Class of 2017 Renovations: Roll Call !!!!

[andy10917]

I generally do the initial Roll Call for the Renovation Class around June 1st, or 10 weeks before the most likely Seed-Down Date. Given that August 12th is the closest Saturday to the middle of August, that makes today (June 3rd) to be the 10 week mark.

So, who is ready to declare that they will be a member of the Class of 2017??? It's "on-the-bus or "under-the-bus" time.

If you're declaring that you are nuts enough and entering the Class, give us a paragraph about your goals and expectations, whether this is your first renovation, what you plan to use (grass type, cultivars, etc) and whether it will involve extra-crazy components like irrigation systems, etc.

This is an Introduction thread - please keep specific questions about your Renovation, seed sources, etc out of this thread.

Once you have entered the Class, you are encouraged to start a separate thread in this Forum specific to tracking your project -- something like "Bob's 2017 Renovation Thread" -- you'll regret it if you open the thread as "Should I Do A Renovation?" and you're still posting to it next Memorial Day when the Renovation is completed.

Once you have joined the Class, you will need to begin stockpiling enormous quantities of cheap booze to get you through the process.

[Zareth]

Depends largely on how my lawn survives this summer.. cheering for my midnight kbg but.. nuclear melt down would put me down for a Reno this August

[STL]

I'm in for 2017. Renovating my side yard, which is only about 1.5k. It faces east and gets morning sun and some good afternoon shade. I've been reading a lot on here for about the last year or so and decided to get crazy and test kbg here. It was the btep and summer patch survival threads that really made me want to go for it. Again, props to this site and it's members. There really is a wealth of knowledge here if you do just a little digging.

I figured I can always fall back on tttf if this small section doesn't work out, so why not. I'm going with a blend of bewitched, blue velvet, and mazama. Bewitched because it's well regarded here, seems pretty tough, has good shade tolerance, and looks wonderful. Blue velvet because it did well in the Missouri NTEP testing, back when they tested kbg, and was spoken highly of from those that tested it here a few years ago. Mazama was my first choice for a compact america and was super pumped to find a source for it. It seems like a great combination of dark color and disease resistance.

I laid out and budgeted general pro active fungicide, irrigation, fertilizing, and soil amendment plans. Just need to be flexible, execute, and see if kbg can handle the St. Louis heat. The goal is basically (and literally) get it through the first few summers without it looking like sh!t

[SyNtAxx]

Im in for another 12 to 15,000 feet of my property. See previous years threads for info.

Nick

[edenl01]

I'm in for about 3.5k. It will finish up the back yard and get a side yard done. Bewitched and Blue Velvet blend.

[HomerGuy]

Count me in! I've got a new construction home with about 35-40k sq ft of lawn to install.

Of course this all hinges on finding someone with a bulldozer to grade out the remaining 25k sq ft. I've been successful in finding an irrigation and landscaping contractor but all of the excavators are so busy I can't hardly get anyone to return my call.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Thank the good Lord. No reno this year for the first in 3.

[bellts02]

I'm in for about 2k sq ft. Killed off some sort of dwarf fescue. Replanting with KBG mix. Things are off to a good start. Good germination with just a few lagging spots.

[Pete1313]

I'm in! 38k sq ft of bewitched. Looking to maintain it between 3/4"-1". Target kill date is June 24th and the seed down window is August 5th-13th. Irrigation just needs to be tweaked, some leveling needs to be done, and the only supply I don't have yet is the seed topdressing. I already have my babies on hand and in a safe place!

[fusebox7]

Around 7k sq ft here. Some already in progress due to my hand being forced (massive landscaping renovations and harsh slopes). Whole yard will be equal parts Award, Bewitched and Mazama. Very excited for this 100% KBG journey!

[Cogeng182]

I'm on board for a reno this year. This will be my first and to get my feet wet, doing only my front yard which is 800 sqft. If all goes well I will reno the back yard,7.5k sqft, next year. I am using a KBG blend of Blueberry, Bewitched, and Everest; should get me great color, quality, disease resistance in my arid location. Realized after I bought it that BB and BW have fairly different growth characteristics but I have some pots going and all seems well so far. I already have in ground irrigation setup and updated to MP rotators, getting great even coverage now. It seems like its been a long wait since I first joined a year ago, but glad I did so I could take the time to read and get edumacated .

