Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Discuss how to and whether you should renovate your lawn
mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 22nd, 2017, 2:03 pm

Finally got some time and got the pictures off my phone to document the progress of my reno. Some background info: the back yard is 10k sq ft of lawn, mixture of sun and shade with a strip down the middle that is pretty much full sun. Previously was a decent no-mix (see this year's early June photo) due to following the practices learned here and help from ST6, but decided to try for better. I do not currently have irrigation, and with the mixed light levels I decided on a TTTF monostand of Regenerate as it did very well in the NTEP, and I was able to locate a great quality seed. I went back and forth between mixing KBG, but decided to make it easy on myself for my very first reno and just go with the TTTF.


Image

Marinegrunt
Posts: 483
Joined: October 25th, 2016, 10:37 am
Location: Central IL
Grass Type: TTTF + 10% KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by Marinegrunt » August 22nd, 2017, 7:04 pm

I too went with tttf but not a monostand. I also added 10% kbg. I went back and forth on whether I wanted all kbg or tttf. It was tough to decide.

If you want to make it easy in yourself you may want to add some other types of tttf or some kbg. The idea behind different types is if a disease hits that effects one type, and that type happens to be your monostand, a total loss is a possibility. If you have different types you won't lose it all.

Without kbg added you may have to overseed every now and then. Kbg will spread but tttf does not. Some people are fine with that but thought I'd mention it.

There's nothing wrong with doing a monostand and some prefer it for it's uniform color. You really have to be on top of things like fungus and catch them quick to minimize loss.

User avatar
probasesteal
Posts: 1032
Joined: March 29th, 2014, 3:39 pm
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Grass Type: FRONT: SPF30, NuGlad and Midnight. BACK: Hogan's TTTF with SPF30 HBG
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by probasesteal » August 22nd, 2017, 9:17 pm

I've never seen (or thought about) a TTTF monostand

Marinegrunt
Posts: 483
Joined: October 25th, 2016, 10:37 am
Location: Central IL
Grass Type: TTTF + 10% KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by Marinegrunt » August 22nd, 2017, 9:36 pm

That's true about not hearing about many doing a tttf mono. I've only seen it mentioned once or twice on here I think. Most that do a monostand normally use kbg.

I'm not sure about this but is tttf more susceptible to disease? I remember someone, it might've been Other Time, doing a reno to switch to kbg because he was sick of battling dollar spot or something. His yard looked great too. A picture of his yard is what made my wife decide to choose tttf over kbg.

If you decide to add some more here is what Hogan has in there tttf blend. They all rank great in the ntep trials. I had them add the NuGlade kbg. They might customize to your area because someone else had one or two different types in their blend. It might just have to do with seed availability too.


Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 23rd, 2017, 3:32 pm

The non-spreading of TTTF is why I struggled with whether or not to add KBG, but I read in Othertime's TTTF reno that he hadn't needed to overseed in several years even while battling brown patch, so I thought I'd see what happens. Might end up being a problem for me since my dogs do sometimes race around back there and might tear up some spots that can't patch themselves.

I understand the monostand disease susceptibility issue, but figured the reason for so many people doing a KBG monostand is uniformity (color, growth, density, etc.), and that shouldn't be any different with TTTF.

The seed I ended up going with also had very good disease ratings, and the "potential" for spreading. Potential in "" because I have read conflicting reports on how well spreading TTTF actually spreads. I guess I will get to see first hand.


mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 23rd, 2017, 3:34 pm

Here is pic of no-mix looking pretty good on June 3, 2017.


Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 23rd, 2017, 3:46 pm

Started to get a bit drought stressed at the end of June, but got some 10-10-10 down right before a good rain. Here is right before the kill on July 1. I hadn't cut in a while so there was plenty of leaf surface to soak up the glypho.


Image

Image

Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 23rd, 2017, 3:53 pm

I let the glypho marinate for a few days and cut down to 2 inches. I don't have a bagger, so I raked all that up, then cut again the next day as low as my mower would go...approximately 1.5 inches. Never expected to have this much clippings!


Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 23rd, 2017, 4:13 pm

Here is completely dead lawn prior to going on vacation. My original plan was to seed before leaving and come home (hopefully) to baby grass, but I got nervous about not being able to see what was happening or adjust anything (e.g. sprinklers), so I decided to give it another week of fallowing. This turned out to be a good thing anyway, because I finally got some bags of dirt to fill in some holes and low spots, and I saw some little things growing from the bags. I wish I would've done the fill sooner, but at least I got a good week to sprout anything else from the bagged dirt.


