EDITOR'S NOTE: A University of Florida faculty member and Nassau County Extension Horticultural Agent, Rebecca Jordi addresses some of the questions she receives about landscaping and gardening in northeast Florida, in GARDEN TALK.
________
QUESTION: I am
considering replacing my St. Augustine grass with zoysiagrass. What can you tell me about the general care
of this grass? CS
JORDI: I understand you are frustrated with your St. Augustine grass but there are advantages and disadvantages to all warm season grasses grown in our area. However, if you plan to replace the whole lawn with zoysiagrass it is important to have good information to ensure you make the best selection.
Zoysiagrass came to us from Asia and is often used on golf courses or sports fields. However, more varieties have been developed for the home landscape.
Zoysiagrass can
tolerate a wide range of soils and it has good shade, salt and traffic tolerance. It is slow growing so it does not need to be
mowed often. Home lawns should be kept
at heights of about 2-3 inches.
The
blade or leaf of the grass is generally much finer than St. Augustinegrass
varieties. Right about now you are
thinking it sounds like the perfect grass but there are some disadvantages. One
such disadvantage is the slow rate at which it fills in an area. This means if disease or insects destroy a
patch, it may take a season or two for Zoysiagrass to completely replenish the
damaged spot.
Zoysiagrass also has a tendency to develop thatch, which will require removal every few years. Many varieties have high nitrogen and water requirements and therefore high maintenance needs. Some varieties are prone to nematode and disease damage. Nematodes, which are microscopic worms, are common in our sandy soils. For a complete explanation of each of the zoysiagrass cultivars check out the University of Florida publication titled, “Zoysiagrass in Florida”: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/LH/LH01100.pdf
QUESTION: I sometimes hear about different grasses needing either a reel mower or a rotary mower. What are they talking about? CJ
JORDI: Rotary mowers are they typical homeowner
mowers that make horizontal cuts to the grass.
Rotary mowers operate using electricity or gas. Reel mowers are the old fashioned mowers our
grandparents grew up using. Reel mowers
make vertical cuts. These mowers can be
powered by gas or electricity but our grandparents used their physical strength
and pushed the mowers.
You can see how that might not be very popular now but it is interesting that some of the push mowers are making a come back. The reason we may be seeing a resurgence of the reel mower is probably because of green industry trends. More and more people are becoming interested in doing their part to protect the environment. Reel mowers use no fossil fuel, therefore, they do not pollute the air. They provide a good source of exercise. What else could get our heart racing better than pushing around a mower at least once a week in the summer? In addition, they are easy to maintain. The blades would need to be cleaned after each use and sharpened at least once during the growing season.
QUESTION: In past years I have just mowed these down pretty purple flowers. This year I have a small group of them in my yard and they are rather attractive. What is it and can it be transplanted into a group? It would be very inexpensive landscaping. PB
JORDI: This spring I have received dozens of calls on
this plant. It is interesting how some
years the wildflowers are extremely showy and attract a great deal of
attention.
I believe your plant is probably the Common spiderwort, Tradescantia
ohiensis. This plant is considered a wildflower by many people but it can be
classified as a weed if located in the lawn.
Common spiderwort is a perennial, which means it returns from season to
season. It may die back during cold
weather but returns during the warm spring temperatures. It is easily grown in well-drained, acid, sandy soil.
Common spiderwort prefers full sun to part shade. It is very tolerant of part shade but it may produce fewer blooms under these conditions. These plants can be transferred from one site to another. They are propagated by division, similar to dividing lilies, and can be easily grown in groups. The stems may grow over 2 feet tall, but they should be cut back to 6-12" in mid-summer to encourage new growth and a possible fall bloom.
________
Rebecca Jordi
|
_______