What are the real answer(s)??

[PennBF]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Your responsible for your own grass .Most of the problem is that it’s dry and hasn’t rained much or haven’t you noticed , cinch bugs are also bad this year and we all should be doing our part in keeping fl water sustainability by not pouring more water then we should to make our lawn look green for a few hours before they dry up . The rain season hopefully will start soon but if it doesn’t so be it , remember it’s just grass

[Stu from NYC]

We also use Massey for irrigation system and had them out last week.

A good portion of our lawn is brown.

Technician says it is due to lack of rain as irrigation can only do so much as our sandy soil will not hold moisture.

Hopefully the rainy season will start soon.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I think I just said that lol

[graciegirl]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:

I wonder why you blame "The Villages"?? Our lawns maintenance is our responsibility. I was dead heading our Canna Lilies and five times moths flew out. People are saying Cinch bugs are ruining their lawns and are linked to moths. I know that yesterday was the first day of Hurricane season and that means we can soon expect drenching rain EVERY afternoon. Maybe that will help.

Can you imagine the outcry if The Villages would micromanage in such a way that they told the residents how to manage their lawns? The greenies would be biting bad if they were told to use commercial insecticide. The strong independents would be furious that anyone told THEM to water more or less.

I would guess that the folks in charge of the golf courses are trying to correct the problem. Are nearby golf courses suffering too or do you know???

[Stu from NYC]

I think I just said that lol

I added what the Massey tech said to me.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

OH I’m sorry I’m not the all knowing guru , so I didn’t quote my lawn guy because it’s the same problem every year

[Bogie Shooter]

I have never had two “lawn guys” say the same thing.🤠

[Stu from NYC]

OH I’m sorry I’m not the all knowing guru , so I didn’t quote my lawn guy because it’s the same problem every year

This is only our second year here and didnt seem to have this problem last year.

[TheLawnKing]

Everyone calm down. All these problems, and more, will be resolved when we receive substantial and consistent liquid precipitation (rain). Until then, cool your jets and water your lawn.
I prefer to water in the early evening and before dawn ONLY during this drought. More is not better because of the Sandy soil. Two moderate waterings is better than one heavy one.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Hmmmm let me think , maybeeeeee because it’s drier hmmmm just a thought

[PennBF]

It is annoying to read responses that either continue defending the Developer/Villages, regarding general problems in The Villages. Yes, the villages should be advising why the lawns are turning to looking like a barren piece of property in a third world country. Regarding more water..One lawn property owner suffering like problems was told to increase their watering of lawn. They did and nothing changed. I am disappointed that so many like to play wise guy answers, or shoot the messenger rather than offer either
meaningful support or explain the cause(s) of this lousy problem. Two houses in our Villages have actually ripped up their rather sizeable lawns and have to replace the total area. The areas in the Villages look terrible and if any are satisfied with this then they have what I would consider pretty low standards. Looking for answers, NOT EXCUSES!!:ohdear:

[TheLawnKing]

You can lead a horse to water...

If it was easy to have a great lawn everyone would have one. It takes a lot of work. The only thing that will solve the grass problem is rain. Watering your lawn now is to keep it alive until monsoon season.

Probably more productive to go on the lanai and do a rain dance than bitch on here.

[Garywt]

We were told it was Cinch bugs. Deans has sprayed it extra, I have sprayed it as well. Last time down I raked up the dead grass and I saw new growth coming in. Hoping that the next time I am down I will have a full front lawn.

[Kenswing]

It is annoying to read responses that either continue defending the Developer/Villages, regarding general problems in The Villages. Yes, the villages should be advising why the lawns are turning to looking like a barren piece of property in a third world country. Regarding more water..One lawn property owner suffering like problems was told to increase their watering of lawn. They did and nothing changed. I am disappointed that so many like to play wise guy answers, or shoot the messenger rather than offer either
meaningful support or explain the cause(s) of this lousy problem. Two houses in our Villages have actually ripped up their rather sizeable lawns and have to replace the total area. The areas in the Villages look terrible and if any are satisfied with this then they have what I would consider pretty low standards. Looking for answers, NOT EXCUSES!!:ohdear:
It's equally annoying when someone blames the developer because they can't/won't take personal responsibility for their own lawn. What are you going to blame the developer for next, the weeds that sprout because of the upcoming rain? Maybe you'll blame them for the rain too?

