# BBLOCK's Lawn Journal (Ontario, Canada) 45k reno 15k kbg mono and 30k tttf w some kbg



## BBLOCK

TLDR- this was a reno at my old place before the new house, skip this post for the new reno- pic of the new property is towards the bottom of this post.

So I guess I'm finally getting around to my journal. More like not being lazy and transferring pictures from my phone to pc to make this easier.

This journey started in May of this year, I got 5 yards of top soil, spread it and seeded. Found this Forum shortly after as I started researching how to grow my seed well.




















Having put down seed May 18 and then high temperatures soon approaching and droughts of June and July I quickly understood why spring over seeding is not highly recommended on TLF.

The good news about spring seeding was it allowed me to see the spots in the yards that had a hard time growing any grass. I started doing screw driver tests and realized that most of these spots were rocky underneath. I began to dig up every spot around the yards 20-30 that had bare patches and what I realized was most of them had large stones/boulders under them. I figure when they put the fence posts in they just chucked the rocks they found and those were my bare spots where grass wouldn't grow.



I had spray painted all the areas I needed to dig up.

I then soon realized I was being overtaken by the weeds and crab grass.

Backyard was really bad with weeds and uneven and I soon realized that a heavy weed treatment program was in order.

It was a hot dry summer and I wanted nothing more then to get the weed control going. So having access to par3 I wanted to put it down and see what I could do. With temperatures in July being so hot I decided I would attempt a night spray at 11pm and also to hope that no one would see me or smell what I was putting down.

I didn't burn the lawn from it and the weeds started to die.

So much creeping charlie and ground ivy though in the back yard.

Front yard, lots of crab and clover and other broadleaf weeds.





I acquired tenacity and did a broadcast spray of it soon after to go after the weeds again and the crab grass.






The creeping charlie is tough and so is the ivy it wasn't going away very quickly



I decided I was going to go all in on the fall over seed on the front and reno on the back.
We've been looking at moving and trying to get out of town to a more rural property with much more acreage and lawn to take care of, but I couldn't live here with this property the way it is. We had put an offer in on a house but it sold for 150k over asking and that's how a lot of properties are going during these covid times. So I figure we might be here for a bit and make the best of it in the meantime.

I decided because there are a lot of trees surrounding the back yard that I should trim them up the best I could and get as much sunlight into the yard as possible.







I filled up a sprayer with glysophate and planned on targeting the worst areas in the backyard and just working on taking out certain areas so I could essentially reno those small areas.

Well, I ended up spraying most of the back yard, I should of just sprayed everything to be honest, but for some reason I felt bad for some of the areas that I worked so hard on just to keep alive in the summer drought that I felt bad for those areas of grass and felt they deserved to live lol.



Wife decided she would take on re-staining the play structure



They finally showed up to pave the driveway of course right when I want to start and bring a load of topsoil home, had them rip out the strip of grass between my driveway and the neighbors and I just resodded it.





Time to scalp, triple scalp cut as low as the gas rotary would go.


Also you'll notice that I've put together a make shift irrigation system with hoses and orbit gear sprinklers.
3 out front, 2 on the side of the deck, and then 6 out back for a total of 11 with 4 zones running off of a Melnor rain cloud wifi hose end timer.




So having put down 5 yards of top soil in the spring I was ahead of the game, but I brought home 5 more in my dump trailer.


Let the wheel barrowing and shoveling begin. I started around 1pm on a Friday and had all but about half a yard spread by dark at 9pm. This was August 13 and I had the front yard prepped completely. Saturday the 14th I spent the day raking and leveling and rolling the backyard.

Wifey just watching.











Sunday the 15th was seed down, roll, peat, and spray tenacity.

The seed is nothing to special, knowing that we were shopping for houses it just didn't make sense to me to be throwing the cash away on elite cultivars for someone else to ruin. But I wanted to practice all these turf skills on this smaller property and do this reno and learn everything along the way so that when I get to a bigger property I'll know exactly what to do. I got this seed at a local Nursery and I heard good things about the brand (Greenland) it's a 40%CRF, 40%KBG, 20%PRG. People I know in turf care had suggested the mix for our local climate. The cultivars are still unknown to me. I also didn't feel like I was at a place in cultivar type knowledge yet to have made a call on what I wanted to put down for elite varieties.





Sit back and water and drink beer.

I was watering 4 times a day to start and was glad I had bought a wifi timer so I could turn the sprinklers on and off as needed. I was watering between 5 and 7 mins depending on time a day, some of the hotter sunny days for the front lawn I was running up to 6 or 7 cycles usually 5 mins a shot but around 1pm I think I was doing 10 minutes to help keep it moist. I had turned our security arlo cameras into lawn cameras to help me monitor. Wife works from home so I did try and get her to chime in and let me know what was happening.

First germination came up after 6 days.

The front lawn recovered really quickly from the initial scalp and I scalped it again with the manual reel mower I picked up from the classifieds before any germination and I never stopped mowing it, just kept mowing it back to try and let that kbg get established and not overshadowed.











You can see obviously where I didn't kill off in the backyard kept on growing and the different grass types coming in at different times and speeds.


The other huge concern was the day after seed down, we were suppose to get a moderate rain and it ended up dropping 2 inches. Everyone here that's reno'd knows how that feels. I did end up dropping more seed two weeks later to help make sure the bare areas filled in.









I think I may have sprayed tenacity too much in the smaller front yard area, as germination was slower and I really over seeded heavy there to make sure it filled in.

Sep 4th



Baby kbg is really just starting to germinate now






I think it was at least 16 days before it started with most of it around the 21 day mark I would say.

Decided my manual reel mower needed a striping kit.



Sept 10






Still slow to fill in back in this shady corner basically under a tree




I'm mowing every two days at 1.25"

I first sprayed Urea about 2 weeks after germination at .23N/M and did the same thing every 7 days for the next 3 weeks for a total of 4 apps at 1lb

Sept 15










Notice the yellow kill spot, big dog got out on the yard and took one leak, killed a spot the size of a dinner plate.



Sept 17





Sept 20








Sept 25





Oct 1





Tenacity went down on Sept 28 at 4oz rate. 37 dag

Oct9

bleaching making it look horrible in color from where I was with it setting into dark green.
I also dropped HOC on my manual to 1" for this cut to see how it looked.




Also dropped .5N/M granular where as I had been spraying my urea.

Couple collage pics to show the progression









Well if you made it this far, thanks for reading and looking through all the pics, I know when I read journals I love seeing pics more than anything to see the progression so I tried to show that here.

It's been a heck of a journey but I've had fun with it, and it's been a great learning experience and I now feel pretty confident to do this on a larger scale when that day comes!

I would like to give special thanks and mention to @Harts he's been awesome, I text him all the time and bug him and get all the answers anyone could ever need from him, he's been a personal lawn coach and senior advisor and an overall awesome dude. @Babameca is another great go to guy and knowledgeable.

This is such a great community and everyone one of you have helped me along the way so I would like to say thanks, and to all the guys making guides like @g-man that stuff is so priceless and valuable these forums are just an overall amazing place where someone can come and learn and take their lawn from crap to something of envy in the neighborhood. I applaud everyone for their contributions to making TLF such an amazing place.

Thanks!

Bryan aka BBLOCK


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## Babameca

Bryan...Wow! Read thru. You had a heck of a journey. And a heck of a success! I am so glad to be able to see your results and that the effort we put on trying to help are actually SO worth it.
Few notions:
- that dog was a MONSTER! :lol:
- the stripping kit on the push reel is SICK! Where did you find it?
- Is this the Melnor bluetooth timer device? Do you like it?
- your lawn will be flawless next spring

B


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## BBLOCK

Babameca said:


> Bryan...Wow! Read thru. You had a heck of a journey. And a heck of a success! I am so glad to be able to see your results and that the effort we put on trying to help are actually SO worth it.
> Few notions:
> - that dog was a MONSTER! :lol:
> - the stripping kit on the push reel is SICK! Where did you find it?
> - Is this the Melnor bluetooth timer device? Do you like it?
> - your lawn will be flawless next spring
> 
> B


Well I really appreciate all the back and forth and you helping me out with the soil and the soil test results and interpretation and remediation.

The melnor is pretty good, it cost me an arm and a leg. I wasn't finding it in Canada so I had a buddy in Philly buy it and ship it to me. 
In Can its $250 and I found them at Tsc actually but not until after my buddy had shipped it to me. They dinged me heavy on duty like $80USD so it ended up costing me more then I would of paid here, they're like $140usd but whatever I needed it. At first I was having some connectivity issues with it being in the backyard. Router is at the front on the 2nd story in my office. I ordered a cheap wifi booster and put it in the room closest to it and it's worked great since.

What hasn't been great are the orbit gear drives. They've been terrible. I run no more then 3 of them on a zone, but I've had constant issues with some of them freezing in place. And the funny thing is it's not just the one at the end of the line freezing and having pressure issues, sometimes it's the first, 2nd or 3rd one that gets stuck. So that's a real pia.

I didn't want to get inground if we're going to move but that would make life easier.

Or using inground heads would be my next step but finding the sprinkler stakes in Canada is hard.

The striping kit I just made myself with some boat rollers, a threaded rod and made spacers using pvc pipe, and flat steel for supports.

The dog, yeah he's part wolf, his mom was a barn dog his dad wanted to party.

I'm hoping to find a greensmower at some point. Got my eyes open.

Thanks again.


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## BBLOCK

Well, I'm glad I put it out into the universe yesterday that I was looking for a reel mower. Because today I own one.

JD202A. sticker ripped off otw home but that's okay lol. seems to be in pretty good condition!


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## BBLOCK

took it out on it's maiden voyage






lighting isn't very good in the back atm


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## Babameca

Nice!!! Congratulations.


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## Stuofsci02

Awesome on the JD220A pickup... looks like it has a groomer and 11 blade reel.

I enjoyed reading through your monsterous post and getting to see results all at once. I am not patient so this worked for me &#128077;. I love the checkmate on your Gardena push reel..! That is serious stuff right there...


