Blog

Combating Chinch Bugs in St. Augustine Grass

Chinch bugs are the nemesis of Florida homeowners who want to achieve a lush, green lawn. This is especially true for homeowners with St. Augustine sod. Chinch bugs invade St. Augustine grass and quickly cause widespread damage if they’re not stopped in their tracks. Here’s what you need to know about these elusive pests and how to stop them.  What Is the Chinch Bug? Is your grass turning yellow or reddish-brown? If so, it could be under attack by chinch bugs. These incredibly tiny bugs are difficult to spot, but the damage they cause is obvious. Chinch bugs only measure about ⅕” long with black bodies and white wings across their backs.  Unfortunately, they view your lawn as their dinner, so even if you cut, water, and fertilize your sod exactly as you should, chinch bugs can still cause trouble. They will suck your grass blades dry and inject a poison that kills the blades. This tends to cause damage in patches that end up looking like they are suffering from drought. A professional pest control service is the best way to stop chinch bugs in their tracks. 

Continue ReadingCombating Chinch Bugs in St. Augustine Grass

What You Should Know About Sod and the Florida Environment

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Sod

What You Should Know About Sod and the Florida Environment The Florida climate presents unique benefits and challenges when installing and nurturing sod.  It’s important to understand how the Florida environment impacts sod so that you can take the right measures to protect your sod and encourage lasting growth.  Protect Your New Sod from Disease Even in a well-established lawn, humidity and heat can be a breeding ground for fungal disease. New sod is especially susceptible because it does not have established roots. There isn’t anything you can do about the level of humidity in the Tampa area, but there are some things you can do to try to protect your grass. First, remove large tree branches or other unnecessary landscaping elements. This will allow more airflow to get to the grass. This airflow keeps the grass drier, which prevents the formation of fungal diseases. You should also avoid extra watering of your sod during this time of year.

Continue ReadingWhat You Should Know About Sod and the Florida Environment

Best Sod for Outdoor Sports

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Sod

It’s not just residential homes that need sod; it’s sports fields and stadiums as well. Many professional and collegiate stadiums have made headlines by investing in sod over grass seed or artificial turf for outdoor sports.  Choosing the right blends of grass can greatly affect the results you achieve in your fields. For example, while blends that include Kentucky Bluegrass and ryegrass are often preferred in cool-season zones, these kinds of sod blends aren’t generally considered to be appropriate in hot or humid climates like Florida.  For this reason, many stadiums and sports fields prefer to take advantage of the unique benefits of Bermudagrass.  Bermudagrass Bermudagrass is a fan favorite for outdoor sports because it has the beautiful appearance of golf course grass. Bermudagrass is perhaps most famously used on the field at Bucks’ stadium. This type of sod offers many important benefits that make it perfect for outdoor sports, including golf, baseball, football, and more, especially in hot, humid southern states like Florida. 

Continue ReadingBest Sod for Outdoor Sports

Key Questions To Ask When Looking for New Sod

  • Post author:
  • Post category:Sod

Buying new sod is a major investment that will dramatically alter your home’s curb appeal, so it’s important to approach this purchase carefully. Ask all the right questions so that you can make the best decisions for your yard.  Where Will Your Sod Come From? Some sod “farms” don’t follow best sod practices. They’ll charge you a steep price for low-quality sod that they install improperly. This is why it’s critical to purchase your sod from a local, trusted sod farm like Council Growers. Our commitment to the customer is to bring you specialty turf grasses beyond what is commonly available. Our farms are located near the Tampa Bay area, allowing us to generally have lower freight charges and provide better service to our customers.

Continue ReadingKey Questions To Ask When Looking for New Sod

Common Lawn Pests in Florida

Lawn Pests Common Lawn Pests in Florida For all of the careful maintenance and attention that you devote to your sod, you can’t always prevent lawn pests and bugs from infiltrating your yard. But that doesn’t mean you have to surrender to them, either. By familiarizing yourself with common lawn pests in Florida and the best treatment options available, you can take back power over your yard and enjoy your view without any damaging bugs insight.  Fall Armyworms The fall armyworm thrives in warm and tropical regions like Florida. Since this pest is a strong flier, it can easily disperse long distances over the summer. 

Continue ReadingCommon Lawn Pests in Florida

Spring Lawn Care Tips To Keep Your Grass Healthy and Lush

Lawn Care Spring is in full bloom, so it’s the perfect time to head outside and give your lawn some much-needed TLC. The right lawn care efforts now will help to keep your grass healthy and lush all spring and summer.  Mow After Sod Ends Its Dormancy Some types of sod enter a dormancy period over the winter by turning brown and growing much slower than normal. If your sod did complete a dormancy cycle, wait until it emerges from dormancy to mow again.  It’s usually safe to do this by mid-March. Never remove more than a third of the leaf blade at a time to ensure that your sod can continue to grow as it should. It’s also important to make sure that your lawnmower blades are sharpened. This allows your mower to neatly slice through the grass instead of ripping the blades. 

Continue ReadingSpring Lawn Care Tips To Keep Your Grass Healthy and Lush

Why Lawns Have Brown Spots

Brown Spots You want your sod to look lush, green, and healthy, so it’s always disappointing when brown spots emerge. Some types of sod are more vulnerable to brown spots than others, especially in the hot Florida climate. Fortunately, brown spots can usually be eliminated with the right sod care and attention. Here’s what you need to know to understand why your lawn is turning brown and how to reverse it! Brown Spots Due to Lack of Watering Has the weather been dry recently, or have you forgotten to water your sod on a regular basis? This may cause your sod to turn brown, especially if it’s new sod that is still working to establish roots in the ground. 

Continue ReadingWhy Lawns Have Brown Spots

Difference Between Natural Fertilizer and Chemical Fertilizer

Natural Fertilizer Sod needs ongoing care to thrive, including the use of fertilizer. It’s important to understand the difference between natural fertilizer and chemical fertilizer so that you can make the best choice for your yard. The right fertilizer application will help to keep your lawn thick, healthy, and green.  What Is Natural Fertilizer? Natural fertilizer is often referred to as organic fertilizer. It forms through the decomposition of plants, animal waste, and minerals. You can make it yourself or purchase it. 

Continue ReadingDifference Between Natural Fertilizer and Chemical Fertilizer

How Often Should I Water New Sod?

It’s no secret that your grass needs water to remain vibrant and healthy, but that isn’t as easy as it sounds in Florida. How much water is best? When and how should you nourish your new sod? Use the following tips to develop and maintain a purposeful and realistic lawn watering schedule for your yard.  Water New Sod Frequently During Weeks 1 and 2 After Installation. Your new sod needs a grow-in period to start thriving. During this time, make sure you stay off your lawn entirely, other than to water it. 

Continue ReadingHow Often Should I Water New Sod?

How To Choose the Best Sod for My Lawn

Best Sod How To Choose the Best Sod for My Lawn Don’t let your yard ruin your property’s curb appeal! Sod can quickly transform our exterior’s appearance and create a fully functional lawn within just a few weeks. Use these tips to select the best sod for your lawn and enjoy the results for years to come. Narrow Down to Sods That Thrive in Florida’s Climate. It’s no secret that Florida has mild weather in the winter and hot, hot, hot weather in the summer. You need to select the best sod variety that thrives in Florida’s specific climate.

Continue ReadingHow To Choose the Best Sod for My Lawn