[DAVES]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:

You cannot fight nature. Some I guess try. In the end nature will win and you will spend tons of money on a loosing battle.

Any problem, such as bugs, after you kill the bugs the lawn needs time to recover from the bug damage.

Direction to the residents from the Villages? You want to contact cooperative extension.

Lawn care? First you need to know what type of grass you have. Likely it is either Empire Zoysea or St Augustine. You can look it up as far as SUGGESTED care and potential issues.

No lawn is perfect. In dry conditions the Empire Zoysea turns brown and will come back when we get more rain. St Augustine if it goes brown, it is dead-done.

You should cut back on fertilizer. Applying fertilizer makes you lawn need more water.
You should raise the cutting height, it shades the ground and causes the grass plant to send roots deeper.

Asking whoever you pay to apply chemistry-if it is not you-he must give you some answer.
Since he makes money by applying stuff and since few will be happy with hey it is hot, it is very dry, he will find something to apply and to, of course, bill you for it.

The soil in most of the villages is sandy clay. Adding organic matter will improve what you/we have. It takes a lot and you need to get it into the soil. You are talking like a pound of manure per sq foot and you need to get it into the soil not dumped on top.

[billethkid]

The reason becomes obvious (for most lawns).......during the rainy season doesn't everybody's lawn look great? Yes they do.

And during the dry spell as we are currently experiencing we are seeing a lot of brown areas in those same heretofore great looking lawns.

The difference? The amount of water applied to keep the sandy soil here damp.

The lawns will be as green as your budget will allow for the increased watering.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Did the mayor or the governor wherever these people come from advise them how to manage there personal lawn . in drought conditions , I don’t think so , there lucky that fl is so lax on water restrictions maybe most mayors or governors won’t help you with your lawn but they will cramp down on excess watering which I wish they did here , I blame the family for not bringing in Native American Indians to do a rain dance how about you people

[vintageogauge]

Everyone calm down. All these problems, and more, will be resolved when we receive substantial and consistent liquid precipitation (rain). Until then, cool your jets and water your lawn.
I prefer to water in the early evening and before dawn ONLY during this drought. More is not better because of the Sandy soil. Two moderate waterings is better than one heavy one.

No, rain will not get rid of Chinch bugs or Sod Webworms.

[Blueblaze]

The reason becomes obvious (for most lawns).......during the rainy season doesn't everybody's lawn look great? Yes they do.

And during the dry spell as we are currently experiencing we are seeing a lot of brown areas in those same heretofore great looking lawns.

The difference? The amount of water applied to keep the sandy soil here damp.

The lawns will be as green as your budget will allow for the increased watering.

... which ain't much, when 120 min/wk costs $70 on your water bill.

Back in Texas, where it quits raining from Spring to Fall, if I wanted to keep my acre of St. Augustine green in the summer, I had to run the sprinklers eight hours a night, three nights a week. But I could afford it -- I had a well.

If you want to know why your lawn dies when there's no rain, well, that's what it takes to keep it green. If I did that here, my water bill would probably exceed my amenities bill.

Pray for rain!

[charlie1]

Everyone really needs to be educated about the Districts and the Developer responsibilities before complaining. The districts are run by the residence of the community and are not associated with the developer (with the exception of District 12 and 13. District 12 is in the phased transition from developer control and obviously, district 13 is still being built.) Sure, the developer owns commercial property and Championship Golf courses but have nothing to do with anything residential once the control is passed to the district. Why do people continually blame the developer? If you want changes or complaints, contact your district management or better yet, run for a district council member position when one comes available in your district! Can't wait until they again open the training on the districts, it is informative and well worth everyone's time.

[WhoDat]

Golf courses between 466A and 44 are in need of water. Little grass on the fairway. It seems only the greens get watered.

[New Englander]

One thing you can do is go out to your lawn when it gets dark. Bring a flashlight with you and stay there several minutes. If you see small white months flying in and out of your lawn, they are laying eggs that turn into Sod Webworms. Those buggers will destroy your lawn. I sprinkle a product called "Sevin" every two weeks because these months keep coming back. These moths are like weeds. They never stop!!!
Plus we have gone through a looooong dry spell.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

It shouldn’t be about how much you want to spend on water it’s about following the rules 2 days a week if your lawn is very green then your not following the rules and wasting water for a stupid green lawn I’ve spent a large part of last 25 years in many homes in fl I’ve been through lots of bad droughts some where the state was on fire and I never lost a lawn with 2 days a week and some years restrictions to one or none which happened to me one year at the Bay Hill Country Club and even though it was the
county restrictions Arnold Palmer made sure people followed the rules even though technically it wasn’t all his property

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The OP says they watered the lawn after the landscaper sprayed.