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## BBLOCK

Babameca said:


> Nice!!! Congratulations.


thanks bud


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## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Awesome on the JD220A pickup... looks like it has a groomer and 11 blade reel.
> 
> I enjoyed reading through your monsterous post and getting to see results all at once. I am not patient so this worked for me 👍. I love the checkmate on your Gardena push reel..! That is serious stuff right there...


yeah I figured well I have it well documented might as well throw it all together and it's like reading a journal on fast forward and not sitting around watching the grass grow, which we know we're all guilty of. lol.

yeah homemade check mate on that bad boy. I knew I needed something to make me happy until I got a GM


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## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Awesome on the JD220A pickup... looks like it has a groomer and 11 blade reel.
> 
> I enjoyed reading through your monsterous post and getting to see results all at once. I am not patient so this worked for me 👍. I love the checkmate on your Gardena push reel..! That is serious stuff right there...
> 
> 
> 
> yeah I figured well I have it well documented might as well throw it all together and it's like reading a journal on fast forward and not sitting around watching the grass grow, which we know we're all guilty of. lol.
> 
> yeah homemade check mate on that bad boy. I knew I needed something to make me happy until I got a GM
Click to expand...

How did you make the checkmate? Did you source all the parts?


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## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Awesome on the JD220A pickup... looks like it has a groomer and 11 blade reel.
> 
> I enjoyed reading through your monsterous post and getting to see results all at once. I am not patient so this worked for me 👍. I love the checkmate on your Gardena push reel..! That is serious stuff right there...
> 
> 
> 
> yeah I figured well I have it well documented might as well throw it all together and it's like reading a journal on fast forward and not sitting around watching the grass grow, which we know we're all guilty of. lol.
> 
> yeah homemade check mate on that bad boy. I knew I needed something to make me happy until I got a GM
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> How did you make the checkmate? Did you source all the parts?
Click to expand...

I just went to princess auto and bought some boat rollers, a piece of threaded rod that fit through them, made some spacers out of pvc pipe between the wheels so they roll independently of each other, a piece of flat steel from the depot, and just threw it together. At work I had the pipe and washers and nuts so that was easy to source. The boat rollers aren't free, they're still $15 ish a piece. I also believe the checkmate has bearings which I didn't bother using, For a permanent one like behind your JD or something you're prob better off spending on the checkmate anyways because that thing is solid, but for something like a manual reel mower I just made one.


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## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> yeah I figured well I have it well documented might as well throw it all together and it's like reading a journal on fast forward and not sitting around watching the grass grow, which we know we're all guilty of. lol.
> 
> yeah homemade check mate on that bad boy. I knew I needed something to make me happy until I got a GM
> 
> 
> 
> How did you make the checkmate? Did you source all the parts?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I just went to princess auto and bought some boat rollers, a piece of threaded rod that fit through them, made some spacers out of pvc pipe between the wheels so they roll independently of each other, a piece of flat steel from the depot, and just threw it together. At work I had the pipe and washers and nuts so that was easy to source. The boat rollers aren't free, they're still $15 ish a piece. I also believe the checkmate has bearings which I didn't bother using, For a permanent one like behind your JD or something you're prob better off spending on the checkmate anyways because that thing is solid, but for something like a manual reel mower I just made one.
Click to expand...

Very cool... I already have a Checkmate for my JD, but this is pretty cool.... I would love to make one for my Fiskars so I could stripe the hard to reach areas....


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## BBLOCK

Well thank you lawn forum for turning me now into a reel mowing junkie I couldn't of done it wo you. lol

I'm addicted, reel mowing is so fun, I just want to mow everyday now. this was day 2







Just waiting for the tenacity bleaching to be gone so we can get back to dark green.

I just sprayed Fas but I messed up when I looked it up quick I read for the warm season grass at 4oz rate. I put 8oz in 2.5 gallons of water. I hadn't sprayed it in a couple months and forgot. So now I'm not sure how that will respond. We are to get 10mm of rain overnight and morning.

Anyone think I should go ahead and wash it off or see what happens?

I also don't really want the dogs going out onto the back lawn to do their business all the time and destroy what I've worked for. So I've given them the front and side part of our backyard and put up a dog run fence(goat fence panel and cedar posts) to keep them off the rest of the yard. I had been using a snow fence temporarily to keep them off the new grass but I've now just donated the portion next to the deck which isn't growing great anyways for lack of sun, due to neighbors house and a giant spruce tree that needs to go. Mostly just the crf doing okay there anyways.


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## BBLOCK

This is how the season ended!

But it doesn't even matter because we're moving!

This is the new lot of 2 acres


Totally excited for the new much larger challenge!


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## Chris LI

Any updates on the new property?


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## BBLOCK

Chris LI said:


> Any updates on the new property?


Well I was thinking about starting a journal, haven't gotten there yet.

Moved in start of Feb.

Between painting the whole house (haven't finished yet). And finishing most of the basement and redoing floors and other things in the rest of the basement I've been keeping very busy.

Day we moved in 


Two months later. 


Had an 8 tonne shovel in the backyard last week. Started digging and messing around.

Have a big Amish shed coming 10'x26'

So I had to make a grave pad for it

Made a gravel pad for the trampoline and dug out and need to fill in the new fire pit area. Also dug a pond for fun.

House is just 2 yrs old now. And still needs lots of fill to complete the yard to fill in and have beautiful lawn everywhere. So that'll be a process just based on budget really.

I just bought 110lbs of fiesta 4 prg seed form dlf pickseed.

I was thinking about a short term plan of nuking the backyard, Harley raking it all and planting the seed, so that I could have something nice, the current yard is horrible and full of weeds and dead spots.

It's going to be a mission and exspensive so won't all be done at once.

I'm currently wondering if I should just hold my horses as it's an ongoing process and maybe I shouldn't jump the gun. But take my time and make a sustainable plan.

As I want to keep filling in the back I kind of need to have an access road for trucks to bring in the fill. I might be too eager to get going on the nice lawn as I was contemplating trying to pull it all off this upcoming week.

I'm not a huge fan of spring renos and I'm not sure it's not pointless atm as I need to do more work and bring in fill.

So I'm currently just trying to figure out my plan for this year and the next 5 haha.

I was thinking of just making a quick prg lawn so we have something nice for kid and dogs and ourselves and I could start real mowing.

I did buy a garden tractor as well.

So all in good time, I hope to be back to reel mowing some nice grass.







It's fun to have some land tho and get out and do wtvr you feel like, dig holes make a mess and whatever! It's also cool to see the deer in the backyard.

I'll be here working away.


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## SodFace

Looks like a lot of work but would be nice to have a nice big lot like that. Can't wait to see how you tend to it.


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## Nismo

Very cool. Subscribed.


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## Chuuurles

awesome stuff. Excited to see what you can do with the new property.


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## BBLOCK

Haven't started working on the lawn yet but have been keeping very busy. Working on getting the other things done first.

Property did not have any garden beds yet, got a truck load of soil and started going to town building some beds. Got river wash stone and cloth in under the front deck.

Just got some more stone (gravel) delivered to work with this weekend.

Going to be working on the fire pit area this weekend, also have an 8 tonne shovel comings back to dig the pond deeper and start leveling out the rest of that area of the yard.

Planning to widen the driveway a little up around the house and the front walkway.

My 10'x26' Amish shed finally just got to town will see it likely delivered on Tues.
Can't wait to get all my lawn tools and tractors etc. out of my garage and into the shed. Will allow me to get a lot more organized with eveything.



















Getting my starlink dish mounted on my roof is also on my Hit list just waiting on the Pipe adapter.

Still need to edge the new beds, and get some mulch and spread it.


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## Nismo

Lots of work getting done. Good lookin' Kubota as well. You still interested in that 46-0-0?


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## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Lots of work getting done. Good lookin' Kubota as well. You still interested in that 46-0-0?


Yeah I kind of forgot all about it, Haven't really been in that area. I can def take it off your hands tho.


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## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> Nismo said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of work getting done. Good lookin' Kubota as well. You still interested in that 46-0-0?
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I kind of forgot all about it, Haven't really been in that area. I can def take it off your hands tho.
Click to expand...

I figured... this is why I reminded.


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## BBLOCK

Did a lot of work this week.

Shed got delivered, built a road around the house to it, which was also a tri axle access road to the backyard.

Mulched the garden beds

Finished the fire pit area

Brought in a couple hundred tonnes of fill and dozed it.


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## BBLOCK

The front yard, out along the ditch, there was like an old wooden buried farmers fence and kind of a mound all the way along the ditch line and plenty of shrubs and small saplings etc.

Well I decided this week to start clearing it all out, so dug out the mounds and fence w the backhoe attachment and then started moving it all to the back of the property,

The wood and roots I'll let dry and then burn this fall/winter and the other crud I just spread out in the unfinished part of back corner.

Even got the wife on the Husky pulling the gorilla cart to help me move material faster.

Also started getting irrigation quotes so I can begin to finish the portion of the back I've been working on.

Haven't taken too many days or evenings off but you wouldn't know it 😂

Kind of a before pic of the front.

Its going to be a major project as well... 











And the current state of affairs out front



Still more to clean up...

Didn't help I blew a mower belt mowing the front last Sunday when I snagged a stump, which in turn led to all of this as I started ripping out any stump I can find.

Also had a visitor in the backyard


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## BBLOCK

First quote I've gotten for irrigation

Canadian dollars

Includes: the back yard which measures over 11k of lawn I hope to have seeded for this fall season, and would have one row of sprinklers that wrap around the side yard and front which is about 3k of "established lawn" if you can call it that. Those sprinklers would be in front of the garden beds shooting out so that if I decide to go ahead and seed those areas I can keep them damp, I won't have heads throwing back at them until I figure out what I'm doing w the front, it needs fill and regrading etc...

-This guy uses vibratory plow.

-No formal design drawing

-Been installing for 20 yrs

-He just paced everything out for the quote which I wasn't huge on but if you do a lot of measuring your pace can be pretty accurate.

Says he'll flag where the heads go and then measure to make everything right.

Thoughts?


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## Nismo

The Hunter PGP heads are good, I have 8 heads installed in my front yard and have had zero issues with them... but they are going on 40 years old now as far as technology is concerned. The Hunter MP's are much better at not wasting water (may not be an issue if you're on a well and don't pay for usage like I do in the city).

My quote for the back yard came in at $2600 plus tax for 7500 sq ft. Differences are 22 Hunter MP heads, 7 Hunter PGV valve manifold. Vibratory plow install as well. That said, I have free zones on my existing controller, so no need to upgrade my Hunter Pro-C. I also have everything for the front yard already installed, so they can tap into the existing infrastructure without having core through the foundation wall to bring out water and controller lines.

Wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion.


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## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> The Hunter PGP heads are good, I have 8 heads installed in my front yard and have had zero issues with them... but they are going on 40 years old now as far as technology is concerned. The Hunter MP's are much better at not wasting water (may not be an issue if you're on a well and don't pay for usage like I do in the city).
> 
> My quote for the back yard came in at $2600 plus tax for 7500 sq ft. Differences are 22 Hunter MP heads, 7 Hunter PGV valve manifold. Vibratory plow install as well. That said, I have free zones on my existing controller, so no need to upgrade my Hunter Pro-C. I also have everything for the front yard already installed, so they can tap into the existing infrastructure without having core through the foundation wall to bring out water and controller lines.
> 
> Wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion.


Yeah thanks Nismo,

Hard to find companies that can even do it this year, this first guy said August, have a guy coming for a quote not till next Tues, thinks Sept, and the third co thought Sept but hasn't gotten back to me about a quote yet.

And time is ticking will be getting late in the year for a kbg lawn.... Put seed down on Aug 15 last year and that seemed late by the time it got established, it was winter... 😂

Your backyard price seems very reasonable which company is that?

Ps. Sorry about not picking that up yet.


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## Harts

I think most members will recommend having a drawing done instead of them determining on install day where things are going to go. I get the sense that given the circumstance these days - pool and irrigation companies are booked solid - a lot of irrigation companies just want to "get in and get out" with every job and bang out as many as they can in a week.

It might be difficult to get someone to take the time to do an actual drawing.


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## BBLOCK

Harts said:


> I think most members will recommend having a drawing done instead of them determining on install day where things are going to go. I get the sense that given the circumstance these days - pool and irrigation companies are booked solid - a lot of irrigation companies just want to "get in and get out" with every job and bang out as many as they can in a week.
> 
> It might be difficult to get someone to take the time to do an actual drawing.


Yeah can't say I disagree I would like to have a plan to paper but like this guy is already working sun up to sun down just to try and keep up, 7 days a week, I'm pretty sure he doesn't have time to do the design.

I think i would almost need to hire a landscape architect for a drawing and then give the installer the plan and say here do this.

Or make my own design which I'm not yet comfortable with lol

But I was going to try and make a mock up sketch


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## BBLOCK

@Nismo

I would also think that maybe because I have a wide open larger property that wind would also be factored into deciding PGP over MP rotator no?


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## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> Your backyard price seems very reasonable which company is that?
> 
> Ps. Sorry about not picking that up yet.


I went with Sprinkler Solutions from Nurtalawn. They did my buddy's place just down the road and from what I saw they did a very nice job without disturbing the landscape too much.

No worries about the UREA... its there whenever.


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## Nismo

Harts said:


> I think most members will recommend having a drawing done instead of them determining on install day where things are going to go. I get the sense that given the circumstance these days - pool and irrigation companies are booked solid - a lot of irrigation companies just want to "get in and get out" with every job and bang out as many as they can in a week.
> 
> It might be difficult to get someone to take the time to do an actual drawing.


I did the scale drawing myself - which helped speed up the process for the estimator. Graph paper, measuring tape and the old one cube = 1sq ft. The estimator was super happy (which I'd like to think helped with the overall price) but ya never know.


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## SodFace

Rainbird extends their free design services to Canadians. https://www.rainbird.com/homeowners/free-sprinkler-design-services

Orbit maybe has something too? https://design.orbitonline.com/

Even if you go with Hunter looks like rainbird has very similar products. I haven't used these yet as I think it'll be a couple years (if ever) until I get a system.


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## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> @Nismo
> 
> I would also think that maybe because I have a wide open larger property that wind would also be factored into deciding PGP over MP rotator no?


Possibly? It may be worth the ask... the MP3000's can shoot 30-35ft. But there may be a reason he's choosing to go PGP over MP.


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## BBLOCK

SodFace said:


> Rainbird extends their free design services to Canadians. https://www.rainbird.com/homeowners/free-sprinkler-design-services
> 
> Orbit maybe has something too? https://design.orbitonline.com/
> 
> Even if you go with Hunter looks like rainbird has very similar products. I haven't used these yet as I think it'll be a couple years (if ever) until I get a system.


OK sweet I didn't realise it was free. Ty sod


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## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Harts said:
> 
> 
> 
> I think most members will recommend having a drawing done instead of them determining on install day where things are going to go. I get the sense that given the circumstance these days - pool and irrigation companies are booked solid - a lot of irrigation companies just want to "get in and get out" with every job and bang out as many as they can in a week.
> 
> It might be difficult to get someone to take the time to do an actual drawing.
> 
> 
> 
> I did the scale drawing myself - which helped speed up the process for the estimator. Graph paper, measuring tape and the old one cube = 1sq ft. The estimator was super happy (which I'd like to think helped with the overall price) but ya never know.
Click to expand...

Good idea, I do have a rough sketch of the backyard on graph paper with the measurements for my Square footage but I have not put to scale yet, seems tedious lo. l I'd rather ride a tractor around and destroy my yard lol


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## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> Good idea, I do have a rough sketch of the backyard on graph paper with the measurements for my Square footage but I have not put to scale yet, seems tedious lo. l I'd rather ride a tractor around and destroy my yard lol


Google maps and GeoOttawa maps are your friend. Not only can you get your rough square footage and other measurements, but you can also use the map itself and print it out... its not cutting corners, its being resourceful.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Good idea, I do have a rough sketch of the backyard on graph paper with the measurements for my Square footage but I have not put to scale yet, seems tedious lo. l I'd rather ride a tractor around and destroy my yard lol
> 
> 
> 
> Google maps and GeoOttawa maps are your friend. Not only can you get your rough square footage and other measurements, but you can also use the map itself and print it out... its not cutting corners, its being resourceful.
Click to expand...

Very true.

For some reason my area on google maps is winter maps when everything else is not and most maps aren't new enough to even show my yard, so been tough finding a good resource for those reasons.


----------



## BBLOCK

My buddy dropped off his harrows and his Kubota at my house so I have quite the fleet going lol.

We got like 1.5" of rain on Friday so Saturday morning I thought it would be fun to drag the wet soft dirt. Good idea, bad in a couple spots where I started to rut.

When I got the fill, it had enough freaking rocks in it, I ran around throwing them in the front end loader while the bulldozer did its thing, grabbed all I could.

There is still lots of rocks. Well after harrowing and pulling up rocks, I hand raked the whole yard and dug up every rock and stick/root I could find. I'd rather work at the rocks now then plant my grass and have to dig up the bare spots later.

Lots of work but I want to do the best job I can and have no regrets bc of lazyness.

Have decided to go with a full irrigation system hopefully to be installed in August closely followed with seed, think im going full kbg monostand. Probably ordering tomorrow, waiting on a callback w availability and pricing. Also bringing in somewhere between 10-15 loads of topsoil (220-330 yards).

Should have a nice lawn by the time I'm done. This is exactly why I practiced this all last year on the smaller yard, I would be overwhelmed otherwise, but I know the drill so I'm feeling confident this time around even on a much larger scale.


----------



## Nismo

Nice work!


----------



## BBLOCK

So I've had 3 quotes done now for irrigation

Roughly 14k sq' coverage for now.

Working on just getting a good portion of the back done for this year, irrigating the front and side lawn of what I currently have close to the house. (will reno)

First quote $5400 +tax. 42 sprinklers
+$100 parts/labour to run a line to my pond w a tap
+$100 parts/labour to run a line and tap to vegetable garden
- rachio controller
-mp rotators/ultra wtvr is needed
7 zones



Second quote

$4800+tax



Third quote

$5999+tax

This one included a sketch





Im leaning towards the first quote, he says more sprinklers so not sure but better coverage I'm ok w and I think he can do it in August. The other two not so sure 3rd one likely not till next year.

Thoughts?


----------



## Nismo

By the sounds of things getting it done this year is a very high priority. So I think you're only choice to guarantee getting it done in 2021 is to go with quote number 1.

That said, you can't ignore the 600 dollar savings in quote number two and the fact that it includes a hunter controller vs. the rachio. The other question I'd be asking myself is why does quote 1 require 33 heads, quote 2 is going with 24 heads and quote 3 is going with 27 heads... that's a spread of +/- 9 heads.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> By the sounds of things getting it done this year is a very high priority. So I think you're only choice to guarantee getting it done in 2021 is to go with quote number 1.
> 
> That said, you can't ignore the 600 dollar savings in quote number two and the fact that it includes a hunter controller vs. the rachio. The other question I'd be asking myself is why does quote 1 require 33 heads, quote 2 is going with 24 heads and quote 3 is going with 27 heads... that's a spread of +/- 9 heads.


Yeah for sure, the first guy spent the most time walking the property and listening to what I wanted...

2nd guy showed up late and I had to leave. So I left him a note w all the keys points, my wife gave it to him and she said he glanced at it and didn't even read it, she said I wouldn't of liked him.

3rd guy I think is legit too but ya I need to get this done and I think first guy will do August fingers crossed 🤞.


----------



## BBLOCK

Busy weekend here. Worked hard in the yard.

Buried my remaining downspouts, they were buried w a corrigated pipe and I didn't like the locations for my future plans. I used 3" rigid pipe I think it's just better.

I tied them in together in the down slope w a Y connector and brought the pipe out in between a couple trees, going to fill the area with rocks

Also ripped a trench from the house to the pond and also to the shed, piped and roped for future electrical use.

Had to get that done before irrigation and the lawn.

Had a 3.5 tonne mini x here
So I was also busy ripping out stumps, grading different areas, building my access road down the west property line. Cleared a large area In front of where we started the vegetable garden this year so that I can expand it a lot next year. Will be nice when I have the water line out there.

Busy couple days but lots done that needed to happen before irrigation and top soil








[/url]


----------



## BBLOCK

My wife thinks I just ride around on tractors all the time and dig holes... &#128514;


----------



## Chuuurles

Very impressive, this sort of big project is my dream. Also you have made me feel a lot better about getting some quotes for irrigation instead of trying to redo my system myself.

Excited for you!


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Very impressive, this sort of big project is my dream. Also you have made me feel a lot better about getting some quotes for irrigation instead of trying to redo my system myself.
> 
> Excited for you!


Thanks Chuuurles!

It's a lot of work, it doesn't all need to be done our first year on the property however I seem to have a hard time processing that lol.

