Our Grasses
St. Augustine(Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a popular choice for lawns through out the ARKLATEX region. Outstanding shade tolerance makes this grass the overwhelming favorite for lawns under the stately live oaks of the Gulf Coast as well as the tall pines midstate. . St. Augustinegrass is the most cold-sensitive of all of the turfgrasses grown in Louisiana. St. Augustinegrass is propagated by sprigging, plugging, or sodding. St. Augustinegrass is a turf that is quick to establish and recover from injury due to aggressive stolon growth. The grass has only fair wear tolerance and will not tolerate long periods of water stress.
Tifway 419 Bermudagrass Bermudagrass forms a dense, attractive sod. . It is not unusual for a stolon to grow 6 feet in 1 year when spreading over bare ground. This aggressiveness makes bermudagrass the preeminent turf for areas of high traffic, since it can spread quickly to cover damaged areas. Bermudagrasses also have good wear tolerance. The major limiting factor to bermudagrass growth is the amount of sunlight it requires. It does not tolerate full shade and only tolerates partial shade for half a day. It is best to have full sun for the highest quality lawn
Zoysiagrasses (Zoysia species) is gaining popularity as a choice for lawns in the central and northern portions of the state. The zoysiagrasses have superior cold tolerance to the above-named grasses and are not as likely to sustain winter damage. The zoysiagrasses form dense, thick sods of high quality. They have more shade tolerance than bermudagrass and form a finer, more attractive lawn than St. Augustinegrass or centipedegrass
Certified Palisades Zoysiagrass,( Zoysia japonica), is a vegetatively produced, medium broad textured, high density turf suitable for home lawns, golf fairways and roughs, sports fields, industrial parks and highway medians. Palisades is a medium to coarse textured turf noted for its shade tolerance and low water use requirements. It tolerates mowing as close as 1/2" with good weed competitions ideally as high as 2" to 2-1/2" for home lawns. Palisades close mowing also makes it ideal for use on golf course fairways especially where water availability is of concern.
Emerald Zoysiagrass For Semi-shaded, High Traffic, Low- Maintenance Areas Emerald zoysiagrass is a fine leafed, dense growing and dark green turfgrass which is a hybrid between Zoysia japonica and Zoysia tenuifolia. Emerald combines the fine texture of Zoysia tenuifolia with the cold tolerance and faster rate of spread of Zoysia japonica. Emerald is similar to Zoysia matrella in appearance and habit.. If a rotary mower is used, the blade must be sharp and mowing should be weekly. The root system is very drought tolerant as the stolons grow underground, which also makes it more cold tolerant. Once established with a dense turf, it is highly weed resistant and wear resistant to foot traffic. Emerald Zoysia provides more weeks of green color in the fall after frosts than bermudagrass, and can grow in moderate shade. Zoysia can be an acceptable turf with low fertilization
CENTIPEDEGRASS TURF SPECIFICATIONS
CHARACTERISTICS:
Warm-season grass - dense, medium to dark green turf - produces an attractive lawn with a medium to coarse textured grass blade - a very low maintenance grass.
RECOMMENDED USAGE:
Good general-purpose grass for lawns - best adapted to hot, humid and tropical climates, grows well where rainfall is high and summers are warm and humid - popular because of low maintenance.
TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE:
Grows well in full sun - very tolerant to high temperatures, up to 100(F, but sensitive to low temperatures, going dormant through winter months at temperatures below 55(F. Cold hardiness ranks between bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass.
DROUGHT RESISTANCE:
Moderate - is sensitive to drought, but has a rapid recovery rate. Can go into summer dormancy when irrigation is withheld, upon return of moisture supply, will green up again.
SHADE ADAPTATION:
Good - some varieties maintain adequate turf quality in 60% shade - tolerant of pine tree shade.
WEAR RESISTANCE:
Poor - slow growth pattern - will not withstand heavy wear - recovers slowly from damage.
CENTIPEDEGRASS MAINTENANCE
Taking good care of your lawn often requires no more work overall than taking poor care of it. A lawn that is properly mowed, fertilized and watered has far fewer problems with weeds, diseases and insects. A well kept lawn also remains dense and attractive, providing you much more enjoyment and environmental benefits.