They probably should not have done that. They most likely diluted and washed the insecticide away from where it needed to be.

You're supposed to leave a treatment for 24-48 hours before watering (depending on the treatment).

Meanwhile, if it's cinch bugs, fire ants, termites, or any other chitinous insect, you can spread diatomaceous earth on the affected spot. DO NOT WATER right away. Wait 24 hours. DE is a naturally-occurring clay, and is sold in a super-fine powdered form. It sticks to the exoskeleton of the insect, and eats away at it, dehydrating it to death. If you water too soon, it won't have a chance to bring the DE back to the nest to destroy the eggs, and you'll just have the same problem next week.

You can mix DE with normal lawn fertilizer in one of those little green spreaders you set to a number and walk back and forth on your lawn til whatever is in it is gone. It's basically a couple cups of DE to a single lawn's worth of fertilizer; a little goes a long way. For spot-treatment just a tablespoon or two sprinkled over the area should be enough.

For spot treatment repeat once every week for a month.

DE is also good for the lawn, provides some nourishment and vital mineral content.

It is non-toxic to non-chitinous animals, but inhaling a lot of the powder can be dangerous to your lungs so open the bag carefully, and wear a mask if you use it without mixing it with fertilizer on a windy day. You can also use it safely in the house to combat cockroaches and ants, under the dishwasher, near the sink, in the cracks and crevices between counters and cabinets, etc.

[Stu from NYC]

Did the mayor or the governor wherever these people come from advise them how to manage there personal lawn . in drought conditions , I don’t think so , there lucky that fl is so lax on water restrictions maybe most mayors or governors won’t help you with your lawn but they will cramp down on excess watering which I wish they did here , I blame the family for not bringing in Native American Indians to do a rain dance how about you people

What we need are a group of young scantily clad females doing a rain dance at the next full moon.

[vintageogauge]

It shouldn’t be about how much you want to spend on water it’s about following the rules 2 days a week if your lawn is very green then your not following the rules and wasting water for a stupid green lawn I’ve spent a large part of last 25 years in many homes in fl I’ve been through lots of bad droughts some where the state was on fire and I never lost a lawn with 2 days a week and some years restrictions to one or none which happened to me one year at the Bay Hill Country Club and even though it was the
county restrictions Arnold Palmer made sure people followed the rules even though technically it wasn’t all his property

Where would we find a copy of this 2 day rule?

[Kenswing]

Where would we find a copy of this 2 day rule?
Ours is listed inside our low voltage panel. You can also go here. http://www.thevillageswaterwisdom.com/cdd-1-13-irrigation-schedule/

[vintageogauge]

Ours is listed inside our low voltage panel. You can also go here. http://www.thevillageswaterwisdom.com/cdd-1-13-irrigation-schedule/

It says district 11 must comply???

[bowlingal]

the worms are called " army worms" and need to be treated by your lawn guy.

[nick demis]

I wonder why you blame "The Villages"?? Our lawns maintenance is our responsibility. I was dead heading our Canna Lilies and five times moths flew out. People are saying Cinch bugs are ruining their lawns and are linked to moths. I know that yesterday was the first day of Hurricane season and that means we can soon expect drenching rain EVERY afternoon. Maybe that will help.

Can you imagine the outcry if The Villages would micromanage in such a way that they told the residents how to manage their lawns? The greenies would be biting bad if they were told to use commercial insecticide. The strong independents would be furious that anyone told THEM to water more or less.

I would guess that the folks in charge of the golf courses are trying to correct the problem. Are nearby golf courses suffering too or do you know???

I agree that we are responsible for OUR lawns but the first sentence of the comment is The Villages portion of the grass.

[irish2468]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:

Go take a walk...smile and say hello to a neighbor. Stop being a nudge.

[scottiesrgreat@gmail.com]

??? I am far from being a genius - but even I know the issues with the grass is due to lack of rain …..

Sure - could be some other cause - but - I am going with the tremendous lack of water (no rain for quite some time), relatively low humidity, strong/hot sun beating down on unshaded areas during this time of longer days…… perfect recipe for brown patchy grass.

I hope I am wrong - but, get ready to spend more for awhile on watering - because I don’t see any rain in the near forecast …..

