s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Discuss how to and whether you should renovate your lawn
Post Reply
s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » August 17th, 2018, 10:19 pm

I wanted to check in earlier this year but couldn't recover my old "s3_buell" account and finally just created a new one.

So, after complaints that I was neglecting other home maintenance tasks in favor of lawn care, 3 years ago I decided to only cut the backyard. No other lawn work in back. This summer, the request came in to fix the backyard weed patch.

I've tried a few new things this time due to both being late on the calendar and interested in variety.

1. Shortened "fallow" time to only 10 days, spraying 41% generic glyphosate on day 1 and 6. Day six spray was lighter on dying weeds and heavier on the tougher stuff. By day 10 scalping, I felt that everything was rather crispy looking and that I should have scalped a couple of days earlier.

2. My Tenacity is a few years old so I went with the Scotts starter fertilizer with Mesotrione. I'm not sure I like the lower dose but it was sure convenient. I'll spray the old Tenacity after a few cuts or 4 weeks and see if the Tenacity is ok as a data point.

3. This year I'm renovating ~3000 ft2. In the past, I only did ~1000 ft2. My previous process for top dressing was breaking peat moss bales into a large garbage can, "powderizing" on the way into the can. Then I'd scoop a 5 gallon bucket out of the can and manually spread over the seed. This time I spread the seed then distributed the peat bales around the yard, cut the bale and broke down the peat with a butcher knife, and finally, spread with a leaf rake. The seed mixed into the peat instead of under it and realized this the next day as I watched dozens of birds feeding in the yard. This was concerning until yesterday.

4. My KGB seed in the shed was 5 years old and couldn't be relied upon. So the seed this time is SS9000 Perennial Ryegrass mix from SuperSeedStore. Again, hurry up with PRG and hurry up with a SuperSeedStore expensive but quick and research free purchase. I have experience with KBG and TTTF, but not PRG. Your advise on PRG is welcome and encouraged.

5. Upon trying to set up old impact sprinklers on the timers, I found that the no-brands that I had on hand were not consistent from cycle to cycle, so very cheap, but brand name oscillating sprinklers were purchased. These were also inconsistent and 2 of 4 failed while still tuning. So I bit the bullet and jumped from the $5 model to a $20 fully adjustable model. Tuning went very quickly and they've yielded consistent enough coverage even with time of day water pressure variance in the city.

Seed down (day 11) was Sunday 8/12 afternoon. Sprouts appeared Thursday morning and are 1/2 to 3/4 inch Friday afternoon. This really does accelerate the the timing!!

My dog wants his yard back and is confused about his new duty spot! LOL :) At the rate the PRG grows, he might not figure out the new routine at all.

It's dark here already this evening, so pics will be tomorrow.

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » August 19th, 2018, 10:55 am

Image

Image

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » August 23rd, 2018, 6:32 pm

Image

Time to glyphosate paint the quackgrass?

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » August 29th, 2018, 12:32 pm

Image

Bare spots reseeded and sprouting. Footsteps are bouncing back in a few hours now so quackgrass has been glyphosate painted for the first time.

Squirrels and yellow jackets are irritating.

Delaying first cut temptation and tenacity temptation.

I feel like the Scott's starter mesotrione 2 oz rate is too low. There are a bazillion tiny broadleaf weeds appearing. In a week or 2 I think I will reapply AND spray 2 oz rate tenacity.

User avatar
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

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by andy10917 » August 29th, 2018, 12:41 pm

Post a picture of some of the bazillion tiny weeds. Grass is a monocot, and tiny little dicots are common - they just seem to disappear when the grass gets past sprout-and-pout. I have no idea what species they actually are...


CPascal
Posts: 121
Joined: June 4th, 2012, 1:06 pm
Location: Milton, MA
Grass Type: Back: 65% KBG (Bedazzled, NuDestiny, Rhapsody),20% PRG, 15% Firefly Hard Fescue. Front: Double Eagle Perennial Rye Shaded areas: Mix of fine fescues and Bewitched KBG
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by CPascal » August 29th, 2018, 8:02 pm

Looks great! And nice to get to follow a PRG Reno thread!!

