I have some ideas.

For Central FL you can fertilize on Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. If you would like to use organic fertilizer for all those, then you can add 4th of July.

If you lost 4,000 square feet of grass and nobody could figure it out, then I'm going out on a limb to suggest it was one of the popular fungal diseases. Since you did not mention circles of grass dying, then you probably didn't see anything that obvious. In any case most of the soil diseases can be treated with ordinary corn meal applied at 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Almost like clockwork, I have a recurring disease problem every spring. It was very frustrating until I started using corn meal. Now I don't worry about it at all.

Regarding the fertilizer washing away: What type of soil do you have? It's too easy to assume you have sand but some places in FL have something a little nicer. I'm not big on redoing fertilizer if the rains come. You can do more harm by overdoing it than by underdoing it. If you used organic fertilizer, you would not be bothered with this question. I'm not trying to twist your arm on organics but if you live on sand, it really is about the best thing you can do for the soil. It is as inexpensive as Scott's program on an annual basis when you do it like I do.

How often do you normally water?
How high/low do your mow?
How often do you normally fertilize and with what?

I forgot about the nutgrass. That depends on rainfall and how you water. If you are just seeing it now in the new sod, dig it out immediately before it gets established. Otherwise, tell me how you are watering.

I believe a product called Image is the chemical approach.

Thanks for the info. I personally thought the grass had fungas and bug problems at the same time. I have since gotten myself a ride on mower and got rid of the lawn service which I think helped create some of the problem. There are many homes less than 3 years old where I live with similar problems that all used lawn services. I have 7 zones, water 2X a week for around 30-40 minutes a zone. Soil is sandy and I did have areas where there were rings in the lawn but they seemed to correct themselves. Odd thing recently is that where the sprinkler heads from my inground system were raised the grass has died around them. Weird! Would love to stay away from chemicals but don't want to loose the lawn to bugs or disease when its stressed out. Also don't want to over fertilize!

The schedule David mention is good. As with any fertlizer you should always water it in with irrigation rather than rely on rainfall a sit tends to wash it away.

As for loosing 4000/Ft2 of SA the two biggest enemies of Saint Agustime is SAD (Saint Augustine Decline) and Cinch Bug. There is a joke about Saint Augustime grass in Florida. If you live in Florida nad have Saint Augustine graas you have a Cinch Bug problem.

I do what David says and I get this -

{{gwi:79085}}

I do have grubs and chinch bugs but they haven't really done any damages. However, I got SADV on Palmetto variety so they're pretty much toasted. Floratam and Sapphire variety are unaffected by SADV and filled in very fast.

Don't think I am a candidate for organic fertilizing. I do believe I need a good system of bug control that organic means won't address properly where I live in Clermont, Florida. My property was a former citrus grove and the PH was originally off the scales.Corrected that with a few applications of lime, Keeping the lawn green and bugs at bay are my main concerns right now. My neighbor has used Scotts Bonus S with good results compared to other brands. Just need to space things out so that I don't over fertilize. This was what initiated my initial scheduling questions.

Bump

Bump what - 4 hours worth?

MUHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA - give me a break!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey,

garycinchicago

Didn't someone once say if you don't have anything good to say then its best not to say anything???

Be nice!

All right then - I'll behave.

There is some misinformation here. In central Florida you do NOT fertilize on Washington's Birthday and is VERY bad for your St. Augustine grass. I personally am no expert, but I would consider the University of Florida a better expert than most. Here is Florida's guidelines with supporting link following,

"As a general rule, the first fertilizer application of the year should be early April in Central Florida and mid-April in North Florida. In South Florida, fertilizer applications may be made throughout the year since growth is year-round."

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/lh010

Be careful who you believe. I personally don't fertilize until mid-April and I don't use weed and feeds because by the time they are to be used (mid-April) it's too late. Now that you are to wait until after April, it kind of throws the timing back some of the Federal Holiday's you've listed.

Now you cannot just say you fertilize on these days and you are done, you need to read the following guidelines and determine the correct amount over the growing season.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep221

Note, below are my opinions and are not the opinions of the University of Florida but are proper based on their guidelines and manufacturer guidelines.

Don't forget your pre emergent (atrazine or barricade)--applied in October and preferably over January and February--, post emergent (atrazine), image herbicide (for nutsedge and for post emergence broadleaf during the times when atrazine cannot be used)--as needed-- and your fungicide (almost all are applied every 14 days while hot unless you use Heritige which is closer to 28 days), and finally some bug control.

I personally alternate my bug control and fungicide which helps keep tolerances down.

So the last bit is my $.02, but I would recommend you research and educate yourself before you believe anyone on a forum.