Ornamental Grasses
Mowing Two Different Lawns
Q: I have bermuda in the front yard and Geo zoysia in the backyard. Is there any issue mowing both and risking cross-contamination with their seed? A: If the front yard is common seed-producing bermudagrass, not a hybrid sodded bermuda,...
At What Night Time Temperature Does Tif Tuf Roots Continue To Grow?
Q: At what night time temperature does Tif Tuf roots continue to grow? A: Bermuda grass roots grow slowly at a soil temperature of 65° and shut down at a soil temperature of 60°. The optimum soil temperature for growth...
Dwarf Mondo Not Spreading
Q: I planted dwarf mondo grass but it doesn’t want to spread. Any suggestions? A: As long as it is in moderate shade and not in a soggy spot, mondo grass should spread readily. Perhaps yours needs nutrients. I suggest...
How To Start A Zoysia Lawn?
Q: I want to convert my lawn from a weedy bermuda and centipede mix to zoysia. I want to use zoysia plugs to start the lawn. Would it be advisable to intermix fescue to provide a ground cover for the...
When To Cut Back Grasses That Get A Few Inches High?
Q: Should grasses that only get a few inches high, like blue fescue and carex, be cut back before new spring growth? Would now be a good time? A: Unlike big grasses, such as pampas grass and maiden grass, the...
Will My Mondo Grass Take Over My Fescue Grass?
Q: I have fescue grass with some mondo grass mixed in. Will mondo grass eventually take over the fescue? A: The amount of light the area gets would determine which plant would win. In moderate to deep shade it is...
Where To Buy Mascarene Grass
Q: Where can I buy Mascarene grass (Zoysia tenuifolia)? I plan to create a Zen garden in my back yard with ferns, mosses and this beautiful grass. A: I saw it growing near Ernest Hemingway’s Finca Vigia in Cuba. I...
TifTuf Bermuda Vs Zenith Zoysia
Q: My lawn gets 4-5 hours of sunlight. I’m trying to decide between TifTuf bermuda and Zenith zoysia. Which is more shade tolerant? A: Both grasses are “somewhat“ shade tolerant. There are a lot of additional factors that will determine...
Mixing Sunflower Seed Husks Into Soil
Q: There are piles of sunflower seed husks under our bird feeder. Is there any nutritional value to mixing them in soil as a conditioner? A: The seed husks contain minimal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium but would be...
Difference Between TifTuf And 419 Bermuda
Q: What is the real difference between TifTuf and 419 bermuda? A: After World War II, my mother bought a 1948 Allis Chalmers Model G tractor, which she allowed my father to borrow on occasion. Despite having no hydraulic lift,...
Liriope Taking Over My Mondo Grass
Q: I’ve noticed that liriope has taken over almost half of my nice carpet of mondo grass. Any tips for getting rid of the liriope without harming the mondo grass? A: These two plants happily coexist with each other in...
Fescue Died In Winter
Q: I had a beautiful fescue lawn all winter and spring. In mid summer all the grass died. I don’t know what to do to prevent this from happening again. A: It is not unusual for fescue lawns to undergo...
Brown Stems When I Mow My Bermuda Lawn
Q: I have a bermuda lawn that I keep mowed at three inches high every seven days. I want to cut it shorter but when I do all I see is brown stems. My wife wants me to just cut...
Difference Between Zeon And Geo Zoysia
Q: I’ve been told Zeon zoysia and Geo zoysia are the same grass. Do you know if this is true? A: Both grasses are patented. They are therefore genetically and physically different. Geo zoysia can only be planted with sprigs...
Bermuda Lawn: Overseeding With Ryegrass
Q: I read somewhere you should not overseed with ryegrass in the first couple years of a new bermuda yard. Is this accurate? A: Overseeding bermudagrass with ryegrass is problematic because it stresses the bermudagrass while it is dormant. It...
Can I Plant Bermuda Grass Now
Q: Can I plant bermuda grass seed now? A: No. There is not enough time for the seeds to sprout and mature before cold weather sets in. You can plant sod now as long as you keep it from drying...
Is It Too Late To Fertilize Zoysia
Q: My lawn service put pre-emergent and fertilizer on my lawn on Sept 6. I think this was too late to fertilize zoysia. Am I wrong? A: It depends on what strength fertilizer was put down. It is possible to...
Should I Aerate On My Own
Q: I want to aerate my fescue before fall overseeding. Do you have tips on doing it myself vs hiring a lawn service? A: Generally speaking, homeowners can accomplish better aeration of their lawns than you’ll get from a commercial...
