[TheWatcher]

Originally Posted by Smalley

I agree with all the posters who feel that grass lawns are high maintenance, expensive, use too much water and herbicide and are just not worth it. We should have non-grass options here especially low water plants. Does anyone know what possibilities exist? We chose a courtyard villa with no lawn and have no regrets.

Take a look at this info for The Villages. They must be updating it as it used to be available in a single pdf:

FNPS - UF Native Plant Landscape Designs - The Villages

From the site:

A collaborative project between the University of Florida (UF/IFAS) and The Villages Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society provides specific residential native plant landscape plans. These designs feature clean, compact layouts tailored for central Florida lots (USDA Zone 9a/9b) while complying with local aesthetic expectations.


Overview of the UF-Backed Designs

The Pattern Book: A 41-page guide titled The Villages Native Plant Landscape Planting Plans includes six distinct native layouts for small residential lots.
Options per Lot Type: Features both high-diversity and low-diversity layouts customized for different common lot shapes in the area.
Core Goals: Reduce turfgrass, conserve local water supplies, and support pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Availability: You can view or download the designs directly through the UF Native Plant Landscape Designs - The Villages portal.


Recommended Native Plants for Central Florida

Trees & Palms: Sabal Palm, East Palatka Holly, Buttonbush, and Southern Magnolia.
Shrubs: Wild Coffee, American Beautyberry, Dwarf Yaupon Holly, and Walter's Viburnum.
Grasses & Groundcovers: Muhly Grass, Beach Sunflower, and Frog Fruit.


Additionally:
Check out "The Lawn Nut" Youtube channel for great info on taking care of your lawn.

Beginning to DIY your landscape:
https://youtu.be/JjnA1TI8Pxg?is=j-yw-V7HjgOqnxgy

Since alot of us are resodding this year:
https://youtu.be/nkr0WpyDugs?is=OU_n0GRU0plfueQL

A water sparing product for your yard he uses is called "Hydretain" Root Zone Moisture Manager https://a.co/d/0fOONqjF. This is a humectant for soil grass that retains moisture in the soil.


Hope you all found something useful here.

TheWatcher

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy

I wonder if Zoysia Green services down below 44? We’re gonna fire Fertigator so if we can’t change to a ground cover we’ll need another lawn company. Instead of Black Cow did he maybe say Milorganite?

I find this amusing. We choose to fight nature. This is not natural. Edged lawns etc. PH for a lawn is like 6.5 we have 7 or 8. Soil is sandy clay. Black cow is top quality cow manure. It even has a jingle. Adding manure before you put down sod is a good idea. But it takes like two inches
stirred into the top eight inches. Morganite you are buying Milwaukee sewage and if you READ the bag it says do not use on plants you will eat.

[Larryandlinda]

Don’t take our word, take it from Charlie unless you’re still in denial
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DA7T9wOCePs

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Miboater

Zoysia Green was the first lawn care company that we had south of 44 so at one time they did go below 44. I was having issues with them and went with Dean's and they weren't any better.

Thanks!

[yankygrl]

Without reading all 50 replies the only comment I have is DO NOT use Massey for lawn issues. They killed my lawn after a cinch bug and fungus invasion.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You can use non-grass ground cover, but you have to get ARC to sign off on it before you start the project. Some alternatives are peanut plant, frogfruit, and sunshine mimosa.

[Ozzello]

Most "alternatives" are harder to maintain than lawn grasses.
STOP with the "selective herbicides"! You are stressing the grass you want.
FIX your pH, it is likely 7.2 and doesn't allow your grass to "eat and drink" properly.
KILL THE BUGS.
DON'T use Pro Vista. Zoysia is in 2nd place for the worst grass.
Mow what you have. If you see a weed, walk out to the street... if you still don't like what you see, dig it out and fill the hole with topsoil.

The BEST grass is CENTIPEDE. LOW WATER requirement, LOW FERTILIZER requirement. Mow it on the lowest setting, and most weeds and grasses can't take a 1" mowing, and those that can, will be choked out... THEN QUIT MOWING more than ONCE A MONTH.
Sorry, no... the Centipede sod isn't cheap.

[Miboater]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

Most "alternatives" are harder to maintain than lawn grasses.
STOP with the "selective herbicides"! You are stressing the grass you want.
FIX your pH, it is likely 7.2 and doesn't allow your grass to "eat and drink" properly.
KILL THE BUGS.
DON'T use Pro Vista. Zoysia is in 2nd place for the worst grass.
Mow what you have. If you see a weed, walk out to the street... if you still don't like what you see, dig it out and fill the hole with topsoil.

The BEST grass is CENTIPEDE. LOW WATER requirement, LOW FERTILIZER requirement. Mow it on the lowest setting, and most weeds and grasses can't take a 1" mowing, and those that can, will be choked out... THEN QUIT MOWING more than ONCE A MONTH.
Sorry, no... the Centipede sod isn't cheap.

I'm curious why you say don't use ProVista. I have it and I find it a lot easier to maintain than Floratam. Being able to use glyphosate to control the inevitable torpedo and common Bermuda grass is a huge bonus. All strains of St Augustine have issues with insects and fungus but if you do preventive maintenance it's not a big issue. Also I believe it is in the deed restrictions that a homeowner can't change out on type of grass for another like swapping St Augustine for centipede.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

I lost several small sections of lawn to drought last summer or the summer before, so I dug out the entire area by hand, and planted St augustine starter pods I purchased on line from a FL grass supplier/nursery?? for like $75, not sure of the correct word. I planted them in several areas of the lawn where I removed both bermuda and torpedo. Lots of water and occasional fertilizer and over a year later, one can not tell where the lawn was replaced. No glyphosate was used! 30% vinegar was used though. And yes, there was a faint odor of salad in the area for awhile.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Pondboy

I hate the grass as well……if it’s any consolation, even the Agricultural Extension office of the University of Florida says grass is very difficult to grow in this state.

If you were to re sod, you could look at the “ProVista”varietal of St Augustine Grass or the “Viridian” varietal. They are Glyphosate “tolerant” meaning that they can take some applications of glyphosate so that the weeds, such as Crabgrass, Torpedo and Bermuda growing in the St Aug. will die but not the St. Aug.

This video might help


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NXi0IgV-SE

It kills torpedo or Bermudan grass in about two weeks after one light application. But never spray on established Pro Vista or any other if it is too hot outside(above 85), it will kill everything. I spray it in the evening and make sure my sprinklers come on just before day break.

[Lanieb]

What about substituting peanut grass?

[kschwi]

Originally Posted by Nana2Teddy

Apparently there’s a few ground covers that are allowed in place of sod, but for some reason this isn’t well known. We’re going to look into it, and check with ARC to see what’s allowed because we’re sick of this endless lawn maintenance nightmare, and now fighting chinch bugs. Next time we’re definitely buying a Courtyard Villa where we can have all rock.

Any updates on what you found?

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Peanut plant, sunshine mimosa, frogfruit, basket grass, and asiatic jasmine are all ground covers for Central Florida. You probably have basket grass growing wild in your garden or near pavers, and consider it weed. It is a weed, only in that you never planted it intentionally. Let it grow and it'll cover the entire lawn with a flat carpet of green, no mowing necessary. Basket grass is most suitable if you have shade, but it'll grow almost everywhere.

The others have visible flowers that pop up during their flowering season. All the ones other than basket grass prefer full sun, but can grow even if there's a little shade, or on the shady side of the house.

[bark4me]

Originally Posted by Normal

It kills torpedo or Bermudan grass in about two weeks after one light application. But never spray on established Pro Vista or any other if it is too hot outside(above 85), it will kill everything. I spray it in the evening and make sure my sprinklers come on just before day break.

Pro Vista is NOT glyphosate tolerant. Varidian is however

[Miboater]

Originally Posted by bark4me

Pro Vista is NOT glyphosate tolerant. Varidian is however

ProVista is the original St Augustine grass developed by Scott's to be glyphosate tolerant. I've had it for 5 years and can attest to that fact or my sod would have been killed a few times.

Viridian is a newer version that is also called Texas ProVista and is a deeper green color and more cold tolerant.