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Old 03-21-2012, 07:37 AM
 
Location: Texas Hill Country
2,392 posts, read 9,617,126 times
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At this point my yard has some weeds but lots of grass (bermuda) seems to still be "dormant". I have lived here most my life but never seen this before..seeing that the drought seems to be going on should I just start digging and put in xeriscaping or give it another month To see what happens? I know spring was really early this year so my timing is off..
TIA
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Old 03-21-2012, 08:25 AM
 
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Well, this depends on your taste and opinions. Personally, I am gradually changing over to xeriscaping by enlarging the garden areas in my front yard and planting natives. I am planning to have a landscaper make a plan for a low water, non-turfgrass yard, then I will follow the plan gradually, as I am able to do or hire done portions of it. Even if we get some more "average" rain years, you know that the drought will be back, and it never hurts to use less water. Since the grass in my yard is living and well, I'm not going to break my neck trying to get it out, but just work along on a long term plan.
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Old 03-21-2012, 08:26 AM
 
Location: Volcano
12,969 posts, read 28,269,939 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neddy View Post
At this point my yard has some weeds but lots of grass (bermuda) seems to still be "dormant". I have lived here most my life but never seen this before..seeing that the drought seems to be going on should I just start digging and put in xeriscaping or give it another month To see what happens? I know spring was really early this year so my timing is off.. TIA
You'd be wise to start converting to xeriscaping. Not only is the drought projected to continue, but water resources in general are starting to be stretched, so water prices and water restrictions will continue to increase.

Big green lush lawns are an anachronism, a throwback to days when there was not so much competition for diminishing resources. I'm very conscious of what we're leaving for our grandchildren, and their grandchildren, and I'd like to see a lot more xeriscaping put in to replace water-gobbling green lawns.
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Old 03-21-2012, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
15,237 posts, read 35,424,886 times
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I do not have Bermuda grass, so I am not sure if it is the same, but our St. Augustine is back and doing great currently. We have some obviously dead patches that are down to about dirt, but even there the St. Augustine is sending runners. I would expect any type of summer grass to be perking up by now with the weather we have had....
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Old 03-21-2012, 11:48 AM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,445,669 times
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Most of the Bermuda lawns in our neighborhood are almost fully green. I'd sure look at the areas that appear dead to determine the cause, if possible. If it's an area that will need constant attention/water, consider an alternative. If it's just an area that 'should' be waking up, perhaps give it the rest of this week...after the rain and with the mild temps, most grasses should be up and runnin' by then, I reckon. Good luck! I'm already mowing weekly and it looks like the 'every 5 days' rule will be in effect soon...DANG!!! Can't complain about the mild weather and rain, so I'll be quiet and get to mowin'
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Old 03-21-2012, 05:46 PM
 
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Wow! There's a "5 day rule?" I haven't kept track of how often I mow, but there is no way it is every 5 days. Maybe I'm a bad neighbor, but I don't think so. I will keep track of it this year, because I am curious now.
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Old 03-21-2012, 05:49 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10scoachrick View Post
Good luck! I'm already mowing weekly and it looks like the 'every 5 days' rule will be in effect soon...DANG!!!
What rule are you talking about?
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Old 03-21-2012, 11:14 PM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,445,669 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G Grasshopper View Post
Wow! There's a "5 day rule?" I haven't kept track of how often I mow, but there is no way it is every 5 days. Maybe I'm a bad neighbor, but I don't think so. I will keep track of it this year, because I am curious now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CptnRn View Post
What rule are you talking about?
In order to keep from cutting off more than 1/3 of the blade length, I've found I can go only 5 days between mowings during the 'growing' months. I 'might' be able to go 7-8 days in the back yard during hot weather, but the front grows at such a rate that I can't cut just once a week. I mowed and bagged(tons of leaves) last Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up. This Tuesday I mulched most of the yard(bagged some more leaves in others) and some areas were pretty darned tall. I'm keeping the St. A(no Bermuda, thank you) @ 2 1/2 inches now and will go to 3" when the warm weather gets here, 3 1/2 inches if we get the 95+ temps. I was cutting off at least 2 inches everywhere on Tuesday, many areas closer to 3"+. Amazing what a little rain will do! Only fertilizer was corn gluten meal in Feb.
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Old 03-21-2012, 11:30 PM
 
