A. Mushrooms are caused by just the right combination of water, temperature, and humidity. They need constant moisture and often appear due to the frequent watering needed by new sod. As you reduce your watering after the sod is established the mushrooms will go away. They will not damage your lawn. Just mow them off and reduce your irrigations so that your lawn can dry off between waterings.
Q. Bermuda in Marathon
A. There are no effective weed killers that will kill Bermuda in a Marathon lawn without also killing the Marathon. Use "Round-up" to spot treat the Bermuda infested area then re-sod or plant seed. Be aware that Bermuda seeds are carried into your yard by birds and wind if there is other Bermuda in your neighborhood. Also, Bermuda seeds can stick to the inside of your gardeners mower and be carried in from one of his other customers.
Q. You tell me how often to water but not how long
A. We do not specify how long to water because sprinkler systems put out varying amounts of water called precipitation rates. As a rule of thumb you should water until runoff occurs or until you have applied 1/2" of water. To determine how long to run your sprinklers to apply 1/2" of water place a can on your lawn and turn on the water for 15 minutes. Measure the height of water in the can. Multiply the height by 4 to get the precipitation rate in inches per hour. For example: If the height of water in the can was 3/8" after 15 minutes, then:
4 x 3/8" = 1 1/2 inches per hour
To determine how long to water in order to apply 1/2", divide by the precipitation rate:
1/2 " divide by 3/2" per hour = 1/3 hour = 20 minutes
Q. How often should I water my lawn?
A. It depends on the turf type and when it was installed. Please check under the Maintenance Guide for specific details.
Q. What is the difference between Marathon and competitive brands?
A. The Southland Sod Farm pioneered tall fescue sod in Southern California. Marathon, is their brand name for that species of grass. Other growers now produce copies of Marathon under their own brand names. The difference is that Southland use their own varieties including one that was ranked number 1 by the US Dept. of Agriculture each year for the three years that it was tested. Just like different varieties of apples, for example, have different characteristics different varieties of grass within a species have different characteristics such as color, texture, and disease resistance. Some varieties are superior to others. Those in Marathon have been selected to offer the best combination of desirable traits. In addition, Southland Sod Farm production methods are different and result in a denser turf. All of these attributes make Marathon a very pretty lawn, as well as one that holds up well. The Southland Sod Farm have been growing it since 1983 and because of strong customer satisfaction it has earned a great reputation and become the most popular sod in Southern California. And just in case you have a problem - Marathon is guaranteed for a year.
Q. I can buy fescue from a discount warehouse for 30 cents per square foot. What's the difference?
A. The fescue sold at discount warehouse is not the same as Marathon. It is the same species, but that is where the similarity ends. Their sod comes from growers in marginal agricultural areas. Due to the extremes of weather where the sod is grown it is sometimes dyed green (run your hand across it or ask). In order to cut costs less seed is used resulting in a lower density, shaggy looking turf. Also, they use different varieties than those in Marathon. Marathon contains our own varieties including one that was ranked Number 1 by the US Dept. of Agriculture each year for the three years that it was tested. Different varieties within a species have different characteristics such as color, texture, and disease resistance, some are superior to others. In addition our production methods result in a denser turf. All of these attributes make Marathon a very pretty lawn, as well as one that holds up well. The Southland Sod Farm have been growing it since 1983 and because of the strong customer satisfaction it has become the most popular sod in Southern California. And just in case you have a problem - Marathon is guaranteed for a year.
If you can, go to a discount warehouse and take a look at the sod they have in stock and compare it to Marathon for yourself.
Q. What kind of sod do we use with dogs?
A. No sod is completely resilient to dogs. Tifgreen and St. Augustine are the most tolerant to dog urine however, they too will burn. According to the feedback we get, burning seems to vary. This is likely the result of varying soil moisture. A wet lawn will not burn nearly as easily as a dry one. In either case the Tifgreen or St. Augustine will recover, while Marathon will not. However, be aware that these varieties are not green year around and go dormant in winter.
IF YOUR QUESTION IS STILL NOT ANSWERED, PLEASE CONTACT OUR NURSERY AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU!!!