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Q: I sodded my lawn 3 weeks ago with Empire and watered every day heavily. It turned brown, then died with sparse green blades. What happened? Fungus?
A: Too much water = Fungus. Are you sure it is dead? If there are sparse green blades, you might try applying Armada at label rate with a follow-up application in 14 days. Apply Ammonium Sulfate at 7 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft of lawn. Keep moist, not saturated. Water should be as needed. Apply a wetting agent to help eliminate stress.
Q: I am laying Empire Zoysia sod in Rotonda West and have been told to use 16-4-8 fertilizer. Is this correct? Is it OK to use 16-4-8 that contains iron? What fertilizer do you recommend?
A: 9-2-24 with Iron and Magnesium. Apply 10-12 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. of lawn.
Q: I have a new Empire Zoysia sod yard. I live in the Orlando, FL area. I also have caterpillars - Army worms and purple sedge weeds. Help what can I do now? The turf farm I purchased my sod from refuses to help!
A: For the caterpillars, apply a material like Sevin or Spectracide. If you choose to contract the application a material like Talstar or Delta Guard may be more effective. A repeat application will be needed in twelve to thirteen days to eliminate the eggs that hatch after your first application. The purple nut sedge can be controlled with Sedge Hammer (formerly Manage).
Q: Live in East Central Florida. Lawn looks terrible and I'd like to either put down Zoysia or seed with Bermuda. Don't have sprinkler system. What type would you recommend? If Bermuda, can I just overseed?
A: Common Bermuda can be overseeded, although it would do much better if raked in. It will take moisture to germinate the seeds and continued moisture to help the plantlets get established.
Q: Orlando, Fl: My Empire Zoysia had been healthy until last November. At that point the tops or end of the blades appeared to turn to hay evenly and universally across the lawn. I have fertilized and fungicide with no improvement. The grass is not dead, but is thinning and the end still appears to be turning to hay. Any suggestions?
A: The symptoms you are describing sound like Zoysia Patch (Rhizoctonia) Armada or Heritage are both good choices for curing Zoysia patch. It will take repeated applications. Applying Ammonium Sulfate at 7 lbs. per thousand sq. ft. of lawn will help you outgrow and overcome as well. Using potassium (K) in your nutritional program will help thicken cell wall and prevent future infections.
Q: I just laid 5 pallets of Palmetto sod in St. Pete, Florida and noticed that some of the blades of grass both before and after installation are white in color. Some are even green on one part of the blade and white on another section of the same blade. What causes this and what can I do to remedy? Thank you.
A: Iron Chlorosis is common in hybrid St. Augustine type grasses on sandy soil. Be sure to keep plenty of Iron and Magnesium in your nutritional program. Bipolaris can cause white lines or tips on the blades of grass. If it progresses to tips dying, apply a fungicide like Armada. Follow up with another application in 14 days. Keep moisture even and, not saturated.
Q: I have a very shady back yard. Just put in Floratam that did not take. Sun is 3 to 4 hours. Will Seville work and should I use plugs or sod?
A: Seville is rated #1 for shade tolerance. Plugs verses trays is simply economics. If you install sod or grass plugs, make sure the PH is around 6 to 6.5 and you have a good nutritional plan. If you are working in shade the grass will go through an acclimation period. Expect to see it thin somewhat and the blades of grass will become skinny and elongated compared to full sun. The most important thing, is to monitor moisture and fungus. Apply water only when needed. A common mistake is overwatering, moisture will not evaporate as fast in the shade. Increased moisture and elongated leaves makes the grass more susceptible to fungus. Prostar, Armada or Heritage are good choices for preventing fungus. 3-4 hours is low light, so I wouldn’t expect to get a thick lush lawn, but you can maintain green throughout. Consider mowing every two weeks to allow more time for leaves to grow with limited light.
Q: I had Empire Zoysia installed before Thanksgiving in 2009. Since early spring I have had nothing but problems. I took it to the Central Fla. Extension Service and they thought the problems was lack of water because roots and dirt I brought in were dry. They also had me get a pest product for white grubs. My lawn looks thin and bare and when I run my fingers over the lawn it comes up. I have also treated for fungus once. Do I need to reapply for white grubs or do you think now it is billbugs??? Who is an expert in diagnosing this problem in Central Florida? We have had services in past for St. Augustine and were not happy. Nancy
A: You are not alone concerning problem lawns this year. The harsh wet winter followed by hot dry weather stressed turf and ornamentals throughout the southeast. First, make sure you have adequate nutrients and moisture. Overwatering is a common problem with Empire, so be sure it is watered deep and only when needed. Keep moist, not saturated. You can look for grubs and worms by flushing a small affected area with soapy water. After the flush see if any worms or hunting bill bugs appear at the surface. Next use a small spade and dig down 1” to 3” in several areas for grubs. Generally during hot summer months hunting bill bug grubs are deep and somewhat dormant. Bipolaris is a fungus affecting the leaves and stems of Empire and other stolonific grasses. It will make the leaves easy to remove leaving only the stolons and rhizomes. Sometimes the leaves show a white stripe and or a white tip when first infected. A curative fungicide like Armada should be applied and a follow up application should be made in 14 days. Apply a wetting agent to help water move through the root zone and prevent stress. You should see an improvement within two to three weeks. If the lawn has a history of hunting bill bug, apply Merit 75Wp at labeled rate in the fall to eliminate grubs and break the development cycle.
Q: New Zoysia lawn installed. Some flats were browning at the time and some now greening up ,some still brown. What can I do to fix?
A: Fertilize with 12lbs per 1,000 sq ft. with 9-2-24 fertilizer. Keep moist, not wet or saturated. If some areas or edges are dead, the grass will spread and fill in any gaps. If fungus is suspected, Apply Armada at labeled rate.
Q: I'm confused. You recommend 9-0-24 for Empire Zoysia, but Empireturf.com says 16-4-8 in spring/summer and 10-10-10 fall/winter. Why the difference? Thanks.
A: Sorry for the confusion. I’m not a fan of high nitrogen on Empire. Use 9-0-24 or 9-2-24 at 10-12 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. Check for local ordinances that prohibit Phosphate during certain times of the year. P= the middle number in a fertilizer label.
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