Going to a warm season grass in the south

11 years ago

Here is an article in the Charlotte Observer today about ditching fescue for a warm season type of grass. The comments on the bottom are just as entertaining as the article itself.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/09/21/3546604/more-homeowners-switching-lawns.html

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Comments (5)

sprinks98
Original Author
11 years ago
posting a link for it versus cut and paste.

Here is a link that might be useful: Going to a warm season lawn
texasredhead
11 years ago
We lived in Charlotte for a couple of years and the grass type was a constant problem. You can purchase large bags of Kentucky 31 fescue for pratically nothing. However, one seed makes one blade of grass and I don't remember it spreading at all. Common bermuda can be seeded and grows like a weed but it does go dormant in the winter and that seemed to be a big problem with my neighbors. Here in the Dallas area, many overseed their St.Augustine and bermuda lawns with annual rye grass to maintain a green winter lawn.
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It was put in about mid August, a month too late. I live in the DFW area Well you were more than a month late to seed Bermuda. Normally here in North TX right about now would be the time to get it done, but not this year. The weather has not warmed up enough yet. Wait a week or two, or until the day temps are hitting 90 consistently. Then get it down if you need too. However if the bare or thin spots are small in diameter, say a foot or two, they will fill in on there own. To encourage that to happen do just what you should to prepare for seeding. Loosen the the soil up, mix in some compost (Back To Earth is great), and keep the area moist. IF you want rip up some sprigs from other areas and plant them to help fill in quickly.
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I agree I really like the mixed fescue lawn we have in back (seed mix of red,tall,etc. varieties of fescue... similar to the turf rolls sold at our local Home Depot each year)& it feels SO cool to walk on in the heat of summer & stays green most of the winter & the top does not die back. But, I find it does require more upkeep (fertilizer, water) than the very fine bladed (feels like a soft green velvet rug!)some kind of Bermuda that came in some how from a neighbor's lawn that he seeded from a variety of Bermuda he can't now recall & has now taken over our front lawn. Love them both but the latter certainly is less needy, hardier, takes abuse .... and turns brown/top dies back in winter & comes up from the roots in spring. I have to power-rake the dead top layers early in the spring every year or so before it begins to grow up again from the roots. I live in zone 7 @ mile high Albuquerque, NM & the minus 9 we got this past winter (& minus 19 back in the 1970's!)hasn't kept the Bermuda from forming a pretty front lawn again this summer... it loves the heat & we have had NO rain at all all year here in our part of the City so only survives on weekly sprinkling for an hour & fertilizing once in the spring. Some of the varieties of fescue in the seed mix I got have broader leaves & tends to clump so has to be mowed well. A neighbor bought Zoysia plugs two years ago but has had little growth or spreading from them yet & is disappointed. Guess you will have to decide on either the year round green of fescue or hardy, summer green of Bermuda maybe!
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I have a TTTF/HBG mix here in NC, and have been applying T-Nex 1AQ since March. It's supposed to help with drought resistance and root mass. So far I have observed much greater root mass than areas that are not treated and better tiller density, which means it shades the ground under itself better and retains more water. 1" of water seems to be good for almost 2 weeks with temps in the high 80s to mid 90s' Minus some fungal issues it's holding up well thus far. Since the PGR effectively reduces the growth of the grass blade by 50% or more, it's having a hard time "growing out" of the fungal problem, it's the only downside. I plan on moving to a preventive fungicide program during the summer to counteract this issue. I will keep posting updates on how it's doing. If the PGR can help the grass go through the summer KBG would be my ideal choice for the transition zone. The Spitfire hybrid seems to be spreading very aggressively to the point where it looks like I won't need to/be able to overseed. I'll count my eggs in the fall.
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ZoysiaSod
11 years ago
Thanks for the really interesting article, Sprinks! Enjoyed reading it.
auteck
11 years ago
Don't do it, you will regreat. Fescue and Bluegrass are best adapted in your area and are usually green year round once they are fully established.

Till your soil, add some compost and topsoil, then re-seed with Fescue (turf type) and Bluegrass - you will have a dark green and durable lawn that can potentially be green year round in your area. On average, summers in NC are relatively short (for a warm season grass) and mild which favors cool season grasses.
dchall_san_antonio
11 years ago
I don't think anyone was going to do anything, but since auteck through it out there, I feel a need to reply.

DO NOT TILL. There is almost never a good reason to rototill prior to planting grass seed. I have a problem with tilling for veggie gardens, but since that is waaay off topic, I'll hold back. The reason you don't want to till for a lawn is that fluffy soil you churn up will take years to settle again. When it does settle, it takes on the profile of the soil underneath the soil that did not get rototilled. In other words, it gets bumpier and bumpier each year for three years.

Don't add compost unless you have poisoned your soil. Most soil already has the microbes that compost would be bringing.

Do not add topsoil unless you have drainage issues. If you do not have drainage issues and you bring in topsoil, you are very likely to create drainage issues with the topsoil. I have a collection of photos showing what happens when you topdress 1/8 inch per year over a 40 year period.

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Going to a warm season grass in the south

Comments (5)

sprinks98
Original Author

texasredhead

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Going to a warm season grass in the south

Comments (5)

sprinks98Original Author

texasredhead

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ZoysiaSod

auteck

dchall_san_antonio

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sprinks98
Original Author