Yellow streaks and spots in the lawn are caused by a permanent soil condition. The actual problem is iron chlorosis (iron deficiency) which is – you guessed it – a lack of iron. Chlorophyll and to a small extent the mitochondria contain iron and when there is low iron there is less of these organelles and the turf turns yellow.

Typical St Augie Profile

The first time I walked across a healthy St Augustine lawn, I thought to myself “Thatch!” The lawn looked great, it was the middle of the summer (prime time for heat and water stress) and I recommended verti – mowing (sometimes called dethatching). Now 9 years later and a  lot more experience with St Augustine turf, I do not recommend verti-mowing (dethatching). Thatch is a minor problem and the verti-mowing causes more damage to the lawn the thatch will cause.

SWFMD: Water Restrictions: A non-elected governing body sets water restrictions

I service lawns irrigated with reclaimed water (3x per week water privileges)and many with well water (1x per week privileges). My observation is: Once per week watering is insufficient to sustain a St Augustine lawn in Pinellas County – it doesn't work!

1x per Week Watering

Once per week watering will only sustain the St Augustine turf in the most amicable areas of the lawn – the shady, the moist and the areas not stressed by sun, poor soils or biological stresses(i.e. nematodes) – in other words, only the perfect areas of your lawn will survive.The rest of your lawn will become “battle scarred” with dead, dying or weak turf with little chance of recovery or reclamation.

Dollarweed

The cooler months ahead are the prime growing cycle for Dollarweed. The common trend in the cycles are flush fall growth – sustain to decline growth in cold winter months – flush Spring growth followed by a decline during warm summer months. Knowing this biology helps to control this persistent and very noticeable weed.

Soil and Health: Intro to Soils, Composting and Turf Ecology

(Video Series is Available @: TURF TV: SOIL AND HEALTH )

Weed Control is DifficultThe winter freezing temperatures damaged lawns and scarified weed seeds (increased germination) making for a weedy spring. Most lawns had far more weeds than turf in the beginning and it was ugly!

Grubs

Myth: Finding a grub in your lawn is an indication that grubs killed your lawn

Weak Turf under Oak

Trees, especially the Oaks, have surface roots that can form a thick twisted interwoven mat several inches deep. This is great for the tree: the tree can explore and mine nutrients and minerals from just about every nook and corner of a yard. This is bad for the turf: The thick mat of roots form a barrier to grass roots and the soil below and a physical barrier to water and nutrients.

It is like growing grass on a sheet of plywood.

Healthy LawnThe basic needs of a turf grass community are food, water, light, air and safety. A turf grass community that is provided for in these ways, has very little stress and thrives. A thriving lawn is one that chokes out weeds, withstands drought and recovers quickly from trauma.

This is a simplistic view as the subject of "food" requires a deep knowledge of soil chemistry and physics as well as mastery of physical and biological chemistry. But physics and chemistry is for me to know and understand and to use as a means of provide the lawn spraying service. Yet it serves us both well if you know these four elements and understand how these four elements are provided for by lawn spraying.