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Bahiagrass in the Landscape |
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Beautiful Bahiagrass, Season by Season |
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Vigoro® Ultra TurfT Step-by-Step Annual Lawn Care Program |
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Tips for Better Bahiagrass |
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Working With Bahiagrass |
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Features
- Good drought and wear resistance
- Once established can persist on infertile, dry, sandy soils
- Medium to coarse texture
- Tall seed heads need frequent mowing
- Ideal pH 6.5 to 7.5
- Best variety is Argentine
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Area Suitable for Bahiagrass ? |
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Type |
Warm season |
When to Fertilize |
Spring, Summer and Fall |
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Light |
Full sun |
Mowing Height |
2 1/2 to 3 inches |
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Planting Method |
Seed |
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BAHIAGRASS IN THE LANDSCAPE Back To Top |
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Bahiagrass is a tough, deeply rooted grass that thrives in the humid heat of Florida and the Coastal South. It is specially suited to hot, sunny areas that suffer from alternating cycles of heavy rain and drought. Its rough texture is offset by its ability to grow under conditions that cause more refined lawngrasses to fail. Because it is so tough, bahia is often used in medians and roadsides. Bahiagrass can handle heavy foot traffic after it is well established. |
Restrain yourself from trying to spoil bahiagrass with exacting care. Instead, regard bahiagrass as a low-maintenance grass. |
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Bahiagrass will grow in hot sun where other warm-season grasses are easily stressed. |
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A strong bahiagrass lawn needs little, if any, supplemental water to grow well. Grow bahiagrass in areas where watering is inconvenient or impossible. |
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Bahiagrass needs fertilizer to bring out the best of its light to medium green color. Fertilized bahiagrass stays green longer than bahia that is underfed. Use a fertilizer that contains iron for maximum greening. |
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BEAUTIFUL BAHIAGRASS, SEASON BY SEASON Back To Top |
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You can have a beautiful bahiagrass lawn by following an easy Vigoro Ultra Turf Step-by-Step Annual Lawn Care Program. Together with proper mowing and watering, these measures will help bahiagrass grow strong and healthy.
Bahiagrass does not spread by long runners, so it hardly ever develops thatch. This grass does grow into loose bunches that spread sideways as new stems fall over and touch the ground. If left uncut, bahia will produce lots of seeds that can spread to areas where they are not wanted. |
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VIGORO ULTRA TURF STEP-BY-STEP ANNUAL LAWN CARE PROGRAM Back To Top |
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If you have a weed problem, follow the Vigoro Ultra Turf Step-by-Step Annual Lawn Care Program shaded in purple. To maintain established bahiagrass, follow the Vigoro Ultra Turf Step-by-Step Annual Lawn Care Program shaded in blue. You can start either program during any season, but the key is to complete a full year. After a year you will see marked improvements in your lawn. When applying any lawn care products, always read the entire label first and follow directions. Do not use weed killers on bahia unless they are specifically labeled for bahia, like Vigoro Ultra Turf Weed & Feed for Bahia and Mixed Lawns. |
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Planting Bahiagrass |
Maintaining Bahiagrass |
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Step 1: Apply in late winter or early spring
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Crabgrass Preventer Plus Fertilizer
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Step 1: Apply in late winter or early spring
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Lawn Fertilizer
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Step 2: Apply in late spring or early summer
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Weed and Feed for Bahia and Mixed Lawns
- Insect Control, if needed
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Step 2: Apply in late spring or early summer
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Lawn Fertilizer
- Insect Control, if needed
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Step 3: Apply in late summer
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Summer Fertilizer with Insect Control
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Step 3: Apply in late summer
