For some reason, offdee having a yard is tripping me out. Has the scale been adjusted to the suburbs?
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Lawn Care Tips (3 Viewers)
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The Commish
Footballguy
It will be less trouble to dig it out and throw a couple pieces of sod down. Otherwise, you are battling weeds until the grass fills in the area. It's a systemic herbicide so roots and everything are gone.
ETA: You probably don't have to dig it out...just get one of those hand tillers for $10 half day rental, till it up and throw new pieces down.
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offdee
Footballguy
I would just use weed whacker to scalp the dead grass off, clean up clippings, and then use metal rake to break up soil a bit...then sod over top and water well.
No need to spend money on rental machine and ultimately easier so not affecting ground grade or waking up dormant weed seeds.
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Wingnut
Footballguy
Welp, they sprayed once and I never saw or heard from them again, and they never even billed me.
Gonna go DIY and see if I can make it better. Just did a milorganite treatment, and am now gonna try to find a decent lawn safe weed killer for St Augustine grass.
I'm giving up on the front yard.
Situation: live in Oklahoma (no comments, please...i know), wife will not allow non organic weed killer/fertilizer to be used, about 1/4 is barren underneath 1 cedar and 2 oak trees, 1/2 is mostly weeds, and 1/4 is struggling Bermuda grass.
I've been thinking of either burning it all, minus trees, and either seeding or sodding everything (not sure on type), or tilling everything and seeding or sodding (again not sure on type of grass).
Thoughts?
Situation: live in Oklahoma (no comments, please...i know), wife will not allow non organic weed killer/fertilizer to be used, about 1/4 is barren underneath 1 cedar and 2 oak trees, 1/2 is mostly weeds, and 1/4 is struggling Bermuda grass.
I've been thinking of either burning it all, minus trees, and either seeding or sodding everything (not sure on type), or tilling everything and seeding or sodding (again not sure on type of grass).
Thoughts?
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NutterButter
Footballguy
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Working from home is going to allow me to cut my lawn when needed this spring easily. Which based on this week looks like every 3 days.
also seeded a bunch of bare spots today because I’ll be able to be vigilant about watering. Trick will be putting down Halts and avoiding those areas.
also seeded a bunch of bare spots today because I’ll be able to be vigilant about watering. Trick will be putting down Halts and avoiding those areas.
Freak Show
Footballguy
I am prepping a new garden bed, and noticed a slug in the compost. Any advice on how to get rid of slugs before planting a garden?
mr. furley
Footballguy
my lawn is growing quickly. problem: there are these patches which are coming in thicker, faster and darker green than the rest.
randomly all over the place... the patches look twice as dense as the rest of the yard, twice as tall and a much deeper color.
what is causing this???
randomly all over the place... the patches look twice as dense as the rest of the yard, twice as tall and a much deeper color.
what is causing this???
dkp993
Footballguy
This is may be a combination dog/ lawn post so I guess I’ll ask here.....
Over the last couple years I’ve worked really hard in my backyard to get my lawn in good shape, and I pretty much have, was really happy with it last year. Over the winter we got a new puppy and now I’m really battling with the pee burn spots. I’m not super comfortable giving my dog the pills that change the nitrogen level in the pee. Anyone here found anything to be affective with their lawn and pee spots outside of meds? Anything I can do to the grass itself to withstand the pee? TIA.
Over the last couple years I’ve worked really hard in my backyard to get my lawn in good shape, and I pretty much have, was really happy with it last year. Over the winter we got a new puppy and now I’m really battling with the pee burn spots. I’m not super comfortable giving my dog the pills that change the nitrogen level in the pee. Anyone here found anything to be affective with their lawn and pee spots outside of meds? Anything I can do to the grass itself to withstand the pee? TIA.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Big League Chew
Footballguy
Came here to ask the same thing. I heard it was male dogs only due to higher acid. My lab is very old so I try to avoid going down the flight of stairs to the basement - backyard. We’ve been using the front yard for him and starting to notice the discoloring He’s big enough I might try some Depends.
Bossman
Footballguy
Posted this in the "Homeowners Projects" topic...
Thought it suitable for this topic as well. I wish that I had read a post like this a decade ago.
I've had it with weeds in my grass. Paid for the service for several years, unsatisfied, so I attempted my own attack with Scotts 4 step bagged granuals.
Couldn't get those granuals to stick to the weeds no matter how wet the grass was. Years of that non-sense and wasted $$$ has brought me to this;
Let me attack this the way they do a golf course;
Tenacity Herbicide
Tenacity Herbicide
North Star Boom Style Sprayer
Directions say to "strap the sprayer to the cargo rack on the back of your ATV". So, not really designed for a lawn tractor. But I knew that going in.
On my John Deere lawn tractor, there are two arms that hold the rear bag in place;
The Sprayer frame sat perfectly on those two arms.
Sprayer in place
I bent two flat steel brackets at right angles and bolted thru existing holes in the sprayer frame ... and drilled a hole in each bag arm of the lawn tractor to attach the bracket with 1/4" bolts.
Not trusting those arms to carry the full weight of the sprayer and 16 gals of fluid, I fashioned a bracket out of some scrap that I had laying around,
and attached to the farthest point of the sprayer frame, down at an angle to what looked like a tow hitch hole on the tractor. (red diagonal bracket in photo)
Finished Sprayer on Lawn Tractor
Seems pretty solid and the entire system can be removed with 4 bolts. So a 5 min job.
Also just ordered the mulching kit for the tractor so I won't be using the bag again until the leaves fall.
I gave it a whirl today. Mixed up the chemicals and made 6 gallons of eff u weeds cocktail.
The sprayer worked as advertised and I felt like I was a crop duster. Went nice and slow to be sure I got a good coating on all those nasty weeds.
I went thru the 6 gal pretty quick just in the back yard.
Mixed up another 12 gal and got back at it. Front yard is a little hilly and the steering got a bit light in a couple of spots ... but no wheelies.
I may need some ballast on the front if I go the full 16 gal but jury is still out.
The wand came in handy too where the wife has flowers and around the deck where I didn't want any over spray.
An easy to reach lever on the pump cuts flow to the crop dusting boom when I need to use the wand.
Overall pleased with my purchase. Now just need to wait a couple weeks and see how much it helped with the weed situation.
Thought it suitable for this topic as well. I wish that I had read a post like this a decade ago.
I've had it with weeds in my grass. Paid for the service for several years, unsatisfied, so I attempted my own attack with Scotts 4 step bagged granuals.
Couldn't get those granuals to stick to the weeds no matter how wet the grass was. Years of that non-sense and wasted $$$ has brought me to this;
Let me attack this the way they do a golf course;
Tenacity Herbicide
Tenacity Herbicide
North Star Boom Style Sprayer
Directions say to "strap the sprayer to the cargo rack on the back of your ATV". So, not really designed for a lawn tractor. But I knew that going in.
On my John Deere lawn tractor, there are two arms that hold the rear bag in place;
The Sprayer frame sat perfectly on those two arms.
Sprayer in place
I bent two flat steel brackets at right angles and bolted thru existing holes in the sprayer frame ... and drilled a hole in each bag arm of the lawn tractor to attach the bracket with 1/4" bolts.
Not trusting those arms to carry the full weight of the sprayer and 16 gals of fluid, I fashioned a bracket out of some scrap that I had laying around,
and attached to the farthest point of the sprayer frame, down at an angle to what looked like a tow hitch hole on the tractor. (red diagonal bracket in photo)
Finished Sprayer on Lawn Tractor
Seems pretty solid and the entire system can be removed with 4 bolts. So a 5 min job.
Also just ordered the mulching kit for the tractor so I won't be using the bag again until the leaves fall.
I gave it a whirl today. Mixed up the chemicals and made 6 gallons of eff u weeds cocktail.
The sprayer worked as advertised and I felt like I was a crop duster. Went nice and slow to be sure I got a good coating on all those nasty weeds.
I went thru the 6 gal pretty quick just in the back yard.
Mixed up another 12 gal and got back at it. Front yard is a little hilly and the steering got a bit light in a couple of spots ... but no wheelies.
I may need some ballast on the front if I go the full 16 gal but jury is still out.
The wand came in handy too where the wife has flowers and around the deck where I didn't want any over spray.
An easy to reach lever on the pump cuts flow to the crop dusting boom when I need to use the wand.
Overall pleased with my purchase. Now just need to wait a couple weeks and see how much it helped with the weed situation.
Bossman
Footballguy
This would work ... until the weeds begin to take over again ... which seems to be inevitable.
Not sure how well the organic herbicides work but I just don't see how you can have a nice yard without using some type of weed control.
offdee
Footballguy
Not sure if this a question for lawn guys or homeowner project guys...
Just had a dead evergreen taken down and stump grinded out. Want to plant a purple maple in its place but know evergreens are so acidic they basically poison the soil around it. What do I need to do to prep the soil so a new tree grows in its place?
