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texas_tifway

I need the lowdown on TifGrand

texas_tifway
12 years ago

We are having a house built on 1 acre and we are sodding it with about 50-75 pallets worth of TifGrand. How long after its been layed can i start to fertilize and what number of fertilizer should i put down? Also what would be a good fertilizer to put down this fall and next spring, and is 1 inch good enough for the cutting height with a rotary mower? I will try to put some pictures up but it wont be til next week.

Comments (38)

  • dchall_san_antonio
    12 years ago

    The TifGrand hybrid is relatively new. We rarely see posts here about it except from people asking how it performs in shade. We just don't know yet.

    Look on the Internet for the bermuda bible. It is short enough to memorize, so memorize it. The author, texas weed, posts here regularly and will be attracted by your subject. He'll give you more specifics. I can tell you from reading him over the years, he will strongly encourage you to fertilize monthly. Fall and spring fert (only) will give you a pretty weak lawn.

    Frankly 1 acre of turf is a lot. Are you sure you don't want 1/3 acre right around the house and the rest use for interesting garden attractions? I guess you will have a house, garage, and pavement taking up a lot of that area. Still, take a look at the gardening magazines. You never see large expanses of grass. It is always broken up with points of interest.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I know that TifGrand is relativly new and many don't really know much about it, thats why i was asking. I have read the bermuda bible before and i have been following texas weed. But what i am really wondering is TifGrand like the other hybrid tif's maintance wise but is just more shade tolerant. There is going to be about 1/2 acre that is going to be grass and there are beds in the front and back that break up the yard.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    12 years ago

    You should start with 15-5-10 immediately after putting down sod then either 34-0-0 with iron for deep green color or 39-0-0 without iron for not as deep green color every growing month. Watering is going to be biggest expense with terrible drought we're having but the good news is that La Nina that is responsible for this terrible drought is quickly weakening so normal rain fall may resume soon.

  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    Did you take soil samples and submit them to a soil lab for analysis? Without soil test results, applying fertilizer will be like throwing darts blindfolded. Without a proper soil pH, you will not get the optimum results from your fertilizer applications.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Im not sure what the landscapers put down as a starter fertilizer. But how soon should i start to put down 39-0-0? no we didnt take any soil samples.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    12 years ago

    A month after starter fertilizer. Fertilize every 30-45 days with 34-0-0 or 39-0-0. Bermuda sure loves a lot of nitrogen to stay dark green. Every spring when bermuda is growing tall enough to be mowing, hit them with 15-5-10.

    Make sure to put down pre-emergent weed control every September and February.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks midlothian! Do you have any suggestions on what kind of pre-ermergent is the best to use? And i know to put down 1 pound per 1000sqft of 39-0-0, how do i calculate how many pounds of nitrogen is in the bag? Im thinking about buying a lesco speader, or should i keep my scotts broadcast spreader?

  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    Well, I'm not midlothian, but I can tell you how to calculate the amount of Nitrogen in a bag. A 39-0-0 fertilizer means that this material is 39% Nitrogen. Percent means per hundred. Since it is 39 percent Nitrogen, for every 100 pounds of 39-0-0, there are 39 pounds of Nitrogen. Therefore if it is a 50 lb. bag, there would be half of 39, or 19.5 lbs. Nitrogen. And if you want to apply 1 lb. of Nitrogen per 1000 sq.ft., one 50 lb. bag of 39-0-0 will treat 19,500 sq.ft. if it is applied evenly.

  • botanicalbill
    12 years ago

    39-0-0 is going to be urea based, your new soil might not have the bacteria required to break the urea down into nitrates. I would go with the 34-0-0, this is ammonium nitrate. Its already in nitrate form ready to be absorbed. however, this will be difficult for you to find.
    You can also go with 15.5-0-0 (calcium nitrate) and double your dose. This will be much easier to find.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    12 years ago

    It's a 50lbs bag so 50% of 39 lbs of nitrogen (39% of 50lbs bag) is 18.5 lbs and you want 1 lb per 1000 sqft which means 18,500 sqft coverage for one 39-0-0 bag. I still have my 5 years old barely working scott's rotary spreader. :)

    For pre-emergence weed control, there are several options like Amaze, Lesco Pre-em (Lesco will help you out if you can locate nearest Lesco store. Their price is easily the best).

    botanicalbill, it probably can be easily fixed by spraying molasses on the turf to get soil biology going.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for all the help ya'll. The lesco store in my town is like 1/4 mile from the house. The grass is starting to take and is starting to green up and i think its going to look really nice.

  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    Sorry to disagree, but a 50 lb. bag of 39-0-0 contains 19.5 lbs. of Nitrogen and will cover 19,500 sq.ft. at the rate of 1 lb. N/1000 sq.ft.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    These were taken not to long after it was layed. I will try to get some more updated ones.
    {{gwi:91823}}

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  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    hmmm...that sod looks REALLY DRY!

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    12 years ago

    Looks good. A lot of planting area. Nice... That has me drooling. Hmmm, Japanese maple, Shantung maple, Trident maple, Mexican Sugar Maple, Southern Sugar maple...Lots of azaleas, camelias, gardenias... drooling... Where in East Texas? I went to SFASU in Nacogdoches and they have this nice arboretum that you can go there for free. Spring (azaleas blooming) and fall (fall color) are great time to check them out.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I live in tyler. I will put up a picture of the front yard after the vendor's signs are gone, i think you will need a bucket for your drool after you see the front.

    {{gwi:91827}}

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  • wrager
    12 years ago

    I'm curious why you used TifGrand instead of traditional 419? It doesn't look like you have enough shade to realize the benefit (and extra cost) for TG. Here in Atlanata, TG is roughly 2X the cost of 419.

  • jonmhenderson
    12 years ago

    Probably because if you have ANYTHING short of eight hours of full sun, 419 just doesn't do that well. At least, that's been my experience. I wish I had TifGrand in several places around my yard that only get sun five hours or so.
    Jon

  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    Texas Tifway: It certainly appears that you have spared no expense to present your home's appearance in a positive light. I suspect that 1 month from now, you will be looking at a full green lawn. If you need to go on a weight loss program, then you could walk mow your lawn with an 18" walk behind reel mower!

    Perhaps you should change your username to Texas TifGrand...lol.

  • texas_weed
    12 years ago

    When were those last pictures taken? Post is June 6th and I know temps in East TX are already up in the mid to high 90's. That being said the grass should be completely green and lush by now and makes me suspect it has not been watered enough.

  • homechicken
    12 years ago

    TW, the photo info says those last two that have the small white sign in the yard were taken on 6/6/11.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    well we got a pretty good deal on the TifGrand, I know most of the yard is full sun so i wont really know the benfit of how well it does in the shade. I've got my eyes on a new tru cut C27-H reel mower with a front roller, lol Texas TifGrand would be more fitting. The front yard greened up really good but the back didn't do as good. It runs 20min on each zone 3 times a day with hunter pgp rotaries. I think i might need to up the watering times on the back. Im sure in a few more weeks the brown spots should fill in.

  • david_tx
    12 years ago

    You'll love the C27. Once the lawn is level and smooth, it will go as fast as you're willing to walk (or run). I mow 11,500 sq ft in 30 minutes.

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    well I have 20,000 sq ft to mow and i gave it its first hair cut the other day and it took almost 2 hours to cut with the troy bilt mower. Is the tru cut pretty fast at getting the job done? Also im noticing that little sprouts of crabgrass are starting to pop up. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get it under control before it gets worse?

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    {{gwi:91832}}

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  • RickMath
    12 years ago

    Hello Everyone

    I just joined and I am having some problems with Tif Grand that was installed last fall. Several places did not root and are now dead. Nothing seems to be coming back. We had some areas resodded.

    There are sead heads all over the originally installed areas and we had a Pau Anna (sp) invasion over the winter.

    Our landscape company sprayed soemthing last week and the older sod turned yellow. I have bee mowing at 1 1/2 inches.

    I need some advice on what to do as our landscapers have been no help. No one seems to have much experience except those of you here.

    I can post pictures. What else do I need to provied to get some help?

    Thanks, I am desperate.

    Rick

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    My TifGrand gets seed heads too and i believe that was because I let it get a little tall. Mine has been growing very fast and i havent put any fert down. As for the poa annua there really isnt much you can do as it will start to die off here pretty soon because of the hot weather. But it would be wise to use a pre emergence (ie. Dimension) to prevent the seeds from germinating because the seeds will remain in the soil until fall and will grow during the winter. If any of it makes it in the winter use glyphosate aka RoundUp to kill it but you must be sure that the grass is dormant or injury will occur.

  • dchall_san_antonio
    12 years ago

    TexTif AND RickMath

    Have you fertilized yet?

    What is your watering schedule?

    (RickMath only)
    Have you read the Bermuda Bible?

    Where do you live?

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    No i havent fertilized yet but im fighting a small battle with crabgrass. Iv'e been wanting to get the lesco spreader so it would be easier to spread fert on such a big yard and i might be able to use it if i want to top dress next year. I water every other day for about 25 mins in each zone but im going to try to figure out this weekend how much each zone needs in order to get to 1 inch. I live in Tyler.

  • RickMath
    12 years ago

    I live in Alpharetta, GA.

    Our landscape people used the granular Lesco fertilizer about a month ago. They have the water set for three days a week in the middle of the night. I can take care of the area by myself and have informed the landscape co to leave it alone.

    One more item. Last week they sprayed soemthing and the TG turned yellow and is slowly recovering.

    I live in a townhome community and the grass is in a common area. We have a landscape company that comes in once a week. I mow the area near my house at slightly over 1" with a reel mower.

    We have consulted the lanscape company about the problems and they don't seem to know what to do. That is why I am seeking help.

    Where do I find the Bermuda Bible? Search on Google?

    Thanks

    Rick

    What else can I tell you? I apprecaite the quick response.

  • jonmhenderson
    12 years ago

    Looks like some of the sod didn't make it. Also, what height are you mowing at? It looks kind of 'bushy'.
    Jon

  • RickMath
    12 years ago

    OK I have read the Bermuda Bible.

    Following the suggestions should be easy.

    Tonight I spread some fungicide and fertilizer. Hope that helps the brownout.

    How do I post a picture here.

    All of you seem pretty knowledgable. Please help.

    Rick

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    yeah some spots didn't quite make it but its starting to fill in. Im not sure on the height but im mowing as low as i can with out boging the mower down.

    RickMath set up a photobucket account and then upload the pictures to your album. After you have done that click the HTML code on the photo and then paste it on here. Its just that simple

  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    @Texas Tifway (aka Texas TifGrand :) )You could take some good plugs (6" squares, 2" deep) from some good areas of grass, space them about 12" apart and put a few of them in your bad areas. I'll bet by Labor Day all your grass will be filled in. The plugs would need extra watering for the first 2 weeks. Just a thought.

  • neilaz
    12 years ago

    Rick,
    Start a new thread

  • texas_tifway
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    lol Texas TifGrand would be more fitting. The bare area isn't completly dead, there is life in there. Im hoping that it will be completly filled in by Labor Day. Iv'e started to hand water the bare areas to help jump start it, maybe if i hit the yard with 39-0-0 the bare spots will fill in faster.

  • RickMath
    12 years ago

    I am not sure how to start a new thread.

    Someone please let me know.

    Thanks

    Rick

  • nearandwest
    12 years ago

    RickMath: At the top of the Lawn Care Forum start page, click on "Post A Message". You'll see a message box. Type in your Subject Title, then type in your message in the message box. Click "Preview Message" to check and see if it is what you want to say, then click "Submit Message". Then return to the message board to verify that your message was posted.