Lawn care in Melbourne is a full time occupation in our warmer climate. Grass can suffer a lot with the constant sunshine and heat making lawn care a difficult task. One answer is Centipede Grass which originated in china but made its way over here in the early 20th century. As it is very low maintenance and adapts well to a warm climate it is becoming more and more popular. It is currently in use around Florida as lawn grass and in parks and on golf courses.
If looked after properly it will give you no problems whatsoever. It is highly resistant to pests and moss on the rare occasions water logging is an issue. It thrives in acidic-sandy soils like we have round Naples and can grown almost anywhere warm. It is slow growing and not as soft as St. Augustine grass for example, but this is offset by the hardiness and low maintenance properties. The main benefit is that it can tolerate heat and direct sunlight for a long period of time without suffering any ill effects.
Centipede grass does need good old Melbourne lawn care with plenty of water once a week and infrequent feeding with a nitrogen based food. Don’t overfeed it though as it can cause more problems than it solves.
For homeowners who live in our beautiful state Centipede grass is an ideal alternative to standard lawns if they aren’t living up to your expectations, or suffer in the heat.
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.
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