I have fun playing and using the different equipment and basically just mucking about, stuff should start to get serious here soon, looking at getting a harley rake here next, then top soil, dozer, irrigation, then seed drill this thing!

yeah i'm all for trying my best to be self sufficient but every now and then you just got to hire someone to help you out. my plan was to read up all winter on irrigation tuturials and build my own system, do all the work and get my system done myself.

then i spent 300 man hours in my basement getting that finished off and didn't have the time i was hoping to plan everything out.

i have read a lot about irrigation, but still don't feel 100% confident in a system this large, if it was for a smaller city lot on city water I think i'd go for it.

sometimes you just have to get the experts and make sure it's done right, and with summer flying by i think it's one job i could use some help with to make sure i get it done and done right with out mistakes or errors that could potentially cost me precious seeding time.


----------



## Deke

BBLOCK said:


> Chuuurles said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very impressive, this sort of big project is my dream. Also you have made me feel a lot better about getting some quotes for irrigation instead of trying to redo my system myself.
> 
> Excited for you!
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Chuuurles!
> 
> It's a lot of work, it doesn't all need to be done our first year on the property however I seem to have a hard time processing that lol.
> 
> I have fun playing and using the different equipment and basically just mucking about, stuff should start to get serious here soon, looking at getting a harley rake here next, then top soil, dozer, irrigation, then seed drill this thing!
> 
> yeah i'm all for trying my best to be self sufficient but every now and then you just got to hire someone to help you out. my plan was to read up all winter on irrigation tuturials and build my own system, do all the work and get my system done myself.
> 
> then i spent 300 man hours in my basement getting that finished off and didn't have the time i was hoping to plan everything out.
> 
> i have read a lot about irrigation, but still don't feel 100% confident in a system this large, if it was for a smaller city lot on city water I think i'd go for it.
> 
> sometimes you just have to get the experts and make sure it's done right, and with summer flying by i think it's one job i could use some help with to make sure i get it done and done right with out mistakes or errors that could potentially cost me precious seeding time.
Click to expand...

Property is coming along. Looks like you are on almost the same path as me right now. Keep chugging away at it. Can't wait to see how the kbg mono comes out


----------



## BBLOCK

Deke said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Chuuurles said:
> 
> 
> 
> Very impressive, this sort of big project is my dream. Also you have made me feel a lot better about getting some quotes for irrigation instead of trying to redo my system myself.
> 
> Excited for you!
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Chuuurles!
> 
> It's a lot of work, it doesn't all need to be done our first year on the property however I seem to have a hard time processing that lol.
> 
> I have fun playing and using the different equipment and basically just mucking about, stuff should start to get serious here soon, looking at getting a harley rake here next, then top soil, dozer, irrigation, then seed drill this thing!
> 
> yeah i'm all for trying my best to be self sufficient but every now and then you just got to hire someone to help you out. my plan was to read up all winter on irrigation tuturials and build my own system, do all the work and get my system done myself.
> 
> then i spent 300 man hours in my basement getting that finished off and didn't have the time i was hoping to plan everything out.
> 
> i have read a lot about irrigation, but still don't feel 100% confident in a system this large, if it was for a smaller city lot on city water I think i'd go for it.
> 
> sometimes you just have to get the experts and make sure it's done right, and with summer flying by i think it's one job i could use some help with to make sure i get it done and done right with out mistakes or errors that could potentially cost me precious seeding time.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Property is coming along. Looks like you are on almost the same path as me right now. Keep chugging away at it. Can't wait to see how the kbg mono comes out
Click to expand...

i haven't found any cars yet tho! lol


----------



## Deke

BBLOCK said:


> Deke said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Chuuurles!
> 
> It's a lot of work, it doesn't all need to be done our first year on the property however I seem to have a hard time processing that lol.
> 
> I have fun playing and using the different equipment and basically just mucking about, stuff should start to get serious here soon, looking at getting a harley rake here next, then top soil, dozer, irrigation, then seed drill this thing!
> 
> yeah i'm all for trying my best to be self sufficient but every now and then you just got to hire someone to help you out. my plan was to read up all winter on irrigation tuturials and build my own system, do all the work and get my system done myself.
> 
> then i spent 300 man hours in my basement getting that finished off and didn't have the time i was hoping to plan everything out.
> 
> i have read a lot about irrigation, but still don't feel 100% confident in a system this large, if it was for a smaller city lot on city water I think i'd go for it.
> 
> sometimes you just have to get the experts and make sure it's done right, and with summer flying by i think it's one job i could use some help with to make sure i get it done and done right with out mistakes or errors that could potentially cost me precious seeding time.
> 
> 
> 
> Property is coming along. Looks like you are on almost the same path as me right now. Keep chugging away at it. Can't wait to see how the kbg mono comes out
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> i haven't found any cars yet tho! lol
Click to expand...

Just got rid of the old blue van on Thursday last week. Kinda sad to see them all gone actually


----------



## BBLOCK

Seed is here


----------



## Stuofsci02

Very cool! Interesting choice to go with such a wide blade KBG. I am sure it will still look good as a mono stand.

This is blue velvet from DLF correct?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Very cool! Interesting choice to go with such a wide blade KBG. I am sure it will still look good as a mono stand.
> 
> This is blue velvet from DLF correct?


Lol I hope it's not that man lol!

That looks like a fescue blade





Hoping it's not that picture lol. I was going to get jack rabbit but its more than $100 more a bag


----------



## BBLOCK

Got to play with a Harley rake today on a skidsteer

Before










During










After


----------



## g-man

No gly prior to the Harley?


----------



## BBLOCK

g-man said:


> No gly prior to the Harley?


Nah I was planning on it but then the Harley rake rental came up too quick didn't have time, had to work some overnights on the wknd.

I did gly the perimeter of the garden beds and driveway last week.

I'm bringing in soil anyways so I will be hitting anything Harley rake either didn't rake up well but also anything that pops back up and pops up in the new soil that will be coming in. Not sure how long I'll be waiting for irrigation install so I'll be fallowing best I can until then.

Was just told August for irrigation have a feeling it will be later in the month... Seed will go down as fast as possible after install.


----------



## Stuofsci02

@BBLOCK …just some Reno humour…


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> @BBLOCK …just some Reno humour…


Just trolling eh Stu lol

I'm like he's messing w me or he's down a bottle of scotch 😁


----------



## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> @BBLOCK …just some Reno humour…
> 
> 
> 
> Just trolling eh Stu lol
> 
> I'm like he's messing w me or he's down a bottle of scotch 😁
Click to expand...

Gotta have a little fun everyone now and again...


----------



## BBLOCK

Ran around w the backhoe pulling out lots of little stumps out in the front part of the front yard. I've prob pulled out 50 now.

Gly down, to get everything and anything the Harley raking didn't kill, finally had some time to get that done.

Gly to the front section as well to try and take out everything I can. I picked up (borrowed) a single, 3 point plow I'm going to be playing with sometime this week and try to plow everything under on the front yard and then I'll try to level it all w the dozer.

Thinking of doing a tttf w either a kbg or a spreading prg blend for about 20k this year.


----------



## Babameca

Here comes the fun part. Don't count on PRG to spread...that's still and forever a fairy tale. KBG and TTTF for non irrigated will be awesome..


----------



## BBLOCK

Babameca said:


> Here comes the fun part. Don't count on PRG to spread...that's still and forever a fairy tale. KBG and TTTF for non irrigated will be awesome..


Haha yeah i think you're right! That's why I wanted to try the prg to see what would happen. Prob a better idea for a small test plot





@Stuofsci02 ppl are looking weird at my yard too


----------



## Stuofsci02

Because the grass is all turned over or because of gly?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Because the grass is all turned over or because of gly?


Yeah because it's plowed, lots of rubber necking lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Top soil is here. Well mostly, 12 loads of the 15 I ordered. Loader at the screening plant got a flat tire so bringing my last 3 loads Monday.





Wife has been bugging me for a dog kennel at home, a place to put the dogs when we need to lock them up. Big dog just opens doors and locks, hard to keep him locked in any room or even the garage, he opened the deadbolt and the knob on the man door. He opens the patio door even when its locked.

I had one at my work yard I haven't been using too often so I moved it all home. Was a lot of work because I have 25 patio stones for the floor so they can't dig out. Also I had built a roof for half of it and didn't want to have to disassemble it and rebuild it, not having a forklift at home I brought home my big truck.

All needs to be done before grading the soil and planting grass.


----------



## BBLOCK

Well this is easily the biggest mess I've ever made.... 😂

Let's hope I have the skill set to pull this off lol


----------



## Nismo

Progress is looking great... things are moving along nicely. Hopefully that earth in the front yard is drying out. It looks super wet.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Progress is looking great... things are moving along nicely. Hopefully that earth in the front yard is drying out. It looks super wet.


Yeah it was getting nice and dry and then we got like 2" of rain. And the front isn't draining properly. My Culvert is 8" too high, the ditch needs to be cleaned and the ditch of the forested lot next door, and the cross culvert under the road just a little ways up is collapsing. Apparently the city is coming mid August to ditch and fix my culvert which will be good and I think they're replacing the cross culvert. But the land is low I'd like to put 100 loads of fill in it. Trying this for now to. Tide me over.

Neighbour up the road is suppose to come hit the front yard w his disk cultivator and his tractor which will be good to chew it all up. And then it rained again today...


----------



## Nismo

More rain scheduled for tomorrow... but things look like they are drying up for next week. Good to have friends / neighbors with disk cultivators and tractors!


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> More rain scheduled for tomorrow... but things look like they are drying up for next week. Good to have friends / neighbors with disk cultivators and tractors!


It sure is, I'm lucky to have buddies w almost every piece of equipment I could want for this project.

Neighbour came by today w his disk cultivator he didn't have a lot of time so didn't get many passes out of him but then he did bring over his I guess you would maybe call them Tine drag harrows and I spent about 4 hours dragging them around and breaking all the clumps up they were really good for dragging all the roots and stumps and separating the dirt off of them and makes it easy to pick them out.

@davegravy

Here's what these are good for












I'm thinking I might see if I can get a Harley rake again hit the whole front w it, clean it up, fluff it up and then the bulldozer will be able to grade it nice.

Looking like it could be a sweet 🏈 field out there now

7 million hours down, only 7 million to go! Woot! :thumbup:


----------



## Liquidstone

7 million, your lucky number!

