AL Lawn Care (crabgrass, snake, summer)

[rayjustray]

Well, if I don't need to overseed with Rye for the winter, I won't complain about missing out on that expense/effort. I don't really mind the lawn going brown for the winter.

What about the Winter Weed & Feed fertilizer/weed killer that I'm seeing around Home Depot and Lowes? Is that worth doing?

[Reactionary]

IF you have bermuda, then you really don't need to fertilize it. Try to find a weedkiller / pre-ermergent product.

Here's a pre-emergent with a little bit of potassium (the K in NPK - if bermuda you don't need Nitrogen - the N - which will green up the grass):

LESCO 50 lb. Crabgrass Control 0-0-7-052388 - The Home Depot

Here's a broadleaf herbicide with pre-emerge (aka crabgrass preventer):

Spectracide Weed Stop for Lawns Plus Crabgrass Preventer with 10.8 lb. Granules-HG-75832 - The Home Depot

PS - while lawn is brown you can try to kill the green stuff - you can apply round-up to weeds / unwelcome grasses while the bermuda is dormant.

[rayjustray]

Speaking of the lawn going brown, when do you guys stop watering/winterize your sprinkler systems?

And who would you recommend for winterizing the sprinkler system? How much should it cost?

[LCTMadison]

Bermuda will start going dormant late October/early November. You could go ahead and winterize your sprinkler system then...you want to do it before we get extreme cold weather and the ground freezes. A plumbing company or landscaping company that does irrigation systems can do it for you....the last time I checked on price it was about $150-$200 if I remember correctly.

[FayettevilletoHuntsville]

Originally Posted by LCTMadison

Bermuda will start going dormant late October/early November. You could go ahead and winterize your sprinkler system then...you want to do it before we get extreme cold weather and the ground freezes. A plumbing company or landscaping company that does irrigation systems can do it for you....the last time I checked on price it was about $150-$200 if I remember correctly.

Wow, for $200.00 I will keep doing it myself.

[RocketDawg]

For what it's worth, I've had my irrigation system about 20 years and have never winterized it. I'm on a sloped lot (back to front) and the water (hopefully) drains toward the meter in the front. So far I've not had a problem with broken pipes. I turn the water off at the meter during the winter months but do not blow the standing water out of the pipes. I've had a couple control valves to go bad, causing leaks at a sprinkler head, but I think that's just from wear-out and not freezing.

The irrigation companies will tell you that this is bad practice but it could be they're just trying to sell a service. An abundance of caution would say to winterize, however.

[djmaxwell]

Originally Posted by LCTMadison

Bermuda will start going dormant late October/early November. You could go ahead and winterize your sprinkler system then...you want to do it before we get extreme cold weather and the ground freezes. A plumbing company or landscaping company that does irrigation systems can do it for you....the last time I checked on price it was about $150-$200 if I remember correctly.

In Colorado, where it is necessary, it is only about $75.

[RatSnake]

Originally Posted by djmaxwell

In Colorado, where it is necessary, it is only about $75.

Don't they just bleed the irrigation system (of any remaining water)?

1. Turn off water at the sprinkler main.
2. Turn on each zone for a few minutes.
3. Fix/replace any broken sprinkler heads.

Am I missing something else?

[djmaxwell]

Originally Posted by RatSnake

Don't they just bleed the irrigation system (of any remaining water)?

1. Turn off water at the sprinkler main.
2. Turn on each zone for a few minutes.
3. Fix/replace any broken sprinkler heads.

Am I missing something else?

They use a compressor to blow out the lines.

[RatSnake]

One more question...

So I have put down some late summer (early fall) fertilizer.
I still have lots of weeds --- primarily crabgrass and maybe quack grass.

I am not sure if I should treat the weeds now ... or just mow and let them die off when the bermuda turns brown in November (when the frost comes) - and then just put pre-emergent.

What is the right thing to do?