St Augustine Grass
St Augustine grass loves our southern soil and the saltwater so is ideal for Naples lawns. It is a coarse grass that shows dark green when healthy and can survive well in tropical climates. This makes it vulnerable to cold temperatures, but that isn’t something we have to worry about too much down here.
This grass need plenty of feeding, and will reward your care with a lush green covering. Keeping it well fed will also prevent weeds from gaining a foothold. If you choose this kind of grass you will have to resist the temptation to cut it too closely. Short blades weaken the plant and will allow weeds to encroach on the growth and stifle it even more. I would suggest not cutting it at all for the first year of growing St Augustine to prevent drought.
The seeds are warm season seeds so need to be planted during April or May so will take up to three months to be well established. Water it at least three times a day and don’t walk or play on it for at least three months after seeding. This will give your lawn the best possible chance for survival and hopefully provide you with a lush green lawn to enjoy for years to come.
Keeping your lawn rodent free
Not only are holes in your lawn unsightly but they can be painful if you twist your foot in one. A hazard of the job of lawn maintenance that could easily be avoided. These little pests can also dig under your foundations and through your service pipes too.
Gophers, you gotta love ‘em. They leave big open holes on your lawn that look bad and then abandon them when the mood takes them. The easiest way to get rid of gophers that I know of is the trap. Most garden stores will sell them. Ensure you disturb the area as little as possible when setting them, and remember to keep children and pets away from them once they are set.
Moles are a little sneakier. You only know they are there if you run over the burrow with a mower or they break the ground with their little mounds. Moles are blind but apparently have quite good hearing. Therefore the best way to get rid of these little critters is to use a sonic device. These can also be bought from your local garden store. You can buy solar powered ones that will sit and generated a noise that moles find unbearable.
I don’t know anyone who likes rats and mice, especially near their house or children. You can set traps and poison down for them, but be aware of children and pets. This should clear your property of most rodent visitors. A non lethal trick is to use fox scent around the garden. Although once the rodents see there isn’t actually a fox around they will come calling anyway. If all else fails, call the exterminators. You really don’t want mice or rats around you.