New celebration Bermuda sod - start up questions

10 years ago

I am located in Austin, TX, zone 8b. Approx 4600 sq. ft. of celebration bermuda sod was installed Sept 25 and I have a few questions. I've read the bible and am planning to follow it. Unclear on a few start up items given the date of my install...

Should I apply a starter fertilizer (10-10-10 or 10-20-10) this late in the season?

Brown patches are appearing in approx 10-15% of the lawn. We've been buried in rain since installation...go figure after 5 years of drought...wondering if this is possibly fungus due to high water levels? I have not used my irrigation system daily because of rains.

Nutsedge is appearing (was in my old lawn too). Is it safe to treat with image at this point?

Should I apply a pre-emergent for winter weeds now?

Will attempt to upload pics of brown patch and nutsedge as a response to this post. Hoping to tap into some of the pros here in the forum.

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

brownivy
Original Author
10 years ago
Brown patches visible.
brownivy
Original Author
10 years ago
I believe this is nutsedge. If so, ok to treat with image now?
Related Discussions
New Bermuda sod going yellowish brown after 2 weeks
Q
Comments (13)
@texas weed I am in Austin. Apparently the first pallet was even worse, this was the better one! We are getting a lot of rain today and tomorrow so I will see what it looks like in the next couple of days As to watering more often I cannot for two reasons, first I work as does my wife, second and more importantly Austin is in a sever drought right now with insane water restrictions. With new sod I get some exceptions but not a lot! As it stands I can only water every other day for 1 more week then it is 2x a week for a couple of weeks then I am on full restriction. Every Sunday before 10am OR after 7:00pm. That is why Bermuda is now the only grass to code. No more st. Augustine.
...See More
Bermuda Bible Question, for my new celebration
Q
Comments (4)
The bermuda bible recommends a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 be applied in the March-May period. No it does not say that, at least that is not the intention I was aiming for. The balanced application is to be made for the very first spring application in lieu of a soil test result, and it is one application only per year, All subsequent applications are straight nitrogen. To answer your question from this point on it is straight nitrogen for the rest of the year. Then this Fall I suggest a soil test to see what if anything needs to be done next season. With your application of 10-20-10 this year it is not likely you will need any potassium or phosphorous next season.
...See More
Establishing Bermuda Sod {after improper start}
Q
Comments (1)
Assuming the builder graded the property for drainage, that is the perfect installation for bermuda. You should be watering briefly (5-15 minutes) three times per day, for the next two to three weeks until the roots are knit into the underlying soil. Do not let the underlying soil get soggy. Watch the grass carefully for signs of drying out. Give those areas just a little more moisture (longer, not more frequent). Fertilize with organics for now. After the roots are in, then you can start with chemical ferts if you want to. Find the Bermuda Bible online and memorize that. It's short. Here is a summary Weekly Mow low between 1 to 1.5 inches (lowest setting on your rotary mower) Water deeply once Monthly Fertilize heavily while the grass is growing That's about it. If you do those three things, you should never need herbicide. Never mind the problems and issues your neighbors have. They are likely not doing the three things I listed. For bermuda if you water too frequently and you get weeds. Mow too high and you get weeds. Don't fertilize every month and you get weeds. The program is simple to understand but a lot of work. The builder can guarantee bermuda because it is dead simple to establish. The only