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Summer Fertilizer with Insect Control
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Step 4: Apply in fall
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Winterizer
- Lime (only if needed to raise pH)
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Step 4: Apply in fall
- Vigoro Ultra Turf Winterizer
- Lime (only if needed to raise pH)
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PRODUCT |
DESCRIPTION |
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Vigoro Ultra Turf Crabgrass Preventer
Plus Fertilizer |
Keeps crabgrass seeds and other grassy weeds from germinating and feeds the lawn at the same time. Crabgrass Preventer with Dimension® keeps on killing crabgrass up to 4 weeks after it sprouts. Dimension® also prevents the sprouting of many broadleaf weeds, such as spurge, chickweed, and henbit. |
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Vigoro Ultra Turf Lawn Fertilizer |
Should contain a combination of fast-release nitrogen to green the lawn quickly and timed-release nitrogen to feed grass for up to 2 or 3 months. |
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Vigoro Ultra Turf Weed and Feed |
Kills broadleaf weeds that are actively growing and feeds the lawn at the same time. For best results apply it when weeds are still young and vigorously growing. Don't wait. Mowing a couple of days before applying will help stimulate new growth of older weeds. |
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Vigoro Ultra Turf Winterizer |
Contains timed-release nitrogen and extra potassium to help lawns endure winter stress and green up quickly in spring. |
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Lime |
Raises the pH of acidic soil. Lime is an easy-to-use, granular lime that is not as dusty as ordinary lime. |
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Vigoro Ultra Turf Summer Fertilizer with Insect Control |
Is important for the control of white grubs, fire ants, fleas, cutworms, and other major lawn pests. If these have been a problem in your lawn, apply Insect Control early, while the pests are still young. You can also apply Vigoro Ultra Turf Summer Fertilizer with Insect Control to combine feeding and control in one easy application. |
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VIGORO ULTRA TURF TIPS FOR BETTER BAHIAGRASS Back To Top |
- Always use a fertilizer spreader to spread lawn care products evenly. If you apply Weed and Feed, use a drop-type spreader for accurate application at the edge of flower and shrub beds. A broadcast spreader can throw weed killer into the planting area where it may cause damage.
- Never mow bahiagrass too low, because close cutting of bahiagrass invites weeds and can injure the crowns of the grass and reduce new green growth.
- Allow bahiagrass to become semi-dormant in the winter. It will change from light green to brown for several weeks and benefits from this short period of rest. Fertilizing and watering in late fall interrupts this process.
- Never burn off dead growth from bahiagrass in the spring. Instead, mow the grass low at 2 inches and collect the clippings. Raise the height back to 3 inches for regular mowing.
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OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Back To Top |
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Working with Bahiagrass
If you are starting a new bahia lawn or patching an existing one, you will need to sow seed in spring. In this case, do not apply any weed control products or the seed will not sprout. Instead use a Vigoro Ultra Turf Starter Fertilizer.
Bahiagrass has very tough, almost woody, stems at the crown (base of the plant) that are impossible to cut cleanly. When mowing bahia, make sure your mower blade is sharp and raise the mowing height to 3 inches. At this height, you should be cutting grass blades only, not the basal crowns. If the lawn looks brown and stemmy after mowing, you are cutting your bahiagrass too low. If needed, raise the cutting height a notch to solve this problem.
In summer, bahiagrass grows very rapidly and produces numerous tall seedheads. To keep bahia from setting seeds (which can become persistent weeds), mow the grass as often as needed to remove the seedheads while they are still immature and green.
In South Florida, the Argentine variety is the best choice for low-maintenance lawns. It is low-growing and deeply rooted, but it can be damaged by cold winter weather when grown further north. The Pensacola variety has better cold tolerance, but it needs very frequent mowing in summer to keep it from developing seeds.
Because the roots of bahiagrass can reach 8 feet into the soil, it does a good job of finding moisture during dry spells. Giving bahia extra water encourages problems with weeds, since weeds need more water than does bahiagrass.
Mole crickets can be a problem in bahiagrass lawns. Use a recommended insect control product to control this pest, like Vigoro Ultra Turf Summer Fertilizer with Insect Control |