[golfing eagles]

Has anyone in the Lake Deaton/Hillsborough area had experience with a problem lawn, possibly due to a bad batch of sod or a drainage problem? After a year, I have the worst lawn in the area. It has been constantly maintained by one of the most reputable lawn services premium plan, the irrigation is adjusted weekly by my home watch person. The lawn service states it is a drainage and grading problem, the contractor states it is the lawn service, home warranty blames the irrigation settings. I have had an independent irrigation expert check the system and states it is perfect and believes it is a bad batch of sod. Several homes on my street have had to install French drains, but my neighbors on either side have essentially the same grading and drainage but no problem with their lawns. This has become a circular firing squad of who blames who. Meanwhile, I completely ignore my lawn in NY at a cost of $0 and it is lush and green. Any suggestions appreciated

[graciegirl]

We had a period of NO rain and where sprinkler heads are not working, grass is turning light beige....and dying.

[golfing eagles]

I realize there have been dry periods, but the irrigation water usage has varied appropriately with the rainfall and the irrigation "weather computer" is working just fine. In addition, this has been a problem since day 1 over a year ago thru all types of weather, and the dry spell would affect my neighbors as well.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I realize there have been dry periods, but the irrigation water usage has varied appropriately with the rainfall and the irrigation "weather computer" is working just fine. In addition, this has been a problem since day 1 over a year ago thru all types of weather, and the dry spell would affect my neighbors as well.

Our neighbors who have gone home for the season have patches where it looks like the lawn is not getting adequate water. I am thinking that someone who is caring for it needs to check for broken sprinkler heads. I am about to nibby nose into it. Hard to watch areas of a lawn die. We had an area of lawn that was never right and was told that it had a beetle infestation. We recently put in a pool in that area, but had done everything to fix it and it always looked bad, but not burnt out...just sparse and weedy, but green.

Sometimes the rain monitor on the roof doesn't work right after a time.

Hope you find the reason, it must be frustrating to not be there and to have bad reports.

[golfing eagles]

Could be a reason for some lawns, but my irrigation consultant checked all sprinkler heads, which are fine, as well as the sprinkler pattern to make sure all areas are getting watered. Plus, the problem is the whole lawn, not just a few patches. The weeds, however, grow just fine lol

[Villager Joyce]

I read a few months ago that zoysia is in shock for a year. I can't remember who said it so I can't say whether or not it is a reliable source. Ours is closer to 18 months and looks pretty good. We get brown areas, but a couple good rains and it is green again. Personally, I am a St Augustine person. St Augustine haters, please don't hate on me.

[golfing eagles]

Also possible, but this was a brand new neighborhood 14 months ago---so wouldn't my neighbor's zoysia be in "shock' as well?

[kittygilchrist]

Contact Lloyd Singleton. He is the UF IFAS ag extension agent responsible for liaison with The Villages on irrigation and landscape practices forSumter Co.
352-689-4671
Lloyd can help you with the weight of reliable research based answers and his recognizance as an expert. There is no fee.

Ps we are built on fill dirt, and that can vary from lot to lot. Also, corner lots are often used to park vehicles, packing the dirt. Many homes in the south villages sadly got clay fill dirt, which makes drainage a bigger problem.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Also possible, but this was a brand new neighborhood 14 months ago---so wouldn't my neighbor's zoysia be in "shock' as well?

It wasn't beetles that plagued that area, I just asked my husband, it was mole crickets. And it was just an area.

Call warranty even though it is past the year, they are powerful in finding causes and fixes. You would be surprised how they bend over backwards.

[Villager Joyce]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Our neighbors who have gone home for the season have patches where it looks like the lawn is not getting adequate water. I am thinking that someone who is caring for it needs to check for broken sprinkler heads. I am about to nibby nose into it. Hard to watch areas of a lawn die. We had an area of lawn that was never right and was told that it had a beetle infestation. We recently put in a pool in that area, but had done everything to fix it and it always looked bad, but not burnt out...just sparse and weedy, but green.

Sometimes the rain monitor on the roof doesn't work right after a time.

Hope you find the reason, it must be frustrating to not be there and to have bad reports.

So let me understand this. You got a pool because you had a bad patch of grass or beetle infestation? Was it easy to convince Sweetie? I'm asking because we have a brown spot and I want a pool. My Dude is usually a hard sell. Moths fly out of his wallet. You are the best.

[golfing eagles]

Thanks for the info on Mr. Singleton, certainly worth a try.
As far as home warranty goes, they have been excellent on every little issue with our home , with the possible exception of this one. I have personally talked with the head of home warranty, who has inspected the lawn, as well as the owner of the building co and the owner of the lawn service. I did have a warranty home inspection and report prior to the 1 year mark, so this issue is on the record, and they agreed to re-evaluate the issue in October. Meanwhile, more and more of the lawn is dying and I have a bumper crop of weeds, and no consensus as to the cause. I would have the whole lawn ripped out and resodded, but if there is some other underlying issue such as drainage, it would just happen again. Water does seen to stand on the lawn after irrigating or a rainfall for over a day and there are chronically mushy areas in a few spots, but it doesn't explain the rest of the lawn. I have heard rumors that there was a boatload of "bad" sod installed in the area and that the company was fired, but just rumor I cannot substantiate. And just to add to the headache, I plan to have an invisible pet fence installed prior to moving in, but that would be problematic if the lawn has to be ripped out. Sorry to whine, just hoping to get a new direction on this.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

So let me understand this. You got a pool because you had a bad patch of grass or beetle infestation? Was it easy to convince Sweetie? I'm asking because we have a brown spot and I want a pool. My Dude is usually a hard sell. Moths fly out of his wallet. You are the best.

Villager Joyce, I KNEW when I typed it that it was bad journalism and that my high school English Teacher was lookin' down and rolling her eyes.

I am the tight one in our family. I don't know how we got this pool, but dang I like it . The lawn being yucky wasn't the reason but it sure fixed it in that area.

Now back to the regular scheduled programming. Sorry for the sidetrip.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Thanks for the info on Mr. Singleton, certainly worth a try.
As far as home warranty goes, they have been excellent on every little issue with our home , with the possible exception of this one. I have personally talked with the head of home warranty, who has inspected the lawn, as well as the owner of the building co and the owner of the lawn service. I did have a warranty home inspection and report prior to the 1 year mark, so this issue is on the record, and they agreed to re-evaluate the issue in October. Meanwhile, more and more of the lawn is dying and I have a bumper crop of weeds, and no consensus as to the cause. I would have the whole lawn ripped out and resodded, but if there is some other underlying issue such as drainage, it would just happen again. Water does seen to stand on the lawn after irrigating or a rainfall for over a day and there are chronically mushy areas in a few spots, but it doesn't explain the rest of the lawn. I have heard rumors that there was a boatload of "bad" sod installed in the area and that the company was fired, but just rumor I cannot substantiate. And just to add to the headache, I plan to have an invisible pet fence installed prior to moving in, but that would be problematic if the lawn has to be ripped out. Sorry to whine, just hoping to get a new direction on this.

Bump...

[Lovey2]

Keep on home warranty and contact the name given to you by Kitty. I know FOR A FACT that several lawns in my neighborhood have been totally replaced by TV because they were problematic. We are 2 1/2 years in, and those homes had it done within the first year or shortly thereafter. Quite few even had drains installed by TV, also. Sounds like you are doing everything right. Stay on them...

[justjim]

Come on Joyce, you ladies have many convincing ways!