Just had a dead evergreen taken down and stump grinded out. Want to plant a purple maple in its place but know evergreens are so acidic they basically poison the soil around it. What do I need to do to prep the soil so a new tree grows in its place?
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The Commish
Footballguy
Any time I had to plant trees, I'd dig the whole three times the size of the root ball across and three times as deep. Fill that area with proper fill dirt on the bottom half, but the tree in place and fill in around it with what was left of the fill dirt plus some slow release fert.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Ok, so I have probably a dumb question.
We moved in to a new home this spring and I have a lot more yard to deal with. I think I've done everything mostly right, yard looks really good. Here's my problem. The second blade setting is too short - grass looks fantastic at this level but isn't nearly as green and I'm pretty sure it's too short. Third setting just looks ok - even after just finishing. I don't mind cutting every 3-4 days, I just don't think it looks great. It's definitely greener. Outside of getting a new mower is there something I can do to get like a 2.5 setting?
We moved in to a new home this spring and I have a lot more yard to deal with. I think I've done everything mostly right, yard looks really good. Here's my problem. The second blade setting is too short - grass looks fantastic at this level but isn't nearly as green and I'm pretty sure it's too short. Third setting just looks ok - even after just finishing. I don't mind cutting every 3-4 days, I just don't think it looks great. It's definitely greener. Outside of getting a new mower is there something I can do to get like a 2.5 setting?
offdee
Footballguy
I assume this is a push mower you’re describing? If have a bigger yard, think about investing in a rider...believe they all have the knobs or something that allows you to put deck up higher of lower gradually. They say blade height 3.5”-4” is optimal for healthy lawn. The longer the grass the less room for weeds to find space to creep up and also it retains water better.
ETA: just saw you say “outside of getting a new mower”....how about swap wheels out for bigger ones? That will get the deck higher off ground.
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AAABatteries
Footballguy
Yes, push mower and honestly the yard isn't big enough for a rider. It's just bigger than my old yard.
Keerock
Footballguy
What kind of grass? Typically, grass looks best 1-2 days after cutting, depending on growth rate. I think you're in ATL, so it's hot... if you have a cool season grass (KBG/TTTF) you will need to mow higher. If you have a warm season grass (Bermuda/St Aug) mowing lower is fine/good, but doesn't look it's best until the next day.
Keerock
Footballguy
FYI... for those interested... Home Depot has dropped the EGO brand (Lowes has picked them up). Rumor has it that EGO tools in stock at HD will be going on 30% sale as soon as today. I'm keeping my eye out (in the market for a blower) and will let you know if I see anything.
offdee
Footballguy
I added an ETA to my post....making sure you saw...
ETA: just saw you say “outside of getting a new mower”....how about swap wheels out for bigger ones? That will get the deck higher off ground.
The Commish
Footballguy
This is probably better to be done in the spring than now, but you need to let it grow out pretty long and then cut on the highest setting you have. I am assuming it's fescue?
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Bermuda - and I like the way it looks, just doesn't green back up for a few days. I think what I may do is make sure the blade is sharpened good and then leave it on the higher setting and do some spot treatments on the few weeds.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
The Commish
Footballguy
Oh...I'm out...know very little about Bermuda other than spring is the time to reseed unlike fescue in the fall.
jb1020
Footballguy
Has anyone here used the lawn maintenance service called Sunday? I've been using TrueGreen for 2 years and I'm fairly disappointed. My Bermuda is growing like crazy, which is great, but the weeds are out of control. I've called to complain 2 times and they come out and tell me "its normal" or "we retreated the weeds." Feels like I'm no longer getting my moneys worth. Its around $600 for the year.
This Sunday company has a similar plan and they just mail you the chemicals and you apply them. Its like $150 for the year. Just curious if anyone has looked into that program?
This Sunday company has a similar plan and they just mail you the chemicals and you apply them. Its like $150 for the year. Just curious if anyone has looked into that program?
The Gator
Footballguy
popeye
Footballguy
Not specifically Sunday, but looking into something I can do myself (with focus on a more organic approach). I've had many companies over the years providing lawn service; TrueGreen, LawnPride, and the like. But all were somewhat disappointing. For I all know, they were spraying ice tea on the lawn.