Image

Image

Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 23rd, 2017, 4:19 pm

Only a few things popped up throughout the month of July (very hot and dry all month) that I spot sprayed with glypho. Finally things cooled off and the last week of fallowing really payed off. Did a final blanket spray of glyphosate on 8/12/17 and seeded on 8/13 along with soil moist seed coat, starter with mesotrione, and peat moss topper. I think I went through 16 of the 3.0 cu ft bags of peat.


Image

Image

Image

Marinegrunt
Posts: 483
Joined: October 25th, 2016, 10:37 am
Location: Central IL
Grass Type: TTTF + 10% KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by Marinegrunt » August 23rd, 2017, 5:21 pm

Great job so far! It'll be interesting to see the tttf mono and how uniform it looks.

Since tttf seems to be more susceptible to disease I recently did some reading on it. Looks like a lot of people apply Serenade as a precautionary. Might be something to check into just to play it safe. You can always treat any fungus more aggressively if something pops up. Fungus is something we have to deal with whether we have multiple cultivors or a monostand so yours will work put fine.

Can't wait to continue to see pictures of the progress.

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 24th, 2017, 9:20 am

Thanks.

I could be wrong, but I was actually thinking that TTTF would be less susceptible to disease in the same conditions. However, the main regions where TTTF is typically grown (transition region) have conditions where disease pressure will be high.

Anyway, my plan is to try to use at least Serenade and keep up with regular applications of it.

User avatar
ken-n-nancy
Posts: 2571
Joined: July 17th, 2014, 3:58 pm
Location: Bedford, NH
Grass Type: Front: KBG (Bewitched+Prosperity); Side: Bewitched KBG; Back: Fine Fescue Blend + Prosperity
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by ken-n-nancy » August 24th, 2017, 9:43 am

Looking great! Thanks for sharing your progress to date, including pictures!

I think your 8/13 seed-down date is just about optimum timing to give you as much time as possible before winter, yet be after the real heat of summer.

There's a couple big challenges with August seeding, though -- (1) the risk of thunderstorms causing washouts, and (2) the risk of a "heat wave" which makes it difficult to keep the baby grass from drying out.

You're about 10 days after seed-down at this time -- hopefully you have some good germination by now!

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 24th, 2017, 12:10 pm

Germination is looking pretty good overall. Some spots look great, a few spots look pretty thin.

I noticed the very first germination on 8/17, four days after seed down. I took the advice of edenl01 to go out with the flashlight, and it was very cool. Since then it has continued to really fill out and grow.

I would say the weather has been near perfect, with only a couple heavy rains, but luckily not several inches worth at a time. One spot near my gutter downspout had some bent over blades and fairly light germination so I spread a bit more seed there on 8/20.

Some of my other light germination spots are out in the middle, and I have been too scared to walk on the grass to go out and inspect/decide if more seed is necessary. When do people decide that walking on the seedlings is fairly safe?

I'll get some more pictures up of the germination progress soon.

User avatar
probasesteal
Posts: 1032
Joined: March 29th, 2014, 3:39 pm
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Grass Type: FRONT: SPF30, NuGlad and Midnight. BACK: Hogan's TTTF with SPF30 HBG
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by probasesteal » August 24th, 2017, 1:37 pm

I'm confused. You seeded on 8/13?

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 24th, 2017, 1:58 pm

Yes, seed down was 8/13. Posting of pictures and updates (including starting the thread) has not been very timely.

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 25th, 2017, 12:15 pm

Here is germination from 8/18. I had seen a few signs of initial germination on 8/17, but here is much more!


Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 25th, 2017, 12:18 pm

Germination and growth continued on 8/19.


Image

Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 25th, 2017, 12:23 pm

8/20: Looking pretty evenly green all over. Very good looking seedlings in the close up picture.


Image

Image

mtroberts20
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2016, 4:29 pm
Location: Central Iowa
Grass Type: Front: Northern Mix; Back: TTTF (Regenerate)
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Experienced

Re: Matt's 2017 Backyard Reno

Post by mtroberts20 » August 25th, 2017, 12:26 pm

Definitely have been able to see obvious changes each day so far.

8/22:


Image

Image

Image

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests