posted 13 years ago
I have a front yard that must be kept monoculture for the HOA. My backyard, however, I am attempting lots of crazy stuff since it is fenced but that is another story. I replaced my front yard 1 year ago with Empire zoysia grass. Before finding permaculture and the like, I regularly applied 4 types of chemicals: fertilizers, weed n feeds, pesticides, and fungicides. Since I have switched to zoysia, I have eliminated the fertilizer with composted cow manure and it looks much better (the grass and the soil). I also use a mulching lawn mower to add the clippings back to the soil and I mow high. I don't need to use pesticides because all the other lawns surrounding me are St. Augustine so I am a lone grass (although it is a monoculture) in a sea of monoculture of a different grass. No nasty bugs so far. I pull the weeds by hand now. My question arises from the last chemical: Fungicides. In central Florida, the summers are so wet that fungus always attacks the grass. I had to use a fungicide this summer... Are there any non-chemical techniques I can use to eliminate or prevent the fungus during the wet season?
As a side note, if it matters, I irrigate during the dry season with reclaimed water (once again required by the HOA).