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Tuesday, February 16, 2010


REASONS FOR LOW TEMPERATURE DAMAGE
Article By: Terri Mathis

Our temperatures have been going up and down like a yo-yo!
We have experienced some early freezes and frosts in the months of October, November and December. Some say we are headed for an extremely cold winter.

Most warm season turfs, including St. Augustine, have a cold tolerance rating of poor to very poor. Cultural and environmental factors that tend to favor cold injury include: Lack of rainfall or irrigation, poor drainage, soil compaction, excessive thatch, reduced lighting, and close mowing height. Turf species and cultivar variations will also show different levels of injury.

Depending on the weather pattern this winter, possible numerous frost and hard freezes could occur. There may be mild, moderate, and up to severe damage to turf. Mild damaged areas can be encouraged to fill in through proper fertilization; moderately damaged area will need to be plugged with the appropriate St. Augustine cultivar, and severely damaged areas with wide spread death to the turf will require resodding with the appropriate turf species and cultivar. Early Spring is the best time to evaluate how much damage your turf has experienced.

Watering should be reduced to once every 10 to 14 days in absence of rain. In the winter, our air temperatures and soil temperatures will drop. This means our soil will hold moisture for longer periods of time which means we can reduce our watering days.

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