Emerald Coast Lawn Tips

08/19/2026

ADVANTAGES OF USING ROCK IN PLANTING BEDS INSTEAD OF MULCH

Using rock in planting beds definitely offers some advantages over using mulch. To begin with, rock never has to be refreshed. Once it is installed it stays there forever. It is more
expensive than mulch but because it is permanent, it is a better long term value. Rock also offers superior w**d control in planting beds when installed on top of w**d cloth.
Decorative rock comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes to choose from that will accent your landscape.
Rock is not a good material to use in planting beds where trees drop a lot of leaves because the leaves will continually need to be blown out of the beds. In areas where there is a lot of leaf drop, a more natural looking mulch which the leaves will blend in with is a better choice.
If you choose to install rock in your planting beds, it's a good idea to install a sturdy border to hold the rocks in place and guard them from being picked up and slung by powered lawn equipment.
Are you having problems keeping your lawn healthy? I offer FREE LAWN CONSULTATIONS! PM, call or text me 850-240-7935

08/18/2026

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE RESODDING YOUR LAWN.

Before installing new sod, you want to make sure you identify the reason the grass died in the first place and fix it. I’ve spoken to dozens of people who have re-sodded 2 or 3 times in a row because they never identified the cause of the grass decline in the first place.
Prepping the soil for new sod is only a matter of making sure the ground is loose enough for the new sod to root into. Tilling the whole lawn up is a lot of work and usually not necessary. Most of our soil around here is sandy and loose enough it doesn’t need much more than a stiff raking. Renting a power rake or a sod cutter is an option for removing what’s left of the existing lawn and fluffing the top inch or so of soil.
Be sure to top dress areas with root competition from trees with a couple inches of sand.
Do not apply fertilizer to the soil before laying the sod or afterward until the sod is established and rooted in. The root system on the new sod is so shallow it can absorb very little in the way of nutrients plus fertilizing the sod right away will stress it.
Make sure the sod does not dry out while it gets established. If the weather is cool, watering once or twice a week would be sufficient. If it’s in the heat of the summer, water the new sod 1 or 2 times a day for the first couple weeks until it gets rooted in, then back off to once a day.
As the sod is establishing itself, watch for disease and insect activity and treat accordingly.

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08/17/2026

WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF GRASS?

I get asked this question frequently. The truth is, there is no one "best type of grass". All types of grass have their strengths and weaknesses.
It really depends on the environment, how you are going use the grass and how much maintenance you want to put into it. Here are some of the main strengths and weaknesses of the different types of grass that grow along the Emerald Coast.

CENTIPEDE
Strength: Low maintenance, requires little fertilizer.
Weakness: If maintained properly doesn't create a lush lawn. If over maintained with too much water and fertilizer, dies out eventually.

ST. AUGUSTINE
Strengths: The most shade tolerant of all warm season grasses.
Weaknesses: Chinch bugs and not traffic tolerant.

BERMUDA
Strengths: Very durable, traffic and drought tolerant.
Weakness: Not shade tolerant, needs lots of sun.

ZOYSIA
Strength: Creates lush thick lawn that does a great job out competing w**ds.

Weaknesses: Slow growing, slow to recover from problems. Invasive growth into surrounding planting beds.

BAHIA
Strengths: Low maintenance, drought tolerant.

Weaknesses: Doesn't grow very dense or create a lush lawn, mainly used as a pasture grass.

Are you having problems keeping your lawn healthy? I offer free lawn consultations! PM, call or text me ‪850-240-7935‬.

08/14/2026

HOW TO KILL TREE STUMPS TO KEEP THEM FROM SPROUTING BACK.

Certain trees and shrubs will try to grow back from the stump after they are cut down. Grinding or digging the stump out can involve a lot of work or expense.
One way to make sure the plant doesn’t try to regrow after cutting it down is to apply brush and stump killer to the stump after it is freshly cut. The stump will absorb the treatment, which will travel down and kill the roots, preventing the tree from resprouting.
Dribble Brush and Stump Killer on a freshly cut or apply with a paint brush.
If the stump is not fresh, cut a slice off the top of the stump before treating it.
You can find Brush and Sump Killer and most any garden store

Are you having trouble keeping your lawn healthy? Contact me for a FREE LAWN CONSULTATION, text or call me ‪850-240-7935‬!