This is a huge project, has been fun to follow along. You gotta feel like you are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck, things are looking stellar.


----------



## BBLOCK

Liquidstone said:


> 7 million, your lucky number!
> 
> This is a huge project, has been fun to follow along. You gotta feel like you are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck, things are looking stellar.


Thanks for the encouraging words. It is a lot of work but I do have fun doing it. I wanted a bigger property now I have it and now I get to see how much fun it is 😁

I was happy with the progress when I looked at it this morning


----------



## BBLOCK

Got a couple hours of work in last night

Threw the backhoe back on, there was 4 or 5 stumps I found that the plow wasn't able to lift out so I pulled them with the backhoe.

Then I threw on the landscaper attachment and got a pass done on the whole area, really helped clean it up and helped me pull the debris to the ends.











Was going to rent a Harley rake for today from the local place and it goes on their small skid loader, but the loader is broken. Hoping when my neighbour comes back this week maybe we can hit it w the disk cultivator again and fluff it up.

Going to hit it w the harrows and then the landscaper again and see what happens.

Dozer should be arriving today to spread the topsoil tomorrow


----------



## BBLOCK

Here's a bit better pic of the landscaper attachment


----------



## BBLOCK

Some more progress today, worked all day.

Started spreading some top soil around the areas it's going to be hard for the dozer.

Plan was to doze tomorrow but now 90% 10mm of rain might have to hold off

Worked on the front alot, ran harrows for a while then the landscaper attachment then back bladed w the dozer and then the landscaper again in multiple directions

The 2nd battalion showed up for reinforcements 










@ItsCalledTurf stopped by for a visit to see if I have what it takes to reel mow w a triplex like himself


----------



## Stuofsci02

Holy crap…. That looks like a lot of work. Good thing you have a fleet of equipment


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Holy crap…. That looks like a lot of work. Good thing you have a fleet of equipment


Just a little, not staying too busy, might renovate another acre, one isn't enough... 😂

Too much for my Gorilla cart, shovel and rake, let me tell ya... Probably won't be using my level lawn lol 😂


----------



## BBLOCK

Holiday means another work day on the old dirt farm.

Top soil is all spread. Still need to do all the fine tuning.

Irrigation install should happen in a week or two and I'll be dropping the *** asap once it's in.











Had my buddy do all the dozing he's really good at it. Did a nice job, will be easy to whip it into shape w the landscaper, leveling tray and harrows

Heavy rain yesterday so I got to see where the water is still pooling out front, where the low spots are.

Same buddy is pretty confident he can grade that all almost perfectly for me with just the material that's there.

So hopefully he's back next wknd and we'll get that all cleaned up and ready for seed wo needing more topsoil but we'll see, very dark likely nutrient rich dirt I plowed up.

Starting to see a finish line off in the distance, been a long race so far. Snack and Gatorade and back at er.


----------



## BBLOCK

Last night got a late start but was able to hit all the top soil that was dozed with the landscaper attachment to start raking it out and smoothing and leveling.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Wow… it is really looking good. Are you only irrigating the KBG section?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Wow… it is really looking good. Are you only irrigating the KBG section?


Yeah. That's why I'm going tttf on the non irrigated

Going to need a good week of rain or two for some good germination


----------



## BBLOCK

Hit the yard w the landscaper again,

Cut a little deeper this time, wanted to make sure I'm leveling nice and cutting any highs off and pulling a nice grade

This followed up with the harrows and a leveling tray and then roller should leave me with a nice surface. I'm hoping anyways...


----------



## Ngilbe36

It looks amazing compared to before even without grass. Nice work!


----------



## BBLOCK

Ngilbe36 said:


> It looks amazing compared to before even without grass. Nice work!


Thank you.

Lets hope it looks better w grass and not worse lol


----------



## Chuuurles

Unreal man ! When's the irrigation going in ?


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Unreal man ! When's the irrigation going in ?


Hoping next week, he told me that was the plan but has a lot of jobs on the go, the locates are done! So that's good, he said worse case week after, so very promising, should have a good seed down date yet.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Looking great... That is a huge area lol..


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Looking great... That is a huge area lol..


Tis why I'm saving the hand raking for a well practiced man such as yourself lol


----------



## BBLOCK

@ 15 truck loads I couldn't afford golf course quality 2mm screening like some ppl, cough cough lol

But after harrowing it, I'm pretty happy with it and rolling it should press the pebbles down.


----------



## Chuuurles

BBLOCK said:


> @ 15 truck loads I couldn't afford golf course quality 2mm screening like some ppl, cough cough lol
> 
> But after harrowing it, I'm pretty happy with it and rolling it should press the pebbles down.


Lol mate this is on a whole other level ! Only reason I went with that sand was b/c it was only 1 truck load and a tiny area.


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> @ 15 truck loads I couldn't afford golf course quality 2mm screening like some ppl, cough cough lol
> 
> But after harrowing it, I'm pretty happy with it and rolling it should press the pebbles down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lol mate this is on a whole other level ! Only reason I went with that sand was b/c it was only 1 truck load and a tiny area.
Click to expand...

Haha yeah that stuff is amazing no wonder you got it. if I had the budget of a city building a park I would!



I'm having no problem drinking beer to my dirt tho... 😂


----------



## Stuofsci02

So are you onto fallowing now?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> So are you onto fallowing now?


Hoping to hit it w level drag and roll it... Hopefully tomorrow morning just need to borrow those two from neighbor up the road. Then rain inbound tomorrow later and Sunday and few days this week. So should help w the germination....

Once irrigation is installed might water it for a week before I drop. Get everything out of it that I can. What's more important extra week of fallowing or a week earlier for seed? Prob the fallowing


----------



## Nismo

Don't spend too much time making it perfect, it's gonna need love and attention after the sprinkler install.

Even with the vibratory plow, my yard took a beating. I'll probably have to order some top soil after the winter to regrade.


----------



## Babameca

This is simply amazing. I still believe LOTM should be divided in categories as per the SQF. I don't think anyone realizes the challenges of a large sized lawn with trees, bushes etc...
Looks great! Félicitations!


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Don't spend too much time making it perfect, it's gonna need love and attention after the sprinkler install.
> 
> Even with the vibratory plow, my yard took a beating. I'll probably have to order some top soil after the winter to regrade.


Haha I know it'll be a pisser I'm sure but what ya gonna do. Still like my dirt to look good lol

Even took the level lawn to the garden bed edges and the front yard


----------



## BBLOCK

Babameca said:


> This is simply amazing. I still believe LOTM should be divided in categories as per the SQF. I don't think anyone realizes the challenges of a large sized lawn with trees, bushes etc...
> Looks great! Félicitations!


Thanks brother.

It's not a pull it off in a weekend job like a lot of lots. It's a work on it every weekend and as many weeknights as possible from spring till fall kind of job lol


----------



## BBLOCK

The dozing work for the rest of the front yard started today as well, only got 4 hours out of my buddy before he had to go but better than nothing!

We're fixing the grade so it drains to the ditch properly and all the low spots won't be big puddles. Also should be a lot smoother and make mowing enjoyable. Also I think we have all 45000 stumps out of it now so that's good lol. 






I do wish I had this done ahead of the top soil but chose to get the top soil done only so it wouldn't slow my irrigation down if he's ready to come.

Be a bit of an overlap where they meet, but for the most part it's pretty nice black dirt so think I'll be fine. We wind rowed a bit of the new top soil and will use it to blend back in.


----------



## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> Haha I know it'll be a pisser I'm sure but what ya gonna do. Still like my dirt to look good lol
> 
> Even took the level lawn to the garden bed edges and the front yard


Yeeaaaahhhh.... I'd probably do the same thing if I had access to all those toys.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Haha I know it'll be a pisser I'm sure but what ya gonna do. Still like my dirt to look good lol
> 
> Even took the level lawn to the garden bed edges and the front yard
> 
> 
> 
> Yeeaaaahhhh.... I'd probably do the same thing if I had access to all those toys.
Click to expand...

Yep pretty fortunate to have access to what I do. You gotta snowmobile! All the business owners sled, I ride w 4 or 5 guys that own landscape companies but also helps that my best bud owns a landscape company. And also helps that I'm good on equipment and know how to run it all lol.

If I had to hire out all the work I've done this year in the yard it would be scary.


----------



## BBLOCK

Well another day in the dirt and we're definitely getting somewhere now.

Dozed, landscaper and rough side of the harrows.

Let it dry in the sun a couple days and then I'll try a final grade w the landscaper and harrows again. Trying to get it as smooth as possible, would be easier with fresh top soil on top but my goal was to treat this area as is and use the material that was there more of a farmer approach. It's working out pretty well.

Here's some updated shots.


----------



## BBLOCK

So I remeasured last night after the dozing this wknd and I gained more seed able area then previously planned. I've gone up another 5k now.

So the tttf area is now 30k

So I guess the good news is I'll be 44k total lawn and I can easily calculate things @ the acre rate lol &#128514;

The bad news is I have 300lbs of seed on hand and I need another 50lbs of tttf

I'm also already worried about germination on such a large area wo irrigation. Fire bomber? I'm trying to come up w some kind of plan that I could maybe at least wet it once a day. Really praying we get a wet forecast for two weeks and I get lucky &#129310;

-regraded again last night with the landscaper and its starting to really look good and almost up to my standards. Esp on such a large area w no top soil added.


----------



## SNOWBOB11

It's looking much better. Very level from what it was. It's going to be difficult without a way of watering. I might try getting someone to hydro seeding your fescue seed if it was me.


----------



## BBLOCK

SNOWBOB11 said:


> It's looking much better. Very level from what it was. It's going to be difficult without a way of watering. I might try getting someone to hydro seeding your fescue seed if it was me.


Yeah it's even more level now it was dark last night couldn't snap pics.

I thought about hydro seed.

I reached out to my buddy that owns a very large landscape company, he has a hydro seeder and he also terra seeds w a blower truck.

Terra seed 1" thick would be 5k, hydro seed would be like 3k and I could even do the hydro myself. Maybe slightly cheaper but it's spendy.

He also told me not to waste my time or money, he says hydro seeding is garbage. Just seed drill it like I plan to and let it rip. He owns a hydro seeder and always tells me it sucks.... So that's interesting to me that he doesn't consider it the holy grail

He said just drill it at the end of the month and let it go.

I guess worst case I over seed a month later.

