Selecting Turf Grass
Prior to the changes in Florida Statute (See FL Statute 373.185), The Sanctuary mandated St. Augustine grass for all community lawns. While St. Augustine likely will remain our main turf grass for some time, homeowners are encouraged to consider less grass varieties with lower irrigation requirements and greater pest resistance. The University of Florida has researched this question extensively and the most widely recommended grass for our area is Empire Zoysia. Several varieties of Bahia also are acceptable (Argentine and Pensacola), but Zoysia seems to perform best and has a nicer, fuller appearance for lawn use. Bahia is considered more wear resistance for areas of higher traffic, but is thinner in growth pattern and produces abundant seed heads, which means more frequent mowing. Beyond the selection of the best grass variety, there are several steps homeowners can take to improve the health of their turf.
–Mow at the proper height for your grass to promote a healthy root system, which makes grass less thirsty.
–Use the weather to your advantage—don’t irrigate if it’s rained in the past twenty-four hours or if rain is forecast in the next twenty-four hours.
–Particularly for St. Augustine, but also appropriate for other grasses, water only as the lawn begins to appear stressed. By doing so, the turf will grow deeper, stronger roots that are better able to withstand the stress of drought and summer heat.
–Don’t over-fertilize! Too much fertilizer is not only bad for our environment, it’s counterproductive, as it promotes excessive growth that weakens your grass and makes it more susceptible to insects and disease. For a quick green-up of yellowing grass, application of an iron-only spray will usually do the trick.