[bellts02]

That looks like a nightstand. Are your seeds sleeping next to you? I won't judge.

[kwarny]

First renovation here. Signing up since I have already killed the front (2k), side, and backyard (5k). Was originally going to reno front only but liked the price per pound for the larger bag. Bought a foreclosure that sat empty for over a year last year and consisted mostly of weeds.

Seeding a Bewitched KBG monostand. Wanted grass to withhold the two little ones, shade forgiving, and more horizontal growth pattern. Bought four PGP heads for irrigation. Will start earlier with front yard since under two maples and then start with side and back. Have read this forum the last year so hoping to use all the info to good use. Worst that will happen is a yard that is better than the last.

[Marinegrunt]

This will be my first reno and is 8k. Removed more than 20 trees and stumps last summer. Yard is currently dirt after leveling so plan on hitting any weeds that pop up during the rest of the summer. I plan on a diy irrigation system this summer. I ended up going with Hogan's TTTF + 10% kbg. I let the wife look at pictures of lawns and decide on the seed. I'm still second guessing that decision but sure it'll look fine. I wanted Bewitched along with a few others. The Hogan's consists of Firewall, Cochise IV, Bullseye, LS 1200, Houndog, and NuGlade. I'm hoping NuGlade will do okay in the shade. They didn't have any Bewitched but read NuGlade has some shade tolerance.

After having a dirt yard since the middle of last summer i can't wait to get grass growing!

[Bucky]

I'm also in for my back yard...

[greenrebellion]

I am going to give it a shot. Hydroseed failed last year so going to do the job myself this year. KBG 3 cultivar mix (Award, Prosperity, Bewitched).

My biggest challenge will be determining whether my soil can actually grow KBG as it emerged from the ground last year but then failed to do anything (see last years renovation thread if you want all the gory details). Could've been the compost, seed density (washout and collection of seeds in certain areas), Poa Annua/weed concentration, lack of a fallow period, something in the hydroseed mix...who knows.

I'll be starting a 100sf test plot this weekend which I hope will tell me by mid August (seed down time) whether or not my soil can grow anything this time around.

[smast16]

I'm in!

Renovating a 1000 sq ft section in the front by the mailboxes (sept from the front by the driveway). I've been wanting to do something with this area, but it's so daunting i've been scared. I need to remove a 500 sq ft rock bed that's about 2 inches deep that is full of weeds. This will be my first renovation and i'm kinda looking at this as a trial run. If things go well, then next year i will renovate the front yard. I'm going with TTTF 3 way mix of Bullseye, Hotrod and Falcon V (may switch this out with Firewall as i'm still deciding. Been studying the NTEP results from 2 test sites about ~100 miles away, one south and one east.)

I've already started the in and around the rock bed, and i'll upload a pic this afternoon so you all can laugh at the work i get to do this summer.

[mtroberts20]

I am planning on a 10k sq ft renovation of my backyard. This will be my first ever reno, so I am admittedly a bit nervous. Certainly glad I am doing the backyard only to avoid neighborhood ridicule for killing one of the best lawns in the neighborhood.

I have really been waffling on TTTF vs KBG vs TTTF/KBG mix, but currently planning on TTTF blend using Traverse 2, 4th Millennium, Bullseye, and Hot Rod.

The overall backyard reno will include the creation of some larger mulched areas with various plants for areas that are either hard to mow or don't grow grass well or both.

[SNOWBOB11]

I'm in for a 2500 SQ FT front, 500 SQFT side Reno. Going with a bewitched mono. I'm looking to get seed down the second week of august. Currantly the lawn is a mix of p rye, cr fescue, kbg. This will be my second reno but first using only bluegrass. Here's a couple shots after I cut and edged of the areas I'm doing.

[skippynj17]

Count me in for a 3500 SQ FT front yard reno. This will be my first time doing one.
Im planning on using a KYB mix of Award, Bewitched and Everglade. Im gonna try and get my seeds today !