I am putting 30lbs of blue velvet in with it so hopefully some of it takes too. I mean farmers around here grow all their crops wo irrigation so... Nature must do something


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> SNOWBOB11 said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's looking much better. Very level from what it was. It's going to be difficult without a way of watering. I might try getting someone to hydro seeding your fescue seed if it was me.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it's even more level now it was dark last night couldn't snap pics.
> 
> I thought about hydro seed.
> 
> I reached out to my buddy that owns a very large landscape company, he has a hydro seeder and he also terra seeds w a blower truck.
> 
> Terra seed 1" thick would be 5k, hydro seed would be like 3k and I could even do the hydro myself. Maybe slightly cheaper but it's spendy.
> 
> He also told me not to waste my time or money, he says hydro seeding is garbage. Just seed drill it like I plan to and let it rip. He owns a hydro seeder and always tells me it sucks.... So that's interesting to me that he doesn't consider it the holy grail
> 
> He said just drill it at the end of the month and let it go.
> 
> I guess worst case I over seed a month later.
> 
> I am putting 30lbs of blue velvet in with it so hopefully some of it takes too. I mean farmers around here grow all their crops wo irrigation so... Nature must do something
Click to expand...

Love watching the process/ progress.

My landscaper said the exact same thing…said maybe good for spots or smaller lawns, but he said they hadn't used it in over 2 years.

I bet the farmers would tell you that's true but Mother Nature is fickle, lol.

Good luck, keep posting.


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SNOWBOB11 said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's looking much better. Very level from what it was. It's going to be difficult without a way of watering. I might try getting someone to hydro seeding your fescue seed if it was me.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it's even more level now it was dark last night couldn't snap pics.
> 
> I thought about hydro seed.
> 
> I reached out to my buddy that owns a very large landscape company, he has a hydro seeder and he also terra seeds w a blower truck.
> 
> Terra seed 1" thick would be 5k, hydro seed would be like 3k and I could even do the hydro myself. Maybe slightly cheaper but it's spendy.
> 
> He also told me not to waste my time or money, he says hydro seeding is garbage. Just seed drill it like I plan to and let it rip. He owns a hydro seeder and always tells me it sucks.... So that's interesting to me that he doesn't consider it the holy grail
> 
> He said just drill it at the end of the month and let it go.
> 
> I guess worst case I over seed a month later.
> 
> I am putting 30lbs of blue velvet in with it so hopefully some of it takes too. I mean farmers around here grow all their crops wo irrigation so... Nature must do something
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Love watching the process/ progress.
> 
> My landscaper said the exact same thing…said maybe good for spots or smaller lawns, but he said they hadn't used it in over 2 years.
> 
> I bet the farmers would tell you that's true but Mother Nature is fickle, lol.
> 
> Good luck, keep posting.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob,

How did you ever get your 2acres prepped? Is it smooth?

I harrowed it again last night still a little bumpy when going at a quicker speed on a tractor. But it is what it is at this point, I think I'll just roll it and plant it very soon and next year if I'm not happy I figure I have two options, top dress it or aerate heavily drag the cores to help level and over seed. I'm kind of at the end of the financial and energy budget for this year lol.


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it's even more level now it was dark last night couldn't snap pics.
> 
> I thought about hydro seed.
> 
> I reached out to my buddy that owns a very large landscape company, he has a hydro seeder and he also terra seeds w a blower truck.
> 
> Terra seed 1" thick would be 5k, hydro seed would be like 3k and I could even do the hydro myself. Maybe slightly cheaper but it's spendy.
> 
> He also told me not to waste my time or money, he says hydro seeding is garbage. Just seed drill it like I plan to and let it rip. He owns a hydro seeder and always tells me it sucks.... So that's interesting to me that he doesn't consider it the holy grail
> 
> He said just drill it at the end of the month and let it go.
> 
> I guess worst case I over seed a month later.
> 
> I am putting 30lbs of blue velvet in with it so hopefully some of it takes too. I mean farmers around here grow all their crops wo irrigation so... Nature must do something
> 
> 
> 
> Love watching the process/ progress.
> 
> My landscaper said the exact same thing…said maybe good for spots or smaller lawns, but he said they hadn't used it in over 2 years.
> 
> I bet the farmers would tell you that's true but Mother Nature is fickle, lol.
> 
> Good luck, keep posting.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks Rob,
> 
> How did you ever get your 2acres prepped? Is it smooth?
> 
> I harrowed it again last night still a little bumpy when going at a quicker speed on a tractor. But it is what it is at this point, I think I'll just roll it and plant it very soon and next year if I'm not happy I figure I have two options, top dress it or aerate heavily drag the cores to help level and over seed. I'm kind of at the end of the financial and energy budget for this year lol.
Click to expand...

I had to bring in 215 loads of fill. I did this over the course of a year and a half. We built new on a hill and wanted a profile.

That being said, when the small loads came in, I did roughly the same as you except used a 60" field rake. I would say I yanked a good 3 dump truck loads of stones/ rock. I also did this to work in some of the harder/ crappier fill.

When I got larger loads, I paid my local excavation co to do the moving/ rough grade…then I'd rake.

Final grade was part of the lawn install and my landscaper did that. 8" till, grade, roll…then my irrigation went in. Fill/ regrade. they added the black soil, tilled again, graded again, then slip seeded. The last step was a manual seed spread and hand rolling. They covered with the hay matting and staked.

I likely spent $1,500 over that time in round up too, lol.


----------



## Nismo

215 loads of fill in Canada would probably cost north of 30 grand. :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## BBLOCK

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it's even more level now it was dark last night couldn't snap pics.
> 
> I thought about hydro seed.
> 
> I reached out to my buddy that owns a very large landscape company, he has a hydro seeder and he also terra seeds w a blower truck.
> 
> Terra seed 1" thick would be 5k, hydro seed would be like 3k and I could even do the hydro myself. Maybe slightly cheaper but it's spendy.
> 
> He also told me not to waste my time or money, he says hydro seeding is garbage. Just seed drill it like I plan to and let it rip. He owns a hydro seeder and always tells me it sucks.... So that's interesting to me that he doesn't consider it the holy grail
> 
> He said just drill it at the end of the month and let it go.
> 
> I guess worst case I over seed a month later.
> 
> I am putting 30lbs of blue velvet in with it so hopefully some of it takes too. I mean farmers around here grow all their crops wo irrigation so... Nature must do something
> 
> 
> 
> Love watching the process/ progress.
> 
> My landscaper said the exact same thing…said maybe good for spots or smaller lawns, but he said they hadn't used it in over 2 years.
> 
> I bet the farmers would tell you that's true but Mother Nature is fickle, lol.
> 
> Good luck, keep posting.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks Rob,
> 
> How did you ever get your 2acres prepped? Is it smooth?
> 
> I harrowed it again last night still a little bumpy when going at a quicker speed on a tractor. But it is what it is at this point, I think I'll just roll it and plant it very soon and next year if I'm not happy I figure I have two options, top dress it or aerate heavily drag the cores to help level and over seed. I'm kind of at the end of the financial and energy budget for this year lol.
Click to expand...

yes i should of gotten a rake too, i know someone that has one i just never got it, the landscaper is like a landscape rake too tho it's helped me a lot! thought about buying one too.

that would of been a while to build your yard, what year was it all finished?


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> 215 loads of fill in Canada would probably cost north of 30 grand. :lol: :lol: :lol:


yeah, you can usually find guys willing to truck fill to you for $100/load

esp right now w the light rail you can get some even cheaper...

there's also free fill if you find the right place to get it from, i know a guy that just built a house for his son and they got 2k loads of free fill brought in. 150 loads a day for like almost 3 weeks


----------



## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> Nismo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 215 loads of fill in Canada would probably cost north of 30 grand. :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> yeah, you can usually find guys willing to truck fill to you for $100/load
> 
> esp right now w the light rail you can get some even cheaper...
> 
> there's also free fill if you find the right place to get it from, i know a guy that just built a house for his son and they got 2k loads of free fill brought in. 150 loads a day for like almost 3 weeks
Click to expand...

Oh there is always those situation where it works out for the hauling company to dump in your yard vs haul for x number of miles. But its hard to plan anything based on these special instances. Most would be paying anywhere from 7-9 dollars a cubic yard for fill.


----------



## Robs92k

Nismo said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nismo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 215 loads of fill in Canada would probably cost north of 30 grand. :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> yeah, you can usually find guys willing to truck fill to you for $100/load
> 
> esp right now w the light rail you can get some even cheaper...
> 
> there's also free fill if you find the right place to get it from, i know a guy that just built a house for his son and they got 2k loads of free fill brought in. 150 loads a day for like almost 3 weeks
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh there is always those situation where it works out for the hauling company to dump in your yard vs haul for x number of miles. But its hard to plan anything based on these special instances. Most would be paying anywhere from 7-9 dollars a cubic yard for fill.
Click to expand...

@BBLOCK

That's exactly why it took so long…right time/ right place. Half the loads we $25 delivered.

We moved in Feb of 2019…lawn was planted late last July.

I had ALL that time to get a soil test and find this site…smh. There is a LOT I would've different.

You're in a way better spot.


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Nismo said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> yeah, you can usually find guys willing to truck fill to you for $100/load
> 
> esp right now w the light rail you can get some even cheaper...
> 
> there's also free fill if you find the right place to get it from, i know a guy that just built a house for his son and they got 2k loads of free fill brought in. 150 loads a day for like almost 3 weeks
> 
> 
> 
> Oh there is always those situation where it works out for the hauling company to dump in your yard vs haul for x number of miles. But its hard to plan anything based on these special instances. Most would be paying anywhere from 7-9 dollars a cubic yard for fill.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> @BBLOCK
> 
> That's exactly why it took so long…right time/ right place. Half the loads we $25 delivered.
> 
> We moved in Feb of 2019…lawn was planted late last July.
> 
> I had ALL that time to get a soil test and find this site…smh. There is a LOT I would've different.
> 
> You're in a way better spot.
Click to expand...

Yeah not sure if you've seen the first page of this journal but I went thru this all last year at this time on a much smaller scale and did so knowing full well that we may be selling the place but you can't practice wo doing and so I worked on all these practices on a smaller scale knowing we were looking for a larger property and knowing I wanted to know what to do w a much larger lawn. Which is happening lol. And I'm pretty calm about it all bc I feel like I know what to do.

Your lawn has turned around massively in a month, so a year from now it'll be epic I'm sure.

