This entire thread has me buffaloed if you ask me, of course no one has. This grass thing is so confusing with climate zones, avg rainfall and other such tenets set in stone its a wonder any grass will grow any where. I read where Bermuda grass isn't good in Georgia, pray tell? But-- the one that has me really scratching my head is Centipede. The Op states, "From what I read, centipede will not grow in my soil.". This may be very well true I dont know the Raleigh area but I do know this. It does very well in Elizabeth City N.C. I also know in my Middle Georgia area it is King-- the absolute perfect grass. Despite what I've read here, it does well in shade and does handles drought well. Before you discount it I would make darn sure it doesn't grow in your area because if it will grow there it fits your bill for exactly what you are looking for. One other thought, It is a very slow starter from seed. Many people try to start with seed and fail. It takes most of those who are successful a lot of work and several years before it fills in.

Ok, so I got my results of the soil test back from UMass. Here are the results: -------------------------------------- Linestone and fertilizer recommendations for established turfgrass Apply 50 lb of calcitic limestone/1000 sq ft. Lime may be applied at any time, but mid-autumn or early spring is best Recommendation: 3 lb/1000 sq ft P205, and 4 lb/sq ft K20. To provide the above recommendations you may follow the directions below, or you may devise your own fertilizer program using the recommended amounts of phosphorus (P205) and potassium (K20) along with one pound of Nitrogen per 1000 sq feet. It may necessary to raise nutrient levels over several applications. Apply a 20-3-12 fertilizer @ 5 lbs/1000 sq ft in late April, late June, and very late August. If more convenient you may substitute the late April recommendation with the same application made 1 to 2 weeks after your last fall mowing. Follow these recommendations for two years. Retest the following year. Consult the interpretation sheet enclosed or obtain one of the turf guides referenced on the backside of the interpretation sheet. Micronutrient(ppm) Boron: 0.1 Manganese 1.3 Zinc 0.5 Copper 0.3 Iron 31.0 Sulfur 15.0 Soil Ph 6.1 Nitrogen: No3-N = 0 ppm BUffer pH: 6.7 Organic Matter 3.1% (desirable range 4 - 10%) nutrient levels (ppm) Phosphorus: 1 Potassium 45 Calcium 219 Magnesium 83 Cation exch Cap 4.0 meq/100g Percent base saturation K = 2.4, Mg = 13.9, Ca = 22.5 Micronutrient levels : all normal Extractable aluminum 128 ppm (soil range: 10 - 250 ppm) THe lead level in this soil is low. --------------------------- If I want to use organic fertilizer, do you have any recommendations for brands? Since I have missed the recommended late april application, can I apply one now, and still apply another in late June? If I apply the suggested lime amount, how will that affect the pH level? I am thinking of overseeding with kentucky bluegrass in the fall. Also i noticed in their interpretation sheet they mention that a Cation exch capacity of 10 to 15 is typical. and values below 6 may indicate the soil will have trouble supporting good turf growth unless special management techniques are employed. Should I be concerned? how can I increase this value?

bopsy, Is your soil clayish or sandy? Or regular soil? Centipede sod does really well over sandy soil. Centipede doesn't go dormant at all, when it dies, it dies. It needs lots of water when it is established, and you just laid your sod in this heat, so water it real good many times a day, if you are using a regular old fashioned sprinkler, you are moving it around in sections all day long I guess. You are not over watering it. Don't let it dry, did you feel that you could easily just pull up the sod? No rooting at all yet? The landscaper is going to blame you if the sod dies, and I'm sorry to tell you it looks like some of it is dying. I have a horrible time with centipede and I live with poor sandy soil, just the soil centipede is meant for. It never rains where I live, so the grass suffers. Good Luck with it, keep watering it til it roots in, whatever is alive. When it does take hold, it is aggresive grass, and will recover nicely, just water it 1 1/2 inches of water per week, more than other grasses, and it will grow nice. I actually had centipede growing up my fence, honest, that is how aggresive it can be. LOL!

You evidently didn't find out why cottonwoods are not good trees for your yard. They are very weak wooded and prone to breakage, especially in the kind of regular spring t-storms you get there in TN. They are also short lived compared with other more commonly planted trees. They produce this cotton-like material (Seeds actually) that gets all over everything. People have even reported it getting into AC condensers and starting a fire. And last but not least they are rather lacking in the ornamental features department. If you're going to plant a cottonwood in a suburban environment like that, you need to be putting away about $20 a month into an interest bearing account for each tree so that in 15-20 years when you need to call out a tree service to pay for the removal, you'll be prepared. These are water loving trees. They will do poorly in the south in the heat and drought if not anywhere near a water source. It's not going to look full and beautiful like the pictures you see on the internet. Also don't bother with ammending your soil and all of that. Lots of trees, particularly the ones I mentioned do just fine in clay in the sun.