[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]

Originally Posted by Luisa

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]

Originally Posted by Singerlady

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]

Originally Posted by jimjamuser

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

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.