not only safe for the environment, they are easy to apply in a liquid form. 

Paspalum requires just two nitrogen fertilizer applications per year and this is done in the spring and fall with an organic fertilizer such as Milorganite and a couple applications of micronutrients such as zinc and manganese throughout the summer when you make similar applications to your palm trees.  A typical bermudagrass needs 6-8 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF per growing season while a paspalum will only use 2-3 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF on the high end.  Now that is eco-friendly!  Well how about how much water it uses? Naturally less growth and fertilizers will help aid in a reduction in water usage making you have the most environmentally friendly grass in your neighborhood.

Now you may be saying to yourself that this sounds all well and good but you enjoy that lush, soft green canopy that a bermudagrass offers.  Don’t you worry because you will get the same feel, and an amazing dark green color to your lawn that has an a wet shine on one side of the leaf blade providing an post irrigation look at all times of the day.  The paspalums can be mowed between 1/10^th of an inch if you select a putting green type such as Platinum or you can mow it as high as 2” if you have Sea Spray or Platinum.  You can maintain your lawn several different ways with the same grass and you can even achieve everyone’s goal of growing a beautiful putting green in their backyard if you so choose to make your neighbors jealous that they had to buy a  piece of carpet (artificial turf) to putt on.  The ideal cutting range for all paspalum is between ¼” and 2”, but they can get to lower heights with the right equipment, variety and a little time.

Let’s debunk a few of the myths that have always floated out in the turf industry about paspalum.  Many people were worried in the past that it was a grass that could not be overseeded.  This is completely false and university research has showed that not only can they be overseeded with ease, they actually transition as well if not better than any bermudagrass on the market. 

Question two that  people ask is will it stay green all year round?  There is not a warm season grass that will hold its color through the entire winter without being overseeded, but if you want to save time, money, seed and water you don’t need to overseed this grass because it stays green 4-6 weeks longer in the fall and greens up 4-6 weeks earlier in the spring than bermudagrass.  You dormancy period will be approximately 2-3 months and less time in areas that are in full sun. 

So, where can you see this grass and why are we just selling it now?  We have been selling paspalum for years in California, and we have been doing research for several years in Arizona to make sure it will hold up to the heat, traffic, and winters in Arizona.  It has not only passed all of our tests, it has exceeded even our expectations and it has been flying off the farm since we put it on the market.  It is a grass that when we are installing it, it will make you stop your car to ask what kind of grass it is.  The color is nothing like we have ever seen in a summer grass and has the bold green look of a perennial ryegrass that we grow in the winter. 

So what’s the catch? There is no catch–it is just like technology in the TV world.  As we evolve so does our research and our options in the grass world.  How do you know if this is right for you?  Do you have full sun, dislike fertilizing, love a lush green lawn, and easy maintenance?  Then this is you and I suggest you either contact me for more information or read some of my past blogs and do some research of your own online. 

t does have a slightly higher square footage price but if $.02 SF is holding you back from buying it, I would think about how much you will be spending  fertilizing once a month with another product.  You will make up the cost in the first two months alone.  Now I am not saying for everyone to go and get paspalum, but if you don’t want to just compete with “the Jones’s” and want to be the Jones’s this is for you. 

Until next time take a look at the pictures of my non-overseeded paspalum in March.  For those of you who prefer to see it on TV I have attached my video of us laying it for the Garden Guy last summer.  Enjoy!

http://www.azfamily.com/archive/55807762.html

My non-overseeded seashore paspalum lawn in March.

Jay

Watering

Anytime we start to get warmer temperatures our instinct tells us to increase our watering and our grass will automatically start to improve in color.  This is partly true, but it’s not time to get drastic.  If you have dormant turf (non-overseeded) you should be watering one time per week for about 15-20 minutes.  This is the equivalent of about ½ inch of water per week depending on what type of sprinklers you have in your yard.  If 15-20 minutes is causing a pooling effect in your lawn it’s time to go rent the aerifier.  Aerification at this time of the year will open up the pore space in the ground and allow for better infiltration and percolation of water.   If you have overseeded turf or a cool season variety such as fescue, blue/rye, or straight ryegrass your watering cycle should be 1-2 times per week for 15-20 minutes per cycle or the equivalent of ¼ to 1/2 “ of irrigation per cycle.  This doesn’t mean set your clock and leave it alone because with the nice wet winter that we have had a good rain can last you up to 7 days in the ground and save your water bill and precious resources. 

 Fertilizer

Non-overseeded grass that is coming out of dormancy has a couple of options depending on which route works best for you.  At this time of the year you will start to get some good reaction from a balanced fertilizer such as 21-7-14 or 15-15-15.  These can be applied at 3-5 pounds of product per 1000 SF and watered in when you are finished.  These are just guideline numbers and something that is close will work fine so don’t be alarmed if you cannot find the exact numbers I put down.  If you have a dormant paspalum lawn it is the time to put down your first application of fertilizer such as Milorganite 5-0-0 at a rate of 10-15 pounds per 1000 SF.  The Milorganite will produce a nice temporary odor for your neighbors, but will keep the heat in the plant and get you that golf course look.  If you have an overseeded lawn or a cool season lawn it is best not to get carried away with fertilizer because as I said the grass is already jumping out of the ground with the nice warm temperatures.  At this point you are best applying a slow release fertilizer such as 21-7-14, 11-52-0, or even Milorganite 5-0-0.  There is no reason to juice up your lawn and have to fight the battle of transition in another month.  We are not far from starting a spoon feeding fertilizer program to encourage bermuda growth so keep an eye for when I tell you it is time.

Mowing Heights

It is an optimal time to start to lower your mowing heights and reduce the turf density.  This will allow more sunlight to get into the plant and give the bermudagrass or paspalum a easier time during transition.  If you keep your lawn too long you are creating shade and bermuda and paspalum are not shade tolerant grasses.  Anything that is prohibiting the growth of your underlying turf can be detrimental so start lowering your height of cut–never cutting more than a 1/3^rd of the leaf blade at a time.  Your height should be no longer than 1 ¼” as you move through the spring months, but optimally around ¾ to 1 inch.  If you have dormant turf it will not hurt you to put a mow on the lawn to clean it up and keeping it at a lower height will exhaust any of the food reserves that have built up.   You can also put light verticuts on your ryegrass to get it to start to thin out and promote underlying bermuda growth.

These are some basic tips for the month of March and as our soils warm up my program will change and we will begin the spring transition. Send me your questions, problems, comments or pictures.  You can also follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/westcoastturf! 

Jay

We also provide for the Cactus League Spring Training facilities in AZ, and over in CA, we do Dodger Stadium, PETCO Park for the Pads, Angel Stadium for the Angels, and Oakland Coliseum for the A’s.  And YES, you can get that same grass for your home lawn–you don’t even need to be a MLB head groundskeeper (but you can always pretend!).

CLICK THE LINK FOR THE PIECE:  http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/only_on_fox/BOB_Sod_for_Your_Front_Yard

Admin

I have consulted with several veterinarians about ways to reduce the damage.  I am yet to come across one  that would recommend for your dog to take something to acidify their urine.  I have never been a huge fan of giving my bulldogs a supplement in their diet, so I have done my research over the years to find the best solutions to the problem.  Some of these are definitely easier said than done, but this problem is not impossible to manage.