[Singerlady]

Florida=bad grass. Plain and simple. A futile attempt to improve. Re-sod….next year it’s back to looking bad. Save your $$$.

[donfey]

Bored today, are we??

[allsport]

The real answer is rain and with the problem of climate change it is only going to get worse. Be prepared for dead grass much of the future years.

[gwenhwalker@yahoo.com]

Zoysia grass doesn't do well here. I switched my front villa grass to St Augustine and it's beautiful with no pesticide and no brown spots except where the dogs urinate

[Scouty]

Could it be the sprinkler water that The Villages use?

[Rzepecki]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:

What area are you talking about? It’s not like that in the area where I live.

[lkagele]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:

I follow the age-old adage, if it's brown, water it. If it's green mow it.

I used to water every three days but my lawn would always show signs of drought. This year I started watering every night. Obviously, I cut the time by 1/3 so the water amount is the same either way. The lawn looks remarkedly better with the daily watering.

[Luisa]

I wonder why you blame "The Villages"?? Our lawns maintenance is our responsibility. I was dead heading our Canna Lilies and five times moths flew out. People are saying Cinch bugs are ruining their lawns and are linked to moths. I know that yesterday was the first day of Hurricane season and that means we can soon expect drenching rain EVERY afternoon. Maybe that will help.

Can you imagine the outcry if The Villages would micromanage in such a way that they told the residents how to manage their lawns? The greenies would be biting bad if they were told to use commercial insecticide. The strong independents would be furious that anyone told THEM to water more or less.

I would guess that the folks in charge of the golf courses are trying to correct the problem. Are nearby golf courses suffering too or do you know???
Could The Villages plant a different type of grass? The lawns are terrible here. We put weed and feed recommended for this grass and it seems to kill the grass and feed the weeds. Extra watering doesn’t help much. Most lawns look brown.

[richs631]

Most lawns both residential and the common areas are not looking as good as last year. The 2 issues effecting this is we had a very unusually cold winter that stressed the lawns out. Normally when this happens it takes an extra 2 months into spring and summer to recover, however recovery has been very slow due to the lack of rain. Even if you turn up your irrigation and increase to daily irrigation systems are not designed to supplement rain. You would have to water each zone for 2 hours to equal 10 minutes of rain. Sit tight and don’t stress. The lawns will come back

[CFrance]

It shouldn’t be about how much you want to spend on water it’s about following the rules 2 days a week if your lawn is very green then your not following the rules and wasting water for a stupid green lawn I’ve spent a large part of last 25 years in many homes in fl I’ve been through lots of bad droughts some where the state was on fire and I never lost a lawn with 2 days a week and some years restrictions to one or none which happened to me one year at the Bay Hill Country Club and even though it was the
county restrictions Arnold Palmer made sure people followed the rules even though technically it wasn’t all his property
Full stops are your friend.

[Luisa]

Zoysia grass doesn't do well here. I switched my front villa grass to St Augustine and it's beautiful with no pesticide and no brown spots except where the dogs urinate
I agree St. Augustine looks better and is greener. I thought I read we aren’t allowed to change the type of grass. It doesn’t rain in California from June until the end of October, but the lawns are thick, green, and grow from irrigation.

[Girlcopper]

It's equally annoying when someone blames the developer because they can't/won't take personal responsibility for their own lawn. What are you going to blame the developer for next, the weeds that sprout because of the upcoming rain? Maybe you'll blame them for the rain too?
Kudos!! Well said. Instead of transferring blame to someone else, this post could have been more informative if he just asked for suggestions.

[justjim]

What area are you talking about? It’s not like that in the area where I live.

South of 44 the Developer went back to using St. Augustine instead of Zoysia sod. I suspect it was done for a reason. I have observed some homeowners north of 44, particularly between State route 44 and 466A where I reside, have replaced their Empire Zoysia with St. Augustine. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Some obviously believe the St. Augustine looks better - from what I see they could be right. The so called “green areas” of TV I believe use a type of Bermuda grass. Fore!

[KYtoTV2021]

No revenue in upkeep. They are too busy building houses - ie more and more revenue

[Travelhunter123]

We also use Massey for irrigation system and had them out last week.

A good portion of our lawn is brown.

Technician says it is due to lack of rain as irrigation can only do so much as our sandy soil will not hold moisture.

Hopefully the rainy season will start soon.

