Recently there have been many articles written in the Florida Today and local News stations regarding fertilizer causing algae and phosphorous blooms in our waterways.  Theses articles are saying that runoff into our lagoons from fertilizers are the cause of these issues with no proven studies behind these statements.  This article is to educate the public on these issues.  There have been numerous “fertilizer ordinances ” passed in counties on the West Coast of Florida to prevent fertilization in the sumer months because of the rainy season.  I would like to clearly state that these ordinances are being passed  by city council members and county commissioners with no landscape background and no education.  These ordinances are contrary to all studies done which prove the exact opposite. 

The Concern: Fertilizers applied in the summer months causing phosphorous and algal blooms in our waterways through runoff.

The Facts:

Most lawn fertilizers contain very little or no phosphorous whatsoever.  Phosphorous is very expensive and Triple D Grounds does not use any fertilizers on lawns that contain phosphorous.  When looking at a bag of fertilizer there are three numbers for example 16-0-8.  The first number is the Nitrogen content, the second is Phosphorous, and the third is the Potassium.  The first “N” is for the blades’ growth, the second “P” has no nutritional value to a lawn, and the third “K” is to help with root growth.  The only time it is recommended that phosphorous be applied is to help plants to bloom such as bougainvillea, hibiscus, etc…  With regards to lawn and fertilizers, Best Management Practices suggests no phosphorous be applied because it is a naturally occurring element in Florida soils.  With phosphorous being in the soil already,  the rainy season in the summer causes phosphorous to naturally leach into our waterways.  Timing and application amounts are crucial to prevent runoff and leaching.  As far as Nitrogen leaching and runoff causing algal blooms in the summer months.  We at Triple D Grounds use high quality slow release fertilizers in the spring and summer months to help prevent any negative environmental impacts.  Please read the following studies showing that very little leaching occurs when using proper fertilizers at recommended rates by the University of Florida.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss496

I have copy and pasted below the important information from this link clearly stating that less than 1% on “N” leaches in the summer and that it is more detrimental to fertilize in the fall and winter months when the grass goes dormant which causes more leaching.

The UF/IFAS Extension fertilizer recommendations for turfgrass, summarized by Sartain (2007), emphasize applications of slow-release (controlled-release) N in the summer. The use of controlled-release fertilizer in the summer helps minimize the losses of N because only very small amounts of N are released from the fertilizer at any one time (typically based on temperature and moisture). These release schedules are in relationship with the plant growth rate. Recent research in Florida shows that leaching was dependent on fertilizer rates and turfgrass type (Trenholm et al., 2011). Leaching was greater from zoysiagrass than from St. Augustinegrass (Trenholm et al., 2011). Similar results for these two species were found in a North Carolina study by Bowman et al. (2002), and leaching was greater just after planting than after the establishment phase. In well-established and maintained St. Augustinegrass turf, inorganic N leaching was lower with concentrations of NH₄-N and NO₃-N in drainage generally less than that reported for rain water in southern Florida. This experiment was conducted over a three-year period encompassing wet and dry season cycles that bracket proposed black-out periods when the turf was fertilized at 1 lb N/1000 sq. ft. bimonthly with a 62%/38% soluble/controlled-release commercially available fertilizer (Erickson et al., 2008).

New research at UF/IFAS (accepted for scientific peer-reviewed publication) has shown that leaching from turfgrass is greater in the spring and fall than in the summer. In a Florida DEP-funded project, Trenholm et al. (2011) found that more fertilizer is lost from fertilizer applications made during the time of year when the turfgrass is not actively growing and that the lowest leaching levels were during the period of active growth (summer) . The following are some results from the multi-year study

In my professional opinion, I feel that regulating fertilizers is an important thing to do but time of year has nothing to do with it.  I feel that leaving fertilization to a licensed professional who will follow University of Florida’s recommendations is the best bet.  It is not the licensed professional  that people need to be concerned about it is unlicensed landscapers, homeowners, etc…In closing I would like to ask all Brevard County residents to call with any questions and if the ordinances come up in county or city meetings please vote against them.  There are hundreds of pest control and landscape professionals that are qualified to make proper applications and these ordinances could significantly impact Brevards economy in a negative way!   Healthy sod actually helps to prevent groundwater from being contaminated (our natural filter).  Sod has many good values in helping our environment aside from just asthetics.

Unfortunately we often forget to think about the impact of our landscaping with time.  After all, plants are living organisms that grow and change.  What might be nice now, will change, and considering your landscaping job with long-term maintenance in mind will save you time and money in the long run. 

1.  Plan it out.  Get some graph paper if it helps you.  Draw out your landscaping project on paper.  It will help you visualize and estimate costs of bedding and plants.  Look for an note properties in your area that you like.  What types of plants are they using?  How many?  Take good notes on what you like about it and then add to your design.