Besides not too many turf stands on here fully irrigated at over 2 acres. So that's pretty freaking cool.


----------



## BBLOCK

When you don't feel like you have enough going on, order another load of granular a to play with 


Everything is ready to spread just need my irrigation guy 😭


----------



## Stuofsci02

Clocks ticking…


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Clocks ticking…


call my irrigation guy and tell him my job is the most important one to get done!!!

i'm trying not to get anxious thanks for helping with that :lol:


----------



## Nismo

Stuofsci02 said:


> Clocks ticking…


----------



## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Clocks ticking…
> 
> 
> 
> call my irrigation guy and tell him my job is the most important one to get done!!!
> 
> i'm trying not to get anxious thanks for helping with that :lol:
Click to expand...

Yeah... I am a jerk when it comes to things like this... :twisted:


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Clocks ticking…
> 
> 
> 
> call my irrigation guy and tell him my job is the most important one to get done!!!
> 
> i'm trying not to get anxious thanks for helping with that :lol:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah... I am a jerk when it comes to things like this... :twisted:
Click to expand...

haha i'll get my fat, wide, long, ugly kbg planted as soon as i can, and spoon feed it daily if i have to lol


----------



## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> call my irrigation guy and tell him my job is the most important one to get done!!!
> 
> i'm trying not to get anxious thanks for helping with that :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah... I am a jerk when it comes to things like this... :twisted:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> haha i'll get my fat, wide, long, ugly kbg planted as soon as i can, and spoon feed it daily if i have to lol
Click to expand...

Haha.. Oh yeah I forgot about that.. Lol


----------



## BBLOCK

It's hard to know when to plant the non irrigated tttf I swear yesterday there was no rain in the forecast and now there is

So I may be putting it in on Sunday now.

Wish my Kbg section was planted or knew when I was planting it. Maybe ill get lucky and he'll tell me today he's coming Monday


----------



## BBLOCK

Last night I hopped on the dozer I wanted to finish grading the far side as far as I can. So got that done. So tonight came home a bit early hopped on the kubota w the landscaper and wanted to level out that area and try and pull most of the junk out of it, rocks and debris.
Worked out decent. There's a couple stumps left that tomorrow I'll see if I can rip them out w the dozer or throw the backhoe back on and try and get them. I also need to move the pile of debris I left w the dozer back further on the property and I'll use it to level some low spots.

I will have a lot of burning to do this winter some big piles of stumps racking up.

While I was on the tractor I figured I should git the rest of the front and side with the landscaper one last time, it was hot and sunny all week so it dried out well, so I cut it all again with the landscaper, I think i successfully cut off more highs and filled more lows. I think im happy with it!

A buddy is going to bring a landscape rake over tomorrow and I'll pull it around help me weed out the stones and sticks! Less handwork is good on this size, let me tell ya lol. Hand work just doesn't make sense anymore.

This is turf manager simulator real life. Fun so far just playing w the dirt part of it lol. Always been jealous of the big awesome lawns, now I'm getting my taste of the work load...

Here's some updated pics of what I've just done for anyone interested.









Yes it's still dirt.... 😂

But seed going down soon

Another bag came today I should be good now.


----------



## Robs92k

That's what I thought…until I had to start mowing and treating…now I'm addicted, lol.

I'm also jealous…you have access to way more toys.

Only tip I can give you on the landscape rake for pulling debris…don't windrow until you have the sticks/ debris. Ok for rocks, but sticks, weeds, etc make it difficult. I'd run flat (perp to the tractor) for a few runs, then windrow after to smooth it out. Leveling is hard as you'll always pool material at the edges. *I have a feeling that you'll figure it out much quicker than I did.

Love the progress and can imagine how amped you are to get the seed down!


----------



## Nismo

Keep those pics coming.

Oh and you know Ottawa rain forecast is a crapshoot... they predicted rain all this week, we saw a couple of mm max. Go with the week where the temps are more in the mid to low 20's.... and you're golden.

I usually don't over seed before the last week of august or the first week of September.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Keep those pics coming.
> 
> Oh and you know Ottawa rain forecast is a crapshoot... they predicted rain all this week, we saw a couple of mm max. Go with the week where the temps are more in the mid to low 20's.... and you're golden.
> 
> I usually don't over seed before the last week of august or the first week of September.


I know man it's killing me, was really hoping for the rain today/night that was suppose to come to help germinate the weeds!

Also the front yard is starting to feel hard packed bc we haven't had any rain of late was hoping it would soften to drill my seed.

Can't win!

Kbg is so slow was really hoping to get it in soon. Still no word from Mr irrigation. Wish he'd just come already lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> That's what I thought…until I had to start mowing and treating…now I'm addicted, lol.
> 
> I'm also jealous…you have access to way more toys.
> 
> Only tip I can give you on the landscape rake for pulling debris…don't windrow until you have the sticks/ debris. Ok for rocks, but sticks, weeds, etc make it difficult. I'd run flat (perp to the tractor) for a few runs, then windrow after to smooth it out. Leveling is hard as you'll always pool material at the edges. *I have a feeling that you'll figure it out much quicker than I did.
> 
> Love the progress and can imagine how amped you are to get the seed down!


Thanks for the tips!

I haven't actually used a landscape rake yet but at least the landscaper pulled out most of the debris. I ran around one day this week w my reciprocating saw w a wood blade hacking tall roots. It's a lot of work using the the native soil and cleaning it out. Would of been easier to bury it w another 15 loads of top soil, but gotta save somewhere Nd it was nice soil. Excited for when I just have to mow and treat it lol.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Wow…. Really amazing.. I must do a slow clap for such a huge and amazing job…. Hopefully the irrigation goes in soon..


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Wow…. Really amazing.. I must do a slow clap for such a huge and amazing job…. Hopefully the irrigation goes in soon..


don't make me blush i have nothing to show for it but dust and dirt and my wife complaining about dirty floors from the dogs... lol :lol:


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> That's what I thought…until I had to start mowing and treating…now I'm addicted, lol.
> 
> I'm also jealous…you have access to way more toys.
> 
> Only tip I can give you on the landscape rake for pulling debris…don't windrow until you have the sticks/ debris. Ok for rocks, but sticks, weeds, etc make it difficult. I'd run flat (perp to the tractor) for a few runs, then windrow after to smooth it out. Leveling is hard as you'll always pool material at the edges. *I have a feeling that you'll figure it out much quicker than I did.
> 
> Love the progress and can imagine how amped you are to get the seed down!


Rob i have this feeling that you can afford any toy you want to have around too.. ?! lol


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I thought…until I had to start mowing and treating…now I'm addicted, lol.
> 
> I'm also jealous…you have access to way more toys.
> 
> Only tip I can give you on the landscape rake for pulling debris…don't windrow until you have the sticks/ debris. Ok for rocks, but sticks, weeds, etc make it difficult. I'd run flat (perp to the tractor) for a few runs, then windrow after to smooth it out. Leveling is hard as you'll always pool material at the edges. *I have a feeling that you'll figure it out much quicker than I did.
> 
> Love the progress and can imagine how amped you are to get the seed down!
> 
> 
> 
> Rob i have this feeling that you can afford any toy you want to have around too.. ?! lol
Click to expand...

My wife would disagree with that…I think that train reached the station so to speak. If I don't cut my spend in half next year I might be having a serious conversation about when I'm retiring…or not retiring. 😂


----------



## BBLOCK

Well i now have more seed able area again.

Yesterday was a 13 hour lawn mission but still no seed down.

Got in the dozer and really cleaned up.

I had some burn piles near the vegetable garden and I pushed them all back further and opened up some more seed able area.

Dozed some in the back of the property just cleaning up and stacking my burn piles.

Raked the whole front area and side w a landscape rake and then cleaned that all up. 
Still need to go around w the reciprocating saw and wood blade and get some of the bigger roots sticking up.

I then dragged the whole thing w a make shift drag.

And then i rolled the whole thing well into the dark.

I ate way too much dust. The area is now ready to seed, just need to spray, seed down, roll and spray. Trying to figure out when my best chance is based on forecast, it's a little worrisome not having irrigation for such a large area.

Still haven't heard back from irrigation guy, getting anxious, hopefully he comes thru this week. He had said if not last week def this week, hopefully a man of his word.


----------



## BBLOCK

Forgot the pic of windrowing w the rake, worked awesome, was able to pull lots of debris to the edge of the lot and then deal w it from there w the dozer and bucket of tractor.
This was the tool I've been missing, I was using the landscaper for this and it does work but the flexible tines on the landscape rake really help pop the rocks along and leaving more soil behind. 


Well i ordered a jumbo sled sprinkler so I guess I will be the dummy chasing a sprinkler around 30k 😂. Will at least try to supplement w irrigation as much as I can. Better than nothing. The other 15 sprinklers I own just seem useless for this size of area. See what I can rig up once seed is in. Considering trying to get seed down tonight w some rain tomorrow.


----------



## Robs92k

@BBLOCK …damn that did work well! I forgot to tell you my rake didn't have the leveling casters…makes a HUGE difference.

Looks great! Irrigation guy get back yet?!?

I'd be anxious for seed down too…looks too nice not to plant anything, lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> @BBLOCK …damn that did work well! I forgot to tell you my rake didn't have the leveling casters…makes a HUGE difference.
> 
> Looks great! Irrigation guy get back yet?!?
> 
> I'd be anxious for seed down too…looks too nice not to plant anything, lol.


Yeah im going nuts. Although I have been working on this as much as humanly possible, it's a lot of work for one person as someone w 2 acres would understand lol

I reached out to him again this morning asking if he knew when he was coming. Got This reply

"No day yet. Still a few before you. Working as fast as we can. Landscapers have thrown more than 1 wrench into my schedule. We're coming!"

Praying for a long warm fall bc I'll be going for the kbg mono on the irrigated spot, might just take me into next year to really fill in.


----------



## BBLOCK

Seed is down on the 31k tttf w kbg

Good thing I came home early bc I didn't finish till after dark.

I also broke the seed drill sometime during my first once over.

I marked out 1k sq feet and dialed in the drill to spread 8lb tttf and 1lb kbg per k.

Worked perfectly, but somewhere along the way I bent the metal bar that controls the output, bent it to rat......

