OK, I need some serious help before I installed the Bermuda sod back in November, I killed the dirt that was there. I removed all the weeds with a pesticide. I trust it with topsoil and then I waited about two months and that’s when I ordered the salt in November and I installed it and everything was good for about a month grass was thriving. I had a moment every week and then a little by little it just started getting little yellow patches here and there I thought maybe I was over watering it and then I cut back on the time and then it started getting more yellow so then I added a little bit of more water and now I’m at the point where I have no idea what to do can I spent around $2000 in all for this sod I just do not know what I am doing wrong I live in California in the Coachella area to be specific our summers as of right now are 100° and it’s only gonna get hotter high water two times a day for about five minutes at six in the morning and then at 2 PM in the afternoon every day
Need Help Please DallasLawnGuy
- Thread starter josue8412
- Start date
Ok, as long as you’re getting even coverage and know how much water is going down that’s a good start.
In some of the photos there are blue-ish grey patches. That looks like it’s not getting enough water. Could you get some closer pictures of the blades of grass in those spots?
In some of the photos there are blue-ish grey patches. That looks like it’s not getting enough water. Could you get some closer pictures of the blades of grass in those spots?
A few things:
- 5 minutes twice a day is likely not enough. An average system might put down 0.6 inch per hour. If you're having 100F days now, you need at least an inch of rain per week, probably more given the condition of your lawn and shallow roots. 5 minutes is just getting the leaf wet enough before it evaporates. You need to soak the roots a couple times a week. 70 minutes per week in 5 minute intervals will absolutely cause your grass to look like this. Try M, W, F - 30 minutes each time, 5 AM.
- You can stop with the weed and feed (right bag). Those herbicides in the soil do nothing but slow down turf.
- The starter fert is also not really needed very often. That's high phos. Bermuda really doesn't need much phos.
- Try something like this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sta-Green-...ll-purpose-Lawn-Starter-Fertilizer/5013506421
- Skip on the Scotts products and save your money
- Beyond that, yes soil test and tuna can test
OK, I really appreciate your responding and I actually was using that lawn fertilizer that you suggested but I stopped using it because I didn’t wanna burn my grass, but I guess I ended up doing that anyways with the other two and I already got the soil test from one of the websites that you suggested on one of your videos so hopefully they get back with that soon besides the watering, what do you recommend I do from here on now or is my grass in those areas just completely burned like dead and should I just try to re-sign those areas or will be fill in on their own with the Bermuda around it?
That's where your information from your irrigation audit comes in. I would shoot for a half inch to start. Ideally you'll want to get an inch minimum per week. When you have hot temps you may need more, but 1 inch per week would be the goal. When you see the grass turning grey like that and the leaves folding, that means it stressed from a lack of water. You can even hit those spots with the hose to get a more targeted watering if you're having dry spots.
Less frequent, much longer.
If you don't do the tuna can test and want something actionable now: You can start with once daily. Hit it for 45 mins at 5:00 in morning and see how it responds. The soil will stay wet enough that you won't need to water again that day or even the next day.
Running for 2 minutes is not reaching the soil, let alone the roots below. That's just wasting water. Usually 20 to 30 minutes per zone is enough to get water down 6 inches, which is typical root depth for turfgrass.
OK sounds good and then I have previously bought that neighbors envy liquid fertilizer. Do you think it would be OK if I spray that on there or should I wait?
You can but I'd put your money into water. Water alone is going to fix this dramatically.
I did the tuna can test and for most of the areas they’re getting about half an inch to 3/8 of an inch of water. I started the watering as you suggested for 45 minutes and every other day but for whatever reason I feel like the grass isn’t growing on the areas that it is green do you think that that’s normal in about three weeks since I haven’t mowed do you think I should re-sod the dead areas or I should just top dress it with topsoil
Nono, you don’t need to do that. The entire lawn is stressed, even the green. Water like that for 3 weeks. Expect no changes for 3 weeks. Come back after 3 weeks. You need to drown your lawn every 2-3 days, compared to what you were doing.
Once that passes, there are other things you can do but for now just water. Lots of this will come back.
ok got it
