Sod--What is It? And Should I Install It? by, Turf Touch

Sod, what is it?

Sod is grass that one can apply to his/her lawn, and the grass will be instant. Great, everybody can do this right--WRONG.

There are several different species of sod; bermuda(many sub-types), zoysia, centipede, fescue, St. Augustine.

One must ascertain his/her environment. Does one have shade, direct sunlight, clay soil, sandy soil, etc.

In upstate South Carolina, there are all of the above grass types, but very, very few St. Augustine grasses.

Many tract homes have bermuda sod. Why? Because it is a quick fix, not that it's the best choice.

Bermuda, Centipede, Zoysia, St. Augustine are, in laymen's terms, warm season grasses, meaning they thrive under warmer weather conditions. And they all need plenty of sunlight throught the day. Else, one is asking for a formula of failure.

A case study, one has a lawn with direct sunlight in many parts of the lawn, yet up beside the home, there is an abundance of shade. Should he sod this with bermuda. In my opinion, NO. Fescue may be a better choice if the year-round weather conditions are not too hot.

Fescue is a cool season grass. Hence, it thrives under cooler conditions, like Asheville, NC, Kentucky, Upstate South Carolina.

The warm season grasses mentioned above would grow better in conditions like Charleston, SC, Florida, especially where there are sandy soils.

Once new sod is laid, regardless of the type, be sure to water profusley for the first two to three weeks subseqent to install. After two weeks, reach down, grab a hanful of grass, tug. One should feel the roots affixed to the soil.

As trite as the cliche' may sound, when it comes to sod, do not try to put round pegs into square holes, Won't work, and one will not be pleased with the long-term results.

And be mindful that sod is not cheap, so make the wise choice when selecting the type grass that will go into your lawn.

Until we meet again,
TurfTouch

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It's About Time To Apply Crabgrass Preventer

Now is a good time to start your first application of crabgrass preventer here in South Carolina, for the temperature is still cold. Hence, the ground temperature remains cold too.

Why? Once the soil temperatures begin to warm, crabgrass can, and will, begin it's germination process, even though it will not be visible to the naked eye until the hot summer months, yet if you fail to start your first crabgrass application before the heat ensues, you WILL have troubles on your lawn. And then the only
solution is a non-selective herbicide, and this will kill both the good and bad grasses--a no-no.

In the Upstate of South Carolina, the customer will have to do at least two applications of crabgrass preveter, and you will probably still will not get 100% resistance, especially if your lawn is exposed to the direct sunlight all day.

Sunny lawns usually will have a worse crabgrass problem than shaded and simi-shaded lawns. If you are cognizant, you may notice crabgrass growing along the raods and sidewalks. Duh, go figure.

Untill next time,

Turf Touch
864.325.9939
Greenville, SC

www.24hourapartments.com
www.roommatesville.com
"ONLINE STORE"

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