Dear Carol,
I do not want to spend much time or money on grass but how do I get rid of the wirey Bermuda type grass which lies beneath my St. Augustine lawn?

I enjoy your column and would very much appreciate your advice.
Charmy

Hello Charmy,
Lawn weeds are a topic we could spend months on and the simple answer most people just do not want to hear. But here it is anyway - Ninety percent or more of lawn weeds are controlled by proper maintenance. If you are growing grass in the sun, irrigating properly (this usually means not too much), and mowing high, then St. Augustine is tough enough to muscle out most weeds.

Common Bermuda grass is a low-growing, thin-bladed grass, healthy St. Augustine maintained at a 3.5 - 4 inch height will shade out this noxious weed.

Charmy, there is much more to good lawn care it is something I write about regularly, here is a column about weeds from the first of the year that may help.

Happy Gardening,
Carol

Lawn Weeds

One of the most trying and tenuous problems faced by Florida Gardeners is lawn weeds. Dollar weed, “carpet grass”, sedges, spurges, and day flowers are all weeds we see often, just to name a few. Many people expect their lawns to be a perfect expanse of turf, but that’s impractical in Florida. Develop your “Florida-Eyes” and try and see the green instead of the weed.

I cringe when I say this, few people want to hear it, but the best control for lawn weeds is proper lawn maintenance! Good lawn management practices encourage a dense, thriving turf. Healthy turf shades the soil so sunlight can't reach weed seeds, minimizes the physical space available for weeds to grow, and out competes the weeds for nutrients and moisture. Here are the short basics for good, healthy turf:

* Make sure that you want and can grow turfgrass in the area of question. Turfgrass needs 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day. If grass does not get enough light, it weakens, thins and weeds grow in. If you have shade, consider choosing a different ground cover.

* Mow it high and right! Bahiagrass and many St Augustine cultivars should be mowed at 3 to 4 inches high. Floratam St. Augustine should be mowed at 4 inches or higher. Never mow so that you remove more than one-third the top growth. This is the single most important practice in a weed-free turf. If you remove the grass leaves that produce the things the grass plant needs to grow, then the turf will thin and weeds will invade.

* Water appropriately. Apply one half to one inch of water once to twice per week. You are applying irrigation to wet the root zone to 8 to 10 inches deep and not applying any more water until the grass needs it. If you have Dollar weed, you have too much water from some source, irrigation or a naturally wet location.

* Fertilize as a result of soil test recommendations. Generally for St. Augustine grass, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer like 15-5-15 or 13-3-13, 2 to 4 times per year.

* Control traffic and pest. Damaged turf invites weeds. These open areas are usually slow to recover, thus enabling weeds to become established.

If weeds do become problems, correct the maintenance issue first and give the turf at least 6 months to recover. Here are some non-chemical control recommendations to use while waiting for the turf to grow:

* Hand pulling or rogueing. If only a few weeds are present, it's simpler and less time consuming to physically remove the plants.

* Smothering. Smothering with nonliving material to exclude light is effective in certain areas. Mulch, hay, even newspaper will smother or shade weeds; however, it will also kill the turf under the cover. Use this method only where you can kill all plants in the area and replant.

Chemical herbicides do have their place, but try these options first. And remember if you decide to use an herbicide, be sure to read and follow all of the label directions and conditions before buying and again before applying for your safety and the safety of the environment.