After reading this sub for awhile, figured it was time to fix mine. Mostly Bermuda with i think some St Augustine. Killed off most of what was there after fixing the planter. 7 yards or topsoil and leveling. Pre-germ some KBG and Perennial Rye from Nightshift (Blackout) I realize this is a cool weather grass, (and I might regret it this summer) but I have well irrigation so I can afford to water as much as I want. So far seems to be turing out ok.
by Chippyspyder
5 Comments
April 23 pops! Excellent work!
There isn’t a might, you will regret it as there’s no amount of water saving the ryegrass at least. Genetically it just shuts down when soil temps get too high and remain high.
If you like the lush look of cool season then I suggest going with st Augustine as it likes being cut between 3-4 inches. If you’re looking for a more golf course look with extremely low cut turf then I’d go with Bermuda.
You did a fantastic job with your renovation! Just plan on spraying out what you have and going warm season of your yard starts dying off.
How much does something like this cost?
I had a PRG lawn in northeast TN that could not handle the summers here. Basically, once you hover around 80-85+ the PRG is going to have a noticeable amount die no matter how much you water it.
I did another reno last fall, pretty late in the season(like November so way late), with TTTF/KBG that will hopefully survive the climate here better.
You did a good job but I wouldn’t hold my breath that the PRG is going to survive your summer.
Man I would love to hear that this works out for you but boy that is going to be an uphill battle.
Heat aside, you’re going to have a nightmare dealing with disease being in central Florida. Afternoon showers coupled with warm humid nights… I’d strongly recommend getting a backpack sprayer and getting some liquid azoxystrobin, propiconazole, mefenoxam, and possibly chlorothalanil. Add an Adjuvant and citric acid in there to boost the effectiveness. And I’m fairly certain all that bermuda and st aug will come back from the buried rhizomes. You’re best bet against the bermuda is pylex which isnt cheap and isn’t guarunteed. That’s a multiyear removal process. You’re still going to have to worry about your neighbors lawn creeping in too without a buried physical barriers.
You will also need to aerate annually. Maybe do double or even triple passes to ensure thatch doesn’t build up. Verticutting might be something to keep in mind as well. That all can depend on how agressive your particular KBG cultivars spread so keep an eye on it. The more agressive the more prone to thatch buildup up.
Fescue deals better with heat and drought if you really want a cool season lawn. There’s also “Texas Bluegrass” which is a heat and drought tolerant KBG hybrid. If you’re current setup doesnt workout this summer maybe try that setup come fall.