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » September 2nd, 2018, 9:32 pm

I think these go away
Image

Or become these which will be killed when the seedlings can handle weedBgone.
Image

First cut today
Image

User avatar
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

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by andy10917 » September 2nd, 2018, 9:58 pm

PICTURE 3 IS A FREAKING FIRST-CUT???? You deserve an award!

Yeah, much of Picture 1 is small two-leaf dicots that tend to disappear.

Picture 2 looks like young Purslane to me.

User avatar
ken-n-nancy
Posts: 2571
Joined: July 17th, 2014, 3:58 pm
Location: Bedford, NH
Grass Type: Front: KBG (Bewitched+Prosperity); Side: Bewitched KBG; Back: Fine Fescue Blend + Prosperity
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by ken-n-nancy » September 3rd, 2018, 9:54 pm

s3_buell_ wrote:
September 2nd, 2018, 9:32 pm
First cut today
Image
Awesome!

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » September 9th, 2018, 12:43 am

Watering twice a day now.


Image
Cut again then dropped second app of Scott's starter.. The same areas grew well since first cut . Others are still weak

Image
Better view of shorter, stunted, light green colored areas. These areas had been mostly broadleaf weeds. The old K31 had been struggling here. I had assumed that there was too little water and too much heat here. Now, I think it's best to skip any guessing and get a soil test in asap.

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » September 16th, 2018, 7:22 pm

Same views as last week. I'm pleased all around. Thank God for ATY. I just follow your directions and get great results.
Image

Image

User avatar
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

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by andy10917 » September 16th, 2018, 7:27 pm

Maturing nicely!! Good work.

PW405
Posts: 327
Joined: June 25th, 2016, 12:37 pm
Location: OKC (Central OK)
Grass Type: Primary: TTTF (blend), KBG. Bermuda (hellstrip)
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by PW405 » September 16th, 2018, 8:17 pm

Looking good Buell! I love a fresh Rye... comes in so fast and looks great! If I lived further north I would likely use PRG. Sharpen that mower blade because the stalks will get thick after it is a ~6 months old (in my experience with annual rye.)

Re: Yellowjackets you can kill them with a shop vac quite easily. Simple fill the tank with some soapy water and place the end right up their wasp-hole!! Turn it on, and run!

Re: Melnor adjustable sprinkler.. love it! I didn't have an irrigation system at my old home and thing was great, so easy to use adjust to just the right coverage area.

User avatar
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

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by andy10917 » September 16th, 2018, 9:35 pm

Sharpen that mower blade because the stalks will get thick after it is a ~6 months old (in my experience with annual rye.)
Annual Rye and Perennial Rye have as much to do with each other as Banana trees and Koala bears. And 90% of the people on the site have never seen a true 100% PRG lawn. They simply assume that a Northern Mix and PRG lawn are the same thing. Having had 4 100% PRG lawns, I can tell you that there is nothing in common with Annual Rye.

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » September 23rd, 2018, 1:34 am

The earliest leaves have just started falling and prompted consideration of mulching over this new lawn. I've simply mulched leaves over my TTTF and KGB renovations and mature lawns, and intend to do the same on this PRG. Then I realized that the poorest renovation growth areas are the areas that get few leaves each year and the best growth areas are where multiple passes are needed to complete the mulching. I checked the first picture above and it's almost perfectly matched up. I'm going to move the leaves across zones this fall to even things up.

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » October 5th, 2018, 12:10 am

The tiny dicots and young purslane are effectively gone. I think that PRG competition and mesotrione did the job.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've picked up some Carolina germanium
Image

and some redroot pigweed.
Image

Do you think that my IDs are correct and that a 2,4-D, mcpp and dicamba 3 way will handle both?

s3_buell_
Posts: 40
Joined: August 12th, 2018, 8:36 pm
Location: Detroit
Grass Type: TTTF, KBG
Lawn Size: 3000-5000
Level: Experienced

Re: s3_buell_ 2018 backyard renovation

Post by s3_buell_ » August 29th, 2020, 8:42 pm

Well, my perennial ryegrass curiosity has wained.
Image

What's next? After Andy talked me through my impatience, I waited until August 14 and, .......

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests