Anyone actually seen or used this, or have any experience with it? I like the improved disease resistance, and the more lateral growth. I need something to put in the kids play area in the backyard, mostly full sun but a bit gets some shade from oaks, fence, etc. If I like it I'll see how shade tolerant it is and consider extending it into other areas where the dogs run.
CitraBlue St. Augustine
ktgrok
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Yes. I bought the small bottle of Pramaxis.
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This might be relevant to the discussion here. I had, as mentioned earlier in this thread, plugged citrablue into some areas that are struggling with fungus in my Palmetto as a test. It isn't always easy to immediately see the difference in areas where the two grasses are blended, but is still majority palmetto.
I realized if I go out and inspect after watering 1" of water, it's a lot like the morning dew effect on grass varieties. I found the CB is taking over, although it is still quite a bit slower than I expected. Right now, I think it spreads faster than zoysia, but slower than centipede.
Either way, I can confirm it will outcompete palmetto - especially in areas of the yard that already have previously experienced large patch. I'm looking forward to CB taking over those areas completely. It does do well in the shade, but palmetto still seems a bit better in the shade overall, except for the sensitivity to diseases.
I realized if I go out and inspect after watering 1" of water, it's a lot like the morning dew effect on grass varieties. I found the CB is taking over, although it is still quite a bit slower than I expected. Right now, I think it spreads faster than zoysia, but slower than centipede.
Either way, I can confirm it will outcompete palmetto - especially in areas of the yard that already have previously experienced large patch. I'm looking forward to CB taking over those areas completely. It does do well in the shade, but palmetto still seems a bit better in the shade overall, except for the sensitivity to diseases.
One of my three test spots is in deep shade; the CitraBlue appears to have been completely overtaken by Palmetto. At this point, I really can't recommend using plugs for a CB renovation.
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Ive been DRENCHING my Citra Blue to really get it to establish and have found the limit 
. This has happened in only a few small areas and one would need to look for it, but it's there.
We been getting morning lows in the high 70s-low 80s and coupled with the high humidity and my overwatering, Ive overpowered my fungicide regimen🤪. I stopped watering.....but now weve gotten 2+" of rain a day.😋
. This has happened in only a few small areas and one would need to look for it, but it's there.We been getting morning lows in the high 70s-low 80s and coupled with the high humidity and my overwatering, Ive overpowered my fungicide regimen🤪. I stopped watering.....but now weve gotten 2+" of rain a day.😋
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I've been playing around with mowing heights on the Citra Blue and also switching between a rotary and a manual reel. The manual reel definitely looks better. I've mowed it as low as 2" with the reel and it seems to take it just fine. I'm kind of digging it at the lower height.
We have cleared our backyard in prep for Citrablue sod and are wondering if the shallow well sulfur water will kill Citrablue? My understanding is the Citrablue is a form of St Augustine and all the rules that apply to Floratam/St Augustine are the same for it. Has anyone experienced how it does with Sulfer watering? We are on the barrier islands near cocoa beach. Also, the local nursery said St Augustine is ok to be put down directly on sand and doesn't require top soil. any thoughts? thank you <3
My front yard is heavily shaded--it only gets 3-3.5 hours of direct sunlight a day. The Tiftuf that the builder installed did terribly. I had CitraBlue installed in the middle of July and maintained it at 2.5" with my Great States reel mower, cutting 3 times a week.
The CitraBlue has performed well at that height, but the areas in heavier shade closer to my house have started thinning. I stopped mowing about 2 weeks ago and picked up a Fiskars reel mower so I could cut at 4". I didn't think I would like it this high, but I'm loving it. It looks so much fuller than it did at 2.5".
The CitraBlue has performed well at that height, but the areas in heavier shade closer to my house have started thinning. I stopped mowing about 2 weeks ago and picked up a Fiskars reel mower so I could cut at 4". I didn't think I would like it this high, but I'm loving it. It looks so much fuller than it did at 2.5".
Looks great!
Thank you! I'm excited to start using PGR next season and see how it improves the CitraBlue's performance in shade.ionicatoms said:
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That looks awesome @franktiberi! @TampaBayFL How is your CitraBlue holding up? What HOC are you currently at?
Thank you @Redtwin!
Anyone using PGR on their CitraBlue? If so, what are you using and at what rate did you start noticing an effect?
I've got a 10 sq. ft. test plot I established from plugs last year. On 8/25 I put 0.15 fl. oz./gal. Pramaxis (label rate for SA) on the bottom half of my test plot and didn't notice any effect. On 9/8 I bumped it up to 0.20 fl. oz./gal. I'm just now noticing the growth on end of the stolons is thicker and there some seems to be some vertical growth suppression compared to the top half of the plot. I'm not noticing any difference in color though; that could be due to regular applications of iron.
Anyone using PGR on their CitraBlue? If so, what are you using and at what rate did you start noticing an effect?
I've got a 10 sq. ft. test plot I established from plugs last year. On 8/25 I put 0.15 fl. oz./gal. Pramaxis (label rate for SA) on the bottom half of my test plot and didn't notice any effect. On 9/8 I bumped it up to 0.20 fl. oz./gal. I'm just now noticing the growth on end of the stolons is thicker and there some seems to be some vertical growth suppression compared to the top half of the plot. I'm not noticing any difference in color though; that could be due to regular applications of iron.
@Jeri I'm just south of you in Melbourne (Suntree area). I just recently had the whole yard re-sodded with it, and I am very happy with the results. I will need to do a scalp early next year, since the sod that was put down was on the older side and had already had a significant amount of thatch. Send me a PM and I'll give you my address.
Here are some comparison pics of CitraBlue stolons under PGR regulation that I took today at my test plot.
I've treated the bottom half of the test plot with Pramaxis (T-Nex 11.3%) twice as follows:
This test plot is in very heavy shade; it only gets about 1 hour of direct sunlight per day. Always cool to see PGR in action.
I've treated the bottom half of the test plot with Pramaxis (T-Nex 11.3%) twice as follows:
- 8/25/22: 0.15 fl. oz./gal. (label rate)
- 9/8/22: 0.20 fl. oz./gal
This test plot is in very heavy shade; it only gets about 1 hour of direct sunlight per day. Always cool to see PGR in action.
Although I'm not sure what type of St. Augustine he has, @813king maintains his St. Augustine at less than .5": https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=39523FATC1TY said:
CitraBlue naturally grows laterally more than vertically in good sun, so I imagine one would have no problem maintaining CitraBlue at low heights like @813king does.
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Two years later for a reply.........
I have been cutting it at ~3.5" or so since 2022. It is very easy to maintain at this height and this has been the easiest grass I have ever had. It takes almost zero input from me.
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