Should you fertilize your grass now?

Are you wondering if you should be fertilizing your warm season grasses now?

Listen to R.J. Byrne, University of Georgia Thomas County Ag Extension Agent, as he discusses this in the video below.



Specific information can be found at these links.
- Centipede Calendar -
- St. Augustine Calendar -
- Bermuda Calendar -
- Zoysiagrass Calendar -

For more information, visit our Agriculture page -

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Slime Mold in the yard?

I have seen and had calls on slime mold in lawns this week. With the high humidity we have had this week it has helped create a good environment to host this. Slime mold will show up in patches on your turfgrass and look like black spots in the yard. They are pin-head sized fruiting bodies on the blades of grass and usually in a irregular circle. It will not kill your grass but rather weaken the health.

Symptoms:
Large numbers of pinhead-sized fruiting bodies may suddenly appear on grass blades and stems in circular to irregular patches 1-30 inches in diameter. Affected patches of grass do not normally die or turn yellow and signs of the fungi usually disappear within 1 to 2 weeks. These fungi normally reproduce in the same location each year. The fungi are not parasitic, but they may shade the individual grass leaves to the extent that leaves may be weakened by inefficient photosynthesis.

Conditions Favoring Disease:
Slime molds are favored by cool temperatures and continuous high humidity. An abundance of thatch favors slime molds by providing food directly in the form of organic matter.

Management Tips:
# Remove slime mold by mowing.
# Remove using gardening tool or high pressure stream of water.

For more info visit University of Georgia Thomas County Extension Office or our website.
-R.J.

TURFGRASS FERTILIZATION TIME? NOT NECESSARILY

Hey, I wanted to pass on this great article Paul wrote on fertilizing your yards. It is very informative and will help you make better decisions in the landscape. You can also find a month by month to-do turf calendar at our website: http://www.ugaextension.com/thomas/anr/index.html

By Paul Pugliese, Bartow County Agriculture Extension Agent

March is usually the time of year that local garden centers begin major advertising campaigns to sell lawn fertilizers. But depending on the type of grass you have, it may be too early to start fertilizing your lawn. In general, the best time to fertilize a lawn is when it is actively growing.

Fescue should be fed in the fall

Fescue lawns and other cool-season grasses that don't go dormant should be fertilized in the fall (October) and spring (March). Most other lawns, including bermudagrass, zoysia, centipede and other warm-season grasses that go dormant in winter, should not be fertilized until late spring through mid-summer (May to August). Fertilizing now would be a waste of time and money.

Why shouldn't you fertilize warm-season grasses when they are dormant? First, when grasses are dormant, their roots are not able to absorb or use the nutrients from fertilizers. By the time the grass does begin actively growing, most of the nitrogen you applied will have been lost from the soil.

Don't feed the weeds

Also, fertilizing while the grass is dormant actually encourages more winter weeds, because you are fertilizing the weeds instead of the lawn. Without competition from the lawn, these weeds will grow faster and become more prolific as a result of dormant fertilizer applications.

Lastly, fertilizing lawns during their transition into dormancy in the fall or out of dormancy in the spring may encourage lawn growth that is more likely to be injured from winter kill. Bare spots and thinning of the lawn as well as delay in spring green-up may occur when lawns are forced to grow when they should be dormant.

Combo products not the answer

So, should you apply convenient "weed and feed" products that combine a pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer in one application? Unfortunately, the ideal time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide actually contradicts the ideal time to apply fertilizer for warm-season lawns. These products are intended for fescue and other cool-season grasses. In north Georgia, the recommended application window is Sept. 1-15 and March 1-20 to maximize the effectiveness of pre-emergent herbicides.

The application timing for these products is critical since they must be applied before annual weeds germinate in spring and fall. It's always better to apply pre-emergent herbicides a little earlier rather than too late. And don't forget to activate them by watering them into the lawn.

For bermudagrass and other warm-season grasses, buy fertilizer that is separate from the pre-emergent herbicide. Apply each at their recommended times.

Start with a soil test

A soil test is always a good starting point before investing in fertilizer or lime. Your local University of Georgia County Extension office [Thomas County - 229.225.4130] can test your soil and provide an exact pH and nutrient analysis with recommendations on how much fertilizer and lime to apply, if any is needed. Contact your local Extension office by calling 1-800-ASK- UGA1. A soil test kit can also be ordered online at www.soiltest123.com

Cost Estimating and Job Bidding Workshops for Landscape Professionals, March 12-13, 2009 at UGA, Athens

In today’s tough economic climate, accurate cost estimating and bidding on landscape projects are more important than ever. Bid too low and you lose money. Bid too high and you lose jobs to competitors.

On March 12 and 13, 2009 faculty in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Science will once again offer hands-on bidding workshops for landscape professionals. The workshops will be held in a computer lab on the UGA campus.

Participants will learn how to use Excel-based cost-estimating and bidding spreadsheets developed by UGA faculty. Day 1 will focus on installation cost estimating, while day 2 will concentrate on landscape maintenance cost estimating and job bidding. Participants may choose to attend one day or both days.

Registration includes hand-outs, refreshments, lunch each day, and take-home copies of the computer programs. Registration is limited to 40 participants each day, so early registration is encouraged.

For additional information and to register, go to http://www.hort.uga.edu/extension/programs/CEJBW/index.html or phone 706/542-2861.

2009 Green Up - Landscaper Update Workshop

2009 Green Up landscape update and trade show planned for Feb. 24 in Perry, GA.

Who could benefit from attending Green Up?

Landscapers and turf managers.
Golf course superintendants.
Grounds maintenance workers and managers.
Others that maintain landscapes and turf.

Why should I attend?

Up-to-date training from university & industry speakers.
Four educational tracks – turf, color & design, landscapes and water issues.
Pesticide applicator re-certification credits in Georgia category 24 & private.
Trade show and interaction with others in the industry.

How can I attend?

The early registration fee is only $35 increasing to $45 after Feb. 10.
See a schedule and registration information at http://tinyurl.com/houstonanr.
For more information contact the Georgia Green Industry Association (GGIA) at (706) 632-0100 or Green Up organizer Willie Chance, Houston County Extension Agent - (478) 987-2028 or wchance@uga.edu.