hawkinfla – posted 01 February 2005 18:55
Hello all,We just moved into a new home in west centeral florida, hernando county to be more specific. The builder installed Floratam througout my entire 12,000 square feet. After the installation the crew just left without giving me maintainence instructions. On the pallets the sod was nice and green; since then we have had a few evenings drop into the 30 degree range and the grass has browned somewhat. The sod has been on the ground now for about 10 days. Someone had reccomended that I use my spreader with milorginite. Basically I do not know what should be done at this time, before I use the milorginite I wanted to get some feedback from some people that have beaten this path before. I hope this grass is just a bit dormant. Please advise.
Thanks in advance.
Marsh – posted 20 February 2005 16:15
Our St Augustine did the same thing when we moved into our Central Florida home. It tends to brown up a tad after it is planted. Not sure why. Give it plenty of water for the first month, then back off a bit. Treat it with fertalizer around the middle to end of May. In June, start watering it liberally- for example, give your lawn some good water it if you go without thunderstorms for more than three days. Then whatch it green up for summer. You won’t believe how green it will be. But make sure to treat it for weeds in the fall, or else they will take hold in winter and you’ll be fighting them till the next summer.
ted – posted 20 February 2005 17:29
your lawn is dormant- that’s it’s coping mechanism for the cool weather stresses- if it didn’t it would likely have winter damage issues. no grass grows 12 months a year. i would lay off the fert. for a few weeks.
br549 – posted 20 February 2005 18:16
we sell hundreds of pallets of Floratam weekly very close to you.What you describe is very normal,just water as other suggested.However, i would apply a low rate of milorganite in about a week,just to wake it up.We have already done that to all of our January installations,and have started with our spring fertilazation on farm.I suggest you contact your County agricultural agent for free advise.