__JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Discuss how to and whether you should renovate your lawn
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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » September 12th, 2017, 12:07 pm

Thanks guys!

Hey CPascal,

At two weeks and two days, parts of it were getting like this:
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So, then I cut the front runners down to 2”
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Then every 3-4 four days down to 1.75”, and I’ve been maintaining that, although my goal is to even the mix to 2”, and maintain that (this year). I’m seeing that the lower the HOC, the lower the tolerance to ground un-eveness.

CPascal
Posts: 121
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Location: Milton, MA
Grass Type: Back: 65% KBG (Bedazzled, NuDestiny, Rhapsody),20% PRG, 15% Firefly Hard Fescue. Front: Double Eagle Perennial Rye Shaded areas: Mix of fine fescues and Bewitched KBG
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by CPascal » September 12th, 2017, 10:16 pm

Thanks JT for the input. Love the grass height gauge you're using-- the perfect stocking stuffer for an ATW lawn nut.

DevilDawg81
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Location: Columbus, OH
Grass Type: KBG, PRG, Fescue mix
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by DevilDawg81 » September 13th, 2017, 8:57 am

JT, I've been following your thread. Absolutely fantastic results thus far, keep it up!

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » September 17th, 2017, 9:18 pm

Thanks DevilDawg81!

I appreciate the encouragement. This year is higher profile, being in the front, where last year was the back yard. And the zoysia was more established in front.

This week end (day 33), I dropped the first application of urea, in the form of 10-10-10 @.5N/K. Been into using the iphone to document what’s going on at ground level. There is an assortment of sizes.
Image

Today I applied Serenade and KelpHelp. Now that I’m doing the whole lawn @10k, I had to come up with a more efficient system. I cut it in with a brass wand, using a 110 degree XR teejet extended range. Then did the fill with twin 110’s, on a double boom, ~34” oc., using the plastic wand that came with Chapin 20V. It had to be that as to get a ~5' repeat on swath. Chapin’s offering for a double boom is only ~17” oc. It didn’t do it for me, so I got the triple, and used the tee from the double (mistake buy). Wasn't a bad thing, from what I can tell, their threads are specific to their products...I also had to put in a couple of mesh strainer 5 psi check valves...I thought it worked pretty good.
Image

This marks a time to cut back the water to every other day, as to avoid immediately washing off the application.

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » September 19th, 2017, 7:53 pm

This is after 5 weeks (day 36). As far as coverage, it seems fine. I have 60 x 3” pots, and I’ve been using them in the established lawn. I try to do 4 per day with proplugger.
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I’m still carefully reeling this in. I’ve been finding some spots that have a subtle chlorosis. Nothing widespread, and I’m thinking it’s just the overall lawn making a transition from seed germination energy, to growing day by day as usual. Some parts actually look pretty mature. And overall, the blades are getting closer, meshing, so retaining moisture. Either way, I’m thinking another ap of Seranade/KelpHelp, may be weekly.
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This area has some wispy spots, with a touch of this “chlorosis”, but at this point, I’m still thinking it’s a transition thing. This area gets a lot of shade (so moisture), and as mentioned above, has bewitched blended in. A little bit of squirrel and rabbit nuisance, but not too detrimental.
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I've been mowing @1.75" every 4 or so days. Now I'm thinking to go to 2". I’m still under a spurge attack in full sun area along street edge. I try to pull out 25 per day with needle nose pliers. I’ve been holding off on herbicides, as I don’t want to have too many things going on. For now, it’s been water, weather, HOC, fertilizer, and Serenade/KelpHelp. I’m thinking on figuring out weeds at a later point, may be a late season pre M.


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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » September 26th, 2017, 9:53 am

This is week 6, 42 days. Last week, I thought I saw some small patches that looked a bit chlorotic or may be the beginnings of rust, and was considering Serenade weekly, but now things look to be just growing green tissue. May be I’ll hold off on next ap untill things slow down. I’m mowing every four days @2”. I am seeing some stippling, as I’m using a hot fertilizer, but “feathering” it in weekly seems to even it out.
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For fertilizer, I started off “soft” with .88#/K of Bay State @ seed down as to give it slow release nutrients for the first ~4.5 weeks. Then “hot”, 1#N/K in two split aps spaced a week apart (in the form of 10-10-10). Moving forward, it will get weekly .5#N/K aps of urea only. It looks to be responsive. I have a rabbit visitor grazing daily, knocking areas down. He’s not eating the crowns, just cutting it too low, and really enjoying that. My wife and I can walk right up to him before he moves...
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In this shaded side, the grass is growing differently, but certainly growing. It is blended with bewitched, and as I saw in the pots (sharing same shaded area) a slower wispier start, then fill in. Even so, I may only use 1-2 pots in this area (out of 60 pots). I’m noticing more stippling here. Also it’s raining acorns, and some minimal squirrel damage.
Image

DevilDawg81
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by DevilDawg81 » September 27th, 2017, 9:00 am

JT, I too have a rabbit eating my little green babes. He's leaving about a 1/2" left. Are you doing anything to combat your little buddy? Or are you just leaving him be? I spread some Liquid Fence a couple weeks back and initially I thought it was helping, but my friend is back at it.

