Yes, it is time to winterize your turf. SeaHume should be
used alone or with the 00-00-25, depending on the results from your soil test.
Look for a product with a 00 for the first number (nitrogen). A 00-00-25 with
sulfate of potash and minors would be great. If you do not need the potash,
consider just the SeaHume, a wonderful combination of seaweed and humic acid.
SeaHume will help grass, trees, shrubs, and flowers
throughout the winter. The seaweed part of SeaHume has over 60 minor nutrients,
carbohydrates, amino acids, gibberellins, auxins, cytokynins, anti-oxidants and
other bio stimulants. The humic acid is also full of bio stimulants that help
make nutrients that are in the soil available to the plant, help with soil
structure, grow roots, and feed the microorganisms in the soil.
Beware of the national ad campaigns talking about
winterizing fertilizers. These products are usually formulated for cool season
grasses (rye, fescue). I saw one over the weekend that was a 22-00-14. Not
exactly what we want to put on our yard in mid-October in the Lowcountry. Just
ask Clemson University.
Have you ever had winter kill? Now is the time to prepare
your grass for the wide variations in temperatures we have. If you had winter
kill in the past, you need to be sure to correct low and poorly drained areas,
reduce thatch in the yard, increase air movement in low areas, keep your lawn
hydrated and feed.
Mow your grass lower than normal (centipede 1.0 to 1.5
inches, St. Augustine 2.5 to 3.0 inches). By mowing your grass lower, you will
increase the air movement around the crown of the plant, so cold air will not
settle at the crown of the plant and damage the grass. In Florida helicopters
fly low over citrus groves that are in valleys to get the cold air out.
Fine blade Zoysia grass can grow very dense and get thatch.
De-thatching, verticutting, using Bio Grounds Keeper, and regular topdressing
should be part of your maintenance schedule.
When buying gas for your lawn mower, be sure to include a
gas stabilizer to help prevent your carburetor from getting varnished over the
winter. Try to purchase gas from a gas station that has ethanol free gas for
your mower as well as your two cycle hand held equipment.
Moles?
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
