Back from the dead

mrmumbels – posted 11 July 2011 16:47

http://mrmumbels.com/zoysia/zoysia3.jpg

[This message has been edited by mrmumbels (edited 11 July 2011).]

[This message has been edited by mrmumbels (edited 11 July 2011).]

mrmumbels – posted 11 July 2011 16:51

the lighter color closest to the camera is from the lawn mower roughing up the grass because it’s so dense. I just dropped some alfalfa on it so it should be darkening in a few days. All this rain in Tampa is doing it well except that it loses it’s dark color.

jod788 – posted 11 July 2011 17:59

How and why does it lose its dark color? I ask because I’m trying to darken my Jamur up! Very nice though. So in your opinion dropping some alfalfa (pellets?) does a good job of noticeably darkening the jamur up?

ezf – posted 11 July 2011 18:05

The grass height looks to be at 3 inches. Maybe this also helps the roots grow deeper.

mrmumbels – posted 12 July 2011 06:51

I guess all that rain just washes the nutrients away. My soil has a known issue with not having enough organic material to hold water. That same organic material is what holds nutrients. The alfalfa is going to give it the nitrogen and also the organic material to mend the soil.

And yes it’s at about 3 inches, anything less and it does not do well at all with this crappy soil.

mrmumbels – posted 12 July 2011 06:58

Hey jod,

I’ll also say, my zoysia was never dark green when fertilized with chemical fertilizer. I even had a lawn company for 6 months last year and my lawn was always the same color as the empty lot of bahia across the street. This year when i tested out the alfalfa I got some crazy color out of it. Here’s a pic to show the diff. I just threw out a little alfalfa closest to the camera, in front of the palm on the right, and also to the left near the road. You can see the 3 spots that are clearly darker green.

http://www.mrmumbels.com/zoysia/zoysia4.jpg

jugheadfla – posted 12 July 2011 07:26

quote:Originally posted by mrmumbels:Hey jod,

I’ll also say, my zoysia was never dark green when fertilized with chemical fertilizer. I even had a lawn company for 6 months last year and my lawn was always the same color as the empty lot of bahia across the street. This year when i tested out the alfalfa I got some crazy color out of it. Here’s a pic to show the diff. I just threw out a little alfalfa closest to the camera, in front of the palm on the right, and also to the left near the road. You can see the 3 spots that are clearly darker green.

http://www.mrmumbels.com/zoysia/zoysia4.jpg

Its definately becuase those areas are gettting nutrients for the alfalfa that the other areas are not. Did you ever have the company come out an top dress your lawn? I have been sprinkling around some Black Kow all over my lawn and it looks great, especially after all of the rain we have been getting. One problem I currently have though is many patches of crabgrass. I think you said image for crabgrass works, is that correct?

jod788 – posted 12 July 2011 07:43

Thanks mrmumbels. It’s very obvious where you applied the alfalfa. Definitely going to give that a shot. Now maybe my Jamur is as green as it’s going to get and it is simply just not going to get the same deep green as the Palisades, but I’ll put down some alfalfa and see if I can’t green it up some.

Stan – posted 12 July 2011 09:33

Did you ever say where you can get Alfalfa. I went to a farm seed and feed store and they did not have any. I wonder which is cheaper – alfalfa or black kow? Don’t forget the Black Hen granular chicken litter fertilizer available at lowes.

jod788 – posted 12 July 2011 10:10

Black Kow is $4.75 a bag at Lowe’s. 1 bag spread pretty thin might cover 10 square feet. You’d spend between $750-1000 top dressing your yard with black kow.

mrmumbels – posted 14 July 2011 06:48

I have not had the company come spray the compost yet but yes, image for crabgrass works great, MSMA is the key ingredient which can be found in all kinds of weed killers. Your best bet is to dig the crabgrass out before it gets too big though. When it gets big and you kill it it takes a while to disintegrate because of it’s size.

quote:Originally posted by jugheadfla: Its definately becuase those areas are gettting nutrients for the alfalfa that the other areas are not. Did you ever have the company come out an top dress your lawn? I have been sprinkling around some Black Kow all over my lawn and it looks great, especially after all of the rain we have been getting. One problem I currently have though is many patches of crabgrass. I think you said image for crabgrass works, is that correct?

[This message has been edited by mrmumbels (edited 14 July 2011).]

mrmumbels – posted 14 July 2011 06:53

Alfalfa and black cow compost are 2 different things. I don’t think you can really compare them. Alfalfa is organic material with tons of nutrients and some horomone that stimulates root growth. Black cow is compost with tons of little microorganisms that eat the alfalfa and turn it into nutrients and more compost.

Any feed store should have it. I call around frequently because the prices fluctuate and have only found 1 fee store that didn’t have it. found it for 12.29 /50lbs the other day. I guess grains are a global economy so like gas, the prices have gone up with the decline of the US dollar.

quote:Originally posted by Stan:Did you ever say where you can get Alfalfa. I went to a farm seed and feed store and they did not have any. I wonder which is cheaper – alfalfa or black kow? Don’t forget the Black Hen granular chicken litter fertilizer available at lowes.