Soil experts

[Goku025]

Are there any soil experts on here? I am looking to keep the root system healthy as we continue to have these 100+ days and start entering into September. Here is a test I had done back in March.





I have celebration bermuda in the front and back. Put the sod down this May in the front and the back has been down since June 2014. I fertilize with milorganite about 2 times with 2 bags a month and it has been keeping my top pretty dark green with about a 2" cut due to the weather, but there are a couple of spots that are thin and that might be due to the shade, not to sure. I water once a week about 30 minutes per area but we just got news that we can now bump up to two times a week! Is there anything that i need to lay down on the soil to help improve the numbers?

[Chuck_Finley]

Dont have a lot to add except to say I had my soil tested at A&M for St. Augustine. I have no idea how to keep bermuda healthy since I don't have it. Anyway the thing I wanted to add was I've found Milorganite is a good fertilizer for maintaining an already reasonably healthy lawn. If you need to improve it or it's in bad shape and needs some help, I'd suggest something else to get it there first then switch to Milorganite.

But that's just my opinion.

[Mach1]

My yard is pretty F'd up, 2" wide cracks that are 2ft deep, all over the place, I have heard to layer organic matter on top, guess I need to start my own thread.

[lincolnboy]

Time to start tilling up your yard and adding some goos shit and maybe water more often. Might be previous owner who let the ground go from not watering.

[lincolnboy]

Balancing your dirt/lawn is more thinking then balancing water in a pool.

[dcs13]

Why not run that report by your County Agricultural extension office and ask him/her.

[miketyler]

Your local John Deere Landscapes can interpret soil results for you for your application. Interested in Milorganite...where are you guys getting this stuff?

[Goku025]

Didn't think about that, I have a John Deere store near my house. I pick up my milorganite at Lowes. I always go there on my way home every other day to check if they have opened bags because its half off which comes to $6.50!

[miketyler]

Will check it out, thanks

[KBScobravert]

My yard is pretty F'd up, 2" wide cracks that are 2ft deep, all over the place, I have heard to layer organic matter on top, guess I need to start my own thread.

That is how ours is. An acre of yard that even if I water each of the 22 zones for 30 minutes a day, still dries out and cracks. Last year for shits and grins plus to save a dog from twisting a leg, we bought bags of topsoil and poured them in. I think over a couple Weekes we dropped about 100 sacks doing it 15-20 at a time.

Our soil sucks ass and our HOA thinks everyone should have golf course lawns.

[Captain Crawfish]

Bermuda loves starter fertilizer lots of water and cut it high when its hot. I have my mower set all the way up. I also bag the grass instead of mulching

[zemog]

During 100 degree temps we water 4 days per week 45 min per zone (rotors) and 20-25 min per zone(pop ups) . We never bag grass , you lose up to 30 % of your nutrients by not mulching. Also we water 2 days consecutive, skip, a day then water 2 more consecutive, skip next day and now on the 7th. The best way to gets maximum water in the soil and not run off is to break each zone into 2 run times, just break your zone run times in half and set the second start time for when your first round is complete.
Also I see so many saying to mow as tall as you can, well that's all fine but the object is to have the soil covered with turf and not open to the sun. To keep low you will have to mow more often ( probably once every 5 days) but the quality of your turf will be much higher and more dense ,not leggy like lawns mowed long , it's also easier for sprinklers to cover over short grass . I am not saying to mow at 3/4" but a height of 2" is going to provide an excellent turf .