Question
Our lawn
We just bought a house in Mascotte,FL (Central Fl). The house sat for so long, the grass is dead. I believe it is St. Augustine grass by looking at the lawns in the neighborhood. It's Summer, should I try to fertilize and use a turf builder?
Answer If the grass is truly dead, no amount of fertilizer will bring it back. So we have to find out if there is some live grass there and what grass it is. This is a 'hands and knees' effort. Examine an area of green growth. Decide whether the greenery is a grass or a broad leaf plant. If it is a grass (monocot, straight veined leaves, fibrous roots and all that good stuff) we now have to identify it. St.Augustine and Bermuda send out runners (stolons) both above and below ground. Bermuda has very narrow (wispy) leaves while St. Augustine has broader, rather stiff leaves. Bahia does not send out runners; it tillers (rather like rice) and ends up forming clumps. I am pretty sure that you have some grass on the lawn but you may have to refurbish some areas. For St. Augustine it is sod only. For Bahia it can be sod or seed. If you have to, choose very carefully because the two grasses require radically different care plans where watering and weed control are concerned.
Then again, the greenery may be a broad leaf; in which case you may be able to grow it as a ground cover. Investigate the possibilities and go with what suits your lifestyle and pocketbook. I believe that you live in Duval County and the address of the County Agent is:
1010 N McDuff Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32254-2083
If I am wrong about your location then find their office near you at:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
