Weekly Garden Tip

November 19, 2006

By Gene Joyner, Extension Agent
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service

Cooler weather is enticing us to do more outside activities now including working in the lawn. During the summer months when we’re getting plenty of rainfall many people did little else but mow the lawn once a week or have someone else mow it for them. Now though that we’re having a little bit drier conditions, you might notice some other things showing up that require attention.

Cool season weeds are making their appearance now and it’s still not too late to put out weed control products if weeds are becoming more prevalent than your good grass. Also this is the time of year many people put in ryegrass for a temporary winter lawn and ryegrass will grow well from now until mid April when it burns up from the heat.

You can buy ryegrass seed at local garden centers and apply it at the rate of 10 to 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn area. Ryegrass germinates in about 3 or 4 days and gives the lawn a rich dark green color throughout the winter season. Ryegrass also is very shade tolerant so it will grow well beneath large trees or the sides of buildings in the shadows where regular grass just doesn’t do well.

Check also this time of year for below ground pests eating root systems. Mole crickets and grubs can be a major threat to lawns during the course of the year, but especially in the fall and winter when they are reaching large adult sizes. There are products available at local garden centers if you wish to treat yourself, but many people prefer to let lawn pest control companies do the job for them.

If you’re wanting to resod or reseed lawns, now is a good time to do that as well and area sod dealers have good inventories of high quality material. Remember new sod must be watered daily for the first week or two until it begins to get rooted down.

If you’re putting out grass seed such as bahia, irrigate lightly once a day for a few minutes to insure that the soil stays moist until the seed begins to germinate and then you can gradually back off watering.

If you have questions about lawn care this time of year or at any time, you can call the experts at the Palm Beach County Extension Service. Dial 233-1750 in the north and central county area or 276-1260 in the south county area.

In addition to free advice the Extension office has a number of publications on lawn care which are free and can be picked up at their offices.