# Lawngirl - ND 2020 Journal



## Lawngirl (Jul 23, 2019)

I'll join the cool kid club with the cool season journals. I am envious of those who already have green showing. In ND we had some snow flakes today and the current soil temp is 
33°. Come on already!!! I want to get out in my lawn...now.

Working with about 10k, mostly KBG but there is some TTTF mixed in. Very hard clay soil. 
I have a neighbor who insists on "helping." Background on that mission to come.

I did some really light raking in the front yard yesterday as it was almost 50°. I didn't push it too hard but still carried out 5 bags of dead grass.

I seem to have vole damage and most likely damage from snow removal over the winter. I hired a company to move snow, however my "helpful" neighbor still decided to use his 4 wheeler and push snow way up into my lawn. Apparently he decided my dog (100 pound labby) needed a flat spot to go potty versus just going through the snow. Neighbor is a nice guy and I appreciate his thoughtfulness but now I have a lot more damage this year compared to years in the past.

Last year my HOC I kept around 3.5-4. However my neighbor would come a good 1/4th of the way into my yard to mow my grass. Very well past the trees I planted on the property line in a failed attempt to make a point. So I spent half the summer with a back lawn that was 3/4ths at 3.5 (my preferred height)and 1/4th of my lawn at neighbors preferred height of 2. It drove me nuts. I attempted to explain what I was doing by keeping mine higher and other things I was doing but he again missed the point.

I even turned the sprinkler system on when he was mowing my yard...guy just kept mowing. Persistent fella. Again, I appreciate his effort but I enjoy my lawn work and have a way I want to try things.

Last year I decided I would try to beat him to the punch, mow mine and then mow his. That helped a bit.

I've decided this year I am going to really lower my HOC. Thinking about 1.5-2. We will try a different approach this year with my neighbor. Maybe he will decide it's good and keep on his side. Time will tell.

I planted some trees last year, not sure how they will do this year. They were pretty rough going into the winter. I hope they make it.

I am debating removing my concrete curbing on my front and side flower beds and just do a trenched edge. I like the look of the trenched edge versus the curbing but the curbing was spendy to put in, so I am undecided right now.

I have an issue in the front yard by the sidewalk. The yard is about 2-3 inches higher then the sidewalk. I have to figure out what to do there.

I think I have quite a bit of thatch built up. From what I remember last year I made a mental note about the thatch. I used N-ext products last year and plan to do the same this year.

I did just purchase a SunJoe dethatcher. It won't be delivered for another couple weeks but the way this temperature is going, that's fine.

I'm planning on probably getting out to mow/debris pick up in the next week. When the SunJoe gets here, I'll do the dethatch and mow again.

Maybe by then I can put down my pre-em and fertilize. I am thinking about trying one of the Carbon X products this year, versus milo which I have done in the past.

I have a soil test kit that I am hoping to get sent in within the next couple weeks. Have to muster enough muscle to dig into the rock hard clay.

I've rambled on long enough so here is how the 2020 lawn looks as of now.

Looking forward to following everyone's journey this year.

Front



Back


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## Kallgren (Nov 10, 2018)

Looks like good start, it must still be pretty cool up in Fargo! Can't wait to see it develop over the next several months.


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## Lawngirl (Jul 23, 2019)

Got the yard dethatched and mowed this past weekend. There was a lot of snow pack this year. Applied pre-em and Carbon X.
Hoping for some nice rain.


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## jabopy (Nov 24, 2018)

OK LG! Your going to have to get something going on to sort the neighbor out.&#128572; Hope you come up with a good plan. Let's see your Four legged pal.


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