WATER NEEDS:
Moderate - apply at least 1 inch of water as a deep soaking every 4 to 7 days to encourage a deep, healthy root system during hot or dry periods. Avoid frequent, shallow watering that results in shallow roots, permitting weed germination and growth.
MOWING & THATCHING:
Optimum mowing height is 1-2 inches for a quality lawn. Slow growth results in less mowing. Mow regularly with a sharp rotary or reel mower, allowing clippings from frequent mowing to remain on the lawn. Never remove more than 1/3 of the shoot growth at one mowing. Minimal thatch build-up, seldom requires dethatching.
SOIL & FERTILIZER NEEDS:
Prefers an acidic soil pH of 5 to 6.5 - is well adapted to infertile, well-drained soil - very low fertilizer requirement. All fertilizing should be based upon recomendation of parish Ag Extention Office or private lab.
DISEASE, WEED & INSECT CONTROL:
Aggressive enough to compete with weeds, reducing the need for chemical controls; Minimal disease and insect problems that can be chemically controlled.
All information is based on average/normal conditions; individual sites and situations may differ. Therefore, contact your local nurseryman or
ST. AUGUSTINE TURFGRASS SPECIFICATIONS
CHARACTERISTICS:
Warm-season grass - light to medium green color, coarse leaf texture, creeping growth habit, via stolons - robust, fast growing, establishes rapidly - level of maintenance is low to moderate.
RECOMMENDED USAGE:
Well adapted to coastal regions with hot, tropical climates - used in residential, commercial and industrial landscapes.
TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE:
Thrives in heat, adjusting well to temperatures up to 105F - goes dormant and turns tan colored during winter when temperatures drop below 55F
DROUGHT RESISTANCE:
Excellent to fair - wide range in drought avoidance among varieties. Can go into summer dormancy when irrigation is withheld; upon return of moisture, will green up again.
SHADE ADAPTATION:
Excellent, our St. Augustine is one of the more shade tolerant grasses.
WEAR RESISTANCE:
Moderate - rapid, resilient and stoloniferous growth habit.
ST. AUGUSTINEGRASS MAINTENANCE
Taking good care of your lawn often requires no more work overall than taking poor care of it. A lawn that is properly mowed, fertilized and watered has far fewer problems with weeds, diseases and insects. A well kept lawn also remains dense and attractive, providing you much more enjoyment and environmental benefits.
WATER NEEDS:
Moderate to high, thrives on wet sites - apply 0.5 to 1 inch of water as a deep soaking every 3 to 6 days to encourage a deep, healthy root system during dry or hot periods. Avoid frequent, shallow watering that results in shallow roots, permitting weed germination and growth.
MOWING & THATCHING:
Optimum mowing height 2-3 inches for a high quality lawn, mow too low and weeds are likely to gain a foothold. Mow regularly with a sharp rotary or reel mower, allowing clippings from frequent mowing to remain of the lawn. Never remove more than 1/3 of the shoot growth at one mowing. A mild vertical cutting may be needed during the warmer months on a vigorous turf that has received high nitrogen fertilization.
SOIL & FERTILIZER NEEDS:
Grows on a wide range of soils, but prefers neutral to alkaline soils - has excellent saline salt tolerance. Fertilize twice a year, spring and fall, with a complete fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, may also apply 2 to 3 summer applications of nitrogen fertilizer, using 1 lb. nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. Apply nitrogen at 2 to 6 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. per year. Too high a rate of nitrogen fertilization can increase thatch build-up, encourage chinch bugs and brown patch damage.
DISEASE, WEED & INSECT CONTROL:
A well-maintained turf will provide the best weed control. Some varieties are resistant or tolerant of chinch bugs and to the St. Augustine decline (SAD) virus. Most fungal diseases of St. Augustinegrass can be controlled with fungicides.
All information is based on average/normal conditions; individual sites and situations may differ. Therefore, contact your local nurseryman or county Extension Office if more detailed information is needed on specific maintenance questions.
TIFWAY 419 BERMUDA TURFGRASS SPECIFICATIONS
An improved hybrid
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Tifway 419 is an improved hybrid bermuda developed from the famed
RECOMMENDED USES: Tifway 419 is recommended for full sun turf grass areas with high traffic and heavy use conditions. It is best utilized on well maintained athletic fields and golf fairways and tees.
