Progress of Buffalograss Sept. 19, 2013

Buffalograss planted June 6, center of picture,
plugs planted on Aug. 15, 2013 at bottom.

The buffalograss planted 15 weeks ago on June 6, 2013 (middle of picture) has spread nicely and there are no gaps. It looks thick like the grass planted in August 2012 (top of picture). The bottom of the picture shows buffalograss plugs planted on August 15 (5 weeks ago). All these plugs were planted one foot apart. The plugs planted one foot apart will spread to completely cover an area if planted early enough in the growing season.

The buffalograss growing at the edge of the building has completely covered the burlap fabric. It looks like I didn't put enough topsoil along the edge of the building where it had eroded so badly. Next summer, I will gradually add topsoil to that edge until it is slightly higher than the soil that didn't erode away. The grass should slowly grow into the topsoil.

Next summer we plan to plant our buffalograss plugs 18 inches apart because the ground is more level in that area. That way, we will need about 56% fewer plugs. We'll see if the buffalograss plugs can spread and cover the area next year. This summer, we have been irrigating the area where we will plant new plugs next summer and spraying the weeds as they germinate, hoping to lessen the terrible weed invasion we had last year after we planted our new grass plugs.

September Weeds in Buffalograss

I have discovered a way to spray pesky wild morning glory (field bindweed) in our buffalograss even if the temperatures are still hot.

Field Bindweed held in place with a clothespin over plastic ice
cream bucket lid.

I take old lids from ice cream buckets, put them down on the buffalograss next to the bases of the weeds, and drape the morning glory over the top of the lids. I pinch the stems and the edge of the bucket with a clothespin then spray Trimec over the weed. I let it dry and carefully remove the clothespin and bucket lid. So far, there appears to be no damage to the buffalograss when I do this, even when it is above 85 degrees. I am very careful to spray only the weeds. Try not to damage the stems of the weeds so the poison will absorb into the leafs and go down into the roots. In a few days, the morning glory begins to wilt and curl and eventually dies.