type of grass for central Florida

mkmay – posted 28 March 2004 10:34

What type of grass would work for Polk county, central Florida for a poplar tree shaded sandy yard? Now mostly bare with weeds and some grassy patches.

Dchall_San_Antonio – posted 29 March 2004 08:12

Is there any reason St Augustine does not come to mind? I would think you’d be surrounded by it. Once you get the St Aug in, follow these rules…

1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.

2. Mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you’re developing in 1 above.

3. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 4 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above.