issue is if you do it wrong, in addition to getting bermuda, then you get weeds along with it. If the neighbors have weeds, it is only the fault of the owner. I don't care if you lay sod over a blanket of weed seeds, once the turf is established (weeds and all), it is much more likely to be the owner's fault for continuing to have weeds. Improper watering is almost always the reason. This is an interesting time of year to establish bermuda. You will also be sprouting spring weeds. These are also known as wildflowers because although the seeds germinate now, the plants remain dormant and below the canopy of the grass. Then in the spring all these flowering plants will pop up. Try to remember what I'm saying and not over react. All you have to do is mow them down. Most will go away after the first mowing. For those that don't go away, simply spot spray with Weed-B-Gone. At the end of the establishment period (3 weeks of daily watering) you may have some weeds come up. The reason for these weeds is the daily watering. If the weeds are broadleaf weeds like clover or dandelions, then spot spray with Weed-B-Gone Clover, Chickweed, and Oxalis spray. If they are grassy weeds, you'll have to take a tough love approach and spot spray with a grass killer or RoundUp. These will kill the bermuda in that spot, but the bermuda will return. The weed will not. The Bermuda Bible talks about deep watering. Deep means one inch all at one time. Measure one inch by placing several cat food or tuna cans in the yard and turning on the sprinkler. Time how long it takes to fill all the cans. That time will be anywhere from 20 minutes (high flow in-ground system) to 8 hours (oscillator on a hose). Your water pressure, sprinklers, and hose are different, so you have to measure your own time. During the hottest part of summer, watering once per week should be plenty (remember to IGNORE what your neighbors do on this subject). When the temps drop into the 80s, you should be able to water once every 2 weeks. With temps in the 70s, you should go once every 3 weeks. Lower than that an you can water once per month. This watering regimen is not a secret, but it is key to keeping weeds out of the lawn. Weeds need much more frequent moisture to germinate. They need the same watering you're about to give your new sod, but that can't be helped. Suffer through some early weeds, take care of them once the lawn is established, and then if you follow the rules, you should be done with weeds. Always water the full one inch unless Mother Nature has helped you along. You don't need any water for awhile if you just got an inch of rain.
...See More
I picked up two rolls of Bermuda 419 sod today!
Q
Comments (57)
quirky, don't lose faith yet. About 1/8th of my current lawn was common bermuda grass 2 years ago that spread from my neighbor's lawn. It's all bluegrass today, and since the roundup attack of 2 years ago, not one bermuda has returned. The lawn was sprayed by a Landscaping company, then after it died, I completely destroyed the roots system with a roto tiller. I wish I would have taken pictures of it them, because I know that seeing is believing. Having said that, I constantly have to patrol the areas adjacent to my neighbor's bermuda lawn. To matters worst, my neighbor is the type of guy that will let his bermuda grow to about 4 inches tall, seeds out like son of gun because it's a commong type, then chops it down to an inch leaving bermuda sticks and dirt. Then a couple of weeks later the cycle repeats. I have a plan, next spring when the bermuda starts to come out of dormancy, I'm going to spray Turflon at night to make sure stays a sleep a little longer:-)
...See More
dchall_san_antonio
10 years ago
Was the sod on the pallet longer than 24 hours? It appears that most of your brown spots are at the end or edge of the sod pieces. I suspect some of the sod dried out on the pallet before being laid down and that's what you're seeing. Those pieces are more likely to be dormant than dead.