Sounds like an excuse

[butlerism]

Use Lawn Fertilizer.
Cow Poop the dead spots....
...and the rains will be here soon.
this winter was brutal Look at all the Palms

[PennBF]

My basic question was, does anyone know the answer and there were only a few that supplied some technical, and best guess answers. Unfortunately there were the Developer groupies who immediately responded supporting the Developer and essentially disregardng the question! Also there are the percentages of want a be comedians,etc. The wonderful thing about TOTV's is that it is a great forum for residents who have a concern and/or question to voice them and find if there is an answer. Although many times it is necessary to plow through the Groupie,Comedians, etc. and their lack of understanding of the purpose of TOTV's it is still one of the best
things to happen in The Villages! :ho:

[La lamy]

My solution would be to allow us to have natural looking artificial turf if we chose. Silly to mandate/allow only real, ugly, sick looking turf, in my book. Why waste water and abuse pesticides if we don't have to! Artificial turf has come a long way in looking beautiful and real.

[Larchap49]

The OP says they watered the lawn after the landscaper sprayed.

They probably should not have done that. They most likely diluted and washed the insecticide away from where it needed to be.

You're supposed to leave a treatment for 24-48 hours before watering (depending on the treatment).

Meanwhile, if it's cinch bugs, fire ants, termites, or any other chitinous insect, you can spread diatomaceous earth on the affected spot. DO NOT WATER right away. Wait 24 hours. DE is a naturally-occurring clay, and is sold in a super-fine powdered form. It sticks to the exoskeleton of the insect, and eats away at it, dehydrating it to death. If you water too soon, it won't have a chance to bring the DE back to the nest to destroy the eggs, and you'll just have the same problem next week.

You can mix DE with normal lawn fertilizer in one of those little green spreaders you set to a number and walk back and forth on your lawn til whatever is in it is gone. It's basically a couple cups of DE to a single lawn's worth of fertilizer; a little goes a long way. For spot-treatment just a tablespoon or two sprinkled over the area should be enough.

For spot treatment repeat once every week for a month.

DE is also good for the lawn, provides some nourishment and vital mineral content.

It is non-toxic to non-chitinous animals, but inhaling a lot of the powder can be dangerous to your lungs so open the bag carefully, and wear a mask if you use it without mixing it with fertilizer on a windy day. You can also use it safely in the house to combat cockroaches and ants, under the dishwasher, near the sink, in the cracks and crevices between counters and cabinets, etc.

If you use DE wear a good mask and long sleeves. it is a carcinogen, it's a good idea to wear a mask even for fertilizer

[Bent Tree]

In your yard go to Ace hardware and treat your yard for cinch bug, I think that is what you call it.... then go to Lowe’s and buy bags of black cow and spread it on the bad spots. I think it is spread from one yard to another by the lawn more. Deans treated it for us ... then we went behind them and treated ourselves

[SyrNancy]

Take a picture and send to Villages. I did that once with good results!

[Carla B]

We traveled 10 miles north along Buena Vista yesterday afternoon and noticed all the brown areas on the side of the road, both south and north of 466.

On the way back after dark the sprinklers were turned on, so The Villages is at least attempting to water their grass.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If you use DE wear a good mask and long sleeves. it is a carcinogen, it's a good idea to wear a mask even for fertilizer

It is not a carcinogen. Here's the word from the National Pesticide Information Center fact sheet:
When mice were forced to breathe diatomaceous earth for one hour each day for a year, there was an increase in lung cancers. When rats were fed silica at a high dose for two years, there was no increase in cancer development.

Most diatomaceous earth is made of amorphous silicon dioxide. However, it can contain very low levels of crystalline silicon dioxide. Amorphous diatomaceous earth has not been associated with any cancers in people.

So if you snort DE for an hour every day for a year, you might get lung cancer. If you're a mouse.

It WILL result in lung irritation and inflammation though, because you're um - snorting something into your lungs that shouldn't be there. So just don't do that.

