Backyard experiment

Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, Centipede, Bahia, Paspalum, etc
Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » June 20th, 2016, 10:40 am

Two more weeks and a lot of really hot days and it's starting to really fill in. We need rain though and I don't have irrigation.
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I trimmed the trees back here last fall and one neighbor took down a bunch of trees in his backyard so I'm not sure what the shade profile is. I don't pay enough attention.

I figure I'll give it a season or two to fill in as much as possible and figure out what areas won't support Bermuda. So far, though, I've been pleasantly surprised with how the lawn is recovering from my previous neglect. All I've done is mow and fertilize and attempt weed control.

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purepearl32
Posts: 49
Joined: March 28th, 2016, 1:17 am
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by purepearl32 » June 20th, 2016, 11:03 am

Looking good! Keep posting pictures!

Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » July 31st, 2016, 10:46 am

It's been six weeks now and we've had little to no rain in that time, so I feel like I haven't seen much progress and maybe the lawn took a few steps back in the interim. I've been battling crabgrass and some other broadleaf weeds back there, too. Still, way better than last year.

Still a few patches that are struggling, but I can see stolons creeping into them so with time and water I'm sure it'll fill in.
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Southernguy311
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Joined: April 12th, 2015, 10:56 pm
Location: Southern Georgia
Grass Type: Platinum TE Paspalum up front and Bermuda in the rear
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Southernguy311 » July 31st, 2016, 1:32 pm

Those poor spots would no doubt benefit from a few hours of work out of the Pro Plugger. Not sure if you have one, but even with the mighty power of Bermuda, getting rhizomes and stolons to creep into large bare areas not previously established can take a lot of time and patience.

Not sure if you have followed my thread in the renovations forum, but I've been allowing Bermuda to take over naturally in my back yard since last year. Since I'm not too picky I have some spots where I've plugged Paspalum in the corner or fringes where Bermuda wasn't wanting to spread. All in all I've spent 5-6 longer sessions from this time last year until now out there transplanting plugs into rough areas.

What's really tough about this is that our bare areas dry out a lot quicker than established ones. This makes it tough and sometimes hand watering these areas does the trick. I try to do that periodically because I do have some areas in my back yard that do have deep roots and have established now right next to others that haven't and I don't want to overwater the good spots.

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Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
Lawn Size: Not Specified
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » July 31st, 2016, 1:54 pm

I don't have a pro plugger at the moment but that was my initial thought process. When I started I didn't know if there was any Bermuda at all and I figured I'd be plugging most of the yard. Then little sprigs popped out of the ground and started spreading. Then I decided to see how far it would go. Some of the places that are bare may be bare because of shade issues, like the areas next to the house.

I'm actually amazed at how far it has come so far with little interference from me. I've got a lot of things going on that make it difficult to do much more than mow at the moment, but I'm already making plans for next season and further out.

I'm also at a disadvantage because I don't have permanent irrigation and my husband thinks it's stupid to waste water on the lawn so it's not something I see in my future.

The nice think about this whole experience is that it has really highlighted which areas need extra TLC and which areas will be fine without much help from me. I've got about 10k sqft and the idea of renovating the whole yard was daunting. But fixing 100 sqft here and there is something I'm more likely and willing to do.

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Southernguy311
Posts: 1577
Joined: April 12th, 2015, 10:56 pm
Location: Southern Georgia
Grass Type: Platinum TE Paspalum up front and Bermuda in the rear
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Southernguy311 » July 31st, 2016, 3:45 pm

Yes I totally understand. I've been taking on my back yard in bits and pieces and it's only roughly 3000 sq ft. Never underestimate the power of working some organic material into those bare spots. Couple bales of peat moss slung into those spots here or there can work wonders.

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Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » July 31st, 2016, 3:53 pm

As Tony pointed out earlier in the thread, the back yard is surrounded by trees and gets blanketed with leaves in the fall, which I will be mulching into the yard. It's also bumpy as all get out and has some sizable rocks buried throughout. So it's definitely a work in progress. I did aerate it last year, but I'm planning on verticutting At some point and I would like to aerate again, but the classen I rented from Home Depot was a beast and wore me out. I haven't decided if I'd rather suck it up and pay someone to do it for me, along with a top dress, or if I'd rather get a manual aerator and make that something I do throughout the season a little at a time.

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dangerlawn
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by dangerlawn » August 1st, 2016, 10:51 am

For whatever it's worth I bought a manual aerator this season and used the crap out of it and I'm convinced it doesn't do anything. The one I have pokes holes but doesn't remove any cores. I think this might be why it doesn't seem to do anything to improve my compaction and run off issues. A real aerator will remove actual soil which I think might be key. I'm no expert though

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Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
Lawn Size: Not Specified
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » August 1st, 2016, 11:35 am

Sounds like you got a spike aerator. There are manual aerators that pull cores, usually one or two at a time.

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ken-n-nancy
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Level: Experienced

Re: Backyard experiment

Post by ken-n-nancy » August 1st, 2016, 12:57 pm

dangerlawn wrote:For whatever it's worth I bought a manual aerator this season and used the crap out of it and I'm convinced it doesn't do anything. The one I have pokes holes but doesn't remove any cores. I think this might be why it doesn't seem to do anything to improve my compaction and run off issues. A real aerator will remove actual soil which I think might be key. I'm no expert though.
For aeration, it's essential to use a tool which actually removes cores (a core aerator), whether manual or powered.

A spike aerator actually increases compaction as stuff falls into the "holes" that are opened -- one ends up with more matter in a given volume!

Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
Lawn Size: Not Specified
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » August 18th, 2016, 1:30 pm

Check out this tangle of stolons creeping into a bare area. Bermuda never ceases to amaze me.
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Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
Lawn Size: Not Specified
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » August 29th, 2016, 7:15 am

Finally managed to get some shade-free pictures. It's really filling in nicely.


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Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
Lawn Size: Not Specified
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Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » September 26th, 2016, 1:10 pm

As we near the end of the growing season, I'm pretty happy with where things are right now.


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There are still some bare areas but I can see stolons inching into them. One big spot may have too much shade from a tree. I'll give it another year and see how it goes. A few areas, especially behind the tree line near the fence, I think will have to become shade gardens. The areas between the fescue and the Bermuda are very weedy right now. I don't know if Bermuda will establish itself there eventually or not.

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Drgiles
Posts: 125
Joined: July 26th, 2015, 6:43 pm
Location: N. Georgia
Grass Type: Bermuda
Lawn Size: Not Specified
Level: Not Specified

Re: Backyard experiment

Post by Drgiles » May 18th, 2017, 7:23 am

At the start of a new growing season and figured I'd put a reference image down. A lot of the gains I had in coverage held, though som spots have clearly struggled. I think the part of the yard would probably benefit from verticutting, as the longer stolons didn't survive. When is the best time to do that? Does it matter?

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Considering I have a much stronger starting point than last season, I'm hoping that the sleeps, creeps, leaps MO of sod and seed applies to the regrowth of existing Bermuda. Regular pre-emergent application has greatly reduced weed pressure, though the winter weeds were pretty thick despite that. I probably have several years worth of poa seeds lurking, plus my neighbor's backyard is a nightmare so that will likely be a constant struggle.

On the plus side, I was worried at the start of this whole process that I would be facing an arduous and costly reno, involving plugs or sod. I'm pleased that a little patience and a lot of nitrogen is making it likely that only a few areas will require that kind of attention. And those areas are likely never going to support Bermuda growth and will probably get converted into shade gardens once I have more time.

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