GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
I've no doubt Southwest Seed is a fine company, as many small, family run businesses are. It's just that I already have loyalties to another local, small, family run business! : )
I did find out that Arizona fescue is not for me. It has allelopathic effects against blue grama.
And yes, cool season grasses stay green the entire winter here, whereas warm season grasses go dormant. People here will overseed their bermuda with annual and perennial ryegrasses so that their lawn stays green through the fall and winter. Then in the spring, the lawn is scalped, and the bermuda and heat complete the ryegrass killing.
Me? My bermuda is green in the winter because I give the poa annua free rein. : ) (It's so pretty--darker green than summertime bermuda...and it doesn't require mowing!)
I did find out that Arizona fescue is not for me. It has allelopathic effects against blue grama.
And yes, cool season grasses stay green the entire winter here, whereas warm season grasses go dormant. People here will overseed their bermuda with annual and perennial ryegrasses so that their lawn stays green through the fall and winter. Then in the spring, the lawn is scalped, and the bermuda and heat complete the ryegrass killing.
Me? My bermuda is green in the winter because I give the poa annua free rein. : ) (It's so pretty--darker green than summertime bermuda...and it doesn't require mowing!)
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- Posts: 140
- Joined: September 15th, 2016, 5:16 pm
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
------------------------------------------------------------------
......................Five Week Update......................
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Photos 9/9/2018
Blue grama/buffalo mix:
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/e6ogyjho7/IMG_0704.jpg[/img]
The buffalo-only side, and a bit of blue-grama side:
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/5poyn5n4n/IMG_0705.jpg[/img]
While the growth on each side is different, it's getting more difficult to see a clear break between the two halves. They're starting to blend. There's still a clear division between the blue grama along the sidewalk vs the buffalo closer to the house.
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The story this week was rain. With the exception of Wednesday, it rained every day this week, mostly light, but then a downpour of 3.9" on Saturday. (Mon=0.75", Tues=0.55", Thur=0.55", Fri=1.6", Sat=3.9").
Temperatures were down a little, too. Highs were in the low 90's and upper 80's. In the evenings, we had a couple of days where the temps fell into the upper 60's--the first time this fall that evening temps fell below 70*F.
I don't know if it was the lower temperatures, or if the fertilizer ran out, or if it got stunted because I mowed twice this week (Monday before the rain and Wednesday) but the blue grama vertical growth slowed down a bit. As you can see from the first picture, the blue grama is tall, but not flopping over, like it was in the photo last week. The mowing did seem to encourage lateral growth, as it does look thicker.
I had said last week that I planned to fertilize this week. That didn't happen because of the rain. I'll try again this upcoming week.
......................Five Week Update......................
------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos 9/9/2018
Blue grama/buffalo mix:
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/e6ogyjho7/IMG_0704.jpg[/img]
The buffalo-only side, and a bit of blue-grama side:
[img]https://s15.postimg.cc/5poyn5n4n/IMG_0705.jpg[/img]
While the growth on each side is different, it's getting more difficult to see a clear break between the two halves. They're starting to blend. There's still a clear division between the blue grama along the sidewalk vs the buffalo closer to the house.
====================================================================
The story this week was rain. With the exception of Wednesday, it rained every day this week, mostly light, but then a downpour of 3.9" on Saturday. (Mon=0.75", Tues=0.55", Thur=0.55", Fri=1.6", Sat=3.9").
Temperatures were down a little, too. Highs were in the low 90's and upper 80's. In the evenings, we had a couple of days where the temps fell into the upper 60's--the first time this fall that evening temps fell below 70*F.
I don't know if it was the lower temperatures, or if the fertilizer ran out, or if it got stunted because I mowed twice this week (Monday before the rain and Wednesday) but the blue grama vertical growth slowed down a bit. As you can see from the first picture, the blue grama is tall, but not flopping over, like it was in the photo last week. The mowing did seem to encourage lateral growth, as it does look thicker.
I had said last week that I planned to fertilize this week. That didn't happen because of the rain. I'll try again this upcoming week.
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- Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 2:28 am
- Location: Utah (Wasatch Front)
- Grass Type: Western, Streambank, Crested wheatgrass in front (with blue grama added in the heckstrips), sheep fescue in back; strawberry clovetr in both
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
Mowing will definitely help somewhat with spreading. Buffalo grass spreads mostly via stolons, and I don't know if mowing does anything there, but blue grama spreads via tillering, and mowing will accelerate that (although it will still only send up new plants right next to the existing one, so it will tend to thicken it a bit, but won't really fill in holes).
