unexpected uneveness in my Reno

[Aviator8]

So last year I started a full reno. Started prepping in summer in the Atlanta area, killing everything, nutrients, etc. All went as planned. The coverage was not as good as I hoped but I know these things have to fill out over a year or two. I did a bastardized mix of seeds to account for varying conditions in the yard so I expected some variance in the yard. What I got was a bit of a surprise. I used a mix of TTF from the box stores, and deep shade mixes form the same and Johnathan Seed black beauty and high traffic mixes. These last two were new to me. I made sure to thoroughly blend them before putting in the spreader. My yard looks ALOT better than the bare spot, weed infested landscape I had. However I can not for the life of me figure out why I am having these really dense dark green areas that are so lush and growing faster than anything around them. I am positive I did not get clumps of one type of variant clustered into spots like this. I am hoping this will somewhat even out as the grass matures,heat and diseases take their toll, and overseeding fills in. Has anyone had this?

[turf_toes]

That’s the downside of a mix (as opposed to a blend).

If you want a lawn with a more consistent color, growth habit and density, a blend of one grass type is better.

You get more genetic diversity with a mix of different types of grass. But you can also end up with a polka dot lawn that grows at very different rates, leaving the lawn looking shaggy.

No one can say for sure what that grass is. You’d need a far better picture than what you posted. Tall fescue can be dark or light, depending on the cultivar (as can rye and KBG) (or you could have just dropped more fertilizer in those spots)

[Pway]

I’m not an expert but you’ll get different growth patterns, colors, blade textures, and growth patters with a broad mix of seed. Also, could some be animal urine or fertilizer spill?

[Aviator8]

doubt it would be fertilizer as i am sure to broadcast that pretty evenly in a crosshatch pattern. But animals could be. several have a dog turd from one of my dogs and deer rabbit and fox are common on my property.

[andy10917]

Bingo! Dog Droppings and diluted dog urine do that early in the year, when the ground is wet enough that urine doesn't kill it.

Did you do a winterizing application? If not, that's a sign that a nice shot of Nitrogen might do the same to the rest of the lawn. If the lawn is new, read the Philes Regimen and follow it - you might be shocked that the lawn is far better than you think!

[Green]

That level of unevenness should not be due to using mixed seed, unless someone didn't mix it properly or apply the seed evenly, or it washed out in some areas early in germination.

I think Andy and you (Aviator) nailed it, but I'll also add that sometimes in early Spring, grass just grows in unevenly without pee.

[Aviator8]

I did not winterize as I had done a started fert. I will have to read about Philes regimen as I have never heard of it. I did throw down Milo a couple weeks back and things are evening out some.

[maynardGkeynes]

I got a similar result with the Scott's Sun and Shade last year. The the fine fescues can't keep up with the PRG.
However, the real dark patches do look like dog pee patches.

[Aviator8]

this began to even out alot after fertilizing. Unfortunately i bought a spectracide weed killer on sale at HD about a month ago and did some spot treatments, and it annihilated my lawn everywhere I sprayed. I cant win. I followed the label exactly. Guess I need to wait until Fall to get all my holes filled back in.

[andy10917]

What was the exact name of the Spectracide product?

[john5246]

I would never try to mix seeds. Put down the seed you want over the area of the lawn then do your other seed one by one. Spreading seed is the least time consuming part of the entire job. I can seed a 2500sq ft area in 1min with a hand spreader. Let's not be lazy.

[Aviator8]

What was the exact name of the Spectracide product?

This. I would avoid at all cost. Spectracide is refunding my money but admits no issue with the product nor offers to do anything to fix the yard.






Some samples of the damage it did. I mixed exactly per label and did spot treatments on some holdover weeds from last year. I was not heavy handed on the application either. In some cases the weed I was hitting is left standing right in the middle of my dead fescue spot

[Aviator8]

here are a few more of the damage

[andy10917]

I'm lost. You're showing both concentrate and hose-end sprayer versions, and the damage looks exactly like an overapplication of spot treatments would look.

Spectracide is refunding my money but admits no issue with the product nor offers to do anything to fix the yard.

Please tell us that you didn't really expect them to fix the yard.

The Spectracide product appears to be a rather standard 3-way 2-4D/Dicamba mix with Quinclorac (for crabgrass) and Sulfentrazone (for Nutsedge). Not much unusual there...

[Aviator8]

I'm lost. You're showing both concentrate and hose-end sprayer versions, and the damage looks exactly like an overapplication of spot treatments would look.

Spectracide is refunding my money but admits no issue with the product nor offers to do anything to fix the yard.

Please tell us that you didn't really expect them to fix the yard.

The Spectracide product appears to be a rather standard 3-way 2-4D/Dicamba mix with Quinclorac (for crabgrass) and Sulfentrazone (for Nutsedge). Not much unusual there...

No did not expect them to just belly aching about the damage. I used the concentrate. I followed the label exactly (the label on the concentrate bottle, not the sprayer) I mixed in a 2 gallon sprayer. I did not spend extra time on any spot. Just a quick hit on each spot. I dont know maybe i got a bad batch. I looked it up after this happened, and it had some pretty bad reviews, with pictures of peoples lawns that look like mine. You never really know if they followed the direction, but I do know I did.