The Commish
Footballguy
I always cut mine at the highest setting my mower would go and tried not to cut more than 3/4 to an inch off the top.
popeye
Footballguy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1NF6AihvHs
I've picked up a couple of products from Simple Lawn Solutions - but don't quite have THAT lawn yet
I've picked up a couple of products from Simple Lawn Solutions - but don't quite have THAT lawn yet
Sullie
Footballguy
WTF am I watching??? This is simply insane. That house does not belong with that yard. Seriously, that lawn looks nicer than any golf course I've ever been on in my life and million times nicer than the greens on the British Open. At least there's someone that's getting laid less than I am so there's that I guess.
The Commish
Footballguy
Keerock
Footballguy
WTF am I watching??? This is simply insane. That house does not belong with that yard. Seriously, that lawn looks nicer than any golf course I've ever been on in my life and million times nicer than the greens on the British Open. At least there's someone that's getting laid less than I am so there's that I guess.
Ryan Knorr is the bomb. Dude knows his stuff.All those lawn mowers...no thanks.
AAABatteries
Footballguy
"enough for me to not have to mow it every single day"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1NF6AihvHs
I've picked up a couple of products from Simple Lawn Solutions - but don't quite have THAT lawn yet
AAABatteries
Footballguy
I love the part of the video where it shows his lawn and you see his neighbors lawn. You just know the neighbor is like "#### this guy!" I never want to be that guy (the neighbor who doesn't upkeep his yard) but it would almost be good schtick on occasion.
Wingnut
Footballguy
https://i.imgur.com/G4XkzYi.jpg
I'd hire him to fix my lawn if I lived next door.
Also, my whole lot is about 5100 square feet...I cant imagine having to keep a yard that size up, especially without a riding mower.
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shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
How high are you talking, in inches? Go high buddy. It might look weird the first few times, but it will grow into it. I have mine on the second highest setting, only so I can save the highest if I end up going too long without cuttin.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
mr. furley
Footballguy
upper midwest
should i be fall seeding my lawn about now?
should i be fall seeding my lawn about now?
NutterButter
Footballguy
NutterButter
Footballguy
Btw, https://aroundtheyard.com/ is a really good site if you want to take your lawn care to the next level. They'll give you a free analysis of your soil test including recommendations ranging from beginner stuff to the most advanced remediation.
top dog
Footballguy
First of all, let me say finding this thread was maybe more of a challenge than keeping your lawn top notch. :(
Live in northeast Ohio and was planning on using the dormant seeding approach recommended in this thread. What I'm not sure is if I can put down crab grass preventer around Easter without killing any new grass.
So here was my basic approach that has worked well the last couple years. Not too crazy. Lawn has gone from being mostly weeds to one of the better ones on the street. And honestly, that's all we REALLY care about don't we?
Around memorial day - Put down Scott's Spring weed and feed. This is always challenging to do earlier in the year as it tends to rain buckets from march to may.
Around Labor day - Put down Scotts Fall Winterguard Weed and Feed
I over-seeded the lawn with an over-seeder two years ago in the fall.
This was my plan this year...
1) Dormant over-seed NOW - ground is pretty much frozen, grass is dormant, no snow cover.
2) Crabgrass Preventer - Easter
3) Spring Weed and Feed - Memorial Day
4) Fall Winterguard Weed and Feed - Labor Day
Considering the dormant seeding over the winter won't start germating until the spring, can I still do the crabgrass preventer around Easter?
Live in northeast Ohio and was planning on using the dormant seeding approach recommended in this thread. What I'm not sure is if I can put down crab grass preventer around Easter without killing any new grass.
So here was my basic approach that has worked well the last couple years. Not too crazy. Lawn has gone from being mostly weeds to one of the better ones on the street. And honestly, that's all we REALLY care about don't we?
Around memorial day - Put down Scott's Spring weed and feed. This is always challenging to do earlier in the year as it tends to rain buckets from march to may.
Around Labor day - Put down Scotts Fall Winterguard Weed and Feed
I over-seeded the lawn with an over-seeder two years ago in the fall.
This was my plan this year...
1) Dormant over-seed NOW - ground is pretty much frozen, grass is dormant, no snow cover.
2) Crabgrass Preventer - Easter
3) Spring Weed and Feed - Memorial Day
4) Fall Winterguard Weed and Feed - Labor Day
Considering the dormant seeding over the winter won't start germating until the spring, can I still do the crabgrass preventer around Easter?
Nemesis
Footballguy
So, I've lived in Central FL in the same house for the past 20 yrs. And I've always had a pretty good St. Augustine lawn and occasionally would see crabgrass pop up late in the summer (during its usual growth time period). I would try to attack it / remove it and low and behold would see it come back a little the next year.....nothing too out of the norm.
