HOME LAWN HEADACHES

St. Augustine turfgrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum is the preferred lawn turf species throughout much of Florida and the Gulf Coast. St. Augustine is well adapted to the humid, coastal areas. During the mild winter temperatures, it retains a vibrant green color long after other warm season turf discolors due to reduced sunlight and cold temperatures. Moderate shade tolerance allows it to do well on home lawns where other warm season turfgrasses struggle. The recent moist conditions throughout much of South Florida demonstrate the importance of avoiding excessive nitrogen and lush growth this time of the year. Large Patch and Leaf Spot are devastating many St. Augustine lawns that have been over fertilized or suffer from excessive moisture.

DYED SANDS, Helping or Hurting?

The wide-scale use of dyed topdressing sands is a relatively new thing in golf course maintenance. During a recent site visit, examination of a ten year old Tif-Eagle green’s soil profile revealed an interesting observation. Roots were confined to the upper 0.50- 0.75 inches and there was evidence of three distinct black layers in 0.50 inch increments in the profile. However the soil smelled fresh, void of the tell-tale signs of anaerobic decay (Black Layer). Further examination revealed distinct layers of what appeared to be black sand topdressing. These layers easily fractured along the horizontal dyed sand veins. To my knowledge there is no research that definitively addresses the long term effects that seasonal topdressing with dyed sands has on soil chemistry. However the presence of distinct layers along these sand lines is enough evidence to suggest that the aesthetic appeal and minor growth response superintendents achieve from colored sands are not worth the potential long term risks associated with layering.