08/13/2026

WHY ISN'T MY GRASS GROWING?

Sometimes lawns or portions of lawns fail to thrive. They don't die but they don't grow much either. During the peak growing season they may only need to be mowed once or twice a month. Under these conditions the lawn remains sparse and unattractive. What is the cause of this?
Grass needs three elements to generate energy to produce new growth: light, water and nutrients. If any one or more of these are lacking to some degree, the grass will survive but fail to thrive.
We already know that the soil we have here along the Emerald Coast is extremely nutrient poor. So adding the right kind of nutrition is always needed. The "right kind" of nutrition is a balanced combination of the ALL major nutrients and micro nutrients. The problem with most over the counter fertilizers is they provide only one or two major nutrients.
Adequate irrigation is also critical for lawns to thrive. It is common for one portion of the lawn that is under irrigated to always struggle to be as pretty and dense as the rest of the lawn.
Finally, if some or all of the lawn is in constant shade, the grass will fail to thrive and become weak and thin.
Are you having problems keeping your lawn healthy? I offer free lawn consultations. PM, text or call me 850-240-7935.

08/12/2026

08/11/2026

HOW TO CONTROL CHAMBER BITTER

Chamber bitter is one of the most prolific w**ds along the Emerald Coast! It germinates in late spring and because each individual w**d can produce dozens of seeds, it continues to multiply like crazy through the summer.
The most effective way to control chamber bitter is by applying a pre emergent herbicide in the spring to prevent the seeds from germinating that overwintered from last year.
Since chamber bitter germinates in the late spring, timing of the application is critical in order for the pre emergent herbicide to be effective. Late March to mid April is the best time to apply.
Pre emergent herbicides with Pendimethalin or prodiamine as the active ingredient are good products for preventing chamber bitter.
To control Chamber Bitter after it has emerged, use Celsius herbicide. Celsius is safe to use on all types of grass, can be used in the summer heat and is available at professional landscape supply stores such as FIS or Site One.
Are you having problems keeping your lawn healthy? I offer free lawn consultations! PM, text or call me ‪850-240-7935‬

Are you having problems keeping your lawn healthy? Check out these lawn tips!

08/10/2026

HOW TO CONTROL GREEN BRIAR VINE

Green briar is an invasive vine that frequently invades planting beds and natural landscape areas. It has thorns and a large potato like root that can be hard to pull out, especially if it is growing up through a shrub.
Round Up will effectively kill green briar but it may take more than one application. If the vine is intertwined with a desirable plant, gently pull the green briar vine away from the non target plant, making sure the vine stays attached to the root. Then lay the vine on the ground and spray it with Round Up, being careful not to spray the desirable plant. The vine will die in 1-2 weeks. If necessary, treat it more than once.
By the way, the soft, new growth at the tips of green briar vines are edible and make a tasty addition to salads!

Are you having trouble keeping your lawn healthy? Contact me for a FREE LAWN CONSULTATION, text or call me ‪850-240-7935‬!

08/07/2026

HOW TO CONTROL CRAB GRASS IN YOUR LAWN.

Crab grass is one of the most common w**ds around. What makes crab grass a challenge to control is killing the crab grass without injuring the lawn. Herbicides generally work in one of two ways. Either they kill grass and not broad leaf plants, or they kill broad leaf plants and not grass.
Only a few select herbicides will kill certain types of grass and leave other types of grass un-injured.
Consequently, killing crabgrass within your lawn without injuring it requires carefully selecting the right herbicide.
The herbicide, Drive, will kill crab grass without injuring Bermuda or zoysia. The herbicide Grass Getter will kill crab grass without injuring centipede. There are no herbicides available that will kill crab grass without injuring St. Augustine.
An effective way to prevent crab grass is to apply a pre-emergent herbicide in February. Although a pre-emergent herbicide application may not prevent all crab grass, it will significantly reduce it.

Are you having problems keeping your lawn healthy? I offer FREE LAWN CONSULTATIONS! PM, call or text me at 850-240-7935