Lawn completely dying off

[theworkman]

Hello everyone. New to the site and was hoping to get some advice/help. I have centipede grass which I put down in 06, it was all sod. Everything has been great with the lawn till this year. I noticed about 1 month ago that a sizable portion of the grass was a different shade of brown then the rest. I took my hand and raked it across the odd colored grass and it pretty much disentigrated. No roots, nothing, and it seems to be spreading. Any suggestions?

[RAlmaroad]

Where do you live? What have you done for the grass in years past. I mean how much fertilize have you used and when? Have you done any soil test lately? Centipede has got to have a acidic soil. Do you have irrigation? If so, how much water are you using per week? Lots of variables. I can tell you that the lack of moisture and cooler than normal temps have taken a toll on centipede. Let me know. Maybe I can make some suggestions or come bye and take a look at the turf.
Roy

[theworkman]

Where do you live? What have you done for the grass in years past. I mean how much fertilize have you used and when? Have you done any soil test lately? Centipede has got to have a acidic soil. Do you have irrigation? If so, how much water are you using per week? Lots of variables. I can tell you that the lack of moisture and cooler than normal temps have taken a toll on centipede. Let me know. Maybe I can make some suggestions or come bye and take a look at the turf.
Roy


I live right outside of Moncks Corner.
The only thing I have done the past few years is put a bag of Scott's bonus S on the yard. 1 bag does the whole thing. I usually put in on in May. I have never had a soil test taken and the only irrigation I have is a couple of sprinklers I tote around the yard. I have always been good about watering the yard a few times a week and like I said, never had an issue till now.

I appreciate your reply and time.

[RAlmaroad]

OK! Scott's Bonus S has an analysis of 29-3-10 or close to that. Centipede does not like that much Nitrogen (1st number) especially. Secondly, the last number (10) is probably a chlorine based Potassium--Wrong again for centipede grass. This stuff is formulated for St. Augustine turf. St. Augustine loves nitrogen and will tolerate the chlorine based potassium. A friend in Hawaii even told me that it would grow almost to the ocean water line.
Centipede will not. What you've been doing is giving a poison to the grass and it is slowly dying. I'm afraid that you are going to have to just re-sod--I know of nothing that will regrow the grass. We've lost a lot due to the cold winter here also. You'll be able to get sod soon. When you do re-sod. Do nothing except a little starter fertilize and I mean a Little. If you were closer, I'd spray it with a formula that is mixed for centipede. Also, the weed killer in the Bonus S is Atrazine--you were safe there. If you can get some 13-0-44 (Yes a high Potassium to grow roots) it would be great for the existing living grass. A company called UAP or now CPS has it. Check out their website and see if there is an office in or around Charleston. I believe there is one. This is a soluble mix with water. Mix 1/2 lb of this into a 2 gallon watering can and spread it over 1000 sq. ft of your living sod. This stuff comes in a 50lb bag and this much will last you a while. Do this again next month. Make sure that you throw the water to the lawn and water this fertilizer into the ground. After you new sod has had a month of growth, continue to feed it as well. Forget the Scott's S.
Let me know what you are doing.

[theworkman]

So with the dead grass I should just remove it, till the ground and then re-sod. With the existing grass I should use the 13-0-44?

[RAlmaroad]

A good choice is to just resod the effected areas. Use a tiller (rent) and till up the soil. Rake it off and remove about 2" with the shovel and move it to another area. Don't throw it away as it is rich in organic matter. Level the place with the back of your rake and place your sod as close together and as tight as you can. I put it down in a brick pattern. When you are finished; water it like a flood. This will take a while but is very important to settle the sod into the ground. Water it about two times a day for the first two weeks then back off to every other day for a week then back off to two times a week, making sure that you give the sod at least 1" of water a week. Water during the morning hours.
Just wait on the fertilize. Centipede should be on a liquid diet with your nitrogen source from Ammonium Sulfate on the coast as the pH generally run very high. and your potassium source from Potassium Sulfate or better still Nitrate of Potash. Regular fertilize is Chlorine based and is murder on centipede.
How much area are you thinking about re-sodding? You can buy a pallet (500 sq. ft.) at most sod farm for around $85. Most of them will sell you 1/2 pallet for about $50+/-.
Are you planning to do this yourself or hiring it done.
Roy

[theworkman]

A good choice is to just resod the effected areas. Use a tiller (rent) and till up the soil. Rake it off and remove about 2" with the shovel and move it to another area. Don't throw it away as it is rich in organic matter. Level the place with the back of your rake and place your sod as close together and as tight as you can. I put it down in a brick pattern. When you are finished; water it like a flood. This will take a while but is very important to settle the sod into the ground. Water it about two times a day for the first two weeks then back off to every other day for a week then back off to two times a week, making sure that you give the sod at least 1" of water a week. Water during the morning hours.
Just wait on the fertilize. Centipede should be on a liquid diet with your nitrogen source from Ammonium Sulfate on the coast as the pH generally run very high. and your potassium source from Potassium Sulfate or better still Nitrate of Potash. Regular fertilize is Chlorine based and is murder on centipede.
How much area are you thinking about re-sodding? You can buy a pallet (500 sq. ft.) at most sod farm for around $85. Most of them will sell you 1/2 pallet for about $50+/-.
Are you planning to do this yourself or hiring it done.
Roy

I plan on doing everything myself. I initially put down 17 pallets and I ordered 4 more today. I'll probably need a few more but I want to take my time. I have already tilled up most of the bad spots and have raked and smoothed out the ground. The remaining grass is turning green but is full of weeds and I'm gun shy about putting anything down due to killing my grass!

[jsf343]

You probably have already done this... I am just curious if you checked for grubs?

[RAlmaroad]

I plan on doing everything myself. I initially put down 17 pallets and I ordered 4 more today. I'll probably need a few more but I want to take my time. I have already tilled up most of the bad spots and have raked and smoothed out the ground. The remaining grass is turning green but is full of weeds and I'm gun shy about putting anything down due to killing my grass!

Don't take too much time--sod should be used as quickly as you can. The longer it stays in the pallette, the greater the risk of it overheating and developing a fungus. I'd hire as many people as you can afford and get it on the ground and put the water to it. Remember you're soaking through that sod into the underneath dirt to settle it down without air to dry that will dry out the roots. 4 hours would be a long time for us. Once put down 2 tractor/trailer loads (over 30 pallets) in 4 hours but had 10 workers who knew what to do. two were keeping the soil raked from rocks, twig, etc. I love Mexican Workers--wonderful people.

[theworkman]

Don't take too much time--sod should be used as quickly as you can. The longer it stays in the pallette, the greater the risk of it overheating and developing a fungus. I'd hire as many people as you can afford and get it on the ground and put the water to it. Remember you're soaking through that sod into the underneath dirt to settle it down without air to dry that will dry out the roots. 4 hours would be a long time for us. Once put down 2 tractor/trailer loads (over 30 pallets) in 4 hours but had 10 workers who knew what to do. two were keeping the soil raked from rocks, twig, etc. I love Mexican Workers--wonderful people.

The 17 pallets I was referring to was what I put down about 4 years ago. The 4 pallets is what I'll be putting down this weekend.

[theworkman]

You probably have already done this... I am just curious if you checked for grubs?

I didn't set out to check for them, but as I was raking and tilling I saw no signs of critters. The majority of the dead grass still had intact roots but pulled up with ease.