Yard Grass Recovery

[UnBiased Horn]

OK, my grass suffered the brown grass death last fall and it is still brown and mostly dead. I was told that it needed time to recover. I figured there would be no use putting anti-fungal stuff down since it was already too late (in retrospect, I should have done that sooner before the brown spots spread). Is there anything I can do before Spring to help it recover. Do I just need to fertilize (which I do twice a year) or do I need to replant some grass squares? I have St. Augustine, it's in full sun and I live in Houston.

thanks for any help.

 

[HORNINTHEUSA]

Aerate and fertilize March 1. You'll be fine.

 

[TexasEd]

Aerate and improve drainage. Avoid over fertilizing.

Drainage improvements may mean leveling out low spots, improving runoff, and/or spreading sand after aerating.

 

[Lost_In_Ohio]

Aerate = Overrated

 

[TexasEd]

I disagree.

The fungus is cause by two main things: poor drainage and too much fertilizer.

Aeration will help improve drainage and loosen compacted soil. It is also important for absorbtion of nutrients into the root zone of the soil.

Loose soil will also allow new grass to grow into the dead zone.

Aeration can be done in a small area with a pitch fork if you like.

 

[UnBiased Horn]

I think aerating might be necessary. I have a corner lot ergo a huge backhard and half of it is DEAD, the other half is hurting but it looks like normal winter brown. I do have a pretty uneven backyard as well but I don't know how to fix that problem.

What about this spreading sand idea?

 

[01 grad]

Aerate then spread sand. Think golf course fairway, what does soil look like when you make that divot?

 

[taco]

definitely aerate then top dress with compost.

also put down corn meal at the right time to prevent weed germination (not sure when this is but its in the early spring)

check out the natural gardeners website for things to do at certain times.

 

[TexasEd]

Make sure you have a slope to your yard to allow for runoff. Standing water will kill your grass.

Aerating will reduce the amount of standing water since more of it can be absorbed into the soil but it can still puddle.

Spreading sand or top dressing with compost can help you level out the low spots to create better runoff of excess water.

Have you been watering the grass all winter? If you have a sprinkler system you also need to dial it back to keep from over watering in the dormant periods.

 

[Ignatius]

On that note, how much are ya'll in/around Austin watering right now? I usually just shut it off altogether this time of year, but since it's been bone-dry I'm rethinking that...

 

[UnBiased Horn]

we don't have a sprinkler system. we've only been in the house for 1.5 years so we are learning all this stuff.

So how does one aerate? Can I rent an aerator?

 

[HORNINTHEUSA]

You can rent one for 4 hours for around $45 from Home Depot. Make sure the soil is damp enough for maximum penetration. Don't worry about tearing up the ground, it will bounce right back in a week or so. But be prepared for a work out....that daddy "o" will drag you around the yard!!!

 

[Brak]

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[TexasEd]

once a month