[Barboza]

When we chose our lot the grass was beautiful but after building my home up(it is somewhat elevated )I feel that they may have taken all the beautiful topsoil from my lawn and that of a couple of Neighbors to infill the foundations of my home. In all 12 yrs plus we have not been able to get a decent lawn despite employing the best landscapers and following their recommendations for dethatching, aerating,and adding topsoil plus the addition of extra water (of course). Previous the field grew watermelons. Anyone have any other suggestions?

[Barboza]

Originally Posted by almondz

So what is your formula? What do you use and when?

I leave it to the "experts" without success.

[TomSpasm]

Most lawn problems will be solved by the middle of next week when we get some rain starting tomorrow.

[HORNET]

People move to the South, to Florida,to The Villages, it’s been this was for centuries! We move here and want lush green lawns in a year ! Fertilize, water and enjoy the reason we moved here for.

[Bwanajim]

The grass here SUCKS!! It turns brown where my dog pees!
I spent my whole life in Ft. Lauderdale & never had any problems with the St Augustine sod there.

[metoo21]

Does anyone know what the reclaimed water pressure is for irrigating homes south of 44?

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Bwanajim

The grass here SUCKS!! It turns brown where my dog pees!
I spent my whole life in Ft. Lauderdale & never had any problems with the St Augustine sod there.

Must be the dog, my grass doesn’t turn brown from pee.

[graciegirl]

s

Originally Posted by coffeebean

If there were a contest for best lawn in The Villages, my neighbors would win, hands down. They have a gorgeous lawn that looks like a dark green carpet. He does all the care for the lawn himself. Maybe that's what it takes but I can't be bothered doing that. My mix of St. Augustine (my preferred lawn by a landslide) and Zoisia looks really good. I'm happy with really good but would much prefer "outstanding" like my neighbors'. I just don't have the gumption to do it myself.

I think that you are indeed typical. People are retired and meticulous care of a lawn, no matter that most are much smaller lawns than the homeowner had before is not as much a priority as it once was, .....

That being said, I still think that driving around our streets and roads is truly a wonderful and beautiful tour. The combination of deed restrictions and lack of overdone yard art, coupled with lawn service being on speed dial makes most of our town look like the grounds of Vanderbilt or Hearst Castle. Miles and miles and miles of roadway with nicely kept bushes and trees and replacement of seasonal flowers and redoing of mulch in the common areas and lovely cut lawns and trimmed bushes along with some very pretty flowers in the residential sections gives a very welcoming and consistent appeal everywhere.

I guess that it has a lot to do with whether we are looking at what is wrong or what is right...

I have borrowed a golf cart tour from Youtube; golfcart tour of The Villages, Florida youtube - Search Videos

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Thanks - very interesting!

Have you seen a map showing how the basins are connected below the Turnpike?

The NSCUDD area is from 466 down to 44 for water systems. They do things a little bid differently south of 44. I would suggest you ask someone on the WUDD board that question as that's in there are of responsibility.

Thanks

[Miboater]

Originally Posted by Altavia

Thanks - very interesting!

Have you seen a map showing how the basins are connected below the Turnpike?

I vaguely remember reading or watching a video (maybe goldwingnut) that there is no connection across the turnpike and that is a separate system in that area. Also the ponds down there higher because there is less draw as there is very little residential irrigation usage.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Must be the dog, my grass doesn’t turn brown from pee.

Agree, numerous dogs pee and poop on our lawn which doesn't bother me as long as they pick up the poop but there are no brown spots out there. Those spots are probably from lawn pests.

[wkstephan]

IMO a better solution is for The Villages to allow homes to install artificial turf in place of grass lawns. Artificial turf has come a long way from the bristlely indoor-outdoor carpet that was available years ago. Today it looks very much like natural grass, needs very little maintenance, and lasts more than a decade. It needs no water or fertilizer, impervious to pet urine, insects and diseases, unaffected by soil conditions, and it looks great year round and year after year.

For an area the size of The Villages, allowing artificial turf to replace grass could result in substantial conservation of water.

I can understand why use of artificial turf was prohibited in the old days when it would have detracted from the aesthetics of the community; but I am convinced that the use of modern artificial turf for lawns in The Villages would be an improvement in aesthetics and a value enhancer…

[Ptmcbriz]

I do my own grass (yes a woman). It looks lush, thick, and gorgeous. I have ProVista St Augustine. The secret is being PROACTIVE with your grass and not wait until you see a problem. I use mostly Scott products. I follow the bags directions and apply fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, regularly. The picture I attached is of the side yard, but the front lawn looks the same. It requires a lot of water. Right now when it’s mid 90’s outside I water 70 minutes per day, 3x a week. Unfortunately, with sand being your soil watering less when it’s this hot makes the grass stress and you’ll see the blades folding in on themselves creating a shadow on your lawn. If you don’t water within 24 hours of those blades folding the grass dies and creates bare spots. You have to jump on it. Keep St Augustine cut no shorter than 3.75” but prefers 4”. Any shorter and it stress the grass.

[TVTVTV]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

I do all of my lawn treatments myself and even in this drought it is in beautiful condition. Those that you pay to service your lawn will put down the minimum or less. It takes all of 10 minutes to spread fertilizer, pesticides, and fungicide all in all a total of 10 times per year between the 3 that's about 1-1/2 hours of work to maintain a beautiful lawn. I also adjust and set my irrigation so that there are minimal spots not getting water.

You hit the nail on the head! You get out what you put in. It doesn't magically happen. Even if you have it mowed and treated by a company you can't be cheap with watering, and need to stay on top of brown spots and bugs and diseases. I've seen many beautiful lawns in our village succumb and die because the owners don't do what they should and pay some attention to it. Then in a year or two they need a complete resod for thousands of dollars because it's not salvageable.

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by wkstephan

IMO a better solution is for The Villages to allow homes to install artificial turf in place of grass lawns. Artificial turf has come a long way from the bristlely indoor-outdoor carpet that was available years ago. Today it looks very much like natural grass, needs very little maintenance, and lasts more than a decade. It needs no water or fertilizer, impervious to pet urine, insects and diseases, unaffected by soil conditions, and it looks great year round and year after year.

For an area the size of The Villages, allowing artificial turf to replace grass could result in substantial conservation of water.

I can understand why use of artificial turf was prohibited in the old days when it would have detracted from the aesthetics of the community; but I am convinced that the use of modern artificial turf for lawns in The Villages would be an improvement in aesthetics and a value enhancer…

All of the storm water management planning was based on water flows where grass would absorb some of the water to make the runoff less. Using artificial turf would change the water flows. In what I am hearing from Village staff and all consultants, changes from grass to another ground covering will not be allowed in the Villages primarily for this reason alone.