No turning back now

[jglongisland]

6 days is the magic number for KBG's first sprout in ideal conditions. I'm glad Danny didn't take you out.

My wife just told me I have to setup the inflatable water slide for my 8 year old on my 11 week old renovation.

I got the "what's more important, the grass or your daughter".

[MorpheusPA]

Grass. Your daughter can do it when she's 9.

[andy10917]

Tell Mom that she's right. And also tell Mom that the 8-year daughter wants to wear Mom's $300 Manolo high-heel pumps when she's on the water slide. After all, what's more important, shoes or her daughter?

I'd love to hear Mom's answer to that...

[jglongisland]

I'm posting before and after pictures in my rule breaking thread, one more thing that violates all the rules.

[Dave]

Friday Sept 4th 10 days after seeding:

[jglongisland]

You are in great shape. Perfect weather now if you have irrigation, no storms on the horizon for a while.

[Dave]

Tuesday Sept 8th Exactly 2 weeks since seeding:

[andy10917]

Hey, Dave - I recognize that!!! It looks just like my lawn at 14 days.

[BharatH]

Dave, my lawn too looks the same, currently at 14 days.

[Dave]

Tuesday Sept 15th 3 weeks after dropping seed:

[Drinyth]

Looking really great, Dave! I hope it continues well for you!

[s1mpl3k1d]

Awesome progress there! Is that a wine bottle shadow on the 2nd and 3rd from last pic?

[Dave]

Awesome progress there! Is that a wine bottle shadow on the 2nd and 3rd from last pic?

Chiminea.

[jglongisland]

Looking really good. The lack of broadleaf weeds is great. Are those taller plants nutsedge? If that's the only weed you have to deal with you are in great shape?

You are going to be in great shape and probably get a few mows in before the winter, which is ideal.

[Dave]

Yes that is some nutsedge. I have the sedgehammer but I will wait till next June to take care of that. I had them before and the RU killed the plant but RU does NOT kill the nut so they came back. I am starting to see some weeds growing but I am not worried about it now.

[Dave]

Monday Sept 28. 5 weeks after seeding:


Today I applied another application of starter fertilizer. Most of the grass does NOT seem to be getting taller. Is that normal??????????

[jglongisland]

Dave,

That's very typical. The rain yesterday and today might give it a boost; the big determinate as to whether you start getting much top growth will be how the sun hits the lawn this time of year. If you get pretty good sun I'd expect that you'll see those guys start getting taller in about two weeks. We've had some pretty cool weather, may not hit 70 until next week.

I'd wager that our first cut will come Columbus Day weekend. Even if you didn't get a cut it that renovation looks awesome and will be outstanding next year. The lack of weeds is unbelievable; hopefully you don't have poa in there.

[andy10917]

I call the slow growth "the pouting period". It seems to happen all the time and I wish somebody could explain if some transition is going on - I love explanations. Anyone?

[MorpheusPA]

It's not pouting, it's growing adult roots and storing some energy. Once the basic leaves are added, photosynthesis proper begins (the first seed leaf works, but it's incredibly inefficient). At that point, going after the soil resources you need is more important than top growth, and the hormones generated by the leaves to encourage root growth are overwhelming the hormones from the roots to encourage top growth. The equilibrium of tension shifts temporarily below the soil.

Eventually, the hormonal excretions and resources flowing up from the roots encourage top growth, but it takes a bit, and everybody balances out again. Hence the reason that short-mowed grass has short roots...short leaves don't shift the growth below the soil much, it stays up top, and carbs for root growth never flow down very much either.

[bpgreen]

I read somewhere that grass grows down first, then up, then out. In other words, it first grows roots, then grows blades, then starts to spread.