I just got back from a week and a half vacation with hopes of mowing at 4.25 and bagging tomorrow. While I had put disease ex down a few weeks ago as a preventative, going through a few weeks of high heat and drought, to have a couple inches of rain and high humidity while I was gone appears to have bloomed some disease. Once I mow/bag I'll be able to get a better look and put down some bioadvanced spray fungicide and another round of disease ex if needed.
Lawn Care Advice Thread
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Yeah, it's been a weird spring here. We normally have quite a bit of rain. Went about a month and a half with less than half inch total before we have had rain most of the last week and a half. Today was a rare non rain day. We have more rain coming in this week and by the end of the week we will be back to a major dry spell and heat. This is likely the last significant rain we will have until sometime in September.
Waited to put disease ex and grub ex down until now hoping to get longer results from them. Also put some potassium down today to help with the coming stress the lawn will be facing. Not much more I can do.
Waited to put disease ex and grub ex down until now hoping to get longer results from them. Also put some potassium down today to help with the coming stress the lawn will be facing. Not much more I can do.
I have Bermuda (no other kind of grass)
10 days ago I applied a 10-20-10 to the grass.
It's greened up some, but not enough.
So today I put down LESCO 24-0-11 w/3% Iron.
The 10-20-10 starts to green up after 5-7 days. and seems to last for only 3-4 weeks.
The LESCO takes about 10-14 days to start greening. and lasts about 4-6 weeks.
I have used Scotts before, but it seems to take about 3 weeks to even start to see it working, but lasts about 2 months or even more.
But when I'm in the need for speed, I go with the first 2, even though I have had better results, from an all round healthy lawn aspect, when I use the Scotts.
I had done this about 6-8 weeks ago and the grass responded well.
But it needs some more now.
10 days ago I applied a 10-20-10 to the grass.
It's greened up some, but not enough.
So today I put down LESCO 24-0-11 w/3% Iron.
The 10-20-10 starts to green up after 5-7 days. and seems to last for only 3-4 weeks.
The LESCO takes about 10-14 days to start greening. and lasts about 4-6 weeks.
I have used Scotts before, but it seems to take about 3 weeks to even start to see it working, but lasts about 2 months or even more.
But when I'm in the need for speed, I go with the first 2, even though I have had better results, from an all round healthy lawn aspect, when I use the Scotts.
I had done this about 6-8 weeks ago and the grass responded well.
But it needs some more now.
Bermuda loves the heat, so you can definitely push it with fertilizer every 4 weeks or so, assuming you can keep it irrigated.
Not sure if I recall you mentioning the size of yard, but if not that huge, you could look into spraying iron. Your get a color response quicker than granuals.
Not sure if I recall you mentioning the size of yard, but if not that huge, you could look into spraying iron. Your get a color response quicker than granuals.
Just have an averaged sized city lot, not that big.
Have a sprinkler system, so pushing the water to it is easy
Have thought about the liquid stuff, but since I found the Lesco w/Iron, I just get that. It does a good job, and I'm already putting it down, so no extra steps.
But I have to tell you, when all the fertilizer has kicked in, I'm mowing about every 3rd day.
I've heard of people using growth regulator for bermuda so they don't have to mow as often, especially trying to keep it under an inch.
No, I gradually increase my cutting height throughout the growing season, eventually going to the 5th highest setting.
And I'm taking off a few inches at that, every couple of days.
It's starting to green up pretty good now.
And that second application hasn't even really kicked in yet.
A little rain and it might be out of control.
Starting to look like this again.
And that second application hasn't even really kicked in yet.
A little rain and it might be out of control.
Starting to look like this again.
Looks good. It's definitely the time to shine for bermuda.
I spot sprayed some Tenacity last Tuesday for some crabgrass, nimbleweed, Virginia buttonweed, and a few other summer weeds. Much of it is starting to turn white now and I'll see what may need a second app next week. With some bermuda in my backyard, I plan to use some bioadvanced bermuda control to stunt some of its growth over the next few months to help with my over seeding. Then continue next year when the bermuda is active to hopefully get rid of most of it. I know it's going to take a few years and may never get rid of it completely though.