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You are a true lawn scientist! The last 11 months have been the first of my life where I had a lawn for which I was responsible, so I am learning as I go. I have also been using the mulch setting of my mower. As for leaves, I have plenty, as I have 5 adult, deciduous trees. I have been vacuuming these into my lawn vac/mulcher then spreading them as mulch under bushes, around trees in the back, etc. I am trying to keep the plant matter my yard generates in my yard to conserve water and resources. I don't know if I will eventually be overwhelmed with it and have nothing else to do with it but bag it up, but for now, it's working.
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Old 03-22-2012, 12:17 AM
 
Location: Avery Ranch, Austin, TX
8,977 posts, read 17,445,669 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10scoachrick View Post
In order to keep from cutting off more than 1/3 of the blade length, I've found I can go only 5 days between mowings during the 'growing' months. I 'might' be able to go 7-8 days in the back yard during hot weather, but the front grows at such a rate that I can't cut just once a week. I mowed and bagged(tons of leaves) last Tuesday for Wednesday pick-up. This Tuesday I mulched most of the yard(bagged some more leaves in others) and some areas were pretty darned tall. I'm keeping the St. A(no Bermuda, thank you) @ 2 1/2 inches now and will go to 3" when the warm weather gets here, 3 1/2 inches if we get the 95+ temps. I was cutting off at least 2 inches everywhere on Tuesday, many areas closer to 3"+. Amazing what a little rain will do! Only fertilizer was corn gluten meal in Feb.
Quote:
Originally Posted by G Grasshopper View Post
You are a true lawn scientist! The last 11 months have been the first of my life where I had a lawn for which I was responsible, so I am learning as I go. I have also been using the mulch setting of my mower. As for leaves, I have plenty, as I have 5 adult, deciduous trees. I have been vacuuming these into my lawn vac/mulcher then spreading them as mulch under bushes, around trees in the back, etc. I am trying to keep the plant matter my yard generates in my yard to conserve water and resources. I don't know if I will eventually be overwhelmed with it and have nothing else to do with it but bag it up, but for now, it's working.
With a Master Gardener wife(a GEORGIA Master Gardener--VERY different here in cen-Tex ), my job was to care for the trees and keep the lawn looking good. The '07/'08 drought in Atlanta helped prepare me for the last four years here in Austin.

I mulch about 97% of the time...just used the bagger for the first time in two years--last week. I'd love to grind up some leaves other than the Live Oak and Cedar Elm leaves we have! Dang things don't decompose even when pulverized! Naturally, I want to mulch and re-use the grass clippings, but part of the bagging last week was to get rid of any weed remnants that were mowed along with the grass.

I have to say our front lawn looks pretty good. The main things I try to do are: Mow before the grass gets too long(as mentioned earlier). Don't mow in the morning of a day that will be very hot or very dry. Wait until evening(or mow really early on your watering day and hit the sprinklers after you mow). Keep the mower blades sharp...'they' say dull blades will tear the grass rather than providing clean cuts. Easy enough to flip my battery mower over and sharpen the blades or remove the blades and get a really sharp edge with an 'official' sharpening by hand. Don't mow/walk on very wet grass if possible. Minimize the use of -cide chemicals(I will use a fungicide when necessary but try not to regularly use a weed killer or bug killer on the lawn). Finally, as mentioned earlier, I increase the mowing height of our St. Augustine as the temps rise. I know the grass looks a little shaggy at 3"+ , but the longer blades seem to hold up better in the high heat. Just gives me that much more incentive to mow frequently and not let the grass get too tall between 'mows'. I usually edge/trim only every other 'mow'...that makes it easier to get 'er done on those 'off' days. I'd rather the yard look 'neat', not manicured.
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