Here Comes the Burn-Out

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by andy10917 » June 13th, 2019, 6:29 am

Went for a ride last evening, and sure as hell, the lawns cut too short are burning-out already.

northeastlawn
Posts: 1259
Joined: June 1st, 2015, 3:10 pm
Location: S.E. Mass.
Grass Type: KBG
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by northeastlawn » June 13th, 2019, 7:00 am

I have been trying to encourage my KBG to spread, so have kept it at 2”. It’s really worked, a lot spots filled in, in a month!

But I guess it’s gotta end :-(

Farther’s day the plan is to raise the mower one notch a week until I get to the top. It will take 4 weeks and I’ll be at 3 1/2”.

I have also been dropping BSF 1/2 bag rate weekly since May 1st; since I always figured it takes 2-3 weeks to break down. I figure 3 more partial apps and the party’s over.

Green
Posts: 6837
Joined: September 14th, 2012, 10:53 pm
Location: CT (Zone 6B)
Grass Type: KBG, TTTF, TTPR, and FF (various mixtures)
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by Green » June 13th, 2019, 2:28 pm

Yup. As I mentioned, it's been happening here for a couple of weeks. I also see it on lawns not cut too short, and I think the browning is mostly due to the sun heating up the soil and roots not being healthy enough to cope with it, along with some disease. In my family member's lawn I cut yesterday (non-irrigated mostly FF and weedy stuff, minimal fertilizer apps and who knows what soil, clippings returned, mowed at 4" with riding mower), the front is losing color fast, and one of the areas I reseeded last year at the corners is totally brown...I'm hoping not dead, because if it is I'll have to get KY-31 seed for this year because it'll almost grow on pavement (and find a way to send roots down between the cracks) which I think is the issue. The KY-31 in the lawn is thin, but shows no sign of stress. I even did a low-rate fertilizer app on it a couple of weeks ago, but it's not really saving the color.

I think a lot of these lawns are in poor soil and the roots just can't cope with the sun's heat (since it hasn't been hot temperature-wise yet) and then there's the disease pressure added in, so they don't retain enough moisture to stay green. This is where good management, like the basics coupled with the ATY soil improvement really show the difference. Considering we had mostly sufficient rain this Spring, I was surprised to see browning occurring around Memorial Day in some cases.

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PSU4ME
Posts: 1147
Joined: November 29th, 2016, 9:29 am
Location: Metrowest MA
Grass Type: Front: Bewitched/Midnight/Everglade Back: Midnight/Diva/Everest
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Some Experience

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by PSU4ME » June 13th, 2019, 3:28 pm

Oh yeah, I was out spot watering. With my glasses on stressed areas show up better :)

EddieN26
Posts: 68
Joined: June 13th, 2018, 1:37 pm
Location: Eastern, MA
Grass Type: Bewitched Front / Mixed KBG Back
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by EddieN26 » June 13th, 2019, 4:15 pm

Even with the 1.6 inches of rain we've gotten 2 days out of the last week and a half, yards around my neck of the woods are crispy coming into the beginning of summer. My yard couldn't be anymore green, even with the small case of fungus I'm battling, because of the wonders of knowledge gained on ATY. It's amazing the things I've never noticed before that now stick out like a sore thumb with a trained eye and educated mind. I'll never go back, and never leave my lawn half dormant at the end of Spring again.


JHazzardB
Posts: 417
Joined: August 7th, 2012, 11:16 am
Location: OKC, OK
Grass Type: Front Yard: KBG blend. Back Bewitched/Nuglade
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Experienced

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by JHazzardB » June 13th, 2019, 4:34 pm

Since Andy is basically asking "how long is yours?" I went ahead and busted out a ruler. :rotfl:

Image

About average height of 8"...and if I physically lift the blades, i can definitely hit 10".

The summer has turned me into a fan of the 70's shag carpets.

Image

My goal, is mow less than once per month till September. It's been about 2 weeks since last mow.

kentster
Posts: 120
Joined: June 21st, 2018, 6:48 pm
Location: Lewisberry (South Central) Pennsylvania
Grass Type: Northern mix
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by kentster » June 13th, 2019, 6:52 pm

Pouring rain once again in South Central PA with a cold front coming in. My grass is being cut at 4" and growing back to 7" twice a week as I cut. I am seeing spots fill in nicely. It has to end, but so far so good.

bpgreen
Posts: 3871
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: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by bpgreen » June 14th, 2019, 1:26 am

I was out of town last week, but was told by neighbors that we had rain.

My lawn still springs back when I walk on it (even the remnants that are kbg).

But some of my neighbors have already started watering every day (maybe twice a day).

My next door neighbor has commented on how much better my lawn looks than his. I told him that the biggest difference was the height of cut and that he should raise his mower deck a couple of inches. He told me that makes sense, but continues to scalp his lawn once every 3 weeks.

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turf_toes
Posts: 6042
Joined: December 17th, 2008, 8:46 pm
Location: Central NJ
Grass Type: 77% Blueberry/23% Midnight Star KBG in front. Bewitched KBG monostand in back.
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Level: Not Specified

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by turf_toes » June 14th, 2019, 8:30 am

I think a lot of people cut short thinking that means they won’t have to cut again for x number of days. But that low cut means weeds take over. As most of us know, weeds grow faster than grass; which means you need to cut even more frequently.

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HoosierLawnGnome
Posts: 9591
Joined: May 22nd, 2013, 5:59 pm
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Grass Type: Blueberry KBG
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by HoosierLawnGnome » June 14th, 2019, 11:35 am

My neighbors service is trying to lower their cut to match mine.

I cut under 2 inches. It's too tall when it gets to 2.5.






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This is me
Posts: 77
Joined: July 17th, 2018, 10:13 am
Location: Northen MA
Grass Type: Front-SS Sunny Mix. Back-SS KGB Mix
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Novice

Re: Here Comes the Burn-Out

Post by This is me » June 14th, 2019, 11:43 am

Yup. Mine is burning.
Let it burn. Let it burn!

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