Yes it seems late in the season, but this is Texas. Go for the started and 10-10-10 not 10-20-10.

What kind of preemergent herbicide were you considering using? This entire lawn will go dormant in a few weeks. Once it does it is simple to find the weeds - they will be the green things. And once the bermuda is dormant you can spray anything on it with no harm to the bermuda. In my personal opinion, the whole idea of preemergent herbicide is being over sold. If you are watering properly, mowing at the right height, and fertilizing on schedule, you should not have to worry about most weeds.

Nutsedge is not most weeds. For the nutsedge, go ahead and spray now. I would mask off the surrounding lawn grass with paper and/or cardboard to keep the over spray to a minimum. Because bermuda is such a tenacious plant, it can tolerate a considerable amount of tough love in spraying herbicides. If you happen to spot spray a weed and the spray kills a little bit of bermuda, the bermuda will recover quickly.

Celebration may be mowed at 0.5 to 1.5 inches for best appearance. One inch is a happy medium. Generally that is the lowest setting on a rotary mower. Do you have any problems mowing that low? If you are currently mowing much higher than that, the first time you mow it to 1 inch can look devastating. Again, it is bermuda and will recover quickly.

Just out of curiosity, why did you pick Celebration and not Tif 419 sod? Do you have shade in the area?

In addition to following the Bermuda Bible, I want to encourage you to make at least one of your fertilizer apps with organic fertilizer. The reason is to keep your soil microbes healthy as possible with all the chemical ferts.
brownivy
Original Author
10 years ago
@dchall_san_antonio - thanks so much for the reply. The sod shouldn't have been on the pallet for longer than 24-30 hours. We had to wait between rains that were ~9 days apart. The first storm was heavy so the sod farm in Houston couldn't cut. I was told it was cut in the afternoon and delivered the next morning to ATX. It was installed immediately all in one day.

The brown spots actually run from one piece to another, around edges as well as across the center of pieces which is why I am concerned about a fungus or disease. We had more rain this evening so will back off watering some more as the soil is super wet. It definitely looks dormant (brown) in spots, not dead (gray).

I haven't researched pre-emergents yet. There are really no weeds in the lawn other than the nutsedge, so was hoping to get ahead of the winter ones. I will definitely be able to spray once its all dormant. If there is a pre-emergent that is recommended, I am open to any suggestions.

The good news is that it rooted in really well and fast. I can't find a spot that can be picked up anywhere. I was rolled twice the day it was installed and again the next day.

It's only been mowed once by my yard crew, prob at 1.5". I am planning to take that over in the spring and will go as low as I can. I am certain I am going to have a leveling project as well. There are plenty of small indentations I would like to address. It wasn't dragged, only raked before the sod was installed.

It was a toss up between tif and celebration. I liked the color of celebration a bit more and there is a bit of shade on either side, although one edge/side gets morning to mid afternoon sun, and the other gets mid morning to late afternoon sun.

Would love to be able to make one fertilizer application organic. What's the best in your view? I've been using liquid seaweed on my garden beds and have no idea if that would advisable for the lawn. Compost tea is also an option in Austin, especially in the spring. All of the local nurseries have it available for those of us who haven't made our own.

Thanks again!
Bill201
9 years ago
I had a landscape install 15 pallets of celebration in my front and back yard. He did a half a** job and im wondering can i roll it out now, after two weeks of it being down? The edges are exposed on most of the joints; either turned up or by a gap.
dchall_san_antonio
9 years ago
brownivy, I realize it's late to answer you but here goes...

My favorite organic fertilizer for now is alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow). Get it at a local feed store. Apply at 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

I don't like preemergents. I prefer to grow dense grass and not water too frequently.

Bill201,
Yes you can roll it now, but unless you have a huge lawn, just walk over it. Your weight on your feet would be the same as the properly adjusted roller. Try to nudge the edges in so they are flat. For the gaps fill with sand.
mark_mcmarketing
7 years ago
A local nursery here Midland, TX quoted me a price for celebration Bermuda at $7 a square foot, installed. Should I place my order, or call the cops?
reeljake
7 years ago
My math is a little bit rusty, but I paid 108 per pallet for celebration plus 75 for delivery & installed myself. Does that help?
bryantom
7 years ago
call the cops. I paid 135 a pallet installed. thats 450 sqft
mmsssmyth
7 years ago
What is the going price in Midland TX for sod? We will install it ourselves because I'm seeing 4 to 450 a pallet not installed!!! I will even drive to Lubbock or San Angelo to pick it up and get it cheaper?
User
7 years ago
I'm north of Dallas and just got mine at $165 a pallet pallet plus $175 deliver. No installation.
bryantom
7 years ago
Im in central texas and picked up a pallet last week for 145 no delivery. that was from King Ranch

New celebration Bermuda sod - start up questions

Comments (12)

brownivy
Original Author

brownivy
Original Author

Related Discussions

dchall_san_antonio

brownivy
Original Author

Bill201

dchall_san_antonio

mark_mcmarketing

reeljake

bryantom

mmsssmyth

User

bryantom

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

New celebration Bermuda sod - start up questions

Comments (12)

brownivyOriginal Author

brownivyOriginal Author

Related Discussions

brownivyOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

brownivy
Original Author

brownivy
Original Author

brownivy
Original Author