Let’s start with the major issue–that is the amount of nitrogen released during urination from your dog.  It is not just a female issue, it is a dog issue.  Dogs are definitely creatures of habit and they tend to go to the bathroom in the same location every time they go.  This is good and this is bad at the same time.  The nice part about this problem is this is an easy way to train your dog to go in an area in the rocks or on a bush.  Dogs are attracted to their scent and like to mark their areas so setting up a scent post or training your dog to go in the rocks is a huge step in the right direction.  If you take your dog out on a leash a couple times a day for two weeks to the same area you would like them to eliminate, they will train themselves to use this area when they are off leash. 

So what if you have a male dog?  Many people say that they don’t have any effect on the grass, but they can be just as detrimental as a female if they squat or if they are a large dog.  Large dogs and dogs that squat release an excess amount of nitrogen in one spot and cause the same burn to the grass as the female.  Veterinarians all seem to be on the same page regarding our pet’s diet, and that is that too many dogs get unnecessary proteins.  The cheapest food on the market tends to contain indigestible proteins and this causes an increase in nitrogen in the urine.  You can buy a dog food that is high in proteins, but you will want to make sure it is full of digestible proteins that will help create a safer elimination of waste from your pet.  One of the best foods out there to fix this problem is canned food because they are high in water content.  When the food is higher in water content it helps dilute the urine from your dog and will reduce the burn potential.

Now that I have touched on your dog’s diet, let’s talk about what you can do to aid in the health of your lawn.  All of us like a beautiful dark green lawn, but how do we get one?  Most people would say that nitrogen is what makes our lawn green and that is mostly true but so does iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and the correct amounts of micronutrients.  Most people over or under fertilize their lawns and that is the start of the problem.  When your lawn has excessive nitrogen applied in the fertilizer form and then you add your dogs excess nitrogen in the liquid form you have the makings of a good fertilizer burn.  One way to avoid excess nitrogen is to use slow release fertilizers or organic fertilizers that can control the release.  If your lawn is under fertilized extra nitrogen is like putting a big green bull’s- eye everywhere your dogs goes to the bathroom.   Your bermudagrass lawn needs no more than 6 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF per year.   If you have a paspalum lawn you will need no more than 2-3 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF per year.  You can look at my blog on “Fertilizing 101” to calculate how much actual product is applied when you fertilize. 

So what is the great equalizer?  Water is the best way to combat turf injury resulting from your dog.  While it may seem tedious to water in the dog urine after they go, this will help dilute the nitrogen and keep the burn spots from emerging.  You have up to eight hours after your pet goes to dilute the urine in the soil and prevent the burn from showing its ugly face.  Since no one should be watering everyday, this can present a slight issue unless you go and grab the hose after your dog urinates.  You don’t actually don’t need that much water to solve the problem, you can just bring a large cup of water out with you when your dog goes to the bathroom and pour it over the spot immediately after they go.  Any amount of water will dilute the nitrogen and thus keep the burning to a minimum.  Just as we are told to drink several glasses of water every day to stay healthy, this is also good for your pet and lawn.  The more water they drink, the more diluted their urine will be.  I don’t subscribe to the theory of giving your dog a little salt to make them thirsty as it can cause serious problems for your pet down the road.  I highly suggest you always check with your veterinarian before starting your dog on any diet or different food.  If you check with them they can suggest products that are higher in good proteins, and higher in water content that can be safer for your pet and lawn.  I have attached a picture of one of my healthy bulldogs and as you can see “Knuckles” probably eats a diet a little high in protein and could definitely benefit from drinking more water.  

So what options are out there to help fix the already damaged areas? Many of you would like to know if there is a seed to fill in the damaged areas but all of our bermudagrasses are hybrids and can only be grown back vegetatively from stolons.  The best way to handle this situation is to lightly rake up the damaged area and put sand in the area to give the grass a growing medium so it will fill back in.  Bermudagrass is a stoloniferious grass and will fill in weak areas over a couple of weeks if treated.  If you are still in ryegrass season you can do a sand and seed mixture and fill the area just like a golf course divot.  Now the tricky part comes when you have larger, unsightly spots that you want to eliminate right away.  For these it is best to buy a couple individual rolls of sod and plug out the weak areas.  We offer our sod at several retailers, and you can also call us to do a farm pick up of an individual variety.  This is by far the fastest and easiest way to make a repair.  For about $3.50 you can fix 10 SF.

I hope this information has helped everyone and gets you in the right direction.  Let me know if you have any questions regarding this blog or anything else.  Feel free to send me pictures anytime to help describe situations going on in your lawn.

Until next time,

Jay

The Angels, D-backs, and A’s all got new fields this year.  And we’re also supplying for the Dodgers and Pads.  On call for the Royals on another seashore paspalum infield like we’ve done mid-season for them in the past.  Nothing like baseball season over here @ WCT!

We’ve also been lucky to supply the Spring Training facilities in AZ.  There is still time to get a game in over there!!  No better way to spend an afternoon than out watching your team get ready for the season @ the ballpark.

Here are some pics….

Jay will be back from vacation this week!

Admin

From So Cal up to Oakland for the A's

A's sod ready for harvest

Harvesting for the A's

Sod gets installed @ Oakland Coliseum

Sod install 3/11/10 @ Oakland Coliseum

And we took in a little Spring Training this weekend, too!

We enjoyed the BOBSod/Bull's-Eye Bermuda out @ Surprise this weekend! D-backs/Rangers Spring Training

Don’t forget that you can take your lawn “Big League” with BOBSod, too!

Admin

The idea was WM’s and it was put together by ASU’s Brian Johnson, WCT crews, and TPC staff. 

We’re looking forward to an exciting tournament!

WCT Admin

 -          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.

-          Do not exceed 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 SF per growing season

-          It is best to use organic type or slow release fertilizers. These are ideally applied during early spring and fall.  Paspalums do not require nitrogen during the summer months to maintain color but a high phosphorus rate is recommended. Ideal fertilizers for this application include (organic fertilizers, milorganite, Sustane or seaweed/kelp extracts), 15-15-15 or 11-52-0. (During the summer months or in areas with high salt content it is important to maintain a high level of phosphorus and to constantly check your calcium, magnesium, manganese, and iron rates.  These can be applied with a foliar or granular application to achieve desired results.  The color of the paspalum in the summer is a direct reflection of your micronutrients and is not as dependent upon nitrogen like in bermudagrass.

-          Calcium is of great importance to paspalum and can be applied with a foliar product such as calcium nitrate or a granular product such as gypsum.   Calcium should be applied a few times during the growing season as it takes 3-4 weeks for the roots to uptake a granular and 3-4 days for a foliar application to help the root system.  The foliar will not last long in the plant and must be applied monthly to maintain appropriate calcium levels.

-          Manganese and zinc foliar applications activate a salt tolerance mechanism that helps the paspalum tolerate high salt conditions.

 Watering

 -          For established paspalum watering deep and infrequent is best.  You will want to water every 3-4 days during the growing season and apply an inch of water per week.

-          The general rule of thumb is 10 minutes of water for everyday your lawn is not watered.  For example if you water every third day you will water 30 minutes. If you have extreme slopes or areas where water cannot penetrate the soil or runs off it is best to apply the 30 minutes in a cycle soak pattern.  This would be to set your clock for two cycles during the morning and a soak time in between to allow water infiltration and control excess runoff.

-          Paspalums should be watered early in the morning to eliminate any environmental competition and so the leaf dries faster eliminating any disease potential.

 Mowing

 -          Paspalums have a wide range of mowing heights depending on the specific variety. Paspalums can be maintained between 1/10” for the finer leaf bladed plant and between .5 to 2 inches for the coarser varieties.

