I am in South Florida. A few questions:

1) What fertilizer should I be using depending on the time of the year?

2) I continuously get weeds back after I treat. They stay away for about 4 months. Is it possible the company that is cutting my lawn is dropping "seeds" from his lawn mower onto my lawn?

Yes to #2. Contamination is a big problem with lawn service people, but not much you can do about it. I can't answer #1 for lawn care,I am in Ontario, but if you are asking about ornamental grasses, I have found nothing works better then any fertilizer on them. When I fertilized my ornamental grasses, and I have several varieties, I found they didn't do so well the next year.

Tick

I have St Augustine grass. It is considered a weed up north. I have used a variety of Lawn fertilizers 15-0-15, 16-0-8, 24-5-11, 15-5-15 is what I can think of right now. The question is which one to use depending on if it is spring, summer, winter or fall?

Thanks

Hi! emacon,

I am in South Florida. A few questions:

1) What fertilizer should I be using depending on the time of the year?
I have St Augustine grass. It is considered a weed up north. I have used a variety of Lawn fertilizers 15-0-15, 16-0-8, 24-5-11, 15-5-15 is what I can think of right now. The question is which one to use depending on if it is spring, summer, winter or fall?

Thanks To answer #1:
When Should I Fertilize My Lawn? - All About Lawns (http://www.allaboutlawns.com/lawn-maintenance-care/fertilizing/when-should-i-fertilize-my-lawn.php)
There are tables near the bottom.

It should also answer your second post.
If your buying your fert from a nursery or big box store, they are usually calculated for strength, and seasonally timed for your area. So you really don't need to get a skull pain over worrying, what to buy, and when.

The main concern is not to do it during the dormant part of your growing season. Because of your clime (South Florida), your grasses have a short, if non-existent dormancy.
For St Augustine in your area, it's best to concentrate a larger amount of nitrogen to be applied during the early-late spring applications and a lesser amount in the fall.

How's the thatch, are you having any problems with it?
If you are, then fert won't help until you get it under control.

Click on St Augustine :
Florida Turf (http://floridaturf.com/index.html)

This one shows St. Aug problems:
St. Augustine Grass Disease Index (http://165.91.154.132/Texlab/Lawns/sagtop.html)


2) I continuously get weeds back after I treat. They stay away for about 4 months. Is it possible the company that is cutting my lawn is dropping "seeds" from his lawn mower onto my lawn?

Yes to #2. Contamination is a big problem with lawn service people, but not much you can do about it.

tickI agree with tick. 'bout the only thing you could do would be to ask your lawn maintenance co. to wash their equipment down before they come onto your property.

A little inconvenient, but reasonable. It's analogous to a Doctor coming in to see you after he/she has seen a previous patient, and not washing their hands... Kids playing in the schoolyard, and spreadin' the flu :eek:

Don't be surprised to see an increase in the bill for their service. And if you are usually at home when they arrive, inspect the equipment, if it isn't wet don't allow them to cut.

If they won't agree to your terms, then find another service that will.

Additional input:
When they wash their equipment, It would be best to do it at a mechanical "car wash"... Their equipment would be designed to filter out contaminates. ;)

I think I started another "cottage industry"! :cool:


K