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monicakm1

Types of St Augustine

monicakm_gw
13 years ago

I'm out in the country of NE Texas, surrounded by hay meadows. Most of our yard (about 1/2 acre) is Bermuda and other unidentifiable greens). Several years ago we put in some St Augustine in the front and it's made it's way around both sides of the house....doing better on the north side than the south side.) Before I started reading this forum tonight, I didn't even know there was more than one kind of SA :o My lawn man (more of just a lawn mower than a lawn expert) is going to kill the grass in back, till it, remove what he can and put down squares of SA. I'd like to condition the soil first. Lime and Humus?? Other suggestions? I've got an automatic sprinkler system so keeping it well watered isn't going to be a problem. Since the south side yard is SO big and I can't afford to sod it in SA, he said we could just sod random squares in that part of the yard and it will eventually spread. Does this sound like a viable plan? I don't use weed-n-feed products. I do use Scott's Southern Turf Builder w/ 2% iron. Here is a photo I just took of the north side yard. It was mowed today. Can you identify the type of SA? Is the Sapphire more hardy? Which type of SA would be best for my area. We're 60 miles east of Dallas and generally more humid and not quite as cold in the winter. HOWEVER, this winter did a number on my lawn. It's still not where it should be :(

Monica

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Comments (18)

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    You need to tap the breaks my friend and do a lot of homework first. For example the last thing you want to do is till the yard and add lime. North Texas soils PH is typically alkaline so adding lime is the wrong thing to do.

    Impossible to identify the grass but a good bet is it is Texas Common.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Homework is what I'm doing...that's why I'm here and asking questions. I've got no less than a dozen links to articles I'm trying to understand. As for what to treat the earth with before laying the sod, those were just suggestions based on what I've read so far. Asking what kind of SA would be best for my area is part of "doing homework". Care to offer a suggestion?
    Monica

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    What part of NE Texas? I am a sod farmer in what is called North Central TX just north of the DFW area. Up here there are only a very few I would recommend because a lot of the varieties will not tolerate freezing weather. From Dallas northward there was a huge Saint Augustine winter kill and I cannot keep up with orders from folks who lost their yards this winter.

    So with that said the best cold performers are Palmetto and Texas Common. The Palmetto is excellent. It is a semi dwarf, very dark gree, forms a very dense turf, and once established looks like Fescue. Only problem is Palmetto is a expensive compared to Texas Common.

    I would also suggest you get a soil test done before you do anything rather than just adding whatever some one suggest. A good example is your Lime comment. North Texas soils are generally on the alkaline side. If you added lime, you only make it more alkaline.

    Really all you need to do is get someone with a tractor with a box blade and grade the area. If a soil test determines you need some amendments you can add them at that time. Once graded you are ready to lay.

    My guess is a soil test will tell you you need Phosphorous and maybe Potassium. Oh they will always say nitrogen, just ignore any nitrogen results because you will add nitrogen with every fertilizer application.

    So start with a soil test. In th emean time call around the local sod farms and see what varieties are available. Once the soil test come back hire someone with a tractor and box blade to grade the area.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    texas_weed, thanks for replying again :) I'm 65 miles due east of Dallas on Hwy 80. Thank you for the two SA suggestions. Srsly, before I started doing some research, I had no idea there were different varieties of SA. I will call around to see what's available in my area and the cost.
    The area to be covered isn't big enough for a tractor to maneuver. I'm sure my lawn man was wanting to till it to make it easier on him. My mother's advice was to scrape the surface (NOT till it) to remove the old grass, lay down some composted manure and then the grass. Barring the results of a soil test, is this a good plan?
    Do you know if my local extension office will test the soil?
    I've also read that it's best to buy sod that was cut the day you're putting it down. I'm sure that's true but realistically, how feasible is that?? I'm in a rural area and not privy to lots of buying opportunities. The two places I've called can have it the next day, meaning it COULD be laid the day after it's cut. Raleigh and Palmetto are the two varieties everyone around here seems to have. Do you deal much with the Raleigh variety? Do you have a website? :)
    Monica

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    My mother's advice was to scrape the surface (NOT till it) to remove the old grass, lay down some composted manure and then the grass. Barring the results of a soil test, is this a good plan?

    Your Mother is a smart women. Basically she is telling you the exact same thing I just said using a tractor and box blade.

    Do you know if my local extension office will test the soil?

    Yes they will send it to TAMU

    Well Monica you prepare the area and have it waiting for the sod to arrive, then lay it down as soon as the truck drops it off.

