Soil Erosion Prevention

If you have a slope that you want to place the plugs on, but are worried about erosion, you will need to use some kind of erosion control.  After installation is complete, place a lightweight biodegradable erosion control mat or straw mat on top of the plugs.  This will help control the erosion and help keep the area moist, but will not interfere with the growth of the plugs.

Watering

Water your new plugs immediately after planting, you can choose to soak each plug thoroughly with Miracle Gro 15-30-15 general purpose plant food, following label instructions.  This will give your plugs a boost that will help insure success.  Keep the area wet for the first two weeks, then slowly reduce watering, but keep the ground moist.  After the fourth week, soak the area once or twice per week until the plugs have completely covered the area.  This additional watering will keep the plugs actively growing and spreading as quickly as possible.  After this period, additional watering will depend on your natural rainfall and temperatures, as well as your soil type.  Clay soil will require less water than sandy soil. Water your buffalograss to prevent stress.  Buffalograss is under stress when the grass blades wilt or the tips turn a purplish/brown color.

Fertilization

After installation is complete, you can choose to give your plugs a helping hand by saturating each plug with Miracle Gro general purpose fertilizer or fertilize the area with a sod/seed starter fertilizer.  Both are available at your local garden center.  Read and follow the directions on the label for proper rates and application.

Weed Control

To control weeds you can use herbicides or as a more environmentally friendly approach, simply pull them out!

If you'd like to prevent weeds with a herbicide apply a fertilizer with pre-emergent weed control following the label directions immediately after planting.  Scotts makes Halts Crabgrass Preventer® or Turfbuilder with Halts®.   Most garden centers will have these products or similar herbicides. Repeat this application at 1/2 rate in 8 weeks.

In poor soil conditions or Southern climates a third fertilizer application, without pre-emergent, may be done in mid-summer and a fourth application can be applied in early fall.

Throughout the summer, Broadleaf weeds such as  dandelions, clover or pigweeds can be controlled after they emerge using broadleaf weed herbicides without 2-4D or a granular weed and feed. Products like Scotts Turfbuilder Plus2® , which contain 2-4D, can be applied when the temperature is below 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Caution: Never use a product which contains 2-4D when the temperatures are above 85 degrees.  This will harm your buffalograss.  

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL BEFORE APPLYING!

Broadleaf weeds may also be controlled at any temperature with "Spotlight", "Momentum" or "Confront".  Annual grassy weeds that are present like crabgrass or foxtail may be controlled with "DRIVE".  Consult a professional lawn care company for application of these chemicals.

 Hard to kill perennials and unwanted perennial grasses like bluegrass and fescue can be eliminated in the late fall or early spring by spraying round-up on your lawn while the buffalograss is dormant and when the unwanted weeds or grasses are still green and growing.  Buffalograss is dormant when no green shows in the foliage; a small amount of green at the base of the plant is okay.  Mowing can also be used to control weeds, but is not as effective as herbicides.  New herbicides are being developed for buffalograss.  Consult your extension agent or Todd Valley Farms or return to this web site for the latest material available.

Without Herbicides

If you wish to avoid the use of chemicals, hand eradication of weeds and mowing at 1 - 1 1/2 inches during establishment will benefit your new planting.  When using this method, your establishing buffalograss plugs will still benefit from fertilizer applications.

 

Mowing

Mowing is important during the establishment period to encourage the buffalograss to spread and to control weed growth.  Mow the area at 1 1/2 to 3 inches as frequently as necessary to control weed growth.  If left un-mowed, your grass will reach a height of 3 to 6 inches.

If left un-mowed, the buffalograss will reach a height of 3 to 8 inches, depending on the variety and your climate.  There is no set mowing height for these buffalograss varieties.  Just mow to the look you desire.  You may choose to maintain your lawn at 1 inch, allow it to go un-mowed or any height in between.

In early Spring, mow to a height of 1 inch to remove the dormant grass.  This will allow the sun to hit and warm the soil, which will cause the buffalograss to green up earlier.

In preparation for winter in Zones 6 and below, mow to a height of 2 to 2-1/2 inches in late summer or early fall.

Fertilization / Weed Control

After mowing in early spring, apply a fertilizer with pre-emergent weed control following the label directions.  Scotts makes Halts Crabgrass Preventer® or Turfbuilder with Halts®.   Most garden centers will have these products or similar herbicides. Repeat this application at 1/2 rate in 8 weeks.

In poor soil conditions or Southern climates a third fertilizer application, without pre-emergent, may be done in mid-summer and a fourth application can be applied in early fall.

Throughout the summer, Broadleaf weeds such as  dandelions, clover or pigweeds can be controlled after they emerge using broadleaf weed herbicides without 2-4D or a granular weed and feed. Products like Scotts Turfbuilder Plus2® , which contain 2-4D, can be applied when the temperature is below 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Caution: Never use a product which contains 2-4D when the temperatures are above 85 degrees.  This will harm your buffalograss.  

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL BEFORE APPLYING!

Broadleaf weeds may also be controlled at any temperature with "Spotlight", "Momentum" or "Confront".  Annual grassy weeds that are present like crabgrass or foxtail may be controlled with "DRIVE".  Consult a professional lawn care company for application of these chemicals.

 Hard to kill perennials and unwanted perennial grasses like bluegrass and fescue can be eliminated in the late fall or early spring by spraying round-up on your lawn while the buffalograss is dormant and when the unwanted weeds or grasses are still green and growing.  Buffalograss is dormant when no green shows in the foliage; a small amount of green at the base of the plant is okay.  Mowing can also be used to control weeds, but is not as effective as herbicides.  New herbicides are being developed for buffalograss. 

UC Verde Buffalograss has a very deep root system and uses only about 1/4 inch of water per week.  Most areas of the world will not need to water their Buffalograss except in times of extreme drought.  If this occurs, deep water (1 to 2 inches) once every 4 to 6 weeks in clay soil.  In sandy soils you will need to water about 3/4 inch every 10 to 14 days.  This will keep your lawn looking lush.  If you choose not to water or do not have the resources to water, this will not harm the grass, but you may notice a slight browning of the blade tips.

These are general guidelines.  You will need to adjust your watering to match your soil type and current weather conditions.  Do not waste water by over watering.

Dormancy

UC Verde Buffalo Grass does go dormant in the cold winter months, typically from November to around February for areas in California. Dormancy is a natural part of this plant's growth cycle. Although it may appear to be dead due to the lack of above ground growth and loss of color, the roots are still viable and growing underground. Vertical growth will cease or slow down eliminating any need to mow or water. Horizontal stolon growth will also slow or stop, so its ability to fill in open areas at this time will be limited. Winter color will vary by geographic location.

If you are concerned with the look of your grass you can use a colorant made specifically for grasses. Please contact us and we can give you our recommendations. The look is quite natural and lasts for months and you have the option to apply it yourself or hire a company that specializes in this service.

*For coastal California, UC Verde will begin to take on subtle changes to a tan color mixed in with green. This will occur in December, after the onset of shorter day light hours and colder temperatures as plants go into a semi-dormant phase or winter rest. The colder it is, the more tan to straw color the surface foliage will become.

*For inland areas where winter temperatures consistently drop into the 20's, there may be complete color change and dormant phase until the temperatures begin to rise again. These winter changes generally last about 60 to 90 days.

The duration of this color change may be reduced by combining a late fall fertilization with mowing UC Verde to about a 1" height where to begin to see the change in color. This will allow the sun to keep the soil warmer reducing these changes. In the late winter, repeat the fertilization to encourage the grass to begin growing again. If you want to have your lawn totally green during the winter months, an organic based turf colorant can be applied.