Lions and Tigers and Chinch Bugs Oh MY! (Edgewater, St. Augustine: house, buyers)

[foggytoad]

Okay, the maintenance company has scared the pants off me. I've been warned that I need to put out $60 every six weeks to fertilize and spray our Floratam grass to prevent chinch bugs from invading or I could lose my entire lawn. Anyone want to give me some advice about their warning and their recommendation for prevention?

They've also told me I need to have my sprinkler heads "cut out" to prevent the grass from growing over them which prevents the sprinklers from doing their job. Anyone find this to be true? If so, shouldn't that be a part of regular lawn maintenance and not an additional fee? Some of my neighbors think I'm being taken and maybe I am. Need more opinions on this please.

[coastal chic]

I don't know about the fees, (definitely get some prices from multiple pest control companies), but chinch bugs are a major problem for St. Augustine sod. Floratam, and all St. Augustine grasses, spread by runners, so eventually they will choke off your sprinkler heads. Yes, definitely keep them trimmed back. Chinch bugs love dry patches of Floratam. And by the time you realize you have them, they've already killed a big patch of grass.

St. Augustine is a high maintenance grass. If you want your lawn to look good all the time, and you don't want to fertilize and control pests yourself, you will definitely want to hire it out.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by foggytoad

Okay, the maintenance company has scared the pants off me. I've been warned that I need to put out $60 every six weeks to fertilize and spray our Floratam grass to prevent chinch bugs from invading or I could lose my entire lawn.

Why not save the money and stop having poisons put on your lawn by letting native grasses grow? Native grasses take care of themselves. You just mow them as needed.

[foggytoad]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

Why not save the money and stop having poisons put on your lawn by letting native grasses grow? Native grasses take care of themselves. You just mow them as needed.

The previous owners had the house built and requested that floratam grass be laid or seed sown so I had no say in what was put down. I just can't see letting it die or being ravaged by chinch bugs and then having it replaced with native grasses. I don't think I'd be too popular with the neighbors either if I let the chinch bugs invade and do nothing about it.

[coastal chic]

Originally Posted by foggytoad

I don't think I'd be too popular with the neighbors either if I let the chinch bugs invade and do nothing about it.

No, you wouldn't be!

[coastal chic]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

Why not save the money and stop having poisons put on your lawn by letting native grasses grow?

What native grasses are you referring to? Weeds?

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by foggytoad

The previous owners had the house built and requested that floratam grass be laid or seed sown so I had no say in what was put down. I just can't see letting it die or being ravaged by chinch bugs and then having it replaced with native grasses. I don't think I'd be too popular with the neighbors either if I let the chinch bugs invade and do nothing about it.

OK, sorry. I'm more of a Greenie and don't believe in poisoning the earth for grass. We have native grass for a lawn and from the road no one can tell. We keep it nicely mowed. No watering. No fertilizers and no poisons running off into the nearby lake or seeping into the ground water. And no toxic residue on humans or animals crossing or playing on our lawn.

I hope your home is on city water and checked regularly for toxins.

[Old Man Winter]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

Why not save the money and stop having poisons put on your lawn by letting native grasses grow? Native grasses take care of themselves. You just mow them as needed.

Unfortunately if it is deed restricted and the sod dies off, legally they could have the sod redone and put a lein on the home if not reimbursed. Some of the communities are militant too

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Edgewater Homes

What native grasses are you referring to? Weeds?

Just about everywhere short of the ice fields have native GRASSES. Grasses have different characteristics but they're all grass. I'm not talking about messy looking broadleaf weeds which are not grasses. Native grass is adapted to the environment and need little more than mowing. I have to wonder why people there grow non-native grass that needs to much care (and toxic treatments) just to survive.

[Old Man Winter]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

Just about everywhere short of the ice fields have native GRASSES. Grasses have different characteristics but they're all grass. I'm not talking about messy looking broadleaf weeds which are not grasses. Native grass is adapted to the environment and need little more than mowing. I have to wonder why people there grow non-native grass that needs to much care (and toxic treatments) just to survive.

Because well manicured lawns keep property values up and attract new buyers. Pretty scary though that your kids and dog cant walk on it for hours being treated. Those lawns dont even feel like grass, it sinks under your feet when you walk on it too.