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » September 27th, 2017, 8:34 pm

Hey DevilDawg81, I was talking to my wife about getting a trap and taking him for a little ride…but I was also thinking liquid fence. I have some on hand, because he was working on some perennials earlier. I guess the new grass is the gourmet stuff.

So I was going to pick up on progress from a newly sighted disease. I started a thread this morning in the Cool Season forum. I really regret skipping this weekend's Serenade ap. And not putting 2 and 2 together that this hot humid weather might not be a good time for a urea ap as to make a lot of fresh green.

I managed to get home today as to have some time to work before dark. Overall the lawn was looking robust.
Image

It was in need of a mow, and I just mowed Monday @2”.
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I flagged the spots. They were not as visible without the dew accenting them, but I found them. Thinking back to this morning, I was seeing cobwebs as well as cottony patches. I just thought they were...well cobwebs.
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I did my best to mow around them, and still have enough daylight to spray. I did 1 gallon of water/1 tsp of sodium bicarbonate. I added a surfactant as I found an article that suggested one.

It looks like tonight is the last warm night and mid day tomorrow the temp will drop. Now it's time for a drink...I guess a reno isn't a reno without something happening...

PW405
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by PW405 » September 27th, 2017, 10:55 pm

Looking great! Keep it up!

Gotime88
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by Gotime88 » September 28th, 2017, 3:39 pm

Absolutely beautiful lawn. Your hard work has paid off.

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » September 28th, 2017, 9:23 pm

Thanks all for the positive feedback!

I’ve been concerned about this lawn disease, on edge to see how badly it blights. I checked it out first thing this morning, the most visible time. There were more. I put ~15 flags last night, put down another 5, and could use more, but I’m out.
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I can’t tell if it’s spreading laterally…or… it’s more like it’s been dwelling and some warm humid nights make it emerge...then it would go lateral. With around 30 spots now, I’d call it wide spread.
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When I got home from work, it didn’t seem worse. I could see blighted grass within the patch, but it wasn’t jaw dropping. However I’m only a few days in. I had an area of red thread this past spring, and it took a while to run it's course, but when it was done, it blighted my side yard pretty good. I’m hoping the bicarbonate treatment had some effect. I need to figure out a time interval for next treatment, may be a week?

Meanwhile, I was thinking a blanket spray (whole yard) of Serenade/KelpHelp, in an effort to contain it laterally, and keep that up weekly. It would be the second ap for reno, and 9th for established.

It made an emergence on some really humid nights where temps didn't go below 70. It’s hard to tell what it is. It could match three diseases. Dollar spot calls for urea, pythium and brown patch does not. Anyhow good thing now, the cool air showed up. I’m going to continue letting the soil dry out, and some rain on Saturday will irrigate it.

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » October 3rd, 2017, 8:39 am

I’m 7 weeks in, 49 days. It was foggy this morning, so I was concerned about this disease doing a flare up, but I didn’t see any mycelium, and haven’t since the first few days. I’m thankful to not see any bad blighting. The nights have been cold in 40s. I’ve identified it as dollar spot, and have continued the weekly .5N/K aps of urea. It’s flagged, as to avoid with mower, and I’m watching it. I did Serenade/Kelp this past week end and will continue that weekly. Mid-week, I’ll do a follow thru ap of bicarbonate, I’m just letting the Serenade dwell a bit. I’ve cut back on watering. It got some rain on Saturday, and I’m doing a 4 day interval for next watering, the longest to this point.
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This area started out slower and wispier, it’s shaded, has mature tree roots underneath, and is 70% kgb. Out of that 25% bewitched (basically my shade mix). The disease didn’t come up this way. I’m thinking the thinner mesh (compared to the full sun part) does not retain moisture as much. Also the sprinklers are zoned to start here first, so the other part had wet blades longer into the morning. Now that the grass is in, I can water it differently.
Image

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probasesteal
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by probasesteal » October 3rd, 2017, 2:00 pm

Coming along nicely. Good work!

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » October 9th, 2017, 5:21 pm

Thanks probasesteal!

This is 56 days. The spots with fungus appear to be have faded with minimal damage, so I pulled the flag markers up. The flagged areas were getting too high, and I have been getting rust, so I used a tractor with a bagger and cut it to 2”. I cleaned the undercarriage out afterwards with a bleach solution. I don’t like using the bagger, but may keep it up.

I got an application of Serenade/KH down on Saturday, in prep for this current humid weather with warm nights, and a spike tomorrow day time 82. Got some expected beneficial rain, but did end up using sprinklers last Friday to water in an application of dimension.
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I decided not to do a weekly ap of urea this weekend, as things are growing vigorously anyhow, and this week end is my first average frost date, even tho you wouldn't know that by the current weather. So as I understand the principle, I want to let it coast now until stoppage.
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The area at bottom is coming in thinner. It’s shaded for most of day, gets a lot of tree droppings, and is dry. It's included within the sprinkler zones, hopefully in future I can get a thicker cover to keep the moisture in soil.
Image

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » October 18th, 2017, 7:38 pm

I guess I’m around 66 days. I’ve been mowing with the tractor, doing the whole lawn at once. It feels good to have a unified lawn, after 3 seasons of renos (two documented here). This reno is 4K, total lawn is 10K. The last cut was ~2.75”. I was actually aiming for 3.25”, but my deck is calibrated at 3.75” (normal cutting height). In other words, 3.75” is true, where the other notches don’t fall into place as labeled.

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I’ve gotten two frosts so far, so stopping light urea aps last week was in sync with slowing things down. Mowings are still frequent tho, and I'm still bagging.

Image

I did get an accidental flare up of disease pressure. I was piggy backing some light drizzle last week end with .5” of water from sprinklers, and I woke up to see that one zone ran all night, like for 6-7 hours. I got the company to fix it, which was good timing to fix it before they are shut down. Problem is that the following night we got a fog until the next morning. Heavy fog. It caused the lawn to got at least twenty spots of “cobwebs”. Almost all near the those sprinklers. I’m guessing it was dollar spot, as temps were cool. And it doesn’t seem to have killed the crowns. It’s definitely activated by leaf wetness and over watering. At least the mycelium was still thin, and hadn’t cotton"ed" up yet. I flagged them and spot sprayed with bicarbonate, then the weather sharply changed to dry comfortable sunny weather, and it all dried up. Thankfully, a long stretch of dry sunny weather is in the forecast.

DevilDawg81
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by DevilDawg81 » October 18th, 2017, 8:50 pm

JT, awesome job. You've put a lot of work into this and it's paid off. Everything looks really good, especially when you compare it to that 2012 Google pic you posted earlier this year!

PW405
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by PW405 » October 18th, 2017, 10:49 pm

Looking great!

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kevreh
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Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by kevreh » October 19th, 2017, 8:56 am

__JT__ wrote:
September 17th, 2017, 9:18 pm
Today I applied Serenade and KelpHelp. Now that I’m doing the whole lawn @10k, I had to come up with a more efficient system. I cut it in with a brass wand, using a 110 degree XR teejet extended range. Then did the fill with twin 110’s, on a double boom, ~34” oc., using the plastic wand that came with Chapin 20V. It had to be that as to get a ~5' repeat on swath. Chapin’s offering for a double boom is only ~17” oc. It didn’t do it for me, so I got the triple, and used the tee from the double (mistake buy). Wasn't a bad thing, from what I can tell, their threads are specific to their products...I also had to put in a couple of mesh strainer 5 psi check valves...I thought it worked pretty good.
Image
JT-

I like the idea of a double boom. Can you show more pics of your system, and maybe links or model #s for the parts? Also, is this for a backpack or handheld sprayer? Thanks!

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__JT__
Posts: 170
Joined: May 10th, 2016, 9:25 pm
Location: SE Mass. zone 6A
Grass Type: Northern Mix (20% each of Midnight, Diva, and Everglade Kentucky bluegrass, and 20% Zodiac chewings fescue and 20% Fiesta 4 perennial ryegrass) with Bewitched mixed into shade
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by __JT__ » October 20th, 2017, 9:31 am

Thanks Guys!

Hi kevreh,
No problem. This is the set up. A Chapin 20V, and I made thr brass wand from dfw_pilot’s post from the equipment forum. I use that for spot spray and cutting in.
Image

For the double, I used the plastic wand that came with the Chapin, because it looks like their threads only work on Chapin parts. Then, I originally bought the Chapin’s double nozzle boom (# 6-7780), but it was only 17”. Too narrow. I couldn’t come up with a way to extend it without too much destruction/complication, so I got their triple nozzle boom (#6-7781) which is 34”. Good enough. For my set up’s output, this gives me a ~60” swath/repeat. A 110 degree red tee jet gives me around 37”, so the taper is necessarily overlapped some.

The wand is plastic, so it’s good and light for this purpose. I didn’t want the middle nozzle, so I used parts from both booms, but in hindsight, the middle nozzle of the triple could be easily blocked. I just had the extra fittings from the 6-7780. And you do need a couple of check valves to keep it from dripping.
Image

http://www.sprayerdepot.com/Shop-by-Cat ... 4193A550SS

I had the stainless hose quick disconnect already. I couldn’t figure out a way to get Sprayer Depot nozzle quick disconnects to fit the Chapin threads. If anyone has a work around, please let me know. The provided cap is fine. I just like the convenience of the quick disconnects, plus they hold the check valve in place.

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kevreh
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Location: Northern Virginia
Grass Type: Front Yard: 2013 TTTF reno (faith, cochise, turbo, ls1200), Back: 2013 KBG reno (bewitched, midnight, prosperity)
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Level: Not Specified

Re: __JT’s__2017 front yard_renovation_

Post by kevreh » October 20th, 2017, 11:43 am

Nice, thanks for the photos and description. So the check valve stops whatever's in the hose and boom (after the handle) from dribbling out? Also, you said "Chapin’s offering for a double boom is only ~17” oc". Doesn't the spray area extend quite a bit beyond that? I have some area like a ~4' wide hell strip that may be too narrow for a 3 boom.

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