-          Grass should be mowed 1-2 times per week for coarse varieties and 5-7 times per week to maintain grass at putting green height.

 Herbicides

 -          Preemergent herbicides can be applied in February and post emergent grasses can be applied during the growing season.

-          Rock salt and water solution can be used to treat selective broadleaf weeds

 Growing in Sea Spray Seed

 -          Seed at a rate of .75 – 1.25 pounds per 1000 Square Feet for uncoated seed and 1-2 pounds per 1000 SF for Zeba coated Seed.

-          The best time to seed is in late spring through mid summer when temperatures are between 80-95 degrees.

-          Paspalum seed should be grown in with fresh water that contains less than 2000 parts per million (PPM) of total dissolved salts (TDS). Once the grass is established water higher in salinity will work well.

-          During the seed grow in you will want to water lightly and frequently to keep the seedbed moist. An average amount of water during this time period is 6-7 cycles of 5 minutes per cycle.

 Overseeding Paspalum

 -          During the cooler months of the year paspalum can be overseeded to maintain winter color.  When nighttime temperatures are in the low 60’s it is ideal to begin the overseed process.

 -          Raise the height of your lawn by 1/2 “inch prior to scalping your lawn in the fall. Maintain your lawn at this higher than normal height for two weeks prior to scalping your lawn.  When the height is raised you will scalp the lawn down a little lower than your normal mowing height as to not injure the paspalum.  Your lawn can be mowed around ½” on finer paspalum such as Platinum or Sea Isle and to ¾” on coarser paspalums such as Sea Spray.

-          A light verticut can be performed at this time to open up the turf canopy followed by mowing to clean up any additional debris left on the turf.

-          Apply a starter fertilizer to the mowed down turf such as 6-20-20, 16-20-0 or 18-24-12.

-          Seed your lawn with perennial ryegrass at a rate of 10-12 pounds per 1000 SF. We recommend BOBSeed, Chaparral, or Simple Seed for this application.  These are a high end seed blend that will provide a deep green color throughout the winter months.

-          Apply water 3-4 times throughout the day for 5-7 minute cycles to keep the seedbed moist during germination and grow in of the ryegrass.

-          After the seed has been down 10 days apply a second fertilizer to stimulate the ryegrass growth such as 15-15-15.

-          You will want to apply one last fertilizer application after the turf has been mowed and is growing well just before we receive any frost.  The best time for this application is early November and some good fertilizers to use are 15-15-15, 21-7-14, or 15.5-0-0 (calcium nitrate).

-          These fertilizers applications are very important as ryegrass does start to get a yellow tint after we receive heavy frosts but if it is actively growing prior you will have no trouble in the winter.

-          During the cooler months of the year apply Seasonal Booster 7-7-7 or 16-4-0. These are foliar applied products and are available from West Coast Turf. Granular fertilizers will not work during the colder months so it is best to use foliars in December, January, and February.

 Spring Transition

 -          When soil temperature reaches 64 degrees for three consecutive days you will start to see active growth of the paspalum.  At this time you will want to begin to gradually take down your ryegrass mowing heights.

-          The paspalum will emerge and take over the ryegrass as temperatures become favorable for growing.

-          Once the paspalum begins to emerge it is important to manage the grass with organic fertilizers and put away any fast release fertilizers that will cause excessive growth to the paspalum.

-          Apply an organic fertilizer such as West Coast Turf’s organic mix, Sustane, 11-52-0 or Milorganite to stimulate paspalum growth throughout the spring and summer. This is an application that should be applied around April 15^th-May 1^st to maintain growth and color throughout the summer.

Jay

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.  The winter weeds are starting to take off now that the weather is warming up and we have been saturated with rain.  This is a perfect time for the warmer areas such as Phoenix, Tucson, So Cal, and Palm Desert to get the pre-emergent down so those weeds don’t start to appear throughout your lawn.  I wrote a blog a couple weeks ago on the different types of herbicides that are effective so take a look back and make sure you go out and purchase one and get it down before it is too late.  Here is the link:  http://www.westernsod.com/sodblog/234

Watering

The temperature outside has started to rise a little bit and we are starting to see the soils gradually warm, up but it’s not a quick process coming off the winter.  There is still no need to get extremely aggressive with the watering, it’s best to keep a close eye on the weather and the growth pattern of your lawn.  If you’re starting to see wilt and you are watering every five days, try going every four days and see what happens.  As we have said many times before grass doesn’t waste water, people do. 

You should be running about 30-40 minutes total of water per week at this time of the year depending upon your sprinklers.  If you have rotary sprinkler heads you may need to run slightly more so you get the right amount of water down.  Don’t be afraid to take a soil probe or even just stick a screwdriver in the ground to make sure you are watering to the correct depth.  If water doesn’t seem to be penetrating your soil it is time to aerify your lawn and give it a chance to breath and allow for better water percolation.

Fertilizer

The most common question is can I put down a granular fertilizer now that it is warmer outside.  You can, but the soil is still too cold to get the kind of reaction you are looking for from a granular.  I suggest waiting till early March for a nice granular fertilizer application in case we get another cold spell and your lawn starts to lose its color.  It’s a great time to put another application of “Seasonal Booster 7-7-7” down and watch your ryegrass take off in preparation for the months ahead.  If you have been fertilizing with granular throughout the winter months you are likely to see a lot of growth in the months ahead as the soils warm up and the fertilizers start to release.  This is not an ideal situation as the ryegrass serves as a shade to the bermudagrass and paspalum and makes the spring transition process a little more difficult.  If you are in this situation a good aerification or light verticut will help aide the transition process in late March/early April. 

Spring Greenup on Dormant Grass

If you are the owner of dormant paspalum you are probably amazed right now as your lawn is about 60-70 percent in color and is moving quickly towards a full spring recovery.  If you have paspalum early next month is an ideal time to put down an organic fertilizer application such as Milorganite to keep the heat in the plant and get it to green up faster.

If you are a bermudagrass grower your spring green up is about 4 weeks behind in color to the paspalum but will start to show signs of spring revival very soon.  As the temperatures warm up go ahead and put an application of Milorganite or Ironite on the lawn to trap any heat loss in the plant.  Since these are dark fertilizers they will keep the heat in.  Now you won’t see any growth for a few months but you will start to see some color emerge soon.

Dormant turf should be watered once per week for 15-20 minutes until soil temperatures start to warm up or grass starts to show signs of stress.

Keep sending me in your questions and I will answer them as I receive them.  If you are in the cooler climates and are looking for fescue and rye/blue it is now available in all of our markets.  Give us a call and we will get you set up with some.  Don’t waste a good opportunity to keep your lawn weed free this summer and get it going early.