Well, 2020 was a bad "lawn year".....the crabgrass was totally out of control this year. I mean it showed much bigger in the usual spots and also reared its head in a bunch of new areas of the lawn. In response to this, i tried some "OTC" Weed & Feed products or chemicals and results weren't that great. Anyone that has dealt with crabgrass probably knows the frustration this evil weed can inflict.
So, i talked to my lawn guy and he said he could come out and try his usual chemicals, but with the amount of rain we were seeing that it wasn't going to be as effective as I was asking for. Then, he paused and said that I could go "nuclear" and suggested a product called ASULOX. He said that by law, he couldn't order it as they could get fined big bucks for ordering it or for having it on their truck.............BUT, if a home owner were to order it and have it available, nothing prevents him from applying it to the lawn. Unfortunately, it is only sold in 2.5 gal size and it isn't cheap (around $200 for that size). But I looked into it and was assured that it really works without affecting the St. Augustine grass at all and the recommended dilution mixture only needs about 1.5 oz per gallon of water (which means 2.5 gals would last me a LONG LONG time). So, I ordered it online back in SEP from an industrial agriculture company also located in FL & got a UPS tracking #. A week goes by........and no delivery. Another couple of days goes by, so we finally call the Ag company. They apologize and say there was a shipping mix-up and was rectifying the situation.
Well, the Asulox 2.5 gal finally gets delivered in late SEP and finally gets applied to the entire lawn. 2 wks later after the first application and I'm here to tell you: the crabgrass war is nearly over. They have suffered a crushing defeat as I can clearly see it has turned those areas brown, while the rest of my lawn wasn't affected at all. Meanwhile, i still have nearly the entire 2.5 gals remaining, which I will continue to use in the future.
But wait, there's more.....Fast fwd to earlier this week and lo and behold, another 2.5 gal container of Asulox gets delivered to our door. We were confused as we didn't initiate anything so we finally looked at the packing slip and see that this must have been the "lost first shipment" from SEP and it just now got delivered. So, at the moment, we now have 2 containers of this stuff. (just so you know, we did call the company & haven't heard back from them)
ASULOX (if you're looking to attack crabgrass or something similar to it, check it out):
https://www.google.com/search?q=asulox&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS932US933&oq=asulox&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j69i61.1399j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-
Well, 2020 was a bad "lawn year".....the crabgrass was totally out of control this year. I mean it showed much bigger in the usual spots and also reared its head in a bunch of new areas of the lawn. In response to this, i tried some "OTC" Weed & Feed products or chemicals and results weren't that great. Anyone that has dealt with crabgrass probably knows the frustration this evil weed can inflict.
So, i talked to my lawn guy and he said he could come out and try his usual chemicals, but with the amount of rain we were seeing that it wasn't going to be as effective as I was asking for. Then, he paused and said that I could go "nuclear" and suggested a product called ASULOX. He said that by law, he couldn't order it as they could get fined big bucks for ordering it or for having it on their truck.............BUT, if a home owner were to order it and have it available, nothing prevents him from applying it to the lawn. Unfortunately, it is only sold in 2.5 gal size and it isn't cheap (around $200 for that size). But I looked into it and was assured that it really works without affecting the St. Augustine grass at all and the recommended dilution mixture only needs about 1.5 oz per gallon of water (which means 2.5 gals would last me a LONG LONG time). So, I ordered it online back in SEP from an industrial agriculture company also located in FL & got a UPS tracking #. A week goes by........and no delivery. Another couple of days goes by, so we finally call the Ag company. They apologize and say there was a shipping mix-up and was rectifying the situation.
Well, the Asulox 2.5 gal finally gets delivered in late SEP and finally gets applied to the entire lawn. 2 wks later after the first application and I'm here to tell you: the crabgrass war is nearly over. They have suffered a crushing defeat as I can clearly see it has turned those areas brown, while the rest of my lawn wasn't affected at all. Meanwhile, i still have nearly the entire 2.5 gals remaining, which I will continue to use in the future.
But wait, there's more.....Fast fwd to earlier this week and lo and behold, another 2.5 gal container of Asulox gets delivered to our door. We were confused as we didn't initiate anything so we finally looked at the packing slip and see that this must have been the "lost first shipment" from SEP and it just now got delivered. So, at the moment, we now have 2 containers of this stuff. (just so you know, we did call the company & haven't heard back from them)
ASULOX (if you're looking to attack crabgrass or something similar to it, check it out):
https://www.google.com/search?q=asulox&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS932US933&oq=asulox&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j69i61.1399j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-
