The Grass Doctor

Lawn Care - Centepede Grass?

I live in Pensacola, FL, and fall, or whatever they call it here, is coming and I have 2 problems with my Centepede lawn. 1.) Too many weeds, 2.) dead spots from our early summer drought. A.) What is the best way to repair the dead spots? B.) What will work best to kill the weeds (a weed & feed or just a weed killer)? Give me a recommended product name also please. C.) Which should I do first? D.) When should I be doing each? Rp

Public Comments

1. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=LawnGarden/Turf_grass/Centipede.html
2. The Lowes site recommended above is a good one. It is created by Spectrum Brands who also have a website. They make Sta Green Fertilizer and weed and feed specifically for Centepede (Southern) Lawns. Check it out at Lowes. I'd also recommend using the SPectracide Weed Stop 2X to get rid of any weeds that the weed and feed do not. Just read the directions about how much 2-4D you can use in a southern lawn before taking an effect on Centepede Grass.
3. Great Question! The Florida Panhandle is a wonderful place to live. In this area there are several things that can cause the dead spots. Centipede grass is susceptible to Mole Crickets, the little buggers kill the grass by chewing on the grass roots. The best way to rid your lawn of them is to wet the lawn well and then apply a soapy water to the areas around where they apparently have been at work. Use about 1 cup of dish washing liquid to a gallon of water nixed in a large bucket. You may want to supplement the soapy mixture with the following insecticide. Treating With 75% Acephate for Mole Crickets, Spittlebugs, Chinch Bugs This is a systemic insecticide that must be applied 48 hours before rainfall or irrigation. Before treating with Acephate the ground should be very wet. Wetting the lawn with a mild soap solution works even better. This pulls the mole crickets and chinch bugs up to the top of the thatch and insures a good kill after spraying. Apply Acephate with a hose end sprayer, making applications early or late in the day. When treating for spittlebugs, pre-dawn applications will give a thorough kill. A one pound container of Acephate will cover 8,000 to 12,000 square feet. Three applications are needed each year. Spot applications may have to be made in between these main applications. To monitor mole cricket activity pour a solution of lemon scented dish detergent on suspected areas of turf. If mole crickets are there they will emerge within a few minutes. Acephate is $19.50 for a 1 pound container that treats up to 12,000 square feet. The best weed killer should be applied after fall sets in. (Temperatures below 60 degrees F at night) Drive out or call Floral Tree Gardens on West Nine Mile Rd. and ask their recommendation for the weed control product. The most effective weed control thing you can do is mow with a SHARP blade and bag all the clippings and Weed Seed. Fertilizer should be applied to encourage root growth by applying a high phosphorous content fertilizer during the fall. Remember the first number is Nitrogen, the second number is phosphorus/phosphate and the third number is potash. Your first step should be to mow the lawn and thoroughly clean away any clippings. Next you should water the lawn to get the ground wet so that any application of insecticide will work at the maximum. Wait until the weather cools before applying any Fall weed control. This is important to avoid damaging the grass.