green up taking forever in orlando

aleicgrant – posted 21 March 2013 23:00

hi all

I am getting worried. I did a fall de thatch and we had a mild winter. Laid organic fert about 3 week ago but 95% of lawn looks like hay. cut to two inches but I think my mistake was not bagging clipping (did this right before fert)

worried…….. jamur

mrmumbels – posted 22 March 2013 08:18

I have mixed feelings about bagging clippings. I installed my Empire zoysia 6 years ago and feel that if I had not bagged the clippings my soil might have more organic material to hold moisture. Then again, I’m not sure any organic material on top would even make it into the soil. All I know is that my zoysia will not root properly and dries up every day during the summer unless we’re getting good rain every few days.

pyro – posted 22 March 2013 13:59

always leave the clippings! free fertilizer…i agree though im over here in tampa and mine is still coming in slowly in patches. dont worry, give it til mid-april and you won’t be disappointed

Houndawg – posted 24 March 2013 22:28

My sandy soil in the North Carolina sand hills has some clay in it also. You don’t really see the clay, but if you burn a wood pile and get the ground real hot the clay shows up after the fires gone. Would it help to amend the soil down there in Fla. with some clay ? My ground holds water fair.

mrmumbels – posted 25 March 2013 16:24

I’ve always wondered if that would help. Too much clay would probably hurt it though. I wouldn’t even know where to get it. I don’t ever see it at any landscape places.