Jay

Ryegrass/Bluegrass Mix

I know many of you really enjoy the golf course look to your lawn or putting the stripes in like a baseball field.  If this sounds like you, the rye/blue is an excellent mix.  It’s a lush dark green lawn that will hold up to any traffic that you put on it.  This is 85% ryegrass and 15%  bluegrass, and is the same mix we use for all of our stadiums and several of our northern climate golf courses.   If you want a more manicured looking lawn it can be maintained between ¼ inch and 2 inches.  The ryegrass has a very fine leaf texture and the blue is slightly coarser.  You should plan on mowing at least one to two times per week.   As with all grasses it does look better with a reel mower versus a rotary mower.  The rotary will do a good job of cutting it, but it will not allow you to get to the lower mowing heights.  This is a grass with moderate shade tolerance but does best in full sun. 

http://www.westernsod.com/varieties/blue_rye1.jpg

West Coaster  Dwarf Tall Fescue

This is the most popular grass for homeowners in the cooler climates and higher elevations.  The dwarf tall fescue has a coarse leaf blade and grows very upright.  If you have partial shade or if your lawn is in full sun then this is an excellent choice for your house.    The dwarf fescue should be maintained between ¾ inch and 2 inches, but you can go a little higher in height if you desire.  You will often see the fescue in parks and home lawns and in some shaded areas on golf courses.  Take a look at the pictures below to see the deep dark green color and imagine how good that would look in your front yard.

http://www.westernsod.com/varieties/tallfescue1.jpg 

Chaparral Ryegrass

Chaparral ryegrass is the optimal choice for those who like a real manicured lawn and like to keep the heights very low.  We use Chaparral ryegrass for all of our overseeding during the cooler months of the year, but you can also grow it year round in the cooler climates.  It has a very fine leaf texture which tolerates close mowing heights, a deep green color, and excellent wear tolerance.  The ryegrass can handle moderate shade during the day,  but still needs a few hours of sunlight to keep it thick and lush year round.  I suggest that you keep your ryegrass between ¼” and 2”.  If you are using a reel mower it can easily be maintained at the lower end of the height chart and be transformed into a fairway in your front yard.

http://www.westcoastturf.com/images/variety/blue_rye1.gif 

Bluegrass/Ryegrass Mix (Bayside Mix)

The blue/rye is an 80 percent bluegrass and 20 percent ryegrass mix.  This is perfect mix for those of you who like the manicured look, and want a grass that will hold up to traffic.  I cannot say enough about the color of this grass as it is a beautiful deep blue green in color and will stripe up your lawn unlike anything else on the market.   The blue/rye has excellent wear and disease resistance and will stay green year round in much of the southwest.  You will often see this grass used in parks, golf courses, and home lawns.   If you are in a cooler climate and want to maintain your color longer into the winter months I would suggest the blue/rye.  The heavy rate of bluegrass allows it to maintain good color throughout the year and thus it uses less nitrogen than some of the other cool season varieties.  

http://www.westcoastturf.com/images/variety/bayside.jpg

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks, Jay

Bull’s-Eye Bermudagrass (BOBSod) – This is by far the most popular grass on the market today and is used at Chase Field–home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and at the Padres PETCO Park.  BOBSod is a grass that has the most shade tolerance of any of the bermudagrasses and has a deep blue-green color.  It has a medium coarse leaf blade and is an extremely dense grass which provides a soft cushion for playing sports on, or for playing with your dog.  BOBSod can be grown in full sun or in partial shade as long as you receive at least three hours of sunlight during 10 AM and 3 PM in the summer months.   BOBSod has virtually no seedheads and can be mowed with a rotary or reel mower between ½ inch to 2 inches. It’s ideally mowed around 1 inch.  I have BOBSod in my front yard and it holds up very well to my three dogs and my 40 foot pine tree that provides partial shade during the summer months.

Sea Spray Seashore Paspalum – Paspalums have been around for years and they have become popular in recent years because of how eco-friendly they are.  Yes I did say “eco friendly,” and that’s definitely true.  Paspalums are different in that they use 66 percent less nitrogen than any bermudagrass, have excellent drought tolerance, and can handle water that is high in salts or fresh water. 

Do you prefer to use organic fertilizers for your lawn?  Paspalums prefer you do and they only need to be fertilized twice per year with a product such as Milorganite.  Many people don’t like to overseed and want as short of a dormancy period as possible and this is the best grass for your situation.  Let it go dormant after we receive our first hard frost and watch it start to green up in February– not April– like most other grasses.   This is a grass that is grown from seed or stolons and has the look of a hybrid bermudagrass with a darker green color.  As you regular readers know I am a huge proponent of paspalum and I love the look and feel of it in my backyard.  I don’t think my daughter or three bulldogs could be happier than they are out playing in the lawn.  Take a look at the deep green color of the paspalum.  Sea Spray can be mowed with a rotary or reel mower and can tolerate heights of ¼ inch to 2 inches.  Sea Spray needs to be grown in full sun.

EZ-Turf –   A very homeowner friendly grass with a open turf canopy and coarser leaf texture.  EZ- Turf is often used for low maintenance areas such as parks and playgrounds, but is not the best choice for a yard that will be used for sports or for an athletic field.  Its open canopy does not allow for the same footing of some of the other grasses, but it does tolerate wear and drought very well.  It is ideally mowed with a rotary mower at 1-2 inches in the summer and fertilized monthly to maintain color and turf vigor throughout the season.  When it comes to overseeding, it is as the name implies EZ-Turf.  It has an open canopy so it doesn’t need to be dethatched as much as other bermudagrasses and this also allows for excellent seed to soil contact.  EZ-Turf needs to be grown in full sun.

Tifway 419 – Tifway is the most popular choice for golf courses because of its upright growth habit and vigorous recovery from wear.  Tifway is the hardiest of all the bermudagrasses and has a medium fine dark green leaf blade that makes it a soft durable grass. It’s ideally maintained with a reel mower and mowed 1-2 times per week between ¼ inch and ¾ inch.  Tifway needs to be dethatched at least once per year because of its density and fertilized monthly throughout the growing season. If you are looking for a grass with great wear tolerance, and don’t mind a little more maintenance this is for you.   Tifway must be grown in full sun.

Tifgreen 328 – Tifgreen has all the characteristics of Tifway 419 but has more leafs per square inch and a little finer leaf blade. Tifgreen can be used for putting greens or for your backyard and should be mowed between 2-3 times per week with a reel mower at 1/8 inch to ¾ inch.  Tifgreen must be grown in areas with full sun.

St. Augustine – This is a coarse grass that is most often found in areas with high humidity such as Florida but it does very well in full sun or shaded areas in hot or humid parts of Arizona or California.  St. Augustine holds up very well to high traffic and can tolerate mowing heights from 1 inch to 3 inches.  It can be mowed with a rotary or a reel mower but it does not tolerate close mowing or overseeding well.  It is best to let go dormant over the winter months and grows best in full sun but can tolerate moderate shade in the summer months.

TifSport – TifSport is the first university certified bermudagrass that mirrors Tifway 419 except that it does provide a denser turf canopy.  TifSport maintains good color throughout the fall and greens up quicker than 419.  It should be mowed between ¼ inch and ¾ inch and grown in areas with full sun.  TifSport is often the choice of sports professionals as it has excellent wear tolerance and recovers from damage extremely quick.

Tifway II – Tifway II has a deep green color with a medium  fine leaf blade that has a slightly coarser leaf than Tifway.  Tifway II can tolerate heavy traffic, heat, and grows excellent in full sun areas.  It is an excellent choice for coastal California and can tolerate close mowing heights from ¼ inch to 1 inch.  Tifway II is a great choice for the sports professional  or for a home lawn that you can let go dormant for the winter and will green up quicker than any other bermuda in the spring and hold its color the longest in the fall.

We’ll do the cool season grasses next week.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

Thanks, Jay

P.S…..don’t forget to find us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Coast-TurfWestern-Sod/128634003982?ref=ts

1)      The first “C” to consider when buying sod is Category.  There are paspalums, bermudas, St. Augustines, and cool season grasses.

There are environmental factors to consider when you are deciding what variety is best for your house, park, landscape, golf course or sports field such as:

•  Shade – Is it partial day shade or in full shade?  If you get at least 3 hours of direct sunlight between 10 am and 3 pm in the summer you can use BOBSod.  If you are in full shade for all of the day, you need to consider going with St. Augustine. There are NO other  warm season grasses for this situation on the market.  If the area is in full sunlight you can use any paspalums, bermudas, or St. Augustine varieties.