[Villages Kahuna]

Rainy season

[emb2458]

Why not blame the Villages? They put down low grade grass. It is grass weed. Have little by little put down premium sod in bare spots. What a difference in premium and grass weed The Villages uses.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Full stops are your friend. I’m very old

[jimjamuser]

What is the real answer to the terrible lawns, terrible grass on the Village's portions of the properties, and many etc's. We have had Massey look at our yard at least 3 times. Once is was said to be "worms", then give more water, (which we did), "maybe cinch bugs, and yet after they sprayed, we gave more water we are still with the problem. Looking around at all the other grass areas there is the same problems and it appears The Villages is just letting it spread and ruining the Villages property. There are black spots, dead area's, pits of missing grass, etc. Is it that the Villages Management does not know what it truly is and is just letting it destroy what was once a beautiful place? Where are the experts? Why has the Villages not called them in? Why has the Villages not managed the problem and given some direction to the Residents? There are a lot of "WHY'S" and NO answers. Again "WHY":ohdear:
1) Global Warming
2) Excessive artificial, unnatural fertilizer usage
3) Excessive runoff from #2
4) Too many BARE yards without enough shrubs and trees to provide shade and diversity
5)Village management greed and paying all their attention on the new Southern Villages

[Spike380]

People are too cheap to water their grass. AND the developer isn't response for all the bug/lawn people who come around.

[DAVES]

Could The Villages plant a different type of grass? The lawns are terrible here. We put weed and feed recommended for this grass and it seems to kill the grass and feed the weeds. Extra watering doesn’t help much. Most lawns look brown.

My OPINION. Weed and feed type products are I suppose easy but it is in conflict with what you need/want to do. Fertilizer should be watered in if allowed to stick to the plant it will burn your grass. Weed killer is absorbed into the plant through the leaves so it needs to stick to the leaves the reason why it says to apply to a lawn that is damp.

Granulated lawn fertilizer. slow release feeds longer and is less likely to burn the grass.

Liquid week killer works better and works faster. Beware about getting it on other plants, bushes etc because it will also kill or damage them.

Instructions we know few read or follow them. Weed killer says do not use above 70 degrees. There are two types of grass in the villages, Empire Zoyzia and St Augustine.
The Zoysia does better with weed killer than St Augustine. You can kill a St Augustine lawn if you apply weed killer too heavy or when it is too hot.

You will see weed killer start to work in a day or two. It takes like two weeks or more for it to kill the weeds.

[Red Rose]

It's best for lawns to be watered around 6:00 - 8 AM . Not 10 or after because the water will just evaporate and will not do your lawn any good at all.

[Red Rose]

Sometimes the problem is mole crickets. They will eat your lawn from the roots and leave you with no lawn at all. Maybe that's why some Villagers have had to replace their whole lawn.

[jimjamuser]

Florida=bad grass. Plain and simple. A futile attempt to improve. Re-sod….next year it’s back to looking bad. Save your $$$.
That IS good advice!

[Holpat39]

1) Global Warming
2) Excessive artificial, unnatural fertilizer usage
3) Excessive runoff from #2
4) Too many BARE yards without enough shrubs and trees to provide shade and diversity
5)Village management greed and paying all their attention on the new Southern Villages

B.S. reply No rain is the only true answer. If you sprayed for bugs, weeds, worms, etc. and no results then it still is lack of rain and no one's fault, it's climate, not the developer, your neighbor, runoff, bare yards, etc. No rain. Period.

[jimjamuser]

My solution would be to allow us to have natural looking artificial turf if we chose. Silly to mandate/allow only real, ugly, sick looking turf, in my book. Why waste water and abuse pesticides if we don't have to! Artificial turf has come a long way in looking beautiful and real.
You are right that would be a good solution. And environmentally correct. What also happens is that ALL the fertilizer used in Florida runs off into the Gulf and creates "DEAD ZONES", where toxic RED TIDE flourishes and the fish die. And swimmers around the West Coast beaches get SICK! Anyone with allergies or COPD should AVOID red tide at all COSTS!

Now, why won't our exalted leaders allow artificial turf? One reason (not the only one) is that the lawn maintenance people have like a STRONG lobby or union that IS against ANYTHING that would lessen their profits. No thinking outside the box there - young lady from the frozen North!

[Topspinmo]

This is only our second year here and didnt seem to have this problem last year.

Last year was very wet spring, summer, and fall. Not that lucky this year.

[PennBF]

Thanks to all of you who responded to the question regarding the conditions of quite a few of the Villages lawns. To those who suggested we leave the Villages because of the question, or those who prefer a dogs because a question was asked, or those who thought
it was a simplistic problem and disregarded the complexity of the understanding the cause I feel you may want to consider a couple of things, 1. There never are dumb questions only dumb answers, 2. You may need a little anger management to get back in
the parade of people who consider the Villages is made up of the most friendly people. :ho: