[Sambay]

Here's what has happened with my lawn thus far - New house, Tif 419 Bermuda sod installed around March 2017.

In 2018 we have-
Feb - 2-4d amine applied to dormant grass
Mar 31 -scalped
Apr 15- small app Milorganite
May 6- another small app Milorganite
May 7- applied Dithiopyr

Water with inground slrinklers about 2x per week, have been keeping the grass cut at 1 1/4"

My lawn was looking terrific ! Greening up wonderfully and then this week I've noticed brown and dying grass in my yard! What have I done to it? The grass was still brown in spots from the winter but new grass was spreading and starting to fill in nicely. Could the dithiopyr have killed some of my Bermuda ? I'm worried ! I thought I had a handle on this lawn and now I'm afraid I've done something horribly wrong !

 

[Colonel K0rn]

No, you're fine. What you're seeing is the sloughing off of grass that was dead. It's just more evident now that the yard is greening up. It makes it seem like you're having more dead grass than usual. The other thing I can think of is that it's the stolons that didn't tack down through the PreM barrier that you put down, which my yard is going through right now. @Tellycoleman and I are going through the same thing, except his situation is a little worse than mine. He's got grass, and I'm trying to grow it.

You'll be fine.

 

[Sambay]

Ok! Thank you!! Fingers crossed !

 

[M311att]

@Colonel K0rn can you expand on that thought about stolons not tacking down,? I have lots of them but they only sit on top. I desperately need those guys to plant themselves.

 

[Colonel K0rn]

can you expand on that thought about stolons not tacking down,? I have lots of them but they only sit on top. I desperately need those guys to plant themselves.

Sure thing. OP applied Dithiopyr on May 7th, which has worked its way into the soil profile. The stolons will send out roots at each node to tack down to the soil surface, but the double-edge sword with a PreM is that it prevents weed seeds from establishing roots as well as desirable turf. In a different set of circumstances, but similar @Tellycoleman overapplied his PreM with his sprayer, and he's experiencing the same things that OP and I are. The grass will be fine once that PreM barrier wears down a little, but the extent that OP is having some leggy grass isn't as bad as Telly and I have having. I had to do a split app of Prodiamine on my yard at 1#/A because I knew my weed pressure was going to be high, and the second app I did was right when things were starting to warm up and green up here. I've got a lot of leggy grass, but it's making its way over the bare areas every day.

 

[Tellycoleman]

@Sambay how much dithiopyr did you apply? It was just a few days ago so you will get some root pruning. You are on the milorganite band wagon I see. How much did you apply. I really think you need to put synthetic fertilizer fast acting. Even if you are going to use predominantly milo I would still use synthetic at least 2 times a year at spring green up and in the fall. Give it a balanced fert and you should see it explode. How much milo did you put down May 6? How often do you cut?looks like you went a little long in between cuts. Bag your clippings and let's see how it looks. I put down 5 times my intended dose of dithiopyr and it didn't kill any of my grass nor did it delay green up. but I'm having other problems.

 

[Sambay]

@Tellycoleman I put down 4lbs of granular Hi Yield over my entire yard which is around 2500 sf. Also put down half a bag milo in April and May 6th. I've been cutting every 3 days

 

[Lawnhunter]

JMHO but half a bag of milo per month is not enough N. You need around 1 pound of N per 1000 sqft every month. Either use a whole bag or do what I do, which is use a half rate of milo and half rate of synthetic fert. During the hottest months I use more milo and less synthetic to minimize leaf burn.

 

[Sambay]

@Lawnhunter yes , plan is to use a whole bag of milo ea application but this was my first time using it so I was being reserved 😊 I think I may hold off the pre-emergents and just remain pulling weeds by hand because I do not like the root pruning that is happening ! What is a good synthetic fertilizer I can use in combo with this milo?

 

[Tellycoleman]

If this is the first time you have ever used pre emergent on that lawn then you will still battle some weeds this season. Having a steady pre emergent program will make weed pulling few and far between. Did you use pre emergent last fall? Looks like you barely applied over recommended rate. You shouldn't have any problem with applying 4 lbs instead of 3.5. I'm not sure about the effectiveness of this high yield preemergent. It doesn't have a very thorough product label. So I'm not sure how long it last. Probably 3-4 months. I would put down a summer pre emergent. When it's time. You will see weed pressure decrease after being on a schedule

 

[Lawnhunter]

You can use any fert from HD or Lowe's. If you want a better price then look at some farm and feed supply shops in the area.