2.  Think soft-edges rather than straight lines.  Most people respond well to landscapes with curves and turns rather than straight lines and hard edges.  It also makes it easier to maintain

3.  Don’t plant to close to the home.  Allow for, at least, a few feet from the edge of shrubbery and bushes to your homes foundation (typically 6 feet to center).  Give your plants some room to grow, they do get bigger, and you will appreciate the room on all sides of your plants when it comes time for trimming.  Planting away from your home will also decrease the number of insects and other pests leaving the outdoors for the comfort of the inside of your home.  Don’t give them easy access.  Finally, one of the biggest and often most costly mistakes home owners make is planting trees too close to the properties foundation.  This can lead to foundation stress or cracks, debris on the roof and in gutters, and damage to windows, eaves, and soffet.  That little schefflera you plant a few feet from the house, can and will turn into an enourmous tree.  Think about future growth, and plant accordingly.

4.  Consider seasonal changes into where you place your trees and shrubs, and which varieties you plant in the different locations.  We often see gorgeous christmas palms or ornamentals completely wiped out only because they were placed in an isolated, North facing location directly in the path of cold-front winds.  Just like animals, plants are affected by wind-chill factors.  Plant hardy cold-resistant plants in locations exposed to the winter chill. 

5.  Plant shade trees on the West or North West sides of the home.  Even if they are just saplings, in a few years, they can begin offering much needed shade to your home during the hottest parts of the day.  Even if they are too young now, this will increase property value down the road.

6.  Consider irrigation needs and current irrigation.  If you have irrigaiton installed, locate all sprinkler heads before digging and flag them.  1)  You don’t want to break a line.  2)  You want to ensure your new plants will receive plenty of water.  3)  You don’t want the new landscape to impede water coverage to existing plants and your lawn. 

7.  You have a broad range of choices for bedding from mulch to stone, so choose wisely.  Organics or inorganics?  Stone will last longer but cost more so consider replacement and upkeep costs into your planned design.  Mulch is more prone to weeds and insect infestation as well.  Color does matter.  So if you choose a rock or stone garden, look for more natural colors that enhance the colors of your home, but do not take away or hog the onlookers attention.  Its also best to buy in bulk, check prices and shop around.  1 Cubic yard of mulch will cover about 320 square feet.  Stone or rock, a little less.

8.  Maintaining your new landscape is at first easy.  You just need to get out and water the newly planted greenery as often as possible for a while.  You’re watering and watering, and hoping those flowers will bloom and those shrubs will begin to grow tall and healthy.  Well they usually do, and then its time to prune, cut, snip, clip, trim, and weed.  Then do it again, and again, and again, and again.  The less maintenance a plant requires or the easier it is to access, the easier life will be.  Plants such as Canary Palms or bouganvillas, although beautful, have some serious thorns.  Consider ease of maintenance into the equation before purchasing.

9.  Use borders that are easy to edge or weed-wack around.  Tall, non-arching, edging lends itself to difficult border maintenance.  The easier it is to manage the boundaries between your landscaping and your lawn, the quicker your maintenance will be, and the more time you will have to enjoy it.  Although costly, poured decorative concrete borders last a very long time and are easy to cut along and weed-wack.

10.  Don’t over do it!  A small one-gallon plant, in just a year or two, would easily occupy a 5-gallon container.  Your plants will grow.  I have a friend who has, unfortunately, a green thumb.  He bought a home about 7 years ago and planted and created a gorgeous landscape.  Now he has a difficult to maintain jungle.  A project that use to take about a half day to complete, now takes a 3-day weekend.

Although investing in your landscaping is important, quite often, the existing landscape just needs a little help.  Sometimes existing palms, shrubs, and decorative plants can be transformed from a tropical jungle to highlights to a well maintained property like in these examples:

Our site has some great information on the different types of grasses, palms, trees, and shrubs.  You’ll find information on identifying problems in your yard, proper maintenance, as well as fertilizing and watering.  Find information on mulch, borders, lighting, and irrigation.  As we grow our website, we will be adding more and more useful information, including an FAQs section and articles related to lawn care and landscaping  that we run across while taking care of our clients.

We also welcome lawn related inquiries. If you can’t find the answer, feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

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Triple D Grounds specializes in commercial lawn care and landscaping throughout Brevard County, The Space Coast and surrounding areas. With commercial lawn service contracts from Vero Beach to Patrick A.F.B, Melbourne / Palm Bay to Beachside, Triple D Grounds’ five professional crews have everything needed to meet your large-scale commercial or residential needs. >>More

Bermuda Grass

• Cold Tolerance: good
• Shade Tolerance:: poor
• Watering: Drought tolerant, but needs water to remain green
• Planting: seed, sod, plugs, or sprigs
• Common Problems:  mole crickets, sod webworms, dollar spot

Extremely Common in the wild and in our lawns, Bermuda grass is easily established and can be grown from seed or sprig. Bermuda grass is used most often in parks, large commercial complexes, and of course, is the turf of choice for golf courses. It is also drought resistant. Throughout central Florida, it is very common to see ‘blow in’ areas of Bermuda popping up in St Augustine lawns. Sprigs and clippings from nearby golf courses are easily carried by the wind and will quickly take root in other lawns in the area.   

