Whats next?

[BuckeyeSC]

Im new to these forums but like you am in a continuous working effort to keep my centipede grass the best on the block. Its a 1.5 year old yard and I put down 1 app of Penningtons 15-0-15 Weed & Feed in May and just yesterday layed down Lesco 15-0-15 fertilizer (put it down at dusk and watered it in good). I spot spray weeds with Weed B Gone for Southern Lawns and handpick them out in the dormant season. It looks great. My question is whats next on a centipede schedule? I know Im done with the fertilizer for the year (2 apps Spring/mid-summer). Is Pre Emergent next in the fall or next March? I really enjoy working in my yard weekly (I cut it weekly and edge also. Im looking fwd to learning from you guys and getting the best advice and guidelines for my yard! Also, I have a dog that leaves urine burns in my backyard, whats the best advice to repair these spots? I rake out the dead grass and break up the soil so the cent stolons have a good place to grab as they creep. Thanks! :drinkup:

[RAlmaroad]

Where are you located? I'm in Murrells Inlet. Is your lawn irrigated? You've got a fairly young sod; it will start to decline with that 15-0-15. I have a wonderful program for centipede. Do not fertilize anymore but get a soil test from you county extension agent.

[BuckeyeSC]

Im in Charleston. Right now the stolons sprigs are above the grass, it seems that it is in a second growth spurt as it has filled in some bare spots in my yard (water damage). I irrigate everyother day for 25 minutes to get close to the amount of 1" per week. As you can see, I am a rookie with this but really enjoy taking care of it. It is a hard grass to keep nice because of its low tolerances but it came with my house so I might as well keep it nice. Its nice and thick and weeds are very sparse if any at all (I get them by the root if I do see them). Thanx for the responses! BTW... care to give up your secret centipede recipe? :drinkup:

[RAlmaroad]

It's no secret, just years of trying things that didn't work out too well. I use all liquids, am very observant to fungus, which is a major problem for coastal lawns,--the biggie for centipede is to keep that pH down below 6.5--more than likely your sod was planted in this type of environment and the longer it stays on the coast where the base is pure calcium shells, the pH continues to rise as the sulfur and sod farm amendments fade. That's why I encourage to check your pH by soil testing now and almost every 6 months. Water is a must for the centipede and it leaches everything out of the soil including the acid from the light topsoil. A good thing to do is to add sphagnum peat often as well as organic material. This helps put back the acid. Your main biggie is using a fertilize that is not full of chlorides in the potassium and a nitrogen source of ammonium sulfate which is derived from sulfur which helps with the pH. DO USE COMMERCIAL FERTILIZE WITH THESE PROPERTIES--read the label.
Pop me your E-mail for further info or hurry up and get your 25 posts and then PM me when you need.
Good luck and just start putting down a little elementary sulfur about every two months. It takes warmth to activate it so now would be good.
Roy,

PS--Read everything Greendoctor writes....his knowledge is almost endless...

[BuckeyeSC]

Where do I obtain the peat and how do I spread it? Also, is the Lesco fert I use good? What about the method for sulfur and where do I obtain it? I used Stay Green last year and pennington in the Spring, followed with Lesco recently (all 15-0-15). All but the Lesco was a Weed & Feed variety. I change brands because they stop selling the diff 15-0-15 so Im always forced to get another brand. lol Hopefully HD keeps the Lesco in stock as Lowes dropped the Stay Green and the Pennington this year was not 15-0-15. I stay away from Scotts because of the price and it really is not right for my yard (from what Ive read anyways). My neighbor uses Scotts Bonus S for Southern Yards and it seems to work the same as the off brands I buy (he didnt know and has recently switched) lol

[RAlmaroad]

15-0-15 by Lesco is pure poison for centipede....DO NOT USE ANY MORE...Talk to me in the Spring. Lowe's has the baled sphagnum peat. Lesco has the sulfur in 50lb bags. Those SOB's charge three times what it costs from a Farmer's Co-op. You may have some of those around. I have an account with Lesco but it does not help much. Sometimes a local Feed and Fertilizer Store has it or can order it.
Have you ever walked through the "Old Town" and seen those small postage yards. They're almost a picture. You bet they keep that centipede's pH down. (I can smell the acid they're using--I know strange but it's true) They use a tea...I won't go there. You can get the water soluble sulfur but it settles out very quickly in tanks but does break down in the soil much quicker. You've got to use a lot more agitation. There's some that advise gypsum to lower pH but I know nothing about it. It might be good research.

Is your lawn irrigated? If not, you are going to be limited to what you can do.
Check out your local county Extension Agent and get to know him/her...Some have limited knowledge but their resource base is fairly wide because of Clemson and check you pH in September and in March.

Talk with other here and get those posts.
Roy

[greendoctor]

Gypsum does not lower pH. Its only purpose is to supply calcium to soil without raising pH. It is used to change soil structure in cases of sodium(salt) contamination and an excess magnesium to calcium ratio. Otherwise, it is not needed for centipede. Listen to RAImaroad about the fertilizer and soil management. He took the program I use for turf maintenance in Hawaii and verified that it will work for warm season grasses in the South.

That bit about regular fertilizers is very true. Most cool season grasses are tolerant of high chloride levels from potassium chloride. Zoysia and centipede can be quite sensitive. I find this to be a severe problem on heavy clay soils because of the tendency of the soil to retain whatever is applied to it. A common fertilizer in my area is 16-15-15 made from granular diammonium phosphate, potassium chloride and urea bulk blended. The high phosphate levels and chlorides has damaged many centipede lawns. As for being done for the year, I will feed a lawn low rates for every month it is actively growing and shift to a high potassium, lower nitrogen mix towards the season of dormancy. Grass does not go dormant here. Does not turn brown, but top growth slows down considerably, as well as root growth. Stupidest thing I have seen is someone pushing the lawn with the same high nitrogen low potassium blend they used in the summer months. I too, use all liquids that are custom blended to the needs of the soil and grass.

[BuckeyeSC]

Alright! Im back... whats first this season? Im starting a fresh new year here in coastal carolina and my centipede is getting ready to come out of dormancy. As for what ive learned, do not put down weed n feed until my grass is 90% green. Ill start watering around that time frame also.