Severe lawn issues..

[SSpiro]

Having severe lawn issues. Looks to be cinch bug issues, proved by visually seeing the bugs while looking through the dead grass. These bugs have killed off about 65% of our front yard.

Grass is St Augustine. Lawn is about 2 years old. I water once a week (water restrictions do not allow for any more, without HEAVY fines).. 15-20 minutes a zone, 5 zones. Front yard faces the east, and the view is in between houses from across the street, so it has direct sunlight 100% of the time until sun crosses into the west in the evening.

I've treated the lawn with Bayer's pesticide product. Once a week, for 3 weeks (as suggested by a friend that works for Scotts, not sure if its right or not?). Looks like the grass killings has possibly come to an end, but the good st augustine left on the lawn has not spread into the dead areas.

Any suggestions on how to fix this? Should I fertilize? Wife wants to seed, but that smells like disaster. Should I remove the dead grass or leave to help fertilize?

HELP!!! *trucewhiteflag*

[greendoctor]

Having severe lawn issues. Looks to be cinch bug issues, proved by visually seeing the bugs while looking through the dead grass. These bugs have killed off about 65% of our front yard.

Grass is St Augustine. Lawn is about 2 years old. I water once a week (water restrictions do not allow for any more, without HEAVY fines).. 15-20 minutes a zone, 5 zones. Front yard faces the east, and the view is in between houses from across the street, so it has direct sunlight 100% of the time until sun crosses into the west in the evening.

I've treated the lawn with Bayer's pesticide product. Once a week, for 3 weeks (as suggested by a friend that works for Scotts, not sure if its right or not?). Looks like the grass killings has possibly come to an end, but the good st augustine left on the lawn has not spread into the dead areas.

Any suggestions on how to fix this? Should I fertilize? Wife wants to seed, but that smells like disaster. Should I remove the dead grass or leave to help fertilize?

HELP!!! *trucewhiteflag*

Under those circumstances, it is like pushing on a rope to keep the st augustine. If Tampa is anything like my location, it is too hot and dry to keep st augustine. Zoysia or bermuda would probably do better. With water restrictions, there is no point in trying to renovate the lawn with another grass. Might as well paint it green until you can get the water.

[SSpiro]

Under those circumstances, it is like pushing on a rope to keep the st augustine. If Tampa is anything like my location, it is too hot and dry to keep st augustine. Zoysia or bermuda would probably do better. With water restrictions, there is no point in trying to renovate the lawn with another grass. Might as well paint it green until you can get the water.

I know it..

I'd imagine our climates are similar.

[greendoctor]

You bet. Truth is, that it can be hot here. The official temperature at Honolulu International Airport is a reading taken high off of the ground. At ground level it reaches 90+ more days out of the year than not. Relative humidity seldom drops below 50%. I can only keep st augustine in shady lawns, under trees and with a top of the line irrigation system. It also does not rain more than 20 inches per year here as well. So far, the easiest grass to keep under these conditions is El Toro zoysia. No chinch bugs and it takes the heat much better than I do.

[looonman]

The bug are a problem that you have probably fixed Bayer is a good product.
Problem 2 is the water issue the fix for that is a shallow water well just for the sprinkler system. You can usually hit surface water around 30 to 40 feet down.
Here in NC many people take this option the well will pay for itself in a few years
in cost saving over muni water

[bug-guy]

i'm just north of you and your first problem is 15-20 minutes a zone!!!!!!!
you need at least 3/4 of an inche of h2o for st aug here. the dryness help make the C.Bugs worse.
change your controller i run mine 80-90 min. on rotors and 30-45 on sprays.(have been off with all the rain)
buy some aloft for the c.b.

[tamadrummer]

i'm just north of you and your first problem is 15-20 minutes a zone!!!!!!!
you need at least 3/4 of an inche of h2o for st aug here. the dryness help make the C.Bugs worse.
change your controller i run mine 80-90 min. on rotors and 30-45 on sprays.(have been off with all the rain)
buy some aloft for the c.b.

The company I use for my customers is moving to a dylox/meridian based system for a short time because even up here in Zhills the chinch bugs are resisting pyrethroids.

You need to renovate the entire lawn and go with Bitter Blue, it will handle the weather a ton better. Buy it from A1 out in Land o Lakes.

As far as pest control, Hire Boltin Lawn and Pest control and sit back with an ice cold coke and enjoy beautiful turf!