Reno timing

Discuss how to and whether you should renovate your lawn
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Goose Bane
Posts: 9
Joined: April 9th, 2017, 2:31 pm
Location: White Plains, MD
Grass Type: Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, Rye
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Reno timing

Post by Goose Bane » May 6th, 2017, 4:09 pm

After many battles with my crappy "lawn," I've decided to "go back to the ship and nuke it from space" in several sections (I have approx. 30k sf of yard). I started last summer/fall, albeit with MANY mistakes because I hadn't yet found this wonderful, grassy haven. Despite those errors, I ended up with fairly decent results on about 2500 sf.

Thanks to this forum and it's resident gurus, I think I have a decent handle on the process, the steps, etc. what I DON'T know is when to start. I live in the northern part of Southern Maryland (~20 miles south of Washington DC) and our weather is, to say the least unpredictable. Is there a generic or generally accepted date when to start with the RU or the seeding? Better yet, is there a natural indicator of when to pull the trigger - something akin to putting down the pre-M when the forsythia blooms?

Thanks.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Reno timing

Post by andy10917 » May 6th, 2017, 4:28 pm

Not really. You want to start as soon as the summertime temperatures begin to fall a tiny bit, and the evenings start to be a little cooler. This is typically right after the "Dog Days" (August 6th-12th IIRC). We have an ATY "traditional" seed-down target date of the Saturday closest to August 15th, but anything between the middle of August and Labor Day will work in your area.

A little warning: in all of the renos documented in the Renovations Forum, I cannot remember one person that said "I wish I had started later". The idea is to give the seed and lawn the maximum time possible to mature before growth stops for winter -- without handing over your entire paycheck to the Water Authority in your area.

We "graduate" the previous year's class on Memorial Day, and take a full week off before starting the new Class of 2017. Believe us, you'll need almost all the prep time you can find before Seed Down time...

Goose Bane
Posts: 9
Joined: April 9th, 2017, 2:31 pm
Location: White Plains, MD
Grass Type: Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, Rye
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Reno timing

Post by Goose Bane » May 6th, 2017, 4:53 pm

A full week off? Whatever will I do with myself... :D

Are you saying I want to be seed down in mid to late August? Or is that when to start the killing?

FWIW, a large part of the area I plan to do this year is infested with the weed known as Bermuda grass. I realize I am unlikely to kill all of it completely but I'll be happy with a 75% kill rate.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Reno timing

Post by andy10917 » May 6th, 2017, 5:37 pm

No you won't be happy with a 75% kill rate with Bermuda - you'll have nothing but Bermuda if you don't fight it tooth and nail.

The very first step is to get your other half on-board. Read the Renovation Forum by using the Search button and searching with "fallow renovation" as keywords. Yes, spouses and neighbors will think you are nuts, watering dead grass and mud. I enjoy playing with peoples' heads. When they stopped me in town and asked what the hell happened to my pretty lawn, I'd shake my head and reply "I forgot to water it last Tuesday". The looks were "special".

To kill Bermuda, I would start around July 1st and just keep watering and killing, watering and killing. And yup, you'll go seed-down in mid- to late-August.

Goose Bane
Posts: 9
Joined: April 9th, 2017, 2:31 pm
Location: White Plains, MD
Grass Type: Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, Rye
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Reno timing

Post by Goose Bane » May 7th, 2017, 8:37 am

Thanks! I'll do the recommended search and start spraying 1 July.

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