• Temperature – It’s no secret that the new and improved seashore paspalum varieties such as Sea Spray and Platinum handle the heat as well–if not better–than all of the bermudagrasses on the market. The optimal growing weather for both is between 80-105 degrees with humidity.  They eat up the humidity and that is why you see the most growth during our monsoon season. When the weather is cooler you want to buy sod that is overseeded with perennial ryegrass, or plant a paspalum before the end of November.  They’ll will hold  color 6 weeks on average longer than bermudagrass, and will green up 6 weeks faster.

2)      The second “C” to consider when buying sod is  CUT.  

What are your maintenance practices going to be?  What is discussed most often is height of cut.  There are several grasses on the market that are higher maintenance than others, and will give you a perfectly manicured look.  If you are using a reel type mower, rest easy because you can use any of the grasses we sell, and know you are going to get a pristine cut.  Some of the best home lawn choices in this category are BOBSod, sea shore paspalum, and the “Tiff’s.”  A reel mower is not the most economical option, and most of us use a rotary lawn mower.  We mow one to two times per week, and maintain our lawn between ¾” and 2 inches.  For everyone that uses a rotary lawn mower I suggest using BOBSod, Sea Spray or Platinum Paspalum, or EZ-Turf. You can get the Tifway 419 to fit into this category but it does take a couple mows per week to maintain to correct mowing height.

3)  The third “C” to consider when buying sod is Customer Service.

I have this listed so high in the buying equation because you don’t want to buy sod from a company that hasn’t been around  very long, and doesn’t have people on staff that can help you answer all your lawn needs. It’s no secret that West Coast Turf/Western Sod has been around for almost 40 years selling sod all over the southwest. We have farms all over California and two Arizona locations which allow us to always provide a high end product to all of our customers.

When I buy a product I always want to buy from a company that backs it up  and has no problem putting it on display.  For example, when you are purchasing overseeded grass in the winter it is almost impossible to determine what percentage of bermudagrass is going to transition for you in the spring, or if the grass was seeded before the bermudagrass was ready. I have visited several sites where people bought beautiful overseeded winter lawn, and they quickly realize that the product they purchased for less money was very immature in its growing cycle. The result from this is a lot of bare areas.

4)  The final “C” to consider when buying sod is Cost Savings.

I know everyone is looking for me to say cost, but as we all know–you get what you pay for. Often times what looks like a great deal is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.  Grass is the same way, and the cost of sod can only vary with a few factors.  These are type of grass, sod quality, and growing costs (fertilizers, harvest, etc.).  There are a lot of people out there just trying to move a product these days without considering the impact of the consumer.  I can tell you that we are not doing that, and we are looking to save you money by putting the right grass in for you for your particular situation. The  new varieties like seashore paspalum might cost more initially, but have a huge economic savings “built in.”  They use 2/3 less nitrogen than bermudagrass in a year, broadleaf weeds can be maintained with rock salt, and they use less water once established and grown in properly.

Similar cost savings holds true with bermudagrass. We take on the growing costs, and put them into our product to provide you with a turf that is in “golf course condition” when it shows up on your property. If you see a cheaper sod out there it is usually associated with lower growing costs, less fertilizer, and it also means you often getting an immature product.  While it is understood that you can bring the product up to par by spending money out of your pocket, wouldn’t you rather see it come from the company you are buying from to begin with?  I know when I bought my air conditioner I had no desire to put more money into making it a working product.

I hope everyone has learned a little bit about the sod buying experience, and why to consider these 4 C’s before buying.

I have to thank everyone for reading because what started off as a bi-monthly blog has turned into a bi-weekly blog because of the interest of my readers. Thanks for reading, and keep sending me your questions and any topic ideas you’d like me to cover!

 Jay

It’s a well known fact that the best defense against weeds is to have a good dense stand of grass.  If you have followed my previous tips and have been fertilizing on schedule, your lawn is likely thick, lush green and is in perfect shape to fight off weeds.  If you are a little behind on your fertilizer applications now is a great time to catch up.  You can use our “Seasonal Booster 7-7-7” to help thicken up your lawn and prevent the weeds from encroaching in the open areas.  It is very different to control weeds in lawns that are overseeded with ryegrass versus lawns that are left dormant for the winter.   I will touch on both.  It is always best to practice weed management by hand pulling weeds before using unnecessary herbicides.  If your lawn is being over taken with weeds or is too much to hand pick and you have to apply a  herbicide, ALWAYS ALWAYS READ THE LABEL FIRST, AND APPLY AS DIRECTED.  I cannot say this enough because it is very easy to injure your ryegrass or underlying bermudagrass by exceeding the label rates.

One of the problem weeds during the wet season is annual bluegrass or best known as “Poa annua.”  Poa is a high seed producing grass that likes compacted wet soils.  It often starts to show after a rain storm during the winter months and you will see the light yellow colored bunch weed growing with seed heads that multiply quickly.  Poa is a grass that can tolerate low mowing heights and wet soils so a good way to manage to manage the problem is to let your ryegrass grow longer, dry it out till your grass just about wilts and then water.

When you mow your lawn at a longer height it’s best to bag it as the seed heads will multiply if they are spread throughout your lawn from mulching it.  Here’s a picture of what Poa annua looks like.  If you do have Poa, there are very few chemicals that will treat it, and none are labeled for homeowner use.  The best way to control it is to keep it to a confined area and hand pick it out before it spreads.  

Broadleafs are significantly easier to control, and we’ll often see the emergence of such weeds as clover, mallow, and mustards during this time of the year.  These can be controlled with 2,4-D, Trichlorpyr or Clopyralid. These are easy weeds to control, and applying a pre-emergent herbicide is the best way to prevent them.

Crabgrass and goose grass are generally a result of a poor turfgrass canopy.  These are generally most active between February 15^th-March 1^st.   Some pre-emergents that work well to control these are Dimension and Barricade.  If you have crabgrass or goose grass take over sections of your lawn you will have to apply several applications of MSMA every 10 days for about a month or until it is controlled.  These are very noxious weeds that will find every possible gap in your lawn to take over so keep your lawn healthy and if you have large areas it is best to sod them out to keep the crabgrass and goose grass out.

If you have dormant bermudagrass it is advised to put down a pre-emergent herbicide such as Barricade or Dimension in late February to control weeds from encroaching in your lawn.  When your lawn is completely dormant you can control weeds by hand pulling them, using selective herbicides or –last resort–to use Round Up at a rate of .25 ounces per 1000 SF.  Don’t exceed this rate and do not apply to any areas that are showing signs of greening up.  If your lawn is starting to green up this may delay it or cause harm to the bermudagrass.  I do not suggest an application of Round Up after February 15^th.  Again READ THE LABEL, and always error on the side of caution.  If you are unsure if your lawn is completely dormant avoid the Round Up and use a selective herbicide.

These are just some of the main weeds we’ll start to see in the coming weeks, so stay on top of your lawn and keep it healthy.  If you have a weed that you are unsure of please send me pictures and I can tell you the best way to treat it.

 Jay

During the winter months you should be watering between 2-3 times per week–unless of course we get significant precipitation like they are calling for.   Now I do realize that I am going off the potential forecast for a lot of areas, but I don’t  foresee that any of us will need supplemental irrigation this week.  We all know there’s nothing like rainwater for our lawns, so don’t waste the money or our resources by applying unneeded water. 

