Page 18 - Lawn & Landscape Guide AL

Post-emergent: Carefully apply a non-selective herbicide to control weed in your flower bed space. Spot spray only. Be careful not to get on plants, especially in wind conditions more than 10 mph.
July
Centipede, St. Augustine, & Zoysia
Mowing: Hot temperatures can be tough this time of year on all turf types. Higher mowing heights will help the lawn keep good color and less stressful. Lower mowing heights would have to be offset with more frequent mowings and irrigation to keep it green and healthy. Recommended Mowing Heights- Centipede 3.5” St. Augustine 4”” Zoysia 3.5”
Watering: Make sure your lawn is getting up to 2” of precipitation per week. It is best to water in the mornings with less frequent, heavy soakings. This can come from rainfall or irrigation. Do not overwater. This can be more detrimental than lack of precipitation.
Fertilizer: With no turf diseases active, apply 1⁄4 lb of nitrogen per 1000 sqft along with micronutrients to keep your lawn green and thriving. Apply no more than 1.5 lb of nitrogen per 1000 sqft per growing season.
Post-emergent: Weeds are still hardening off and are now more difficult to control. Weeds like Virginia Buttonweed, Lespedeza, Spurge, and Chamberbitter are now active. These hard to control weeds need a selective herbicide to control. Chamberbitter has many seed pods therefore, bagging your clippings can prevent this hard to control weed from spreading like wild fire. Apply a selective herbicide to control these unwanted weeds.
Fire Ants: Fire ant stings are very painful and are no joke! They thrive in warmer temperatures and but they are active 12 months a year. Fire ants search for areas of direct sunlight so your lawn is a perfect fit. Their mounds can develop very quickly especially after rainfall. Broadcasting baits are most effective.