[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by idlewild

You are not overwatering your lawn and I feel you with the cost of irrigation here.

Quick rant/sidetrack on the expense as transparency is ������ :
Many people don’t realize that the Family charge a monthly service fee for your irrigation in addition their usage cost so even if you don’t use a single drop in a particular month, you will still be charged a $24.68 / month or nearly $300/year maintenance or “base fee” in the newer section. This service fee is nearly $10/month higher than that of potable water and in addition to the Family’s other base fee of $46.98 (inclusive of tax) for sewage in the new area.

So between irrigation and sewage base - and this is just the base (ie you pay it even if you don’t use it and likely pay much more for using it) - residents pay another $868.32/year in service fees to the Family. When you consider there are now 3,700 homes in CDD 15, these service fees generate $3.2M per annum. It doesn’t scale linearly - and the family has sold some of the 6 other utilities they built and charged you for in the form of a bond - but if you consider there are 14 other CDDs each paying around the same, that’s $50M for the privilege to use sewage and irrigation lines.

And now you know how they can afford to pay their law firm to send our military veterans harassing cease and desist letters citing bogus “illegal” flights they make to promote the Villages.

—-

Anyway, back to your lawn: you’re not overwatering, you are overpaying, and I suggest both getting a good slow release fertilizer (Milorganite and Ironite should both help with greening and insecticides (cinch bugs are in full season.now, cause brown circles and can wreak havoc in days if not treated ), and looking up YouTubers like Better Call Chadd who have tons of videos on how to best maintain Saint Augustine weed—-er, grass.

Base rate data from what I can see. The "family" does not make money on utility bills as far as I know. What are these veteran letters you are referring to? Never heard of this.

Capacity charge (base rate)
5/8 X 3/4" meter
$10.46
3/4 X 3/4" meter
$15.70
1" meter
$26.16

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by idlewild

You are not overwatering your lawn and I feel you with the cost of irrigation here.

Quick rant/sidetrack on the expense as transparency is 🔑 :
Many people don’t realize that the Family charge a monthly service fee for your irrigation in addition their usage cost so even if you don’t use a single drop in a particular month, you will still be charged a $24.68 / month or nearly $300/year maintenance or “base fee” in the newer section. This service fee is nearly $10/month higher than that of potable water and in addition to the Family’s other base fee of $46.98 (inclusive of tax) for sewage in the new area.

So between irrigation and sewage base - and this is just the base (ie you pay it even if you don’t use it and likely pay much more for using it) - residents pay another $868.32/year in service fees to the Family. When you consider there are now 3,700 homes in CDD 15, these service fees generate $3.2M per annum. It doesn’t scale linearly - and the family has sold some of the 6 other utilities they built and charged you for in the form of a bond - but if you consider there are 14 other CDDs each paying around the same, that’s $50M for the privilege to use sewage and irrigation lines.

And now you know how they can afford to pay their law firm to send our military veterans harassing cease and desist letters citing bogus “illegal” flights they make to promote the Villages.

—-

Anyway, back to your lawn: you’re not overwatering, you are overpaying, and I suggest both getting a good slow release fertilizer (Milorganite and Ironite should both help with greening and insecticides (cinch bugs are in full season.now, cause brown circles and can wreak havoc in days if not treated ), and looking up YouTubers like Better Call Chadd who have tons of videos on how to best maintain Saint Augustine weed—-er, grass.

Base rate data from what I can see. The "family" does not make money on utility bills as far as I know. What are these veteran letters you are referring to? Never heard of this.

Capacity charge (base rate)
5/8 X 3/4" meter
$10.46
3/4 X 3/4" meter
$15.70
1" meter
$26.16

[sklmarm55]

Dean's has been taking care of our lawn here since 11/2021. But now over the last 6 month's the lawn is dying in certain areas. I've checked the sprinklers as that's my niche. But at this point I think I just need areas of sod replanted. Any suggestions for someone who's reasonable (I know...very hard to find in The Villages) to do major work like this?