    If your choices are Raleigh and Palmetto, GET THE PALMETTO, trust me on this one OK? Raleigh just has to many problems. Palmetto outperforms it in every category.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    13 years ago

    TW- While Palmetto is a nice grass, it failed miserably against SADV. To this day, I still don't know how mine got it. Got wiped out. Sapphire grass is rapidly taking over. I guess it's more cold hardy than expected. Nice deep green lush lawn right now now... Raleigh sucks due to fungal disease outbreak which seems to happen every fall which Sapphire is very resistant to. Still, I don't know which to recommend. Maybe Sapphire but I don't think any sod farm grows them anymore for some reason. Might as well get all three and let them fight out for survival.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    OK, found out what SADV stood for. Looks like what mom calls "brown patch". I've had a couple of those in the past. TW, what about Sapphire? What about Texas Common? Whatever type of SA I DO have does well excpet for one spot...under a LARGE shady maple tree. The tree's roots have surfaced over the last 3 years (tree is 27 yrs old). The grass cover is sparse to bare under a good portion of that tree.
    Monica

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    ...and am I just asking for trouble to plant this grass in the middle of a Texas summer? I've got a sprinkler system, (would rather not have $160 water bills, but will do what it takes).
    Monica

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    Monica there is no perfect Saint Augustine, or any other grass type. Each variety has its strength and weaknesses. Hopefully this chart will help you.

    Basically you want to use one that is a good match for your location and conditions. For example if you want a very good cold performer, dark green semi dwarf, excellent in shade, can take very hot dry weather, then Palmetto is an excellent choice. Look the chart over and see what fits your fancy. Then call around to your local area farms and see what they sell. Sod farms will not sell you one that does not perform well in their area. For example you wouldn't want to drive to Houston and buy Floratam. If we have another winter like the last one, you would likely loose it.

    Texas common is not listed in the chart. It best attributes is it is inexpensive and cold hardy. Its weakness is it is very susceptible to SAD

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    ...and am I just asking for trouble to plant this grass in the middle of a Texas summer?

    Well you can lay sod anytime of year as long as the ground is not mud, snow covered, or frozen. But there are better times of the year than during the searing heat of TX summers. Best time is around early to mid spring after you see the grass greening up.

    Don't let me scare you off. You can lay it now, but you will have to water quite a bit. Or if that concerns you wait until later in the year immediately after the summer heat breaks.

    One thing you got going for you is being east of Dallas, you get a lot more rain we do not get in the DFW area. I understand you guys had a lot of rain last week up through SW Arkansas. I hear there are around 60 dead in Arkansas from floods.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    13 years ago

    I'd go with Palmetto for shady area. Supposedly it's best variety for that. If it's too shady, maybe cut off lower branches to allow more sunlight on the ground.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks so much for all the help guys! I think I will wait till it starts to cool off around here...mid Sept (or not. One never knows anymore :o) Early to mid spring around here usually means MUD.
    Most of this grass will be going on the west side, some on the south side of the house. Little to no shade. If I have enough, I'll place some squares where the current SA is sparse around the large Maple tree (east side). The Palmetto looks like the clear winner.
    I think waiting a few months will be good because it will also allow me some more time to research and become more educated without being rushed...I was going to do this next week :o If anyone has anything else to offer, feel free.
    Monica

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    Monica just don't wait too late in the year to do this. You want some warm weather left to give the sod time to develop roots and get acclimated to it new environment before it goes dormant in the winter. As soon as the summer heat and drought break, take action

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Texas-weed, will do. Do you think mid Sept is too late? It's still very warm then but like you said I have to give the grass enough time to develop a root system before it starts to go dormant for the winter.
    Monica

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    Yeah late August to mid September is when summer heat breaks. Just about when the huricane season peaks.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Running into some problems finding Palmetto. Everyone in a 50 sq mile radius sells Raleigh. Most CAN get the Palmetto, but when I asked why it's not one they advertise, they say it's more prone to disease :o texas weed, do you think we're far enough apart that what might do well in Dallas and northward, wouldn't do as well 65 miles east? Or is it a case of it's more available, cheaper and more profit?
    Monica

  • texas_weed
    13 years ago

    My guess is Palmetto is so new not many sod farms have it yet. I carry Texas Common, but only added Palmetto 2 years ago. Well actually 3 years ago but it took a full year to have enough to sell.

    Actually your area should be better than my area because you get so much more rain and milder winters. This winter I lost quite a bit of Texas Common to winter kill. The Palmetto was untouched and did fine.

  • monicakm_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It's so funny to find one's OLD postings when searching for an answer! This was 4 years ago. We just laid the SA sod 3 weeks ago...what can I say? My husband and I operate differently. He's more of a spur of the moment/wing it as we go type (it works for him) and I need time to do my homework. I didn't get the chance to RE-research this project. So, ground was tilled, old grass and weeds removed, top soil spread and leveled with a box blade and sodded. 36 hours later, we had a hard freeze and sleet that covered the ground :( Bought lime yesterday but after finding this thread I'll be going to Lowes to buy a soil testing kit first. Everyone around here is saying to put lime on it but I'll test it first.

    I didn't ask about the type of SA grass when I bought it. I called today to find out what they sold me...Raleigh (sigh). Could have gotten the Palmetto for $20/palette more. It's a special order. This is a respectable grass and stone business so maybe the stuff grows well here.

    Monica