Keerock
Footballguy
I'd rather have those than the poa trivialis outbreak I have this year. Literally no way to selectively kill that
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Lawn Care Tips (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter andy_b
- Start date
NutterButter
Footballguy
i think i have some small spots of poa annua.I'd rather have those than the poa trivialis outbreak I have this year. Literally no way to selectively kill that
Keerock
Footballguy
You can control poa annua (next year) with a fall pre-em. Poa triv is here to stay unless I nuke it.
tri-man 47
Footballguy
I have a good mulching mower, but it still doesn't do all that great a job. What I've resorted to is taking several steps then lifting the front of the mower (which deposits the accumulating clump), pulling the mower back a few inches, and proceeding on. That serves to mulch the clump quite nicely, though it does break the nice rhythm of just mindlessly tooling along. Plan B, when I see a clump, is to reach out my leg and do a quick pass on it to spread it out.
Keerock
Footballguy
What works best for me is to do the initial pass at 3.5", then a 2nd pass at 4" with versamow setting at just one notch... my 15K yard will bag less than a bag of clippings I use for garden fert. This produces a really clean cut
ragincajun
Footballguy
Ok my Crabgrass breeding neighbor has it in for me this year. I am about to go full ham on this crap. I have the yard starting to resemble well a yard again except for the crabgrass.
The Commish
Footballguy
Bayer's spray that kills crabgrass but doesn't harm the regular grass is the best I've used.
NutterButter
Footballguy
If you have a cool season lawn, have you tried tenacity on that? I have an abundance of dallisgrass. That seems to be another weed that I thought only responds to a nuking. Last fall, I tested a small area with two rounds of tenacity (3 weeks apart) and the Dallisgrass appeared to be dying. I'm doing the full area this spring (easier to kill weeds in spring when they're still immature) and seeing if I have any luck. I did my first application 2 weeks ago. I only use tenacity as a last resort b/c it works by dying the weed white and depriving if of its food source. So for about 6 weeks you'll have white spots all over your lawn.Keerock said:
The Commish
Footballguy
I have several neighbors that have white spots all over their yards...now I know what it is
Bull Dozier
Footballguy
OK, beginner questions. I have a relatively large yard with three different issues (three sections of my yard). Minnesota. Anything that takes spot treatment is going to be unlikely for me, as I am not a green thumb, and if I'm going to spend my weekend on a project, it most likely won't be my lawn on a regular basis.
Front lawn - lots of sun, one large tree in the center, but most of the area gets good sun. I'd say about 80% good healthy grass, with 20% weeds. I've been trying to just cut the grass long to choke out the weeds, but it seems to never change in percentage. Lots of dandelions have popped up this week. Best course?
Middle lawn section - Narrow strip of grass (10 feet wide?) between pool and neighbors yard. The neighbors have pine trees along the fenceline on their side of the fence that drops needles all over my lawn. There used to be a garden when we bought the house with ferns that we hated (but have since learned that's the only thing that grows because of the pine needles). We took that out and put down grass seed. It didn't really take and this section is about 20% grass with 80% weeds. This is the section I'm least likely to deal with because we are getting the pool taken out this summer (hopefully). Is there anything I can do to grow grass here, or will it be a constant battle until I get the neighbors to take down the trees (they are dying/dead).
Back yard - Largest section (we have double deep lots). Heavily shaded by large trees all along the perimeter. About five years ago we had this cleared as it was overgrown brush and smaller trees and laid sod. It has slowly been overgrown by weeds, and it is now 10% grass and 90% weeds. Not sure if the shade makes it impossible to grow grass, or lack of weed treatment? The sod looked great the first year, but each year, even when putting down treatments, the weeds have slowly taken back over.
Best quick and easy fixes, or is this no win until I decide that my lawn is my full time hobby?
Front lawn - lots of sun, one large tree in the center, but most of the area gets good sun. I'd say about 80% good healthy grass, with 20% weeds. I've been trying to just cut the grass long to choke out the weeds, but it seems to never change in percentage. Lots of dandelions have popped up this week. Best course?
Middle lawn section - Narrow strip of grass (10 feet wide?) between pool and neighbors yard. The neighbors have pine trees along the fenceline on their side of the fence that drops needles all over my lawn. There used to be a garden when we bought the house with ferns that we hated (but have since learned that's the only thing that grows because of the pine needles). We took that out and put down grass seed. It didn't really take and this section is about 20% grass with 80% weeds. This is the section I'm least likely to deal with because we are getting the pool taken out this summer (hopefully). Is there anything I can do to grow grass here, or will it be a constant battle until I get the neighbors to take down the trees (they are dying/dead).
Back yard - Largest section (we have double deep lots). Heavily shaded by large trees all along the perimeter. About five years ago we had this cleared as it was overgrown brush and smaller trees and laid sod. It has slowly been overgrown by weeds, and it is now 10% grass and 90% weeds. Not sure if the shade makes it impossible to grow grass, or lack of weed treatment? The sod looked great the first year, but each year, even when putting down treatments, the weeds have slowly taken back over.
Best quick and easy fixes, or is this no win until I decide that my lawn is my full time hobby?
Keerock
Footballguy
There has been a lot of debate on whether or not Tenacity will kill poa triv. The prevailing thought is that it doesn't... it will turn it white, but it comes right back. Hearty *******.
NutterButter
Footballguy
I'm praying that the multiple applications will kill the dallisgrass. Otherwise I might just move.
Punxsutawney Phil
Footballguy
I lower the blade and cut the crab grass much lower, or use the string trimmer on them. At the minimum it is controlling the spread, and it dries off faster so it doesn't grow as quickly.
Fat Nick
Footballguy
IMO nothing is harder to get rid of than nutsedge. I hate that stuff...and the only thing that works on it is a niche, plant-specific product that costs a fortune and you can't easily mix in large batches.
Fat Nick
Footballguy
If it were me, I'd pay Scotts/Lawn Doctor/Whomever to treat your yard, and do some stuff to help.
In the front - the lawn service will thicken the grass and kill the dandelions.
In the middle, the lawn service will help take down the 80% weeds - once they're down, re-seed the area with more grass seed. The subsequent fertilizations will thicken that up.
In the back, same as the middle, but I'd re-seed with a good shade grass. If you're sodding and/or planting grass and it's just not coming in, it's either watering, OR you've got a seed for full sun and you're trying to grow in shade.
In general, your strategy needs to be to kill the weeds, then plan the appropriate grass, then fertilize that to get it established. Once the grass comes in thick, the weeds won't be an issue as much.
Keerock
Footballguy
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The Commish
Footballguy
This is the answer to your problem Nick...comes in packets and each packet makes a gallon. It doesn't take a ton of it either. I have a 4G sprayer. Loaded it up and treated once and 99% of it was gone.
Fat Nick
Footballguy
The 1st one is what I bought - It's all over one of my landscaping beds. Not questioning that it works - my issue is it's $15 for 1 GALLON! Just feels really pricey. I guess I'm used to the other weed killer where I can get 1 bottle of concentrate for ~$35 and that'll make gallons and gallons of the stuff for my sprayer.
offdee
Footballguy
I want to plant large fast growing bushes in front of a neighbors fence. About 3 wks ago I laid out the bed and Round Up’d the grass inside the space. The grass is now brown and dead. My question is....can i now just rent a tiller from Home Depot and go to town on the space to expose the soil? Since grass is dead I assume no issues with just tilling it up into the soil and it won’t grow back?
Fishboy
Footballguy
Once you till the soil, you disturb the seed bed and will expose a whole new batch of weed seeds that will geminate. But for your exercise, you don't have much choice. Keep extra Round Up on hand to spray the new weeds that will soon be growing.
offdee
Footballguy
I won’t be planting the bushes for another 2-3 wks. Would it be beneficial to till up dead grass/soil soon and then another round of Round Up on that soil to kill weed seeds? Or let sit for a couple wks and just spot treat any weeds as they appear before planting bushes?
NutterButter
Footballguy
i wouldn't waste my time or money with the tiller. Once you plant your bushes, you're going to want to put down a weeder barrier and then on top of that will go your mulch. Nothing you have left there currently is getting through that.
Fishboy
Footballguy
Round Up on soil doesn't kill anything. Has to be an active growing plant.
Similar to above, I'd lay down a high quality fabric barrier. Weeds will eventually find a way to grow in anything, so keep some Round Up around for spot treatment.
offdee
Footballguy
So you also wouldn’t rototill up the area at all...just weed barrier and mulch? I read adding organic peat moss and composted cow manure to soil is recommended too. Just add that directly into the holes when planting new bushes?
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Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
Ugh I’ve just noticed this stuff in my lawn. I just hit it with some weed killer, if it’s still there next weekend I may just yank it out by hand
The Commish
Footballguy
The Commish
Footballguy
Any new bed I've ever done, I have killed off the weeds, pulled all the grass at the surface....I usually use a pick axe to just shave it off without digging too deep. I then treat with Preen and water that in for about a week. Then I dig the holes twice as big as the diameter of the bucket, put the plants/trees/bushes in and fill the hole with treated soil, fert, planting soil, whatever you choose. I had to do that because I was always planting in 90% clay and the soil needed a lot of help.