COMPOSITION: Tifway 419 is grown from high quality stolons which are propagated in a controlled cultural environment. This results in a healthy sod which is virtually free of weeds, harmful turf insects, and disease.
TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE: When properly maintained, Tifway 419 is both heat and drought tolerant and can withstand temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit
WEAR RESISTANCE: Tifway 419 is the most wear tolerant of the hybrid Bermudas and recovers quickly from damage during the growing season.
SHADE TOLERANCE: Tifway 419 prefers a full sun location with little or no shade.
COLOR: Tifway 419 exhibits a dark green color during the growing season.
SALT TOLERANCE: Tifway 419 has very good tolerance to saline soil and water conditions found in both coastal and desert areas.
THATCH: All hybrid Bermudas develop thatch over a period of time. Maintenance practices that include a regular mowing schedule during the growing season, a low to moderate fertilization program, and an annual verticutting will help keep thatch under control,
ESTABLISHMENT & MAINTENANCE
WATERING: To avoid drying out and enable the new sod to root down, newly planted Tifway 419 should be watered daily and kept wet during the first 7-10 days. Once the new sod has rooted into the soil, watering frequency should be reduced. Due to varying soil and climate conditions, it is difficult to recommend a definite watering schedule. However, a deep soaking every 5-7 days is generally adequate during the growing season. Desert environments may require more frequent deep watering.
MOWING: Tifway 419 should be mowed at least weekly during the growing season with a reel mower. Clippings are best removed. It should be mowed to a height of 1/2 to 3/4 inches. Avoid scalping.
WEED, INSECT AND DISEASE CONTROL: Tifway 419 is virtually free of weeds, insects, and disease when it is delivered. However, in some installations, weed and insect problems may occur from close proximity to neighboring lawns having these problems. Various cultural practices may be used to reduce these problems; however, should chemical controls be required, they should be used in accordance with the written instructions provided by the manufacturer.
ZOYSIAGRASS TURF SPECIFICATIONS
CHARACTERISTICS:
Warm-season grass - leaf texture from fine to medium coarse - color ranges from light to medium green - forms a dense, low maintenance lawn - spreads by stolons and rhizomes - shoot growth rate is slow - easy to maintain.
RECOMMENDED USAGE:
Hot, humid and tropical climates - can withstand very heavy usage - recommended for residential and commercial lawn sites.
TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE:
Tolerates heat exceptionally well up to 100(F, - subject to winter dormancy as it turns tan to brown at temperatures below 55(F, Zoysia japonica has fair cold hardiness, the best of the zoysias, but still ranks lower than cool-season turfgrasses.
DROUGHT RESISTANCE:
Moderate to good - remains green and resists short periods of drought - takes heat as well or better than any other grass. Can go into summer dormancy when irrigation is withheld; upon return of moisture supply, will green up again. Some varieties have better tolerance to heat and drought.
SHADE ADAPTATION:
Good - slow growing in partial shade, but much better than some warm-season grasses.
WEAR RESISTANCE:
ZOYSIAGRASS MAINTENANCE
Taking good care of your lawn often requires no more work overall than taking poor care of it. A lawn that is properly mowed, fertilized and watered has far fewer problems with weeds, diseases and insects. A well kept lawn also remains dense and attractive, providing you much more enjoyment and environmental benefits.
WATER NEEDS:
Low to medium - apply at least 1 inch of water as a deep soaking every, 4 to 7 days to encourage a deep, healthy root system during dry or hot periods. Avoid frequent, shallow watering that results in shallow roots, permitting weed germination and growth.
MOWING & THATCHING:
Optimum mowing height 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches for a high quality lawn, slow growth rate reduces mowing frequency. Mow regularly with a sharp rotary or reel mower, allowing clippings from frequent mowing to remain on the lawn. Never remove more than 1/3 of the shoot growth at one mowing. Periodic vertical cutting may be needed to control thatch accumulation if high nitrogen level is applied.
DISEASE, WEED & INSECT CONTROL:
Some varieties have good resistance to diseases such as rust and leafspot, and to billbugs. The dense turf produced by zoysiagrass prevents most weeds from appearing.
All information is based on average/normal conditions; individual sites and situations may differ. Therefore, contact your local nurseryman or
