There are four main grass types for home lawns in the southeast. Centipede, hybrid Bermudagrass, Zoysia and St. Augustine make up 99% of home lawn turf in this region. All of these turf types are managed roughly the same through the winter. Here is a brief description of how to guide your lawn through the rough winter.
Mowing and Irrigation
The first step in preparing for winter is to raise your mowing heights. You should raise your heights roughly one half to an inch. This will help the grass plants develop more leaf tissue to help combat winter wear. Raising your heights should be done when the grass is still growing, typically three to four weeks before the first frost (November 11 - November 30 are Southport's average first frost dates).
Your watering schedule should also begin to decrease over the next few months. Reduce watering frequency by half through October and by 90% by Thanksgiving. From December through February water should only be applied to prevent excessive drying.
Fertilization and Pest Control
No nitrogen should be applied at this time. You shouldn't have to apply nitrogen until early spring of next season (early summer for Centipede).
The only application of fertilizer should be to apply Potassium (K) at a rate of one pound per thousand square feet. Potassium will help the plant in hardening off before the dormant season. There are multiple products that carry Potassium. We would recommend going to your local Ag store for assistance in finding the right product for you.
Winter pre-emergent weed control should be considered on an as needed basis (exclude Centipede). We would recommend NOT applying a weed prevention product to an UNHEALTHY lawn. Most pre-emergents have negative side effect to turf in the spring. On the contrary, if your lawn is 90-95% healthy and you cannot tolerate winter weeds, apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early to mid-October.
Winter weeds are relatively easy to kill. This product controls most winter annuals and broadleaf weeds that may emerge. One application in January should be enough to have a weed free lawn heading into spring.
Disease Control
Disease control should be done strictly as a preventative for next year. Large (Brown) Patch is a persistent problem in Centipede, Zoysia and St. Augustine lawns. This disease can be very expensive to eradicate in the spring. Now is the time to apply a preventative fungicide if you know you have this problem. Contact your local Ag store for help in selecting the right product for you and your lawn type.
In bermudagrass, Spring Dead Spot is the most troublesome disease for homeowners and golf course managers. Preventative measure should also be taken at this time to deter an outbreak of dead patches next season. There are many products for the prevention of SDS in home lawns, however I would strongly suggest speaking with an Ag professional to help you with your selection.
This is just a broad management plan for the general home lawn. Any specific problems should be presented to an NC extension agent. For finding any products suggested in this post would be Green Resource in Shallotte or Vereens Turf Center in Longs, SC. Here is a link to Vereens website. We deal with both of these distributors. They are very helpful and will be glad to accommodate your needs.
Mowing and Irrigation
The first step in preparing for winter is to raise your mowing heights. You should raise your heights roughly one half to an inch. This will help the grass plants develop more leaf tissue to help combat winter wear. Raising your heights should be done when the grass is still growing, typically three to four weeks before the first frost (November 11 - November 30 are Southport's average first frost dates).
Your watering schedule should also begin to decrease over the next few months. Reduce watering frequency by half through October and by 90% by Thanksgiving. From December through February water should only be applied to prevent excessive drying.
Fertilization and Pest Control
No nitrogen should be applied at this time. You shouldn't have to apply nitrogen until early spring of next season (early summer for Centipede).
The only application of fertilizer should be to apply Potassium (K) at a rate of one pound per thousand square feet. Potassium will help the plant in hardening off before the dormant season. There are multiple products that carry Potassium. We would recommend going to your local Ag store for assistance in finding the right product for you.
Winter pre-emergent weed control should be considered on an as needed basis (exclude Centipede). We would recommend NOT applying a weed prevention product to an UNHEALTHY lawn. Most pre-emergents have negative side effect to turf in the spring. On the contrary, if your lawn is 90-95% healthy and you cannot tolerate winter weeds, apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early to mid-October.
Winter weeds are relatively easy to kill. This product controls most winter annuals and broadleaf weeds that may emerge. One application in January should be enough to have a weed free lawn heading into spring.
Disease Control
Disease control should be done strictly as a preventative for next year. Large (Brown) Patch is a persistent problem in Centipede, Zoysia and St. Augustine lawns. This disease can be very expensive to eradicate in the spring. Now is the time to apply a preventative fungicide if you know you have this problem. Contact your local Ag store for help in selecting the right product for you and your lawn type.
In bermudagrass, Spring Dead Spot is the most troublesome disease for homeowners and golf course managers. Preventative measure should also be taken at this time to deter an outbreak of dead patches next season. There are many products for the prevention of SDS in home lawns, however I would strongly suggest speaking with an Ag professional to help you with your selection.
This is just a broad management plan for the general home lawn. Any specific problems should be presented to an NC extension agent. For finding any products suggested in this post would be Green Resource in Shallotte or Vereens Turf Center in Longs, SC. Here is a link to Vereens website. We deal with both of these distributors. They are very helpful and will be glad to accommodate your needs.
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