Leveling project, 2016 progress

Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia, Paspalum, etc
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Ware
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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by Ware » May 27th, 2016, 3:06 pm

tbdh20 wrote:Cut with my better mower today a bit higher (Tru-cut) at 7/16", did not want to trash the reel and bed. I'm not close to maintaining 3/8 hoc, with another sand app, think I can maintain at 1/2" to 3/4" this season...

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It's looking good! :good:

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » May 27th, 2016, 3:41 pm

Thanks Ware!

Going to let it get shaggy next week and try to train it down. Do not want to spray pgr this early in the season.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » May 27th, 2016, 3:43 pm

In my situation.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 4th, 2016, 4:57 pm

A couple days passed the two week mark. Got back in town after a week vaca to a very tall lawn.. had to cut multiple times to get it back down to 7/16. Being gone for a week and not scrutinizing daily progress makes you appreciate how fast bermuda spreads!


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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 7th, 2016, 2:01 am

After a week away, the fast multiple mowings I performed, getting ready for real life. Yesterday walked the yard, notice multiple weeds (not terrible) but want to head it off. Spread a half rate of 24-0-11, Lesco 0-0-7 and plan on spot spraying today with Celsius. In a week or two would love to spray T-Pac (reduce mowing frequency) when the sand disappears!


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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 7th, 2016, 2:19 pm

The front yard is the focus this season but I do have a overgrown zoysia backyard (established from plugs into a fescue lawn) that needs love. If the front establishes well and I can topdress again this season, I would like to start tackling this...



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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 7th, 2016, 2:30 pm

A very bumpy lawn that I cut at most once a week on the second or third setting with a rotary. Once a year fertilization and pre-m, a very slow grower.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 8th, 2016, 2:31 pm

Sorry don't have pics... mowed last night at 7/16" again and can't maintain that aesthetically, will try 9/16" tomorrow. I've never cut this low before and understand it's still filling in but.. Walked the yard this morning before heading out and was surprised how little the first leveling accomplished, 7/16" to a 1" grass height. Old trenches from irrigation lines, poor initial grading, settling, etc.! The quandary is, another month of full leveling in the height of growing season or cut higher and be happy with it. Spot leveling is not a real option as it's the entire lawn. Will update after the next mow, opinions appreciated.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 8th, 2016, 4:50 pm

A few minutes ago.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by Ware » June 8th, 2016, 4:58 pm

Remind me again how much sand you applied per thousand?

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 8th, 2016, 5:07 pm

3 tons the first go around for approximately 2500 sq/ft.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 10th, 2016, 12:16 pm

I grossly underestimated, the amount of material it would take with the state of my lawn...

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 10th, 2016, 12:56 pm

I'm planning a second attempt this season. Hopefully with better results.. I've not been able to find a verticutter with delta blades for rent but might aerate/scalp again. This time planning on 1/2" to 3/4" rather than a 1/4" calculation.

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Hard to believe...

Post by Ware » June 10th, 2016, 1:41 pm

It's hard to believe you can go from this...

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...to wishing you had more sand, isn't it?

3 tons would probably be 2.0-2.5 yards of sand. So it sounds like the general suggestion of at least 1 yard per thousand for a first-time leveling project is holding true.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by Main_sail22 » June 10th, 2016, 3:34 pm

Haha, Ware...that's insane. Blown away that the lawn can take that amount of material and still need more huh? I'll be doing this hopefully next year as my target HOC is .5" for the zoysia...I am sure I'll be hitting you up for advice and lessons learned...looks great though.

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by Ware » June 10th, 2016, 3:39 pm

Main_sail22 wrote:Haha, Ware...that's insane. Blown away that the lawn can take that amount of material and still need more huh? I'll be doing this hopefully next year as my target HOC is .5" for the zoysia...I am sure I'll be hitting you up for advice and lessons learned...looks great though.
Not mine. I pulled those photos from an earlier page in this thread.

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Re: Hard to believe...

Post by tbdh20 » June 10th, 2016, 4:39 pm

Ware wrote:It's hard to believe you can go from this...

ImageImage

...to wishing you had more sand, isn't it?

3 tons would probably be 2.0-2.5 yards of sand. So it sounds like the general suggestion of at least 1 yard per thousand for a first-time leveling project is holding true.
It really is hard to believe, I could have used twice a much. With a actively growing lawn this time, crossing my fingers for better results..

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by tbdh20 » June 14th, 2016, 4:31 pm

Cut the lawn at 9/16" last evening and 7/16" this morning. Applying my first PGR app this evening. looking forward to better color, density, mowing frequency is a bonus!

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by SACole » June 14th, 2016, 10:28 pm

I feel like I would have results similar to yours. I have some bad areas. I'm cutting with a 26" tee/collar mower and it does surprisingly well but I feel that because it's so wide I don't scalp some areas I normally would with say a 18 or 21".

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Re: Leveling project, 2016 progress

Post by Ware » June 14th, 2016, 10:43 pm

SACole wrote:I feel like I would have results similar to yours. I have some bad areas. I'm cutting with a 26" tee/collar mower and it does surprisingly well but I feel that because it's so wide I don't scalp some areas I normally would with say a 18 or 21".
If I bought another reel, I would probably look for a 26" - they have an attractive HOC range and most have a 7 or 8-blade reel that yields a clip rate closer to my desired HOC.

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