Early this spring, I put down new sod. The grass looked incredibly
healthy for several months. But now, although it's still very thick,
the grass is starting to look yellowish. It's not underwatering, as I
know the gray-green tinge underwatering causes. I have not
fertililized the lawn since I laid it down (except for the starter
fertilizer). I cut the grass high at the mower's highest setting, and
use a mulching blade. (The mulched clippings are fine enough not to
be visible on the lawn.) I deep soak the lawn three times a week. I
feel like I'm doing everything "right" but still, it's looking
yellowish. Any suggestions?

Forgot to add that I'm in Zone 9 where temps have been lingering in
the mid-90's with little or no humidity.

-Fleemo

In article . com,
wrote:

Early this spring, I put down new sod. The grass looked incredibly
healthy for several months. But now, although it's still very thick,
the grass is starting to look yellowish. It's not underwatering, as I
know the gray-green tinge underwatering causes. I have not
fertililized the lawn since I laid it down (except for the starter
fertilizer). I cut the grass high at the mower's highest setting, and
use a mulching blade. (The mulched clippings are fine enough not to
be visible on the lawn.) I deep soak the lawn three times a week. I
feel like I'm doing everything "right" but still, it's looking
yellowish. Any suggestions?

You might try letting it dry out a little between waterings. Give the
grass motivation to root deeper.

On Jul 28, 9:40?pm, Amos Nomore wrote:
In article . com,

wrote:
Early this spring, I put down new sod. The grass looked incredibly
healthy for several months. But now, although it's still very thick,
the grass is starting to look yellowish. It's not underwatering, as I
know the gray-green tinge underwatering causes. I have not
fertililized the lawn since I laid it down (except for the starter
fertilizer). I cut the grass high at the mower's highest setting, and
use a mulching blade. (The mulched clippings are fine enough not to
be visible on the lawn.) I deep soak the lawn three times a week. I
feel like I'm doing everything "right" but still, it's looking
yellowish. Any suggestions?

You might try letting it dry out a little between waterings. Give the
grass motivation to root deeper.

Sod never really roots. Sod is extra susceptible to every lawn
malady. Sod is like hydroponic lawn. If sod is not greening up it
probably needs nitrogen. It's not possible to sucessfully grow sod
withoiut an automated sprinkler system. Sod requires daily watering
and constant [time release] fertilizing and pesticides. Sod is for
those who have no patience and have more dollars than brain cells.
Sod can't compete with a seeded lawn.

In article .com,
Sheldon wrote:

Sod never really roots. Sod is extra susceptible to every lawn
malady. Sod is like hydroponic lawn. If sod is not greening up it
probably needs nitrogen. It's not possible to sucessfully grow sod
withoiut an automated sprinkler system. Sod requires daily watering
and constant [time release] fertilizing and pesticides. Sod is for
those who have no patience and have more dollars than brain cells.
Sod can't compete with a seeded lawn.

Balderdash.

In article ,
Amos Nomore wrote:

In article .com,
Sheldon wrote:

Sod never really roots. Sod is extra susceptible to every lawn
malady. Sod is like hydroponic lawn. If sod is not greening up it
probably needs nitrogen. It's not possible to sucessfully grow sod
withoiut an automated sprinkler system. Sod requires daily watering
and constant [time release] fertilizing and pesticides. Sod is for
those who have no patience and have more dollars than brain cells.
Sod can't compete with a seeded lawn.

Balderdash.

Yes, of course but the really amazing thing to me is that Sheldon always
goes after the poster of a question with hammer and tongs. Posing as
superior is more important to Sheldon than answering the question in a
civilized manner. Which leads most to conclude that Sheldon is an anal
sphincter with keyboard skills.
--
FB - FFF

Billy
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/

wrote in message
ups.com...
Early this spring, I put down new sod. The grass looked incredibly
healthy for several months. But now, although it's still very thick,
the grass is starting to look yellowish. It's not underwatering, as I
know the gray-green tinge underwatering causes. I have not
fertililized the lawn since I laid it down (except for the starter
fertilizer). I cut the grass high at the mower's highest setting, and
use a mulching blade. (The mulched clippings are fine enough not to
be visible on the lawn.) I deep soak the lawn three times a week. I
feel like I'm doing everything "right" but still, it's looking
yellowish. Any suggestions?


You've probably washed all the nitrogen away with all that water. Fertilize it,
and cut the watering back to not much more than once a week. You want to
encourage the roots to grow down looking for sustanence, not get everything it
wants right at the surface, where it dries out too quickly.

Bob

In article ,
"Bob F" wrote:

wrote in message
ups.com...
Early this spring, I put down new sod. The grass looked incredibly
healthy for several months. But now, although it's still very thick,
the grass is starting to look yellowish. It's not underwatering, as I
know the gray-green tinge underwatering causes. I have not
fertililized the lawn since I laid it down (except for the starter
fertilizer). I cut the grass high at the mower's highest setting, and
use a mulching blade. (The mulched clippings are fine enough not to
be visible on the lawn.) I deep soak the lawn three times a week. I
feel like I'm doing everything "right" but still, it's looking
yellowish. Any suggestions?


You've probably washed all the nitrogen away with all that water. Fertilize
it,
and cut the watering back to not much more than once a week. You want to
encourage the roots to grow down looking for sustanence, not get everything
it
wants right at the surface, where it dries out too quickly.

Bob

We used to grow annual rye for a few years then seeded perennial.
Sod is quick I know I had to help a friend get it down before it self
destructed due to heat buildup. Speak of composing without trying.

My question is what does your sod sit on ?

You want to
encourage the roots to grow down looking for sustanence

Seems like great advice!

Bill

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

Early this spring, I put down new sod. The grass looked incredibly
healthy for several months. But now, although it's still very thick,
the grass is starting to look yellowish. It's not underwatering, as I
know the gray-green tinge underwatering causes.


Just for grins, try three things:
1) Get down and look at the cut blades closely. Are the tips torn-looking
or cut?

Sharp lawnmower blades leave a nice "cut" looking edge, while dull ones
look ragged. The ragged edge often gives a yellowish or brownish cast
to the lawn
http://www.floridagardener.com/misc/...nyourblade.htm

Also examine the grass blades for brown or yellow or reddish spots or
or pustules (a sign of fungal diseases)

2) Lift a piece of sod in the yellowest portion -- not a big piece, or very
deep... what you're looking for is to see if the roots are penetrating
the soil underneath, if the roots look healthy, and if you see
signs of insect activity. Also check to see if the native soil under
the sod is as damp as the sod. You can also check for excessive thatch
buildup (though I'd be surprised if you have much in this new a lawn).
At the same time you do this, collect some of the native soil underneath
the sod for soil analysis if you hadn't done that before sodding.
At a minimum, I'd like to see soil pH, P, K and Fe.

3) Apply some fertilizer to a small section; something with fairly
high ratios of N to P and K. Watch the area for fairly immediate
greening up. Be prepared to live with that spot a little greener
than the rest of the lawn for a year or three if you do this
---------

What species is/are in the lawn? What have the temperatures been like,
day and night?

What do the local golf course fairways look like?

My bets, without more information, are on bad mower blades, heat stress,
and pH.

You've probably washed all the nitrogen away with all that water. Fertilize it,
and cut the watering back to not much more than once a week.

Are you sure watering once a week would work in high-temperature Zone
9? We're hovering around 100 degrees most of the summer and I have to
hand-water dry spots frequently as it is. :/

My question is what does your sod sit on?

I had the soil rototilled and amended with copious amounts of compost
before planting. The native soil is a bit on the clay side, but not
terribly.

Kay, I'll check the condition of my grass blades when I get home
tonight. I use a mulching blade, which I had sharpened at the
beginning of the mowing season.

What species is/are in the lawn? What have the temperatures been like, day and night?

The lawn is a blue fescue mix. The daytime temps are in the upper
90's, low humidity, with nights in the lower 60s.

Thanks for the input.

-Fleemo

You've probably washed all the nitrogen away with all that water. Fertilize it,
and cut the watering back to not much more than once a week.

Are you sure watering once a week would work in high-temperature Zone
9? We're hovering around 100 degrees most of the summer and I have to
hand-water dry spots frequently as it is. :/

What species is/are in the lawn? What have the temperatures been
like, day and night?

The lawn is a blue fescue mix. The daytime temps are in the upper
90's, low humidity, with nights in the lower 60s.

If by "blue fescue mix" you mean a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and the
usual lawn fescues, you've probably got your answer right there. These are
cool season grasses and go dormant in heat -- you're probably seeing "leaf
firing". Continue to water, but do not overwater -- things will green
up again when fall comes.

If by "blue fescue mix" you mean you've got Festuca ovina var glauca,
it's also cool-season species, but one not suited for the typical
mowed lawn, as it's a clump-former, not a sod former.

Kay

These are cool season grasses and go dormant in heat -- you're probably seeing "leaf
firing". Continue to water, but do not overwater -- things will green
up again when fall comes.

Just what is "leaf firing," Kay?

Perhaps I'll try cutting back the watering to twice a week, watch the
lawn closely, and see if that helps at all.

Thanks.

-Fleemo

These are cool season grasses and go dormant in heat -- you're probably seeing "leaf
firing". Continue to water, but do not overwater -- things will green
up again when fall comes.

Just what is "leaf firing," Kay?

The leaf goes yellow, starting at the tip and working back to the base.
As opposed to the yellow streakiness you see if the grass is starved for N.

Perhaps I'll try cutting back the watering to twice a week, watch the
lawn closely, and see if that helps at all.

Do dig down in a spot and see how far your water is penetrating. There's
no point in only watering the top inch of soil when the lawn is established...
that actually will increase your chances of problems with the lawn. Instead,
a good, deep soaking once a week is better... in the upper midwestern summers,
we figured an average of 1" of water a week to keep a bluegrass/fescue lawn
going. Luckily, in the midwest, you usually get that inch in rainfall.

I cannot, in good conscience, put an inch of water on my lawn out here in
the arid west (I'm near Portland, OR), so I'm maintaining a bit of lawn near
the house (my DH is a traditionalist) and slowly working on converting the
rest to native plants, which do not need summer watering. The lawn near the
house, however, just gets enough to keep it barely alive in the summer...
nowhere near enough to keep it green.


Kay

Do dig down in a spot and see how far your water is penetrating. There's
no point in only watering the top inch of soil when the lawn is established...
that actually will increase your chances of problems with the lawn. Instead,
a good, deep soaking once a week is better... in the upper midwestern summers,
we figured an average of 1" of water a week to keep a bluegrass/fescue lawn
going. Luckily, in the midwest, you usually get that inch in rainfall.

I cannot, in good conscience, put an inch of water on my lawn out here in
the arid west (I'm near Portland, OR), so I'm maintaining a bit of lawn near
the house (my DH is a traditionalist) and slowly working on converting the
rest to native plants, which do not need summer watering. The lawn near the
house, however, just gets enough to keep it barely alive in the summer...
nowhere near enough to keep it green.

Kay

Kay
Fleemo is near Sacramento CA,
zone 9

In article om,
mleblanca wrote:

A moment of of contemplation for Emilie who will be experiencing 102 F
today. Stay cool.
--
FB - FFF

Billy
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/