After you read this I expect that everyone will walk outside and flip the controller to the off position until your lawn starts to show some symptoms of wilting (footprinting or blue-grey color).  When we clear back up, it’s a perfect time to check your sprinkler system to make sure it’s working properly and all the nozzles are free and clear of debris.  This is a good idea every month or so, but when the system is off for a little time you will notice extra debris can clog your nozzles.

If you don’t happen to get hit with any rain showers this week, set your clock to run every 3-5 days and adjust it as the weather and temperatures change.

Jay 

Should I buy a Reel or Rotary Mower?

This is a question that I am frequently asked.   The  question is usually followed by which type is better?  I will say that they are both great mowers, but the type you use will vary depending on the variety of grass you’re maintaining, height of cut, leaf blade, and frequency of cut.  Most of the grasses that are grown in AZ and CA can be mowed with either a rotary or reel type mower, but the reel mower does provides a clean, crisp cut that can range in height from putting green height  of 1/10^thof an inch all the way to an inch.  A rotary mower is best used for grass that is above 3/4 inch and is ideally maintained between 1 and 2 inches.  If you are looking for a quality reel mower you can expect to pay between $1500-$5000. They do sell the push reel mower, but keep in mind that as the bermudagrass gets thick in the summer months it’s extremely tough to push the mower through the lawn. 

How much do I need to water during the winter?

There is not an exact science to watering in the winter because we do receive our most significant rainfall during these months, and we experience temperatures that can vary from 20 degrees to 80 degrees.  A good range is to water 1-2 times per week for about 20 minutes per cycle.  You can extend the days in between watering the grass if you only water when the grass is wilting.  If you step on the grass and it doesn’t pop right back up and leaves a footprint, then it’s time to water.  There is more moisture in the plant during the winter,  thus it needs to be watered far less frequently.

Why is my Ryegrass turning yellow?

Your ryegrass is greatly affected by the cold morning temperatures and frost.  The ryegrass is unable to take up any granular fertilizers when the soil temperatures remain very low, so the grass can only be treated with a foliar application.  There are a lot of excellent products out there on the market including our own product called “Seasonal Booster.”  You can order this through our offices for just $19.95 for two bottles, and it’ll connect to your hose for easy application.  Each bottle will treat 1000 SF.

Can I Sod during the Winter Months?

There is not a bad time to sod in AZ and CA.  During the winter months the grasses are overseeded with perennial ryegrass to maintain color.

 My dog is allergic to bermudagrass, what other options do I have?

Seashore paspalum is not a bermudagrass and thrives in the AZ and CA climates.  It is a grass that uses 66 % less nitrogen than bermudagrass, can handle a pH range of 4.5-9.0, thrives in hot humid areas, and has a deep green color. Seashore paspalum is as close to a year round grass as is currently available, will maintain its color 4-6 weeks longer than bermudagrass, and will green up 4 weeks earlier.

How do I repair urine damage to my ryegrass?

The easiest way to repair dog spotting is by treating the area like a golf course divot.  You’ll want to make a sand/seed mixture, and hand water the seeded areas daily till they recover.  You can purchase 10 pound buckets of BOBSeed from our office for $24.95, and it will match your West Coast Turf lawn. 

Do I need to water my dormant turf?

I suggest that you water your dormant grass for about 20-40 minutes every three to four weeks during the winter months to maintain moisture and avoid any desiccation.

How do I prevent annual broadleafs?

Annualbroad leafs can be controlled with a pre-emergent application in mid to late February.  This will carry you through the summer season.

Please send me your additional questions and pictures, and I’ll help you get back on the right track.  Having your neighbor “green with envy” over your lawn in a good thing in my book.

Jay

The turf from last night’s game was grown at our Palm Springs, CA area operation.  It has been receiving the same fertilizers and TLC that the rest of our sod receives on a daily basis. Several of you have been emailing me questions about if the field last night was a special variety or if something unusual was done for the game last night.  I can tell you that the only difference between the sod you buy yourself is the thickness of the soil. When we do a professional field that will be played on immediately we need to cut the sod between 1 ¼” to 2” for immediate turf stability.  As you could see last night the field played excellent, and we saw no wear and tear from the players–there is plenty more where that came from. There is no reason to settle for a grass that doesn’t look like it belongs in a world class stadium, and as always, you too can own a BCS quality field in your backyard!

We are the proud growers of 20 different varieties of turf and there is a type for every situation from sun to shade, turf that handles heat, sod that works best in the cooler climates, grasses that are ideal for effluent water, soils high in pH, and putting green material. We treat all of our grass the same whether it will be on national TV or for your backyard. Take a look at some of our pictures from the game last night, and you’ll find it hard to believe that the field was laid on New Year’s day after the Rose Bowl.  If your grass doesn’t look like the grass you saw last night at the Rose Bowl then it is time to own a piece of history and buy some for your yard. If you already have grass from WCT then you’re ahead of the curve, and you may just want to look at our fertilizers to keep your lawn looking perfect year round.

If you have any questions about the field or getting your lawn in that kind of shape, please send me an email.  I’d be happy to help!

Happy New Year,

Jay

PS…Game Day photos coming soon.

West Coast Turf delivered almost 50 truckloads of sod cut at 1 1/2″ thick, and  worked through the night to lay it. It was put right down on top of the field used on Friday–they didn’t rip it out.  Sod doesn’t need to root–it is thick cut so it is too heavy to move.  Sod install was finished by sundown on 1/2.  Field was painted today, and we have no doubt it is going to be a great game on Thursday night!

Please enjoy the photos……  You can find the whole gallery on our Facebook page  as well….http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Coast-TurfWestern-Sod/128634003982?ref=ts#/album.php?aid=134339&id=128634003982&ref=mf

West Coast Turf in Palm Desert,  CA, is excited to get to be a part of the Rose Bowl game and the BCS National Championship game to be played at the Rose Bowl Stadium.  Here is what’s up:

The Texas Longhorns and the Alabama Crimson Tide will fight for the National Championship on a fresh field at the Rose Bowl Stadium January 7^th—just six days after Ohio State battles it out with Oregon.

The Rose Bowl Stadium already got a new field in early December in preparation for the New Years Day game.  But that field won’t do for the championship game to be played less than a week later at the same place.  Because of the pregame, game, halftime show, and postgame festivities, the field is expected to take a beating.  Not to mention the gallons of paint used for team and corporate logos.  A fresh field is a must—and fast.

Immediately after the conclusion of the Rose Bowl game we’ll bring in 110,000 sq. ft. of overseeded sand based bermudagrass sod.  Because of the very short timeframe for preparation, Rose Bowl Stadium officials decided to “overlay” the field—meaning that the new field will be put down directly on top of the old field.  With no time for the new grass to root, the sod will be cut 1 ½” thick to ensure it will be heavy enough to stay firmly in place.

It will take 50 truckloads of sod, a WCT crew of 24 workers, along with another team of 24 from the Rose Bowl to complete the installation.  Rose Bowl head groundskeeper, Will Schnell, has even enlisted the help of some of the country’s best groundskeepers from MLB to make sure the field is in top playing condition.

WCT will begin harvesting the sod on Friday (1/1) afternoon and continue through the night.  Installation of the sod at the Rose Bowl Stadium will start after the game Friday (1/1) night, and continue uninterrupted for a 24 hour period. For the next 5 days, Schnell and crew will maintain the turf–watering at just the right levels, rolling and sweeping the grass, mowing at exactly the right time and length–so it will hit its peak condition on game day.  They’ll also have the field freshly painted with all of the field lines and numerous logos necessary for college football’s biggest competition.

