Question
Background.  Orlando Fl, St Augustine Grass
Brown patches, dead areas of grass, weeds.  3/15/09 Put down Sunniland for chinch bugs and Spectracide within 2 weeks of each other. Also Scotts Bonus S weed n feed for St aug at same time   Hate sodding & have several questions.

Should i compost with Black Kow?  On website, sez for 100 sq ft use a hundred pounds which is  1 pound per sq ft.  I have 19000 sq ft of grass.  Can or should I mix it top soil or something else.  Cost would be about $1500 based on 50 pond bag costing abt $4.

Opinion on Milorganite?

Does sugar help the soil or is it wives tales?  i can find no scientific backup or Fl Extension backing on this yet i c many posts that advocate the use of about 1 pound per 300 sq ft

Does corn meal help with weeds?

Does baking soda kill fungus and crabgrass or another wives tale?

What grass seed could i overseed and put down that most closely resembles St augustine if i go that route

Don't like sodding but is it my only option. Read no St aug seed available except something called Raleigh St Aug but can't find it

Finally is there a guideline you can recommend for yearly maintain.

Thanks in Advance  

Answer
Q: Should i compost with Black Kow?  On website, sez for 100 sq ft use a hundred pounds which is  1 pound per sq ft.  I have 19000 sq ft of grass.  Can or should I mix it top soil or something else.  Cost would be about $1500 based on 50 pond bag costing abt $4.
A: It sounds like an awful lot of work, but it would help the lawn. I'd recommend Milorganite instead for ease of use.

Q: Opinion on Milorganite?
A: Good stuff. See above.

Q: Does sugar help the soil or is it wives tales?  i can find no scientific backup or Fl Extension backing on this yet i c many posts that advocate the use of about 1 pound per 300 sq ft
A: Wives Tale. No reliable proof of any decent results.

Q: Does corn meal help with weeds?
A: Not in the slightest bit. Don't waste your time or money.

Q: Does baking soda kill fungus and crabgrass or another wives tale?
A: Nope on that one too. There's lot's of these tales on the net. I'm glad you wrote in to check.

Q: What grass seed could i overseed and put down that most closely resembles St augustine if i go that route
A: I wouldn't recommend overseeding into S.A. Just aerate each year and dethatch of necessary. It spreads and reproduces all by itself.

Q: Don't like sodding but is it my only option. Read no St aug seed available except something called Raleigh St Aug but can't find it
A: In general, warm season grasses like S.A. just don't work well from seed. They are best sodded. Even if you did find seed, it would be a rough time trying to get it to grow in.

Q: Finally is there a guideline you can recommend for yearly maintain.
A: Sorry, this would take me a small book to answer.

Aside from the last question, I hope this has been helpful.

-C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com