# Bermuda Clay Soil



## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

What's a good care program or schedule on how to take care of my bermuda grass clay soil. I live in Temple, Tx.


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## DTCC_Turf (May 26, 2018)

I think it starts with frequent and consistent core aeration.


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## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

I core aerated in April when should I do it again?


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

Anytime it's actively growing. After aerating is also a great time to topdress


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## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

Thanks, should I aerate in September and put compost down?


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Tennisace89 said:


> Thanks, should I aerate in September and put compost down?


Topdress with sand, and not compost. More than likely, you've got enough OM (organic material) in your soil as is, unless you have had it tested lately, and that would let you know how much you've got.


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## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

I tested a few months ago and it said i was good with organic material.


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## jonthepain (May 5, 2018)

September would be on the edge of late for aerating bermudagrass in Raleigh. I couldn't say for your area.

I have a cousin who lives in Temple. He's a retired AF Colonel. Flew in B-52s during the cold war.

Helluva guy.


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## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

I aerated in May for the first time, when should I do it again?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Never again unless you are removing cores and sanding.


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## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

Ok


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## slomo (Jun 22, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Tennisace89 said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, should I aerate in September and put compost down?
> ...


Everything I've read and been told, you do not top dress with sand on hard OK or Texas soils. Unless you want to park RV's on it. That is a recipe for cement.

slomo


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## slomo (Jun 22, 2017)

Tennisace89 said:


> I aerated in May for the first time, when should I do it again?


On Texas hard clay and Bermuda? You can do it monthly if you want. Will not hurt anything at all. Drop some 46-0-0 and a ton of water every week. You'll have the greenest yard on the block. AND you will be mowing your azz off too. LOL

slomo


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## Tennisace89 (Jul 11, 2018)

Ok thanks I just ordered my Prodiamine for around October. I'm going to try to aerate this month.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Greendoc said:


> Never again unless you are removing cores and sanding.


Why do you say never, why is it necessary to remove cores, what is the downside of not sanding??? Thanks...


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

slomo said:


> Everything I've read and been told, you do not top dress with sand on hard OK or Texas soils. Unless you want to park RV's on it. That is a recipe for cement.
> 
> slomo


This is the recipe for cement:

https://youtu.be/1z5Oz5Aq7Ts​


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Last time I aerated, a section which is hard clay, the cores sat there on top for a couple months. Eventually they disappeared but they mostly just smeared as I walked over them when I was mowing. It was a mess. I probably should have collected the cores.

Greendoc is recommending to backfill with sand so you have channels for water to drain through the soil profile as well as a loose place for grass roots to easily grow into to get nutrients you add and water.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> Last time I aerated, a section which is hard clay, the cores sat there on top for a couple months. Eventually they disappeared but they mostly just smeared as I walked over them when I was mowing. It was a mess. I probably should have collected the cores.
> 
> Greendoc is recommending to backfill with sand so you have channels for water to drain through the soil profile as well as a loose place for grass roots to easily grow into to get nutrients you add and water.


Thanks for the info on this. I plan to aerate and will collect the plugs on the front and most of the back. As for sand that will be very expensive due to the size of my maintained lawn which is approx 30k.... Perhaps I should skip aeration due to the constraints of sand?


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## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

ctrav said:


> Thanks for the info on this. I plan to aerate and will collect the plugs on the front and most of the back. As for sand that will be very expensive due to the size of my maintained lawn which is approx 30k.... Perhaps I should skip aeration due to the constraints of sand?


I imagine over time if you keep core aerating and removing the cores without back filling with something, your ground will become lower. Not sure if that is a problem for you or not. If you've never aerated, go ahead and try it out. I did it once and it's hard work but if you have a tow behind aerator, that will be easy. If you don't like the results, don't do it again next year. I did it to loosen the soil but having seen how effective air8 is for me, I'm not going to aerate anymore. air8 is much cheaper and easier to apply than renting and using an aerator for me.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Suburban Jungle Life said:


> ctrav said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the info on this. I plan to aerate and will collect the plugs on the front and most of the back. As for sand that will be very expensive due to the size of my maintained lawn which is approx 30k.... Perhaps I should skip aeration due to the constraints of sand?
> ...


I have a tow behind aerator I bought due to size of the lawn. I used it once in an attempt to loosen the soil. Yes it took the cores a long time to go away and not so sure I saw any real benefit. The neighbors all like to borrow the aerator 

I have not tried air8 but will look into it...thanks!


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