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
Thanks, BP. I was hoping I wasn’t stressing the grama with too much mowing.
I think mowing does help buffalo grass spread a little faster. But as with fertilizer effects, it mostly seems to just want to grow at its own pace.
I think mowing does help buffalo grass spread a little faster. But as with fertilizer effects, it mostly seems to just want to grow at its own pace.
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- Posts: 3873
- Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 2:28 am
- Location: Utah (Wasatch Front)
- Grass Type: Western, Streambank, Crested wheatgrass in front (with blue grama added in the heckstrips), sheep fescue in back; strawberry clovetr in both
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Experienced
Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
I don't think you stressed the grama. The fact that it's filling would seem so show that it's doing well.
I've let mine grow this year and go to seed (I don't know if any of the seed will be viable or not). I mostly didn't mow it because the rest of the grass isn't growing and there are just patches of grama scattered throughout the lawn. I plan to dormant seed agin this winter in all the bare patches on the lawn.
I had to pay above the minimum for my water last month. The extra charge was only $5, so it's still cheaper than getting the flat rate water, but I'm hoping that as the blue grama takes over more of the lawn, I can cut back watering even more. The seed is more than the $5-$10/year I'll save on water, but I'm really just trying to conserve water.
I've let mine grow this year and go to seed (I don't know if any of the seed will be viable or not). I mostly didn't mow it because the rest of the grass isn't growing and there are just patches of grama scattered throughout the lawn. I plan to dormant seed agin this winter in all the bare patches on the lawn.
I had to pay above the minimum for my water last month. The extra charge was only $5, so it's still cheaper than getting the flat rate water, but I'm hoping that as the blue grama takes over more of the lawn, I can cut back watering even more. The seed is more than the $5-$10/year I'll save on water, but I'm really just trying to conserve water.
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- Posts: 140
- Joined: September 15th, 2016, 5:16 pm
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
Documenting color and growth differences in my lawn between the two species. Photos taken at angles different from the ones in my Weekly Updates.
Photos taken 9/12.
Standing in the blue grama half, looking towards the buffalo grass section. Buffalo in the upper right quadrant is bluer and lower, with denser clumps. (And yes, I am aware of the irony of the "blue" grama being bright green):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/G8WLqXvk/IMG_0707_2.jpg[/img]
A little more of an closeup and overhead shot from my normal photo taking position. Brighter green clumps of blue grama can be seen.
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/87xT1ynx/IMG_0712.jpg[/img]
Photos taken 9/12.
Standing in the blue grama half, looking towards the buffalo grass section. Buffalo in the upper right quadrant is bluer and lower, with denser clumps. (And yes, I am aware of the irony of the "blue" grama being bright green):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/G8WLqXvk/IMG_0707_2.jpg[/img]
A little more of an closeup and overhead shot from my normal photo taking position. Brighter green clumps of blue grama can be seen.
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/87xT1ynx/IMG_0712.jpg[/img]
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- Posts: 140
- Joined: September 15th, 2016, 5:16 pm
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
High temps in the upper 80's/low 90's. Low's in the lower 70's. Light rain (approx. 1/2" or less) on Monday, Tuesday, Friday. No irrigation.
Mowed with reel mower on Tuesday. Fertilized at 1 lb N/1000 ft2 on Saturday, with 15-5-10 "Texas Turf" fertilizer.
I'm at the slow filling in phase. I'm starting to get bored. ^_^
The lower half of the buffalo-only section is filling in nicely. I might have to overseed the upper half in the spring--it's too late this year to overseed now. That section of the reno, closest to the front door, had the most bermuda and was the most compacted and hardest to till of the entire reno area. The tilling was actually bringing up almost entirely dead stolons and rhizomes and very little dirt. That might explain the lower germination rate.
I'm also thinking that the area near the crepe myrtle that had low germination might not be caused by shade after all. You'll notice that the area closest to the base of the crepe myrtle actually has grass growing. Rather than being bare from the base of tree out, it's only a circular band around the drip line of the tree that is bare. And you'll notice the dark brown leaf litter in that area, contrasting to the light colored straw that I used as mulch. Now I'm thinking it was more the leaf litter smothering the seedlings, rather than the shade. This problem is also something that will have to be fixed in the spring. (And the consensus seemed to be that cool season grasses are not suitable for my geographic location.)
Lastly, the blue grama is doing well enough to start putting out seed heads.
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/wynqwgSf/IMG_0722_2.jpg[/img]
I'm debating using the gas powered rotary mower to tackle the reno. I use the gas mower on the rest of my very weedy lawn--so much bermuda grass!--and so I have been hesitant to use it on the reno for fear of spreading seeds. That's why I've been using my push reel instead, which I've used exclusively on my buffalo grass/clover back yard. Things are just getting to be too hard for the push reel to handle. Heck, with all the rain, things are almost getting too hard for my gas mower to handle!
It's that, or let the reno go to seed. I was planning on doing that next year anyway...
Mowed with reel mower on Tuesday. Fertilized at 1 lb N/1000 ft2 on Saturday, with 15-5-10 "Texas Turf" fertilizer.
I'm at the slow filling in phase. I'm starting to get bored. ^_^
The lower half of the buffalo-only section is filling in nicely. I might have to overseed the upper half in the spring--it's too late this year to overseed now. That section of the reno, closest to the front door, had the most bermuda and was the most compacted and hardest to till of the entire reno area. The tilling was actually bringing up almost entirely dead stolons and rhizomes and very little dirt. That might explain the lower germination rate.
I'm also thinking that the area near the crepe myrtle that had low germination might not be caused by shade after all. You'll notice that the area closest to the base of the crepe myrtle actually has grass growing. Rather than being bare from the base of tree out, it's only a circular band around the drip line of the tree that is bare. And you'll notice the dark brown leaf litter in that area, contrasting to the light colored straw that I used as mulch. Now I'm thinking it was more the leaf litter smothering the seedlings, rather than the shade. This problem is also something that will have to be fixed in the spring. (And the consensus seemed to be that cool season grasses are not suitable for my geographic location.)
Lastly, the blue grama is doing well enough to start putting out seed heads.
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/wynqwgSf/IMG_0722_2.jpg[/img]
I'm debating using the gas powered rotary mower to tackle the reno. I use the gas mower on the rest of my very weedy lawn--so much bermuda grass!--and so I have been hesitant to use it on the reno for fear of spreading seeds. That's why I've been using my push reel instead, which I've used exclusively on my buffalo grass/clover back yard. Things are just getting to be too hard for the push reel to handle. Heck, with all the rain, things are almost getting too hard for my gas mower to handle!
It's that, or let the reno go to seed. I was planning on doing that next year anyway...
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- Posts: 3873
- Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 2:28 am
- Location: Utah (Wasatch Front)
- Grass Type: Western, Streambank, Crested wheatgrass in front (with blue grama added in the heckstrips), sheep fescue in back; strawberry clovetr in both
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Experienced
Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
Thanks for keeping us posted.
None of my traditional grasses have been growing, and I've been letting my blue grama go to seed. I sometimes wonder whether I'd be better off for spreading If I cut it to encourage tillering or if I let it go to seed.
None of my traditional grasses have been growing, and I've been letting my blue grama go to seed. I sometimes wonder whether I'd be better off for spreading If I cut it to encourage tillering or if I let it go to seed.
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- Posts: 140
- Joined: September 15th, 2016, 5:16 pm
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- Grass Type: Southern mix
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
Pretty normal weather most of the week. Clear sky, highs in low 90's, lows in 70's.
Then we got rain at the end of the week, starting Thursday. Friday night was a huge storm, dropping 6 -7" inches of rain overnight. (My own rain gauge overflowed at 5").
The only (mildly) interesting thing about the photos this week is that the soil and mulch are all still intact after the rain, even by the downspout (second photo).
Then we got rain at the end of the week, starting Thursday. Friday night was a huge storm, dropping 6 -7" inches of rain overnight. (My own rain gauge overflowed at 5").
The only (mildly) interesting thing about the photos this week is that the soil and mulch are all still intact after the rain, even by the downspout (second photo).
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- Posts: 140
- Joined: September 15th, 2016, 5:16 pm
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
Weird. My last post cut off my photos.
