Establishing Florida lawns, water wisely and hold the fertilizer
By B.J. Jarvis
Director and Horticulture Agent, Pasco Extension
Floridians are replacing their turf in record numbers after this winter’s brutal weather. St. Augustine grasses in particular experienced problems, so it is no surprise that residents are replacing.
Replacing all or part of a lawn can be an expensive undertaking, so it is important to take steps to properly establish the sod. Unfortunately, well-meaning but ill-informed contractors have given out some questionable instructions.
The most misunderstood concept in establishing turf is when and how much to water. For example, one resident asked if they should water twice per day for one hour each time for a 60-day establishment period. Wow that is far too much! Over-watering does not help new sod. It wastes time, money and our precious water resources.
In new sod, there aren’t any deep roots yet, so limit water application to wetting just a bit below the root zone. When freshly laid and roots are no more than 2 inches, light watering is all that is needed. Extra water will be wasted running off or leaching into the ground, saving money and time.
As roots expand into the soil, decrease frequency and increase watering depth. Follow the rule of three’s. For the first 10 days, water every night or early morning. During the second 10-day period, water every other night. Then in the third 10-day period, water every third night. This will allow the plants to establish deep roots while adapting to the once-per-week watering restrictions.
Turf should be established in about 30 days at this time of year. If decent sod was installed, which is a topic for a different discussion, then the turf should have developed a solid root system and be able to survive within the watering restrictions.
Once established, irrigation systems should be set to apply ½ to ¾-inch application. This wets soil between nine and 12 inches deep.
The second most common question about new sod is about fertilizing when sod is freshly laid. A recent University of Florida study showed fertilizing newly installed sod did little to help the grass. In fact, an adverse consequence is nutrients are much more likely to pass through the soil potentially entering and fouling our water bodies and the aquifer.
During the first 30 days on the ground, sod has limited ability to absorb nutrients. In addition, commercial sod growers typically produce well-fed sod at the farm.
Finally, applying fertilizer before laying sod is also not a good idea for the same reasons. Adding compost or other organic material to sandy soil is one step that can be helpful to improve the soil structure. New sod failures are not expected from nutritional deficiencies.
To ensure good plant health, water new turf sod properly and hold off on the fertilizer. You’ll save money, water, and time! More information about establishing a new lawn can be found at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH01300.
-B.J. Jarvis is Horticulture Agent and Director of Pasco Cooperative Extension Service, a part of the University of Florida and Pasco County government. She can be reached at .
