DATE:    8/27/98
WRITERS: Bob Polomski,  (864) 656-2604
         Bert McCarty, (864) 656-0120

Fighting Crabgrass by Sodding

     Q:  It looks as if our dry summer wiped out a lot of my
centipedegrass lawn. I've got lots of crabgrass and other
strange-looking weeds in my lawn. I would like to get rid of the
weeds right now in the most heavily infested areas and plant some
centipede. Am I too late to plant centipedegrass?
     A:  The best time for planting warm-season grasses like
centipedegrass, bermudagrass, and zoysiagrass is from April to
June. Lawns that have been seeded or sprigged in late summer or
early fall may be killed by freezing weather.  
     If you want to get rid of the weeds and improve the
appearance of your lawn, then consider sodding. If you choose to
sod, you need to sod quickly, preferably before the end of
August. This will give the sod a few weeks of good growing
conditions to "knit" into the existing soil and become
established before cold weather arrives.
     Before you sod, prepare a good planting bed. Cultivate the
soil to a depth of six to eight inches. If your major weed
problems are crabgrasses and other summer annuals, you can
incorporate them into the bed where they'll decompose. Perennial
grassy weeds such as dallisgrass and bermudagrass should be 
handpulled or sprayed with a nonselective herbicide containing
glyphosate (Roundup Pro). Wait at least 7 days before cultivating
the soil.
     Once you've laid down the sod, moisten it daily to keep the
underlying soil moist and to encourage rooting.
     If you prefer to sprig or seed your lawn, wait until next
year. Now you can remove any weeds and seeds the bare areas with
annual ryegrass. Sow 5 to 10 pounds of rye per 1,000 square
feet. Also, have your soil tested through your local Clemson
Extension Office. Maintaining the ideal soil pH for your
centipedegrass lawn (5.0 to 6.0) and adequate fertility levels
should help you spend more time enjoying your lawn instead of
fixing it.
                 *****************************
     If you have gardening questions or comments, write to
Agricultural News & Publications, A-101 Poole Agricultural
Center, Box 340311, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0311.
You might also want to check out other Buds and Blooms columns
under 1998 News Releases at:
http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/agcomm/ .
                           END