--Seven Week Update:
Photos taken 9/23/2018
West half (blue grama/buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/Mf0QTKDR/IMG_0726.jpg[/img]
East half (buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/xXLdMTNF/IMG_0727.jpg[/img][/url]
--Seven Week Update:
Photos taken 9/23/2018
West half (blue grama/buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/Mf0QTKDR/IMG_0726.jpg[/img]
East half (buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/xXLdMTNF/IMG_0727.jpg[/img][/url]
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- Posts: 140
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
---Eight Week Update:
Photos taken 10/2/2018
West half (blue grama/buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/Jy4LTbzv/IMG_0728.jpg[/img]
East half (buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/w78dKKBh/IMG_0729.jpg[/img]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Temperatures have been cooler this week. We had a few days when the high was only in the 70's. About a 0.10" of rain on Wednesday, but no irrigation this week. Growth seems slower. I am noticing that the bare spots under the tree and near the front walk seem to be filling in.
Photos taken 10/2/2018
West half (blue grama/buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/Jy4LTbzv/IMG_0728.jpg[/img]
East half (buffalo grass):
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/w78dKKBh/IMG_0729.jpg[/img]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Temperatures have been cooler this week. We had a few days when the high was only in the 70's. About a 0.10" of rain on Wednesday, but no irrigation this week. Growth seems slower. I am noticing that the bare spots under the tree and near the front walk seem to be filling in.
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- Location: Dallas, TX
- Grass Type: Buffalo, St. Augustine, Zoysia
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Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
---Nine Week Update---
Photos taken 10/8/2018
Blue grama/buffalo, no mowing for 2 weeks:
Buffalo grass only area:
Hi temps just under 90*F all week. No rain, but the grass seems established enough that I gave it no irrigation.
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It's been a busy couple of weeks at work, so I haven't had the chance to mow or weed. I'll probably let the reno grow without mowing for the rest of the growing season--avg first frost is in 4 weeks, but I'm already seeing growth slow down noticeably.
The area near the front door is still filling in. I'll be throwing down a few Texas bluebonnet seeds in that area in the next week or so. They're a cool-season annual legume, so I'm hoping for a bit of a nitrogen boost before I mow them down in the spring.
Photos taken 10/8/2018
Blue grama/buffalo, no mowing for 2 weeks:
Buffalo grass only area:
Hi temps just under 90*F all week. No rain, but the grass seems established enough that I gave it no irrigation.
--------
It's been a busy couple of weeks at work, so I haven't had the chance to mow or weed. I'll probably let the reno grow without mowing for the rest of the growing season--avg first frost is in 4 weeks, but I'm already seeing growth slow down noticeably.
The area near the front door is still filling in. I'll be throwing down a few Texas bluebonnet seeds in that area in the next week or so. They're a cool-season annual legume, so I'm hoping for a bit of a nitrogen boost before I mow them down in the spring.
-
- Posts: 3873
- Joined: January 3rd, 2009, 2:28 am
- Location: Utah (Wasatch Front)
- Grass Type: Western, Streambank, Crested wheatgrass in front (with blue grama added in the heckstrips), sheep fescue in back; strawberry clovetr in both
- Lawn Size: 3000-5000
- Level: Experienced
Re: GardenPants 2018 partial reno buffalograss
That's looking really good. Compared with KBG (for cool season lawns) or Bermuda (for warm season lawns), it's a bit sparse, but it will gradually fill in.
I'm pretty sure you already know this, but Buffalo grass spreads via tillering, stolons, and seeds (if it's a seeded variety). Blue grama spreads via seeds and tillering (no stolons or rhizomes).
Mowing more often will encourage tillering, but tillering only grows new plants close to the existing ones, so spreading is pretty slow. Seeds can spread farther, but germination can be pretty spotty and blue grama seed heads may be taller than you may want the grass to get. I let my blue grama go to seed this year. I also bought some additional seed, so maybe I should have been mowing to encourage tillering. I'm somewhat constrained in terms of watering, so I dormant seed and hope for the best.
I'm pretty sure you already know this, but Buffalo grass spreads via tillering, stolons, and seeds (if it's a seeded variety). Blue grama spreads via seeds and tillering (no stolons or rhizomes).
Mowing more often will encourage tillering, but tillering only grows new plants close to the existing ones, so spreading is pretty slow. Seeds can spread farther, but germination can be pretty spotty and blue grama seed heads may be taller than you may want the grass to get. I let my blue grama go to seed this year. I also bought some additional seed, so maybe I should have been mowing to encourage tillering. I'm somewhat constrained in terms of watering, so I dormant seed and hope for the best.
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