Help! My lawn is making me go broke! (appliances, how much)

[Parrotrosie]

Originally Posted by tworent

they cannot stop you from putting in florida friendly but they can stop you from what type you can put in if your doc's say turff or grass you must put it in that is why I went with the Zoysia

Does that go totally dormant and brown in the fall/winter down here like it does up north? Cause I would hate that part....so I am curious...

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by Parrotrosie

Does that go totally dormant and brown in the fall/winter down here like it does up north? Cause I would hate that part....so I am curious...

Yes, it goes dormant for several months in the winter. That means your lawn is brown for those months.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by tworent

they cannot stop you from putting in florida friendly but they can stop you from what type you can put in if your doc's say turff or grass you must put it in that is why I went with the Zoysia

How long have you had the Zoysia? Although it is a good concept, everyone I talk to about it hasn't had any luck with it. It isn't a native of FL and we are kind of in the experimental stages of it. In the begining, you have to water it alot until it gets established. It also does turn brown during the cooler months.

[tworent]

I have had it for 2 years and never had a problem in any way the Empire turns brown but the ultimate Zoysia does not. My water bill was cut in half and it still looks like a carpet.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by tworent

I have had it for 2 years and never had a problem in any way the Empire turns brown but the ultimate Zoysia does not. My water bill was cut in half and it still looks like a carpet.

Good to hear you had success with it. Could I ask what you pay for a pallet and are they 400 or 500sq ft? Also, did it include pepping in the price?

[tworent]

I paid 60 cents a square foot that was to take the old sod out and install the new

[champa]

some ideas....

Try bahia grass, you can't kill that stuff (it is not as nice as St Agustine but it does the trick).

Get a separate meter for your sprinklers so that you don't pay sewer fees on that portion of the water bill.

Rocks won't work, you will still have to battle weeds anyways (that crab grass will grow on anything).

Avoid high nitrogen fertilizer. That is the stuff they sell at the big stores and the stuff your pest/fertilizer guys put in because it makes the grass nice tall and green (which means more mowing and a weaker plant). Get your stuff from Lesco where the Pros get it (e.g., the facilities managers who have to manage acres of the grass). Get high potassium fertilizer which will encourage your grass to shoot deep roots rather than tall leaves.

Don't water too much as it will make your lawn lazy (you need to encourage it to shoot deep roots); you need to make it tough to overcrowd the weeds.

Even St. Augustine gets dormant and turns yellowish during the cold months but you could always throw in some iron.

[Parrotrosie]

Originally Posted by champa

some ideas....




Even St. Augustine gets dormant and turns yellowish during the cold months but you could always throw in some iron.

Those are all great tips...thanks! When I was referring to the zoysia going dormant...up north it turns brown....dead brown. It's funny to walk around in the fall/winter and see what looks to be dead lawns here and there that were simply dormant zoysia lawns. I realize my lawn is dormant here , as in it slows down in growth, and lightens in color , etc, but it still looks alive...lol!

Here is a link, and scrolling down to the end, there is a photo of a northern lawn with dormant zoysia...all the other lawns are green...and one brownie...
Zoysia grass - Lawn Care Forum - GardenWeb

So those who have never seen it can have a peek

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by champa

some ideas....

Try bahia grass, you can't kill that stuff (it is not as nice as St Agustine but it does the trick).

Get a separate meter for your sprinklers so that you don't pay sewer fees on that portion of the water bill.

Rocks won't work, you will still have to battle weeds anyways (that crab grass will grow on anything).

Avoid high nitrogen fertilizer. That is the stuff they sell at the big stores and the stuff your pest/fertilizer guys put in because it makes the grass nice tall and green (which means more mowing and a weaker plant). Get your stuff from Lesco where the Pros get it (e.g., the facilities managers who have to manage acres of the grass). Get high potassium fertilizer which will encourage your grass to shoot deep roots rather than tall leaves.

Don't water too much as it will make your lawn lazy (you need to encourage it to shoot deep roots); you need to make it tough to overcrowd the weeds.

Even St. Augustine gets dormant and turns yellowish during the cold months but you could always throw in some iron.

Good points. These s/d don't allow Bahia for some reason. That's my choice for grass hands down.

If the OP goes with stone and she uses a commercial weed mat, it will mostly eliminate the weeds. If she gets some stray ones, she can spray them with Round up once a month or so if need be.

[totsuka]

I feel your pain, but try this.
1. You are paying too much for spraying. I pay about 395 per year so call around.
2. You are paying too much to get it mowed. Call around, use Craiglist and find a new guy or tell the current guy to give you a discount.
3. You only need to water once per week for about 1 inch, which is about 30 minutes per zone. Are you sure you don't have a leak or broken sprinkler.
4. I'm mowing my own lawn. I was using a reel mower, but my SA lawn got too thick. I bought a new self-propelled Toro mower...great machine..mows by itself...well almost.
5. Consider tossing some compost onto your lawn. You can get it free from the county or buy from Home Depot. It will keep your soil moist and help it stay healthy.
6. I'm switching to a more organic type of lawn care. I did some reading on it at the library and on the web.