On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 18:27:07 GMT, "Tyler Hopper" opined:
"Ralf G. Toennies" wrote in message
...
Yes, it is not nearly as lush as others even where we have good sun. In the
shade it is pathetic. We have neighbors that have grass in the shade that is
as healthy as ours is in the sun
Ralph, I lived in Houston for a long time and had several St. Aug. lawns. The
best thing I ever did for them was to dethatch it. Poke around and see if you
have a heavy layer of thatch.
If so you can rent a dethatcher or power rake. You will be absolutely amazed at
how much dead grass clipping will come up. Have a good leaf rake handy. ;-)
Also, don't buy one of those lawn mower blades advertised as a dethatcher.
Generally they will just have tines on the end and will rip up the sod.
Tyler
P.S. - Dethatching is typically done in cool weather. If you also want to top
dress afterwards go see the folks at Teas Nursery over in Bellaire. They sell
some excellent mixes.
Thatch is not grass clippings. It is an occurrence caused by poor watering
practices. Watering deeply is how to maintain a beautiful St. Augustine lawn.
I don't waste water, so I simply bought a four nipple hose connector. I
connected four soaker hoses, 75 feet long, to the connector. I run them one at
a time, using a timer for each. With my water pressure, 45 minutes will soak
the soil to a depth of 8 inches, which is ideal for St. Augustine. I do this
once every ten days all summer and I have the greenest grass on the block, in
full and deep shade. I live in Austin. I fertilize once a year and I use
LadyBug Brand, which should be available in Houston. If you can't find that,
use Sustane, which can be found at good garden centers. It has, I believe, an
8-2-4 ratio of N-P-K and it's certified organic. Organic fertilizers not only
have NPK, they also have trace minerals, as well as molasses and other organic
matter which feeds the soil organisms. That's how you prevent thatch, which is
an overgrowth of the roots, at the surface, when you don't water deeply enough.
Victoria
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