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Owners with unsightly lawns in which the grass is thin and
the weeds thick have three courses of action.
- Live with your existing lawn grass
Play along with what is there. Fertilization, regular
watering and regular mowing will improve the appearance of
almost any poor lawn.
- Till the lawn and start over
Till up what is there, prepare a
new seedbed, and start all over with a better grass. This
represents more work and expense, but it can be cheaper and
much more satisfying in the long run.
- Convert the existing lawn
Planting and encouraging Centipede or Zoysia to crowd
out weeds and other grasses, makes it possible to convert an
unattractive lawn to a better grass.
Conversion Techniques
Plugs
Cut the lawn closely and rake out the dead thatch. Plug in
the same manner as recommended for new lawns. Water thoroughly
and keep the lawn closely mowed. After the plugs are rooted
and new growth is evident, fertilize sparingly (approximately
10 lbs. per 1,000 square feet of 10-10-10 or similar complete
fertilizer once plus ammonium nitrate at three pounds per
1,000 square feet every three weeks).
Seed - TifBlair™
TifBlair™ Centi-Seed is especially good for converting old lawns.
Try renting a vertical thinning machine, thin the old lawn,
rake out the dead thatch, seed at twice the rate for new lawns,
and vertically thin again to mix the seed into the top layer
of soil. Water well and regularly. Use little or no fertilizer
until late summer, and then apply 10 lbs. complete fertilizer
per 1,000 square feet. Mow closely and regularly. Complete
instructions for conversion are in the TifBlair™ Centi-Seed package or go to www.TifBlairSeed.com.
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Seed - Zenith® Zoysia
No grass is likely to produce the miracle of choking out
weeds and all other grasses, as advertised by sellers of Zoysia
plugs, but thousands of ragged lawns can be converted to Zenith®
Zoysia. Begin in April or May by killing existing vegetation with
Roundup ® or similar not-selective herbicide. Once grass is dead mow at lowest height possible and remove the dead debris and thatch. Repeatedly aerify, dethatch or vigorously rake the area to be planted. Using a broadcast spreader plant Zenith at
a rate of one to two pounds per 1,000 square feet then rake the seed into the top layer of soil. Water frequently and begin regular mowing as
soon as you have anything to mow. Fertilize per directions for new lawns. Expect an abundant weed crop, but use
it to make a green ground cover. An application of weed and
feed fertilizer in March of the next year should result in
a good Zenith lawn during the second summer. Be patient, follow
directions, and you will be rewarded. Complete instructions for conversion are in the Zenith® Zoysiagrass package or go to www.ZenithSeed.com.
DO NOT Use any type pre-emerge weed control chemical or weed
and feed fertilizer for at least 90 days before seeding TifBlair or Zenith. After seeding, do not use any weed control chemical that is
not labeled and recommended for zoysiagrasses.
Under favorable conditions, conversion to a better grass
can be accomplished in a single season. Generally, a second
year is required, but each growing month, the lawn should
improve in appearance and your efforts will be well rewarded,
even though final results are seldom as good as that of a lawn on a newly prepared seedbed.
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