[BRN_RI_FL]

I’ve been a New Englander for most of my life so I’m just learning about all this Florida stuff. My question of the day relates to grass type. I have a few places in my new courtyard villa yard where I would like to throw down some grass seed. What type should I buy? I’m not even sure what type of grass I have. I’ve pulled up some grass near the sprinkler heads and whatever I have has real deep roots. Can anyone educate me?
Thanks in advance,
Bruce

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Brucernelson

I’ve been a New Englander for most of my life so I’m just learning about all this Florida stuff. My question of the day relates to grass type. I have a few places in my new courtyard villa yard where I would like to throw down some grass seed. What type should I buy? I’m not even sure what type of grass I have. I’ve pulled up some grass near the sprinkler heads and whatever I have has real deep roots. Can anyone educate me?
Thanks in advance,
Bruce

Floraltam is the grass most commonly used for residential homes in the Villages. It is a type of St. Augustine grass. It grows at night and goes dormant during cold season. Best to wait until spring to plant unless putting down established sod. You can buy plugs on-line and plant them in the spring.

[raynan]

If you are in a village on the north side of 466 or south side to Poinciana, you have St Augustine grass. The Villages switched to Zoysia grass in 2010 going south starting at Pennecamp.
We're from MA and struggled trying to get a good looking lawn with several companies and then by ourselves with Scotts Southern fertilizer. Tried for 3 years and then found Lesco at Home Depot and we spread every 3 months. It does not include a weed killer so in between we spread Scotts weed and feed. Now the lawn is great, finally.

[BRN_RI_FL]

Thanks for the replies. I’ve been planting grass up north for almost 40 years now. The type of weather we’ve been having here, cool nights and warm (in the 70’s days) would be perfect grass growing weather up north. And the seed I’ve always bought is a mixture of three or four different types. But I guess I’ve got a bit of learning to do in The Villages. Never too old to learn.

[BRN_RI_FL]

Originally Posted by raynan

If you are in a village on the north side of 466 or south side to Poinciana, you have St Augustine grass. The Villages switched to Zoysia grass in 2010 going south starting at Pennecamp.
We're from MA and struggled trying to get a good looking lawn with several companies and then by ourselves with Scotts Southern fertilizer. Tried for 3 years and then found Lesco at Home Depot and we spread every 3 months. It does not include a weed killer so in between we spread Scotts weed and feed. Now the lawn is great, finally.

Oh, and I’m in the new Phillips Villas off Mulberry Lane. You can’t get any more north than that in The Villages. So I must have St. Augustine.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Sprinkler Buddy

I wonder why more people don't go with centipede grass. It looks great in my opinion and requires much less water and less mowing maintenance to keep looking great. Not to mention less needed fertilizer and pesticides.

I don't think Villagers want to go to the expense of replacing their entire lawn, although they could plant plugs which would take a long time to see the results.

The developer changed the sod to Zoysia because it was cheaper, I'm sure -- not because it is better and requires less water.

[graciegirl]

Back to the subject;

We have Zoysia. It can grow under and through just about anything civilization has to offer and pulling it out of where it isn't supposed to grow makes most good people cuss.

Folks. I meant to say FOLKS.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

I don't think Villagers want to go to the expense of replacing their entire lawn, although they could plant plugs which would take a long time to see the results.

The developer changed the sod to Zoysia because it was cheaper, I'm sure -- not because it is better and requires less water.

Sez here that Zoyzia is more expensive than St. Augustine and also as I researched further, Zoyzia required less water;


2017 St Augustine Sod Prices | St Augustine Pallet of Sod Cost

Zoysia Farm Nurseries: Welcome!

[autumnspring]

Originally Posted by Brucernelson

Thanks for the replies. I’ve been planting grass up north for almost 40 years now. The type of weather we’ve been having here, cool nights and warm (in the 70’s days) would be perfect grass growing weather up north. And the seed I’ve always bought is a mixture of three or four different types. But I guess I’ve got a bit of learning to do in The Villages. Never too old to learn.

