St Augustine Saturated with Water

Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
158
Reaction score
66
Location
North Texas
Hardiness Zone
Zone 8A
Country
United States
Need your help regarding our St. Augustine grass.

With the record setting rains patches of the St. Augustine in a lower area of our lawn is saturated and suffering. I am hoping you can provide me with the proper guidance. The grass is easily pulled up. I take that to me the root system is compromised. There are about eight patches effected. Some not as bad as others. Truly looking forward to your guidance.

110.1.jpg
112.1.jpg

123.1.jpg
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,597
Reaction score
5,677
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
As long as this heavy rain event we are having lasts there isn't anything we can do. I haven't been able to do anything in my garden for almost a month except pick a bunch of cucumbers and peaches. Your grass is pretty tough and if/when it finally stops raining and dries out will be the time to access any damage.
 
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
2,794
Reaction score
3,990
Location
central Texas
Showcase(s):
1
Country
United States
Lou, let your grass alone until things dry out a bit (hopefully within my lifetime!). Chuck is right--there is absolutely nothing we can do right now except put on waders and hope for the best. St. Aug is pretty tough, and even though you can pull up chunks, and think that the root system is compromised, it may not be. Most likely it is suffering from chlorosis, which is the yellowing and is caused by a superabundance of water, among other things. When things start to dry out, give your grass a gentle feeding of a high-nitrogen fertilizer (by gentle, I mean at half the recommended rate) .
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,239
Reaction score
1,023
Location
India
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
13b
Country
India
Is there no way to let out water from the lawn. Just a suggestion - you can create a culvert in the middle of the lawn for the water to drain out. or even around it and later filled up when rain stops completely.
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
158
Reaction score
66
Location
North Texas
Hardiness Zone
Zone 8A
Country
United States
Is there no way to let out water from the lawn. Just a suggestion - you can create a culvert in the middle of the lawn for the water to drain out. or even around it and later filled up when rain stops completely.
A French drain may help.
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
158
Reaction score
66
Location
North Texas
Hardiness Zone
Zone 8A
Country
United States
I posted on Neil Sperry's (Dallas area horticultural expert) FB page. He stated the problem may be Take-All Root Rot. He also suggested I take samples to a nursery for review.
 
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
2,794
Reaction score
3,990
Location
central Texas
Showcase(s):
1
Country
United States
Lou, before you go to expense and effort, remember that this is a very unusual year for Texas rainfall.
We have lived here on the farm for eight years. The first year was much like this one--water in the bar ditches, puddles everywhere, and our pond (stock tank) up and over its banks. There have been two instances of this in eight years, which hardly merits drastic measures to contain or drain the excess water.
If you think a French drain or deepening a drainage area is practical, go ahead. You know your yard better than I do!
 
Joined
Jan 22, 2013
Messages
158
Reaction score
66
Location
North Texas
Hardiness Zone
Zone 8A
Country
United States
Not to worry, nothing now. Far to soggy to do anything in the yard. I am one to really think things out. We're going to ride these storms out then evaluate our options. Most worry now is with the problematic grass spots. We lost the entire area of St Augustine a few years back. If the problem is Take-All Root Rot the specific diseased grass and dirt will have to be removed.

Thanks.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
Messages
11,597
Reaction score
5,677
Location
La Porte Texas
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
Well that eliminates Max!
These heavy rains are probably a blessing in disguise for your lawn and gardens. You have a beautiful place BTW. I would surmise that for years they have been on a chemical diet and during all of those years different types of mineral salts have been building up and building up to where there is little if any organic matter, micro-nutrients or microbial life left in your soil. These floods we have been having have leached out all of these chemical residues leaving you with a terrific platform to begin a completely organic program. It will not be all that expensive nor will it be easy, but if you do it in a controlled, one step at a time manner you will, guaranteed, end up the envy of the neighborhood. I will be more than happy to guide you through all of the processes but I do not use any chemicals, ever. There is no need and your lawn and gardens will cost less and less to maintain each year and become something not only beautiful but healthy as well..
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads


Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
28,001
Messages
265,716
Members
14,745
Latest member
modernrugs

Latest Threads

Top