I spot sprayed some Tenacity last Tuesday for some crabgrass, nimbleweed, Virginia buttonweed, and a few other summer weeds. Much of it is starting to turn white now and I'll see what may need a second app next week. With some bermuda in my backyard, I plan to use some bioadvanced bermuda control to stunt some of its growth over the next few months to help with my over seeding. Then continue next year when the bermuda is active to hopefully get rid of most of it. I know it's going to take a few years and may never get rid of it completely though.
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We are about to hit 2-3 straight days of 100+ temps. Getting an early test of that TTTF.
There have only been two prior years in my lifetime that the mercury hit 100 in Seattle. The all-time record is 103. It is supposed to hit 102 Sunday.
My grass burning up is really the least of our problems.
There have only been two prior years in my lifetime that the mercury hit 100 in Seattle. The all-time record is 103. It is supposed to hit 102 Sunday.
My grass burning up is really the least of our problems.
Lowes must have had LESCO formulate a special blend for them, so as not to compete directly with the Home Depot LESCO, which is what they do with every product by the way.
It's 30-0-10 with 2% Iron vs the Home Depot Variety at 24-0-11 with 3% Iron.
Both the same price, both 50 lbs bags
Let me break down what those numbers mean.
On a bag of 10-20-10. Each number represents the %percent% of that chemical (N-P-K) present in that particular bag.
10%-20%-10%. On an average 40lbs bag that equals 4lbs N - 8lbs P - 4lbs K. Everything else in that bag is inert.
So, you are actually paying for 16lbs total chemicals out of that 40lbs bag. Yeah, wrap your head around it.
So, on the LESCO it breaks down like this.
Home Depot 24-0-11 w/3% Iron in 50lb bag.
12lbs Nitrogen - Zero lbs phosphorus - 5.5lbs potassium with 1.5lbs of Iron.
Lowes 30-0-10 w/2% Iron in a 50lb bag.
15lbs Nitrogen - Zero phosphorus - 5lbs potassium with 1lb of Iron.
By buying the one from Lowes, I pick up 3lbs of Nitrogen and only give up .5lbs of potassium and .5lbs of Iron.
I'll take that trade off.
Both bags are priced exactly the same. IKR go figure.
When you are on the fertilizer aisle, you can break down the percentages into actual pounds and see which one is ripping you off.
I remember all of that from Paul James the Gardener Guy with his show "Gardening by the Yard" years ago.
It helps when you are standing in front of the product. It has saved me lots of money over the years.
It's 30-0-10 with 2% Iron vs the Home Depot Variety at 24-0-11 with 3% Iron.
Both the same price, both 50 lbs bags
Let me break down what those numbers mean.
On a bag of 10-20-10. Each number represents the %percent% of that chemical (N-P-K) present in that particular bag.
10%-20%-10%. On an average 40lbs bag that equals 4lbs N - 8lbs P - 4lbs K. Everything else in that bag is inert.
So, you are actually paying for 16lbs total chemicals out of that 40lbs bag. Yeah, wrap your head around it.
So, on the LESCO it breaks down like this.
Home Depot 24-0-11 w/3% Iron in 50lb bag.
12lbs Nitrogen - Zero lbs phosphorus - 5.5lbs potassium with 1.5lbs of Iron.
Lowes 30-0-10 w/2% Iron in a 50lb bag.
15lbs Nitrogen - Zero phosphorus - 5lbs potassium with 1lb of Iron.
By buying the one from Lowes, I pick up 3lbs of Nitrogen and only give up .5lbs of potassium and .5lbs of Iron.
I'll take that trade off.
Both bags are priced exactly the same. IKR go figure.
When you are on the fertilizer aisle, you can break down the percentages into actual pounds and see which one is ripping you off.
I remember all of that from Paul James the Gardener Guy with his show "Gardening by the Yard" years ago.
It helps when you are standing in front of the product. It has saved me lots of money over the years.
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I do think that the 14 inches of rain I had over the last 2 weeks pushed all that Nitrogen thru the soil.
So, it's time to reapply
So, it's time to reapply
Most of the extra weight in fertilizer is the binding agents to put them in pellet form that don't have any other benefit for the grass or polymer coating for slow release nitrogen. Some brands will add some micronutrients (not N-P-K), humic acid, biochar, other organic materies, etc to help with the binding that will help the lawn. I'm using up the bags I've had in stock the rest of this year, but will likely use some Yard Mastery fertilizers next year that have more beneficial binders.
Definitely read the label and do some easy math to figure out what the best option for your purposes should be. Typically between 0.5-0.75 lb N/1000 sq ft is your target per application. If you've got a small lawn, liquid fertilizers are even a better deal since they don't have the binders and additional weight you have to pay for due to shipping costs.
Definitely read the label and do some easy math to figure out what the best option for your purposes should be. Typically between 0.5-0.75 lb N/1000 sq ft is your target per application. If you've got a small lawn, liquid fertilizers are even a better deal since they don't have the binders and additional weight you have to pay for due to shipping costs.
I usually over fertilize because I can water it.
This year, with all the rain, it's been unreal the amount i'm using.'
My yard eats it up. I've been thinking about going to that liquid iron you mentioned. Read up on it and liked it.
Stay tuned
Phase II of the fertilizer protocol is coming together now.
It's all lush and green.
Can get away with mowing it every 3rd day.
It will only last a couple of weeks until it starts to fade.
Then just some applications to top it off until fall gets here.
Most of the neighbors yards' are going dormant with the 100 degree heat.
I see them outside doing small things, probably wondering WTF.
It's just water.
I'll need to apply a pre-emergent the first of September to take care of the Poa Annua/Annual Bluegrass, and then again at the end of November, just to make sure those fuckers don't come up.
What do you guys do to bring your Summer to a close and get ready for fall.
It's all lush and green.
Can get away with mowing it every 3rd day.
It will only last a couple of weeks until it starts to fade.
Then just some applications to top it off until fall gets here.
Most of the neighbors yards' are going dormant with the 100 degree heat.
I see them outside doing small things, probably wondering WTF.
It's just water.
I'll need to apply a pre-emergent the first of September to take care of the Poa Annua/Annual Bluegrass, and then again at the end of November, just to make sure those fuckers don't come up.
What do you guys do to bring your Summer to a close and get ready for fall.
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I'll start my overseeding well before summer ends. I have a very shady area where the grass thins out that I can jump start in the next couple of weeks.
I have also decided against prodiamine for the last bits of poa annua this year, and instead will be spot clearing and seeding a few places that have a mix of poa annua and poa triv. I knocked down the PA last year near my front door by at least 80% and in that area I may hit the preemergent, but I have a few other areas in a different part that need that treatment. It's as much about the triv as the annua. I can't even tell really where the triv is until it hits this time of year and those areas start to change color. Going to pull the sod up in those areas, backfill with top soil and seed likely before the temps drop back down say late aug. I can then still come back with preemergent after I have germination complete and try to catch some of the late PA.
Just went out yesterday and did a liquid fert app at half rate. Not enough to push growth, but enough to give it more energy to fight off the Aug disease season. We have issues in this region with the prolonged drought, late summer humidity, and disease spots. Also fungus, but I'm not worried about that. I think we hit 48 straight days without any rain as of yesterday? Mostly been lower humidity though so easier to control overnight moisture. Dry lawns at night do better in cold season lawns.
Before I do my seeding/overseeding I will nearly scalp the lawn and run the sunjoe/dethatcher I'll do that before the temps drop.
Other than that, it's just hold on through the last bit of heat and respond to any disease or fungus issues. Right now I do not have any of either.
Looks like we’ve got a little rash of army worms in our area. My guy came by and sprayed for that. All I’m doing is cutting grass, edging and weed eating. Good luck to all as we come to an end of the growing months.
I’ll have to cut grass all the way to the middle to the end of October.
I’ll have to cut grass all the way to the middle to the end of October.
Yeah, I battled with my yard for 15 years. I got a new neighbor at the street, he’s in the lawn maintenance business. For $36 a month he does everything as far as fertilizer, pest and weed control. I was spending much more than $36 a month trying to keep this place looking right. Now all I have to do is cut grass, genius!