[Ozzello]

ALWAYS check water 1st, put test cups out and check your coverage. Do the homework and the math on how much water your grass needs compared to how much you are giving it. Look at slopes and soil type AND your gutter to see if or when you start getting significant runoff. Maybe run irrigation in intervals.
Rainwater is an awesome supplement to irrigation. Very beneficial, no matter how great your lawn looks, it will look better after a good rain. You could write a small book on all the reasons why, but I am not going to.
2nd most important thing... pH of the lower 4" of the top 6" of soil. While doing this test (if you REALLY want a great lawn) also measure the length of your roots in each location. Test your good areas and you bad spots. Likely your good areas could get better if you acidify as well. BECAUSE:
You likely are trying to grow a 6.2 loving grass on 7.2 so your roots are very shallow and weak.
There is fungus, bugs and lots of other causes, but you have to go in order. If you are good on water and pH, everything else becomes small and easy to control.
ALSO, if your lawn care people are spot spraying for weeds, it is stressing the weedy areas. But hey, long as you keep throwing money to DuPont...

[Babubhat]

Yard Mastery Blog | DIY Lawn Care Tips & Expert Advice

[Lottoguy]

Most likely your problem is cinch bugs. They are real bad this year and multiple homes are having this problem. Might have to clean out the bad area and install plugs.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by Lottoguy

Most likely your problem is cinch bugs. They are real bad this year and multiple homes are having this problem. Might have to clean out the bad area and install plugs.

cinch bugs. we tried to fix ourselves. but had greensmiths treat the lawn for bugs.

[kingofbeer]

Originally Posted by kingofbeer

cinch bugs. we tried to fix ourselves. but had greensmiths treat the lawn for bugs.

If you sign up, please give the name LYNNE RUDOLPH as a referral. We are happy with the service.

[Mcmillmw]

Originally Posted by Pondboy

So if I’m understanding the issue, you have perfect St Augustine Grass in your yard with the exception of some “Brown Spots” that only turn green after a rain.

How big are these brown spots? Are they round or different shapes?

I’m assuming that you have ruled out irrigation heads missing these areas and underground structures that are limiting the grass roots from reaching far down into the soil.

How about the suns reflection off of a window, hitting these spots and magnifying its intensity ?

Are you sure it’s St Augustine and not a weed such as crabgrass ?

How many inches of water does your system put down in these areas per week?

What does the grass look like before it turns brown? Do the leaf blades fold in or do they remain flat?

The Brown Spots in St Augustine, especially if they are concentrated near roads and driveway edges are most likely caused by an infestation of Chinch Bugs or Sod Webworms....it's prevalent in the southern part of The Villages. After checking with multiple sod experts I found this product (bought on Amazon)..
https://a.co/d/dJMSX4M. The key ingredient is Bifenthrin. I use it at the first signs of brown spot formation. I apply 2 applications, 2-3 weeks apart (the 2nd is to kill any new hatchlings that didn't get killed in the 1st application). I have had very good success with this procedure. There is instructions that come with the product, but to "cut to the chase" I use .5 fl oz per 2 gallons in a sprayer.

[Babubhat]

DIY Lawn Care Guide: Fixing Brown Spots - Yard Mastery

[tophcfa]

Our St Augustine thrives on dog waste. Invite all your neighbors to come visit with their furry companions: )

[Babubhat]

Originally Posted by Babubhat

DIY Lawn Care Guide: Fixing Brown Spots - Yard Mastery

Step 1: Identify the Issue—Why Dig First?

Before applying treatments, you must identify the issue accurately. Carefully dig out a small patch (approximately 6” x 6”) from the affected area. Inspect the soil, grass roots, and the overall condition closely:

Grubs or insects: Look for small, white, C-shaped larvae or insect activity.
Fungus indicators: Watch for slimy or mushy grass and fungal growth.
Dry, powdery soil: Indicates drought or heat stress.
Excessive moisture: Often associated with fungal diseases.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Switching to a low nitrogen fertilizer with micronutrients Made a huge improvement in my lawn and reduced the need to water.

50 Pound Bag - Lesco 8-2-12-4 — Fertilizer Direct

hey, great suggestion, thanks!

[Arctic Fox]

We replaced our grass with ground cover - Asian Jasmine

Zero maintenance, apart from trimming the edges back once every few months

No irrigation; no fertiliser; no bug sprays; no mowing; no brown spots (green year-round)