These threads often get to my grass can take your grass.

The best line I ever heard at one of the many plant lectures I've attended is if you are from up north, forget everything you think you know about plant care.

From your post, if you are on the northern section of the Villages you have St Augustine. In the south sections you will have Empire Zoyzia. As to seeding-the zoysia does not produce a viable seed-you have no choice but to buy sod.
The saint augustine seed that you can buy is not the same variety that you have so again yu must buy sod.

CONFESSION-we have empire zoysia-AND MY GRASS CAN TAKE YOUR GRASS-CAN'T HELP IT.

Back to the real world-each type has pluses and minuses. The zoyzia has a far finer texture than the st augustine. The zoysia is,"supposed," to need less water. Except if your read the fine print. If, there is a water shortage, the zoysia will turn brown before the st augustime. However the zoysia has the ability to go dormant and come back.
The st augustine if it goes brown it is not dormant it is dead. As to weed killers. The empire zoysia is more tolerant of common weed killers than the st augustine.

HINT-I've seen many posts that I have a zoysia law and my gardener has dropped st augustine into it. If you read the insurrections on any of the common 24D weed killers it says do not use at temperatures over 80 degrees. You mix it up strong (1 tbs to the qt) and spot treat on a hot day.
It will kill the st augustine but not the zoysia. At that strength is will damage the zoysia but not kill it-do not do it regularly.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

[/COLOR]

Sez here that Zoyzia is more expensive than St. Augustine and also as I researched further, Zoyzia required less water;


2017 St Augustine Sod Prices | St Augustine Pallet of Sod Cost

Zoysia Farm Nurseries: Welcome!

I thought that when TV came further south, they had to negotiate with Sumter county to use less water and generally use fewer natural resources. It may be the reason for the Zoysia grass. We were "told"! (But then we were also told buildout would be 2014)

bruce-with-the-darling-beagle-rnelson, some people overseed zoysia with rye grass in the winter. You might give that a try. Needs more mowing, and the grass can escape into your neighbor's yard, although that might not be a problem in a CYV. We tried it one year. It was spotty in our yard (designer).

We've given up. Nothing down here will match our up-North grass.

[redwitch]

Don’t assume it is St. Augustine because of your location. The north/south rule applies to homes already built for the northern end, everything for the southern. Not sure what they may have planted in the new housing up north. Call the irrigation company shown on your irrigation control box. They’ll have the definitive answer.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Don’t assume it is St. Augustine because of your location. The north/south rule applies to homes already built for the northern end, everything for the southern. Not sure what they may have planted in the new housing up north. Call the irrigation company shown on your irrigation control box. They’ll have the definitive answer.

I called.

They said;

Pure Columbian.

[redwitch]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I called.

They said;

Pure Columbian.

[raynan]

I probably should have said Zoysia since 2010 rather than north/south seeing they are now building north again.

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

I don't think Villagers want to go to the expense of replacing their entire lawn, although they could plant plugs which would take a long time to see the results.

The developer changed the sod to Zoysia because it was cheaper, I'm sure -- not because it is better and requires less water.

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Sez here that Zoyzia is more expensive than St. Augustine and also as I researched further, Zoyzia required less water;


2017 St Augustine Sod Prices | St Augustine Pallet of Sod Cost

Zoysia Farm Nurseries: Welcome!

Sorry, but the sites mentioned above do not apply to Florida. Next time compare apples to apples.
Just as a point of information -- there are a number of different types of Zoysia and what grows here in Florida will probably not survive in Maryland (where that website is!).

Yes -- our Zoysia is a lot less expensive than Floratam, St. Augustine or any of its equivalents.
In addition, if you watered either type of these grasses every other day in the heat of the summer, I defy you to tell the difference between either of them because neither will die.

There is no question that in the winter, our brown Zoysia definitely is ugly.