Our 2nd favorite “turf expert,” Tom Stafford, will explain. “We have been working with the Rose Bowl since the Super Bowl in 1993.  We’ve specialized in sports fields for nearly 20 years, so we’re ready for this situation. They are perfectionists over there at the Rose Bowl, and are well known for excellent field conditions.  But this project is extra special for them.  We’ve monitored this sod for months.  Three years ago we used the same ‘overlay’ technique at University of Phoenix Stadium for a similar situation with the Fiesta Bowl game and then the BCS Championship there a few days later.  The guys at the Rose Bowl watched us do that successfully, and we all decided it’d be the right choice for their big game.  We’ve been here before and are confident we’ll have a surface to be proud of come January 7th.”  

And there you have it!  Hopefully you’ll catch both of these exciting games on TV.  BTW–the field looked excellent tonight for the Holiday Bowl over at Qualcomm Stadium.  Hopefully you Arizona fans will be OK by tomorrow.  Uggh…. 

Happy New Year to all of you from Western Sod and West Coast Turf.  We are looking forward to a “turf’rific” 2010!

PS….Here is a photo from the install at the Rose Bowl in early December.

Rose Bowl install 12/09

 I would like to start by saying that you can never spend too much time on the prep work.  Many people just simply lay their grass on the existing dirt, and expect that it will root down and be level because it is sod. That is definitely not the case as most of us have compacted clay, and nutrient deficient soils.  What we typically will see are soils that are high in pH, and have an accumulation of salt build up through the years.  How do you know if you have these problems?  The easiest way is to send a soil sample to your local extension office.  They can tell you exactly what nutrients your soils need, and if you should add gypsum or lime to balance out your pH.

Now I do understand that the soil test is not always economical or may be time consuming, but I will say you will save $$ down the road.  If you were to check in with any golf course superintendent they’d tell you that they want their soil tested a minimum of two times per year to determine exactly how to treat the soil.  While this is quite excessive for your home lawn, it does show you just how important this is in the prepping process.

Here is a set of steps to follow (and please keep in mind that I am giving you amendment numbers based upon a soil test that I received at my house–so the exact numbers will vary depending upon your location and soil type):

The first step is to remove rocks or other debris, control weeds and establish a rough grade. In order to control weeds they must be present for the Round Up to work. You cannot spray Round Up on bare soil and expect to see results. You can tank mix Round Up and a product called Suflan to control weeds that are present and the Surflan will act as a pre emergent. If you have nutsedge, crabgrass or common bermudagrass present you will have to spray and water several times in order to take care of the problem before planting grass. This process will consist of watering for a week and letting the plants come up, spray them out and repeat several times until they are eradicated.

Incorporate 1 to 2 inches of sand into your soil. I do not recommend using wood mulch as you will often bring in weed seed and it will cause a layering issue with your underlying soils. The sand will reduce compaction, improve water and nutrient retention and penetration, provide you with a water efficient lawn.  Sand is the optimal growing medium for grass as it allows your roots to grow deep, and it makes it easy to water deep and infrequently even during the hot summer months.

There is a tremendous benefit to your lawn to add fertilizer and amendments into your soil. You can incorporate phosphorus at a rate of 2-3 lbs. of actual phosphorous per 1000 square feet, sulfur at a rate of 5-10 lbs. per 1000 square feet, and gypsum at a rate of 25-50 lbs. per 1000 square feet.  If you read my past blog on fertilizer calculations it will go over exactly how to get to these numbers.

The next step is to rototill your soil to a depth of at least 4-6 inches. While many of you will have the machine bounce off your hard pan soil this is the best way to help with water percolation, nutrient additions and to achieve optimal root growth.

Once you have tilled the ground and all the rocks have been removed it is time to add your sprinkler system. This will be much easier now that the soil is loose and you able to dig down into the ground. You can dig the trenches with a small irrigation shovel or ideally you would rent a Ditch Witch and this will help you with your trenches. Most landscaping companies will use a ditch witch to put your system in. I highly recommend an automatic sprinkler system to save time, water, and to help you establish a perfect lawn. You will want to set your sprinklers at ½ inch above grade so the sod lays right over them. For the areas around your sidewalks it is ideal to keep the soil 1 inch below because the soil is ½ inch and the grass is a ½ inch when it comes in.

The final step is the finish grade and you will want to rake and lightly roll the soil to achieve a firm surface. Once the grade is finished water the soil for a couple days to prevent any settling and then you are ready for sod.

If you follow these simple steps you to will have a perfectly graded smooth surface.  Keep in mind that sod is like carpet so you will see anything that is underneath the grass.

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.  I want to help you have the best lawn in the neighborhood!

Happy Holidays,

Jay

Foliar feeding your lawn is a simple way to get that “golf course green” look for very little cost. Let me go over some of the best products that you can apply during the winter months and these can even be used throughout the year.

1. 7-7-7 Seasonal Booster – This is a well balanced fertilizer that provides the perfect amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and iron for your monthly application. Each bottle contains enough product to treat a 1000 sq. ft. lawn, and they’re simple to use. The container attaches to your garden hose just like you use to fertilizer flowers. This can be purchased from West Coast Turf by calling our office at 888/893-8873 and getting two bottles and the attachments for $19.95.

2. Iron – You can buy several different types of foliar iron products out there but some of the best are the Seasonal Booster, Ironite and Ferrous Sulfate. Ferrous Sulfate is purchased in a granular form and must be mixed with water and sprayed onto your lawn. Be careful with both of these products as they will stain your concrete, valve boxes, or anything else they come into contact with. You will mix and apply the ferrous sulfate at a rate of .5-1.0 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. and mix with water. The tricky part with this is making sure your sprayer is working properly to get the same amount of fertilizer spread evenly. These two products can range from $15.95 and up. It will depend on the location that you get them and generally each bottle of ironite will cover 1000 sq. ft., but keep in mind that you are only getting iron from these products and you will need to apply a second fertilizer to get your nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The ferrous sulfate is available in a 50 lb. bag, and the price will vary depending on the quantity.

3. K Power (13.75-0-46, Potassium Nitrate)– This is another water soluble product that can be tank mixed with ferrous sulfate to green your lawn in a hurry. It is all quick release nitrogen so you will need to apply it every few weeks throughout the winter. You can mix the K power at a rate of .5-1.5 lbs. of product per 1000 sq. ft. of lawn. This will run around $25-30 per 50 lb. bag, but remember it needs to be mixed well with water and sprayed on with a hand sprayer.

The “Seasonal Booster” is the easiest method for applying your foliar applications throughout the winter and it contains all the nutrients you need to have a healthy lawn. If you have the equipment and the time to tank mix the K Power and Ferrous Sulfate you will also see excellent results, but you’ll need to stay on top of your lawn to keep that color, as the nitrogen is released very quickly. If you have any questions let me know!

Jay

PS…..here is my lawn today 2 days after I applied the “Seasonal Booster.”

I suggest that you use either a 15-15-15 or a 21-7-14 to get that grass growing, and really push that ryegrass before we receive our first frost. If you apply the 15-15-15 you will put it down at 6.5 pounds per 1000 sq. ft., and if you apply 21-7-14 you will apply it at 5 pounds per 1000 sq. ft., and water it in.

