HoosierLawnGnome fall 2016 renovation - the spring after

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Onions are hard to kill once they're established. Pre-emergent won't stop sprouts from coming up on existing plants because it is still quite alive with that tasty bulb under the surface.

To kill that plant you need to kill the bulb with repeat applications of something like Triclopyr or Tenacity and LOTS of surfactant to get it to stick to the tiny, tasty, waxy green onion sprouts.

2-3 applications every 10 days, same as you'd do for chickweed or clover - it's a slow kill.

ETA: Did my cleanup mow @ 1 1/2" yesterday. Wife snapped a picture and made fun of me on social media.

[bncop25]

Thanks

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I sprayed 13 oz of Prodiamine on the lawn and beds yesterday, which works out to < 1/2 rate for the year. A nice, Irish rain is watering it in. I skipped areas that I added seed, had to apply on top of some snow still surviving in the shade.

I'll probably put down more after I core aerate and apply Heritage for fungus coming up, which is why I didn't go quite as heavy. I'm trying to save an application for the fall.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

2nd mow at 1.5 in yesterday. Plenty of top growth removed. I have some patches of crabgrass that need tackled. the hell strip has a lot. onion coming in. I've been moving lots of plugs from the rose bed I'm making.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I have noticed yellow spots in the lawn. It's where the ground has heaved and it got scalped a bit since I'm cutting @ 1 1/2". I raised the rollers on my deck because it was cutting at an angle when I went < 2 1/2". So, now it must be REALLY cutting it at 1 1/2". I guess my min HOC will be higher

[Pete1313]

I can't wait to see this thing when it gets going this spring. It's going to look awesome!

I have noticed yellow spots in the lawn. It's where the ground has heaved and it got scalped a bit since I'm cutting @ 1 1/2". I raised the rollers on my deck because it was cutting at an angle when I went < 2 1/2". So, now it must be REALLY cutting it at 1 1/2". I guess my min HOC will be higher

Sounds like you need a triplex! you will say no way, but I scalp really bad in a few spots at 2" with the rotary and no scalping so far at 1.125" with the reel.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I can't wait to see this thing when it gets going this spring. It's going to look awesome!

I have noticed yellow spots in the lawn. It's where the ground has heaved and it got scalped a bit since I'm cutting @ 1 1/2". I raised the rollers on my deck because it was cutting at an angle when I went < 2 1/2". So, now it must be REALLY cutting it at 1 1/2". I guess my min HOC will be higher

Sounds like you need a triplex! you will say no way, but I scalp really bad in a few spots at 2" with the rotary and no scalping so far at 1.125" with the reel.

I want one SO bad - it's definitely in my future, but I'd really like to take on a leveling project first. It's not bad - I think it will be fine once the ground settles down here in a few weeks.

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Anyways - I applied 14 fl oz Podium (Primo) and 7 fl oz Proxy on the lawn tonight, 2 passes opposite directions 35 gallons each way. That's 1/4 fl oz Primo and 1/8 oz Proxy per K. I mixed in FAS and surfactant as well. I didn't really measure the Fe and AS, but it wasn't much - probably the 2 oz / K FAS rate. I need to find an inexpensive source of Ferrous Sulfate, best I can find is ~$1/lb.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Warm rains and finally noticeable germination in areas I reseeded weeks ago. I'll try to get some pics up tonight. I still have some larger bare spots. And quackgrass - I hate it so.

[ndlutz]

Warm rains and finally noticeable germination in areas I reseeded weeks ago. I'll try to get some pics up tonight. I still have some larger bare spots. And crabgrass - I hate it so.

Wow - crabgrass already? I wouldn't have thought you'd be seeing that in Indiana already.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

sorry it's quackgrass.

[ericgautier]

Looking forwards to some pictures as your reno is ahead of mine. Mine is still asleep.

[ndlutz]

sorry it's quackgrass.

Now you're speaking my language. You and me both. At least this time of year it's really easy to see.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Yeah, it sticks out like a sore thumb. I can see it from across the lot.

The downside of a uniform lawn is that the imperfections really stand out. Or is that an upside so that they're easier to see?

Anyways - I seeded some empty spots last night, top dressed with peat moss.

My rose shipment came in last night. I need to get my rose bed finished up.

[ndlutz]

I think I'm seeing the more uniform lawn as a benefit as of now. Prior to this, it would have been much harder for me to spot the quackgrass. Now I can actually work on beating it down because I can see it. This time of year it has that blue/gray color so it's really easy to see. Later on in the year it will blend in.

I'm thinking now is a good time to spray it with glyphosate. Since the spring flush is going to be upon us in a month or so, that should give the KBG some time to fill in at least some of the gaps.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I have to spray glyphosate one more time in my new rose bed tonight, so my plan is to walk around and spray quackgrass with it too. Pretty easy to see right now! The worse part is the front hell strip that has about 100 sf with it interspersed throughout.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Lots going on, can't post every time I do something!

Let's see - I put down 72 lbs of milo on Monday and cut, raising the HOC to 2" - I started to cut it @ 1.5" but was scalping too many clumps. It looks much better @ 2". I'm a little sad as I wanted to keep it < 2" as long as I could.

Here we are cut @ 2":


Here is another shot of the larger area where you can see the empty spots I reseeded several days ago and top dressed with peat moss after roughing up with the rake:


It looks thicker than it is from this angle - lots to fill in yet!

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Here's the front - still needs to fill in:


Here is the germination in bare spots by the creek that I seeded in February. This is the lowest spot in my yard and always collects water when it rains moderately.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Let's talk about weeds.

I still have a light infestation of quackgrass in areas. Moderate by the road.

Notice the ring of quackgrass here? What was in the middle was 50% quackgrass when I started glyphosating it last spring. It probably got hit 4 times minimum over the season. The middle is pretty free of quackgrass. The perimeter - because I didn't extend my spray a few feet - still has plenty. Lesson learned - spray a bigger area than you need to. No worries, I spent 30 minutes yesterday with my weed wand painting glyphosate on every blade in my yard I could find - twice.


Here is what my typical crabgrass infestation looks like. It comes in where the desirable turf coverage was light and there was previously some quackgrass, even though I hit it several times.


Blueberry KBG on the left, poa annua on the right. I have a very small amount of poa annua - mostly on the border with my neighbor to the north. I'm not going to focus on it as it is insignificant right now, but I do spray it with whatever I'm spraying anytime I see it, even if it is largely ineffective - some damage is better than none!


ETA: Spot sprayed 2 oz speedzone in 4 gallons of water on every weed in the yard the day before I mowed. The thing I do like about speedzone vs 24D is that weeds show signs of death the day after. Anyways, I walked the entire yard twice and sprayed anything that wasn't blueberry KBG.

[SNOWBOB11]

Just wanted to say i've been following your thread and your lawn is coming along really nicely. I can't imagine doing a reno with that much land.

[Pete1313]

Those pics look really good for early spring, especially considering all the challenges you had last fall. keep the pics coming! I can't wait to see it take off this year. Your thread motivates me to get mine done this year.