We're building on one acre of heavy clay in Dallas... I want to use buffalo grass sod as economically as possible while giving the lawn every chance to thrive. I'm thinking of spraying one of those microbial products and molasses (bought a battery operated backpack sprayer) and maybe spreading some compost. But Edinburgh lab soil test said I need phosphate and sulphur and all kinds of stuff. What do you all recommend?

I recommend following the advice of the lab in Edinburg. To my knowledge, they are the best source of soil information. Applying sul-po-mag would be a great start.

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1355

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/forum/viewtop ... c&start=15

Please do not get discouraged at posts of those who have not had success. You might call in to the show sometime to ask as well. I screen calls on Saturdays. If you call right at 11am you can get in for sure. You may have to wait 10 minutes or so, but at least you get in!!

Also from http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=82:

Buffalograss is my favorite grass. It is our only native turfgrass and must be grown in full sun. It has extremely low water and fertilizer requirements and no pest problems. Winter cold and summer heat stress just don’t bother this grass. The critics who love the high-nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides complain that Bermuda invades buffalograss and takes it over, making it a bad choice. Well, Bermuda will take over buffalo if too much watering and fertilizing is done. The native buffalograss is planted from unhulled seed and takes about two full growing seasons to be thick. Hulled seed is also available that will establish much more quickly. The hybrids are the best choices if budget allows. They should be planted solid sod. They include Prairie, 609, and Stampede.

The seed bed preparation for turf grasses is simple. All these plants like the same amendments - organic matter and rock minerals. Although all these grasses will respond well to compost, humate, organic fertilizers, lava sand and Texas greensand, bermuda and buffalo need very little of these amendments for establishment. Use anywhere from 5-20 lbs. per 1,000 square feet of each amendment for best results. The rates are not critical. That’s one of the nice features of the organic technique. When you plant solid sod of any kind, fill in the cracks between the solid sod pieces with compost. Don’t scalp anytime, mow at whatever height you like and use the basic organic program to maintain your turf with a minimum amount of troubles.

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