It is important to remember that while your grass may look perfectly green right now, a lot of that is still bermudagrass. It will go dormant over the next few weeks leaving you with spotty ryegrass. How do you combat that problem? You want to follow my fertilizer recommendations, and really push the ryegrass so it all fills in and keeps the bermudagrass in check. This little cold snap we are experiencing in the next couple days is not going affect your ryegrass growth, but it will slow your bermuda growth—that’s why fertilizer is extremely important. If you do nothing you will start to see your ryegrass go off color in the next few months. If you get at it early, you’re really making your plant strong.

That’s all I have for today, but keep sending me your questions and I’ll answer them as soon as I get them. If you have not overseeded yet, or are looking to shape up your yard call us today so your lawn looks like all of our fields you see on TV every weekend.

Jay

Today I’d like to talk about some of the most popular questions that are asked of me on a weekly basis.

Q: Is there a way to keep your dog from damaging the grass?

A: There is not a simple answer for this question.  The reality is that there has not been a product that has been found to acidify the dog urine and keep it from burning.  The nice part of  bermudagrasses such as Bull’s-Eye Bermuda and Tifgreen 328  that they recover faster than a grass that  has an open canopy, and doesn’t have as aggressive of a growth habit. You can always fill the weak or damaged areas with sand and this will aid in giving the grass a better growing medium.

Q: What is the best grass choice for the shade?

A: The best bermudagrass for the shade is Bull’s-Eye Bermuda/BOBSod.  But it does need at least 3-4 hours of sunlight between 10 am and 3 pm in the summer months. On a scale of 1-10 Bull’s-Eye Bermuda/BOBSod is a 4-5 in the shade, and all the other bermudagrasses are a 0-1 in shade. If you have full shade you will have to use St. Augustine, but keep in mind this is a grass that does not like to be overseeded and it will go “off color” in the winter.

Q: How do I make sure my roots grow deep and my grass will survive during the hot summer months? 

A: The best way to maintain a deep root system is to keep the potassium level high and water deep and infrequently. Potassium is the 3rd number on a bag of fertilizer such as a 0-0-50. When you are watering it is better to water 2-3 days per week for 20-30 minutes per cycle than to water everyday. If you water daily your roots will stay in the top few inches of the soil and never grow deep. Remember that too much water is just as bad for your lawn as is too little water.

Q: Do I have to water my lawn in the winter if I don’t overseed?

A: The answer is yes, but you only need to water about every two weeks for around 30 minutes to maintain soil and plant moisture, and to prevent any winter desiccation. 

Q: When is okay to cut my newly overseed lawn for the first time?

A: The ryegrass is usually ready to be cut after 10 days or when it reaches a 1 ½” – 2” height. You will want to mow at a higher setting, and gradually take your heights down in the coming weeks to your desired height of cut.  After your “first mow” is a great time to put your second fertilizer application down (15-15-15). I have posted pictures of my lawn after it’s first mow yesterday so you can see the height your lawn should be mowed at.

I will post a few questions and answers every week or so on my blog so you can stay updated, and informed on the turf industry. Feel free to send me your questions to the “Ask Jay” section on my blog, and I will answer your questions that day.

Have a good weekend and I will blog again soon!

Jay

One is letting your bermudagrass just go dormant, and water every couple of weeks to keep moisture in the plant.  Or, you can decide to “Go Green,” and use one of West Coast Turf’s new “seashore paspalum” varieties.  Right now we are growing Sea Spray and Sea Isle 1.

It’s important to all of us to do our part to help the environment, and that’s why seashore paspalum is the next big thing. Paspalums are different from bermudagrasses in that they are more drought tolerant, and–for lack of a description–they despise fertilizer.  They also stay green on average 6 weeks longer in the fall, and green up and transition much faster than any of the bermudagrasses in the spring. If you are asking yourself “why we are just promoting it now?,” well that is because we have spent a few years making sure they transition, how they overwinter, and finding out what the best way is to maintain the grass.  We wanted to make sure we sell you something that works.  This works!  I have some in my yard, and I love it (so do my 3 bull dogs).

Paspalums are designed to handle grass areas that are high in salts, and for people that use effluent water. Since the water quality in Arizona (and parts of CA) tends to be high in salts and PH, this grass is a perfect fit. We’re seeing several bermudagrass areas starting to shut it down for the winter while the paspalum just continues to stay green. This is a grass that you will only have to use 2 pounds of nitrogen per year versus 8 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. for bermuda. The best fertilizers to use are organic fertilizers, and they can be applied once in the spring and once in the fall. That means less fertilizer leaching, and a grass that is easy to maintain.  Plus it’s great for the environment.  Does it get any better than that?

I have put in some pictures of what the paspalum sod currently looks like . If you take a look at my second picture you can see the paspalum up next to bermudagrass at the University of Arizona Mall.  The paspalum has kept its color a lot better into October.

You can see me talking about Sea Spray with “The Garden Guy” from channel 3 by click this link  here ”Save Money w/Sod.”

Well that’s all for today!  Please send me your questions, pictures, or any topics you’d like me to cover.  Nothing makes me happier than helping you have a healthy lawn (well, maybe a few things make me happier, but I like your lawn, too). Remember– “Life is short. Sod it!”

Jay

As you can see, they have deemed me “Mr. Wise Grass,” as  I possess some knowledge that might seem silly to the average person regarding grass, but on the same token it’s very useful when we discuss the health of your lawn.  You may be asking yourself, “Do I really care to read on?”  But, I can promise that you’ll learn some new lawn tips every couple of weeks, and expand your own turfgrass knowledge.  You can also email me directly to send photos of your lawn, and ask me any questions you may have. 

My turf career began in the golf industry in ‘93.  I was back in Michigan where I worked at Hickory Creek GC, Fox Hills CC, and Travis Pointe CC, where I learned what my true calling is in life.  It is grass.  And not the kind most people think of when they ask me what I do for a living!  It’s turfgrass.  I attended Eastern Michigan University where I got my basic courses out of the way.  I also got a good start to a business degree before I decided to transfer to Michigan State University to study agronomy with an emphasis in turfgrass.  This was a real happy day for my dad as he realized he was now paying for more school.  It still hurts me a little mentally on some level to say I have a BA from MSU because I do bleed “maize and blue.”  I’m a huge University of Michigan fan.  That is neither here nor there so I shall continue…..   

I moved to Arizona in ‘00 to work at Desert Mountain Golf Club in North Scottsdale where I earned my stripes working on the Geronimo course for a year and a half, Cochise course for 2 years, and finally I put my stamp on the building of the last of six Jack Nicklaus courses—Outlaw (definitely the best course on the property but I may have a slight bias).  After Outlaw was built I was offered the position with West Coast Turf/Western Sod.  While I had no sales background, I was hired on my ability to think outside the box, and consult to landscapers, turf professionals, golf courses, and to several professional and minor league sports teams.  Five years later, I am still here, so I am glad to say it’s worked out pretty well.

So that’s my story, and I am sticking to it.   Please feel free to click on the “Ask Jay” button to your top right of this page if you have some questions of your own!

Jay

P.S…..  Be sure to find us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/westernsod and www.twitter.com/westcoastturf.  You’ll be the first to know about new products, sales, and special discounts.

Since Jay is based in Arizona, we’ll have our expert sales team in California helping him out.  John Marman, Ben Koehler, Greg Dunn, Ryan Flaherty, and Tom Stafford are all “Wise Grasses, ” too!    We are lucky to have a lot of them .

PS…… Follow Jay and West Coast Turf on Twitter!  www.twitter.com/westcoastturf