Keerock
Footballguy
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
I’ll have to try that I just used the regular ortho in spots, plus just put down Scott’s Weed and FeedI used this on Saturday and it already looks to be killing it off.
Weed-Be-Gone is better than Bayer but Image kicks both their asses. Had some clover with little yellow flowers in my zoysia. Wiped it right out like it never existed. The Bayer turns the grass orangy yellow and the damn clover comes back..I used this on Saturday and it already looks to be killing it off.
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Fat Nick
Footballguy
Ordered. THANK YOU. My weedy friends are starting to pop up again in the same front bed that they were in last year. I'm gonna kill 'em all this year...That's a price I can swallow.
Fat Nick
Footballguy
My
- Yes. Rent a tiller and go to town. Also, as Fishboy said, most of the weed killers don't do anything to the soil, only active plants. To be doubly safe, add some Preen in as you till - Preen DOES stop ungerminated seeds so it may help some. It's 50/50 whether the barrier will help or not. I laid some down a few years ago, and it was minimally helpful, and now a huge PITA if I want to dig a new hole for something. If I had it to do over again, I'd put newspaper down. I've read that it works just as good, but biodegrades over time (long after whatever is under it is dead, which is the purpose), and you can dig through it easily if needed. The fabric, IMO, is only worth it if you have MAJOR weeds prior to re-mulching/planting, but you killed most everything off.If it were me, I'd till it up and mix in preen, lay down some newspaper, plant, then mulch.
The Commish
Footballguy
I remember buying a four pack for like $30 when I did mine.....it's a weirdly priced thing on Amazon...just have to look through all the options. Good Luck!
offdee
Footballguy
I’m planning to pickup 6 five foot bushes (red feather viburnum) from a nursery and have access to a minivan with all seats removed (so full open back). Is it ok to lay down a tarp and lay bushes down on their sides for the trip? All are inside regular plastic containers. About a 25 min drive.
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Dezbelief
Footballguy
glvsav37
Footballguy
What do you guys do with your lawn clippings? I normally bag them, but my town has kind of stopped taking them and they closed all the grass drop off locations over the last few years. Do you mulch your clippings? I normally don't like leaving clippings behind, esp in my backyard where my kids are running and rolling around in the grass. But it's looking like I may have to start. Is it worth it or is it a PIA. I'll need a special mulching blade for my mower, right?
Long Island NY location if it matters.
Long Island NY location if it matters.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
glvsav37
Footballguy
Ego 21 inch battery. Unfortunately, I don't believe they make a specific mulching blade, but it comes with a mulching attachment for the mower (to block off the chute). I amy give it a go tomorrow and see how it goes before my lawn gets too high.
pollardsvision
Footballguy
I'm a side discharger all the way, but that's mostly out of laziness. Frankly, I'm amazed at those that bag. I'm so behind on everything else, I'm surely not fitting collecting/dumping of grass clippings into the schedule. I tried for about 15 minutes, which was long enough for me realize collecting would turn an hour job into a 3 hour job.
I'm a "just keep my crappy lawn mowed and do just enough to keep my neighbors' vines and poison ivy from completely swallowing up my fence and shed" sort of guy.
glvsav37
Footballguy
You don't mind full clippings on the lawn? Yea, I bag mine so I see what is collected and it looks like it would annoy me playing around with my ids in my backyard having clippings stuck to us?
pollardsvision
Footballguy
I don't mind at all. But then again, this thread is generally for those taking Differential Calculus and I'm still grasping arithmetic.
I just keep my crappy lawn mowed. But I do (usually) keep it mowed often enough that the clippings aren't too bad (to me, at least). Plus, I don't have kids. Just 2 large dogs. Trust me, I ain't rolling around in the grass.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
If you mulch you’re not going to have a bunch of clumps. Unless you cut when it’s really long. I usually use my blower to blow around anything that is visible. My dog may bring in a few blades on his feet but it’s not like people are covered in it.
offdee
Footballguy
Yep the blower after is key. I’ve been doing that this summer and so much better. I do side discharge on rider, and then after I take my Ego blower and blow apart clumps or thick rows of clippings.
I also have my side discharged rigged up with a bungee cord attached to shifter to lift it up and shoot clippings out farther and avoids clumps and clipping rows.
The Commish
Footballguy
if you're worried about clumps of grass, you need to cut higher or more often. Mulching blades can help, but if it's really long they won't.
Dan Lambskin
Footballguy
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Also having a mulching mower helps that has more room around the blade.
I can’t imagine they don’t make them all like that now though.