Bahiagrass

Bahiagrass is resistant to drought and most insect and disease damage.  It is considered a low maintenance turf grass, which will grow rapidly, especially in hotter months with plenty of water.  Although it may grow in a variety of soils.  It does not fare well in soils with high Ph values or along sandy embankements.

• Cold Tolerance: poor
• Shade tolerance: moderate
• Watering: low, and survives drought but does well in soggy areas as well.
• Planting: seed or sod
• Mowing Height: 2″ – 4″ Mow regularly to avoid the numerous tall seed heads that pop up.
• Common Problems: brown patch, dollar spot, mole crickets

St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustine grass is the most widely used grass in Central Florida. It is excellent for coastal regions, thrives in heat, does poorly in cool climates. Excellent to fair under drought conditions. Moderately good under heavy foot traffic. Somewhat shade tolerant. Can be used in moist, semi-fertile soils. At the moment, most common installation method is sodding or plugs; seeds are very difficult to germenate and bring to sprig. 

St Augustine has a very coarse texture but grows very dense and provides a ‘padded’ texture under foot.   It spreads rapidly via stolons or ‘runners’ and has a very shallow root structure compared to some other grasses.   There are a variety of St Augustine grasses available each having unique qualities depending on the environment they are used.  It is a high thatch producer and requires periodic aeriation for best results.

NOTE:  St Augustine is different than colder climate grasses like Bermuda and Bahia.  Some weed & feed products can actual kill or harm St Augustine.  Ensure your product is for ‘St Augustine’ before applying.

• Cold Tolerance: Poor
• Shade Tolerance: moderate, but will become thin under dense shade conditions.
• Planting: sod or plugs
• Watering: regular watering but is adaptive to various conditions over time.
• Mowing Height: 2″ — 4″
• Common Problems: grubs, chinch bugs, mole crickets, sod webworms, fungus, disease

Varieties of St. Augustine:

Floratam:  Most common among homeowners.  Floratam requires a lot of sun and is tolerant to a variety of soils. 

Bitter-Blue:  A better choice for partially shaded lawns, grows slower than other varieties and is less susceptible to cold.

Palmetto:  Newly adapted, Palmetto is becoming more popolar throughout Central Florida especially in intercoastal waterway areas.  It prefers warm weather but fares well in cold.  It is also more resistant to chinch bug damage.  Good in full-sun or partial shade.

Sapphire:  The hardier of all St. Augustine varieties and not as common.  It has a softer texture, deeper color, shade and drought tolerant, and requires less fertilization.  It also is known to recover and adapt to change quickly, and is less susceptible to weed encrouchment.

Seville:  Very dark, deep blue-green in color.  It also has a longer leaf structure which many prefer for esthetic value.  It has a much higher tolerance to shade so is often preferred and florishes in well established wooded areas.

Grubs feed on the roots of all turfgrass species. They occur at or just below the soil-thatch layer. Mild damage may make the turf look yellowish, which could be misdiagnosed as a nutrient deficiency or disease. Severe damage results in large areas of dead turf because of lack of roots. Damage can be masked if the turf is frequently irrigated, but if drought or another stress affects the infested turf, the grass will quickly die. Damage from mature grubs is most pronounced during late summer and early fall.

Identification:  The larvae are fat-looking grubs usually lying curled up.  They are whitish in color with dark areas at the rear, three pairs of legs, and a tan to reddish-brown head. The adults are beetles.  Watch for adult scarab beetles flying at night near lights.  Grub damage starts at the roots.  Look for areas of yellowing grass.  Lawns infected by grubs will often feel spongy under foot and badly infested areas, the sod can be peeled away like a carpet or newly laid sod since the roots are not holding the turf in place.  Some grubs in an area is not uncommon (2-3 per sq. ft.) but an infestation will cause serious damage.

They are herbivorous and consume all parts of the grass plant. The southern mole cricket is a predator and scavenger. All three species tunnel through the surface layer of the soil, causing considerable damage to the grass roots. The tunneling also loosens the soil so that the grass is often uprooted and dries out.  Mole crickets are often found near and along bodies of fresh water.  Bahiagrass lawns that are adjacent to a retention pond are very susceptible. 

Identification:  Mole Crickets can be identified by the trails they leave.  You can also perform a soap flush in an area you suspect mole cricket damage.   If the soil is especially dry, try applying more fresh water to flush them out.