Fall is not a time to do much to your Louisiana lawn – mow, remove fallen leaves and irrigate as needed. Warm-season grasses are slowing down and trying to go dormant. "We must let them do so," says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

It is called the “lazy man’s grass” because it thrives with less care and requires less mowing than many other grasses.

Information on how to reduce nonpoint source pollution using research-based horticultural best management practices. (PDF Only)

Grass clippings are a constant in yard maintenance, but fall introduces leaves into the mix. This year the nuisance is worse because hurricanes and storms have defoliated more trees.

Fall is the time to treat for brown patch, the most common disease on warm-season turfgrasses.

(Distributed 08/29/07) To winterize Southern, warm-season lawns, apply a fertilizer with more potash than nitrogren. Potash is represented by the third number on a fertilizer bag, while nitrogen is shown as the first.

Zoysias can be the most beautiful and slow growing lawns, but they can also be big problems. These lawns are very dense and uniform in appearance.

Now is the time to begin working on a new lawn, and LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske has advice for those undertaking such a project.

Following the best management practices (BMPs) given here should help keep your lawn in good condition. A healthy and properly cared for lawn will resist weeds and other pest problems; thus, a minimum of pesticide products will be needed. Basic lawn care consists of proper fertilizing, watering and mowing and appropriate pest management, as needed.

Having a good lawn in a tree-shaded landscape is a challenge since all of the warm-season turfgrasses were developed to grow best in full sun, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.