zoysia bid 220,000 sqft

[1stclasslawns]

Ok guys here is my delema,

I Have a customer who wants a bid on her lawn. 220,000 sqft of Zoysia. This lawn was installed over a few inches of topsoil that was spread over an old field. The site is a rolling hill with a pond and "spring".

History of lawn.

Installation begain 4-02 and truck loads of sod installed when landscaping was ready, last was laid 5-03. Improperly installed sprinkler system zones run down hill insteed of across.

5 soil samples were taken in fall of all of them were low on all nutrients.

9-02 600# 0-0-62

some sod edges were dry and pulled up

3-03 1.5 oz pendimethlim 1/2 oz/ trimec 992 * I would not use full stregnth because some sod was not "well and didnt want to kill any"
5-03 1.3 oz pend 1# N
6-03 3/4 oz trimec 3/4 oz msma 8 oz ferromecAC 1/2#N
8-03 1/2 #N (got 3" rain Lawn looked great!) started getting sprinkler set properly
Confirmed Zoysia patch (large brown patch)
10-03 500# 0-0-62
11-03 2.2oz prostar for zoysia patch

All figures given as oz / 1000

Owner said" Im spending a lot of money and Im not happy, I have weeds (very few she has built in a field) and it isn't as green like everybodey elses.

The fert I used is
21%N 50% slow release
7%P
14%K
4.5%S
.o5% cu
3% fe
.05 Mn
.05%ZN

I have had great results with this fert. on all other lawns.

I told her it will take 2 years now she wants to know how much and what I will di when. I have talked to 3 other turf people and gotten 3 different answers.

How bout some more!!!!

Please post quickly.

Jim

[Danimal]

thats a very big lawn like 5 acres.

[ChickensDoo]

Some say pendimethalin is kind of hard on turf roots. Might have been hard on the new sod. Maybe use Dimension this year.

2 lbs N from quickly available sources seems low to me. Although your timing seems pretty good. Apply 1/2 lb per month when the zoysia is actively growing. Less can be used if using organic based N and/or WIN.

Potassium in fall is good for winter hardiness, but I would use SOP.

Prostar on 5 acres? Using fertilizers containing poultry manure and sulfates - ammonium sulfate and SOP - will help suppress patch diseases.

Good luck.....

[1stclasslawns]

danimal, yea like 5 acres.


chickens, I used 50%pscu and SOP plan on using Dimension this year or barricade.

Jim

[timturf]

Post soil samples
what was cec
what where the base saturations

[1stclasslawns]

I can not find my soil samples am going to take more.

I followed their recommendation fairly well last year and did not get good results.

cec was low also.

I cannot find an afordable natural product to use. I know it needs it but she wont put out the money for it. Isnt it alwayse this way they spend big $$$ to put it out then wont spend to take care of it.

I would like to find some pelitized processed chicken manure to use on it.

I am thinking about 1/2 #N first part of every month for April May, June, July, August. With about 4-6% iron.

Jim

[SWD]

When was the last time you aerified?
Dependent upon the type of soil, gas exchange could be inhibited - not to mention poor environment for roots.
Your nitrogen rates are too low, with too great a time between fertilizing. For C4 turf in a fairly warm climate, target about 6lbs per year until well established.
The micronutrients seem low as well - have you considered a trace package application as well?
Using pendimethalin is extremely hard on poorly established turfgrass roots - in effect it prunes them.
More information is needed on soil type, actual growing environment, what was in the field at time of planting turf, what was the areaused for before the house and yard were put there?
I actually had a yard, in a subdivision, that was used as a building material dump site before the lot owners constructed their home. Previous LCO plants turf, won't grow for crap, I get hired and the first thing I pull is a soil sample. First one came out with roofing felt in it- I dug up the rear yard to reshape it, and in the process removed about five to six tons of construction debris that was the subgrade.
Needless to say, after that I always check the subgrade/soil profile on new sites.

[1stclasslawns]

Here in lies the problem. All I do is the applications, I told them it needed airerated. It is a loam type soil. I was told by the installer "he didnt want more then 2#N the first year" I ask about which preM to use he told me any at all. I couldn't treat this as I wished cause it was his warrenty. and I knew there were problems I didnt want to replace his turf with my insurence.
It was an open field for years before it was built upon.

[greenman]

This is what I would mix in the tank. Dimension WP w/no N (if you can get it like that, at least very low, no more than 5), at a SPLIT rate ( 2.7 to 4) Then I would put in 0-0-62 potash. If there is any poa annua then put in some Simazine, and a 3-way for broadleaf. That would be round #1, now is the time. Follow that up in April with the other split of Dimension WITH FERT. Definitely get a good soil test done ASAP, and lime accordingly.

[timturf]

I would do NOTHING UNTIL A SOIL TEST COMES BACK!!!!!

make sure your test includes base saturations, minors, Na (salt), om of soil and cec.

All pre emerge that are label for residential turf prune the roots!!!!

Some are worst than others, bensulide is least, then barricade

[timturf]

So she is unhappy with color and a few weeds? 12 lbs per acre should be more than enough fe!
I would think treating 5 acres would be expensive!!!!!1

[DUSTYCEDAR]

what is in the water have u tested it how much water is it getting with the sprinkler system

[timturf]

Did soil test reults come back yet??