# My TifTuf conversion



## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Today it starts! First blanket spray of glyphosate to kill what is here. Doing my 1500 sq ft side yard first. If this goes well, I will do the other 4500 sq ft front yard in a month or so, but more likely next spring. Sent off for soil sample today, while waiting, the current grass will be dying. Will also be putting a flower bed in on the corner where I just remove an ugly tree. My plan is to:
1- kill everything
2-scalp and bag clippings
3-rake the dirt to get as level as possible
4-topdress with SUPERSOD Hummus compost garden soil
5-lay 700 sq ft of sod in checkerboard pattern.

I know its only a little more to buy the entire 1500 sq ft but Im mainly testing the method. It will only save a 100-200 on this section but if it goes well, will save me quite a bit more when I do the main yard next. Never done a lawn renovation before, so tips and advice are surely appreciated!

Side Yard


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

My only tip would be to spend the little extra and get full sod coverage. I did the same on my first app and with all the leveling that will be needed and delays in it filling in, it is well worth the extra for the additional sod.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Front Yard, New flower beds going in against the house currently. Need to find something to take the clay stain off the brick.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Redtwin said:


> My only tip would be to spend the little extra and get full sod coverage. I did the same on my first app and with all the leveling that will be needed and delays in it filling in, it is well worth the extra for the additional sod.


Yeah, you are probably right. I have been considering that too. I would lose the money I saved in time spent leveling and buying sand.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Going to try this stuff for getting clay off the house, followed by sealer to prevent new stains. Ill post results.

https://www.eco-wares.com/Red-Clay-Stain-Remover_p_16.html


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Lawn care corner


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## Topcat (Mar 21, 2017)

Wow, your reno sounds a lot like mine. I am also doing a TifTuf. I sprayed my lawn with three applications of Glyco. The first was at half rate, and followed up with a second round of full strength a week later with a dose of nitrogen. Then a week and a half later with a half dose of glyco. There was rebound growth after the first round that the second round took care of, the third round a week and a half ago was just for good measure. I want to make sure I got the unknown strains of bermuda dead, dead, dead before putting the TifTuf down.

Tomorrow I scalp the dead grass, and level out as best as possible. I have two bags of Soil3 coming with my Sod Friday morning that I will level with prior to covering with sod.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Added 4 more sprinkler heads the side yard today to ensure I'm getting good coverage when I sod, dug 90 feet of trench by hand. Will fill in tomorrow. Also layed pavers as border for a flower bed.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Topcat said:


> Wow, your reno sounds a lot like mine. I am also doing a TifTuf. I sprayed my lawn with three applications of Glyco. The first was at half rate, and followed up with a second round of full strength a week later with a dose of nitrogen. Then a week and a half later with a half dose of glyco. There was rebound growth after the first round that the second round took care of, the third round a week and a half ago was just for good measure. I want to make sure I got the unknown strains of bermuda dead, dead, dead before putting the TifTuf down.
> 
> Tomorrow I scalp the dead grass, and level out as best as possible. I have two bags of Soil3 coming with my Sod Friday morning that I will level with prior to covering with sod.


Nice! How big an area are you doing?


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## Topcat (Mar 21, 2017)

@bp2878 I am doing just shy of 1500 sq ft. I am redoing a flower bed on the side of my house, and around the mailbox tomorrow. I have a thread on here with pics of before and during. If all goes to plan the post sod pictures will be up by Saturday/Sunday.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

First glypho app sprayed today. 6 gallons


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## Topcat (Mar 21, 2017)

Very nicely done. I was supposed to redo the pavers around my mailbox and side flowerbed today, but the prep for sod took a lot more time than I thought, so I will save that for tomorrow morning. The one thing I am doing different with my flowerbed boarders is getting rid of the 90 degree corners. You might want to consider making a curved transition to the side of the house. Getting the reel mower into that 90 degree corner to cut is impossible, so you will have to use a weed eater, or a landscape blade to cut the grass in the corners.



bp2878 said:


> Added 4 more sprinkler heads the side yard today to ensure I'm getting good coverage when I sod, dug 90 feet of trench by hand. Will fill in tomorrow. Also layed pavers as border for a flower bed.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Topcat said:


> Very nicely done. I was supposed to redo the pavers around my mailbox and side flowerbed today, but the prep for sod took a lot more time than I thought, so I will save that for tomorrow morning. The one thing I am doing different with my flowerbed boarders is getting rid of the 90 degree corners. You might want to consider making a curved transition to the side of the house. Getting the reel mower into that 90 degree corner to cut is impossible, so you will have to use a weed eater, or a landscape blade to cut the grass in the corners.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

The random patches of bermuda are dying pretty quickly, but the centipede hasn't shown much die off yet. Going to hit it with hand dethacth rake today and scalp and bag with my rotary mower. Just because I'm impatient and want to do something with it while I wait on the slow death.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Pulled out some dead patches and mowed as low as rotary would go.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Test results


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

More work on excavating flower beds. This is what I'm dealing with, tons of rocks, 4 inches deep. Once I think I have an area clear, I run the rake thru and unearth 100 more. Now that I use a reel mower, I couldn't imagine ever intentionally bringing a rock into my yard. This was this previous owners doing.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Dog is hunting earthworms.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Raked up more die off, scalped with rotary, 
Then reel and hit hard with water today. Will reaply glypho on friday.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

hit with another 6 gallons glypho on 5/27, will likely be the last one as the first app knocked out 95% of everything. Didn't have much regrowth. will water once this week, and then scalp and bag again this weekend. will till shallow, level, and roll next weekend. I will then let it sit for a week or so before putting down starter fertilizer, some topdressing then sod.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Hauled a ton of dirt out today. Rented a Dingo, not the right tool for the job. Better than a shovel and wheelbarrow but I really should have gotten a skid steere. Come to think of it, I should have hired this out instead of trying to do it myself. Grading a yard smooth and flat is much harder than it looks. This entire yard was about 3 inches higher than i wanted it, even more than that in spots. I hauled dirt out all day and got what I needed to get out out, but in trying to get it flat, I was just pushing dirt around and getting nowhere. Ill have someone who knows what they are doing finish it for me.


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## sanders4617 (Jul 9, 2018)

A Harley take attachment would definitely help you in that situation. But yes, someone who knows what they're doing can really make a difference.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

I thought about a Harley rake, but I had so much dirt to take out, I thought the shovel would be better. I really needed both, and another day with the equipment. I knew I had allot to take out, turned out to be about 5 times as much as I thought. Dirt is misleading. What killed me was making the 100 yard ride from the worksite to the dumpsite in my backyard on the Dingo. It was just too slow.


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## bp2878 (Feb 13, 2019)

Finally ready for sod. Its not completly flat, but oh well. Its close enough for me and allot better than it was. Still a high spot but I think I have a way to get it closer without taking anymore dirt out. Will have to rake around the edges just before putting down, dig up and lower my sprinkler heads, apply starter fertilizer, do a final raking the day before ordering sod and then it will be go time. Cant wait! This project has been more than I bargained for both physically, financially, and time consuming. Ready to get it done and start enjoying it.


Also had the tractor guy spread the full load of topsoil I bought, just because it was cheap ($150), and the dirt I pulled from this area into the easement ditch in my back yard. Somehow it was the perfect amount of dirt. About 20 yards.



I probably shouldn't have filled the easement, but it gives me another 2000 sq ft of flat backyard. My neighbor has a pool on their portion of the easement, so it the county ever forced us to do something about it, they could use my dirt to fill their pool. :lol:


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