So I had to abandon it after about half the seed down. With 160lbs to go I had to goto the broadcast spreader which would only hold about 30lbs at a time... Yeah upgrade time I think lol Where's a PTO spreader when I need one... The only good thing was I had slits everywhere still from the seed drill, it doesn't have a sweep behind it but that would be a great upgrade for it.

So well into the dark I walked what felt like 10 miles and spread and spread and spread.

Got it done, ended up keeping about 20lbs or so of the tttf for any over seeding.

I had 250lbs of it and had 50lbs of kbg for this. Also couldn't find my small digital scale which was super annoying so two bathroom scales are now in the garage.

So the accuracy on my Kbg wasn't scientific but whatever. The goal was for every 50 poulds of tttf I put 8lbs of kbg, put them into a garbage can mixed them w a shovel then poured them into whatever spreader I was using. I was going for 8lbs /k tttf and 1lb/k kbg.

I'm somewhere in that neighborhood.

I went a little bit heavier on the kbg as the seed rate for the tttf was 8-10lbs/k. So I subbed in 1lb of blue. Knowing this is non irrigated turf I'm not expecting it all to take. Orig was going for 30lbs of blue and went like 38-40lbs don't think it'll hurt.

Needless to say I ran out of daylight, didn't get the gly down, so I think I'll do that at first day break then hopefully drag and roll at the same time, then tenacity.

And pray for lots of rain


----------



## BBLOCK

Well i decided I better just finish off this job, so before 6am I was on the tractor, 4 hours and a bit later, I had everything down g and t, and had everything dragged and rolled.

Went ahead and dragged and rolled the other area at the same time, help hold it in place for any storms while I wait on Mr irrigation man.











So at least 31k of 45k is done.

I do need to go around one more time picking up some stones and roots and raking some holes where said rocks came from. The seed driller pulled them up. But then it's very complete! Big sprinkler scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Can't wait to try and water it... 😂

Here's what I did to the seed drill, going to need some love. I twisted the metal flow control bar somehow.


----------



## BBLOCK

Came home to these two presents.

Can't wait to test the sprinkler. Hopefully i get enough pressure to really throw.

Got myself a new scale since the other one is missing this one will do up to 15kg which will be handy for lawn products!


----------



## thebmrust

Congrats on the new acreage & all the work you have put in. Well worth it in the long run.

Maybe I missed something, if you seed now and start to get it germinating, the sprinkler guy will come in and roll over your work (making tracks and disturbing soil) then also digging the holes for actual sprinklers.

With seed already down how will you level again w/o disturbing all the seed work you have done?


----------



## BBLOCK

thebmrust said:


> Congrats on the new acreage & all the work you have put in. Well worth it in the long run.
> 
> Maybe I missed something, if you seed now and start to get it germinating, the sprinkler guy will come in and roll over your work (making tracks and disturbing soil) then also digging the holes for actual sprinklers.
> 
> With seed already down how will you level again w/o disturbing all the seed work you have done?


Thank you.

I'm doing two different sections, the backyard, small side and front nearest the house is getting the irrigation. 14k

I seeded the section not getting irrigation which is the larger part of the front and side 31k

Everything I top soiled is going to be irrigated everything native soil, is not.


----------



## BBLOCK

This big jumbo sled with the rainbird Falcon 6504(edited) on it, is rated at 6-10 gallons a minute.

I did buy 3/4" hoses bc that's also what it's rated for.

I'm getting good distance 24 meter circle.

But I'm having issues with the spot between the far stream and the near stream, just can't seem to get it dialed in.

My spigot is 55psi and about 5.5 gallons/min

So I might just be shy on pressure for the full range not sure.

Here's a couple pics of the coverage I'm getting 






Just can't seem to get that gap covered better, there's a few droplets but not enough


----------



## Chris LI

I did a little looking around and I found listings for the RB 6504 called the Falcon, so I'm not sure if it's apples to apples, when looking at the manual. Anyway, the Falcon has interchangeable nozzles. If your Phoenix has the same setup, I would downsize one nozzle to see if it helps the pattern. Also, if your hose length isn't maxed out, I would consider buying the next length down, to boost pressure. Pressure drops significantly over long runs.


----------



## jskierko

I have not looked at the sprinkler head that you have, but I feel like you could rig up an adjustable metal clamp at the top of the head so that it just covers the top of the spray and deflects it wider rather than further out (just thinking of putting my finger over a running hose to create different spray patterns... *shrugs*). Worth a shot for a $2 investment.


----------



## BBLOCK

Chris LI said:


> I did a little looking around and I found listings for the RB 6504 called the Falcon, so I'm not sure if it's apples to apples, when looking at the manual. Anyway, the Falcon has interchangeable nozzles. If your Phoenix has the same setup, I would downsize one nozzle to see if it helps the pattern. Also, if your hose length isn't maxed out, I would consider buying the next length down, to boost pressure. Pressure drops significantly over long runs.


Haha oops I messed that up I meant falcon! Don't know where Phoenix came from lol.

They sent it w three nozzles. Currently using the smallest one I have, the black.

Yeah that's the problem w the big yard, it's currently just running off 100' hose 3/4" for testing but I was planning on being able to add to that w another 100' so I can get some reach.

When the irrigation guy comes I'm thinking about getting him to give me some valve boxes with extra spigots like I was planning for the veggie garden and pond. Less hose to run then. See what he comes up with. Be so sweet to have falcons in ground all over that large area.

Was hoping I could get this setup to help me out with trying to water larger areas of the non irrigated area.


----------



## BBLOCK

jskierko said:


> I have not looked at the sprinkler head that you have, but I feel like you could rig up an adjustable metal clamp at the top of the head so that it just covers the top of the spray and deflects it wider rather than further out (just thinking of putting my finger over a running hose to create different spray patterns... *shrugs*). Worth a shot for a $2 investment.


Yeah good idea, might be trying something like that for sure. There is water dropping and if it was on grass you would be hard pressed to tell wo measuring cups but the dirt doesn't lie!


----------



## Chris LI

BBLOCK said:


> Haha oops I messed that up I meant falcon! Don't know where Phoenix came from lol.
> 
> When the irrigation guy comes I'm thinking about getting him to give me some valve boxes with extra spigots like I was planning for the veggie garden and pond. Less hose to run then. See what he comes up with. Be so sweet to have falcons in ground all over that large area.
> 
> Was hoping I could get this setup to help me out with trying to water larger areas of the non irrigated area.


Maybe you were thinking of your reno and drew a parallel since the Phoenix "rises from the ashes". :lol: I know...Dad joke.

Anyway, that idea you have for your irrigation guy is great! I've always wanted to do something like that. Hopefully, he'll opt for at least a 1" diameter pipe for those valve boxes. A 1.5" pipe would really move some water.


----------



## BBLOCK

Chris LI said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Haha oops I messed that up I meant falcon! Don't know where Phoenix came from lol.
> 
> When the irrigation guy comes I'm thinking about getting him to give me some valve boxes with extra spigots like I was planning for the veggie garden and pond. Less hose to run then. See what he comes up with. Be so sweet to have falcons in ground all over that large area.
> 
> Was hoping I could get this setup to help me out with trying to water larger areas of the non irrigated area.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe you were thinking of your reno and drew a parallel since the Phoenix "rises from the ashes". :lol: I know...Dad joke.
> 
> Anyway, that idea you have for your irrigation guy is great! I've always wanted to do something like that. Hopefully, he'll opt for at least a 1" diameter pipe for those valve boxes. A 1.5" pipe would really move some water.
Click to expand...

Just can't wait for him to actually get here lol

It's painful watching the August days tick on by wo my Kbg planted.

My other plot also hasn't started the germination bc we haven't gotten any rain yet. Praying for the wknd. I don't want to even start trying to chase it wo some help from mother nature.


----------



## thebmrust

Ahhh got it.
I knew you had basically two sections, I just didn't catch a few details.


----------



## Chuuurles

Any ETA update on irrigation dude?


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Any ETA update on irrigation dude?


Nope,

Non paitently waiting. He just doesn't get my Kbg needs to be in the ground I guess 😂

Trying to fallow the soil w the new big sprinkler on the future irrigated area

Hasnt rained in easily a month here.

Top soil has been down 3 weeks I think and no rain once to help fallow.

Other area is planted, but hoping for rain to help germinate before i go trying to chase it, be nice to have some moisture in the soil. 42C today and yesterday w humidity.

Everyone was going really well up to this point lol. Rains been forecasted alot but never came.


----------



## BBLOCK

jskierko said:


> I have not looked at the sprinkler head that you have, but I feel like you could rig up an adjustable metal clamp at the top of the head so that it just covers the top of the spray and deflects it wider rather than further out (just thinking of putting my finger over a running hose to create different spray patterns... *shrugs*). Worth a shot for a $2 investment.


Took a ziptie put it around the top, slid it down just a bit till it touches the large stream, so it's breaking it up and not going as far in a tight stream and getting coverage in that previous gap at least.


----------



## jskierko

BBLOCK said:


> Took a ziptie put it around the top, slid it down just a bit till it touches the large stream, so it's breaking it up and not going as far in a tight stream and getting coverage in that previous gap at least.


Love it! Not as ideal as having a head that you can dial in 100%, but sometimes you gotta get creative in this game.


----------



## BBLOCK

Well i can't even believe it! I somehow have grass growing lol

Haven't watered haven't gotten any rain... Just the dew....







So here goes nothing. I'll try and help it out


----------



## Nismo

Things will really take off if with that monster sprinkler head.

Any word from irrigation boy?


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Things will really take off if with that monster sprinkler head.
> 
> Any word from irrigation boy?


Well at this point if it's growing wo any water I figure any amount of water/moisture I can give it should help! I was waiting for some rain to help before I tried chasing but I guess it's go time!

No word yet this week, it's killing me! Hopefully soon or I'm going to be screwed and not able to grow a kbg mono. Already worried if I planted today. Maybe luck will be on my side and I'll pull it off somehow


----------



## BBLOCK

Irrigation update.

He's thinking next Monday which puts us at Aug 30 &#128557;

SOOO even if I can somehow pull off seeding the next day would put me at Aug 31...

What should I do....?

Kbg mono was the gameplan.... But i can't make the irrigation guy show up when I needed him. They're so overbooked it's crazy.

I had thought by the time I got the yard right buddy would be here and bango bongo let's roll... At this point I would of have time to do it myself. But I am kinda starting to burn out lol and I won't get parts in time now.

It's a full time job chasing sprinklers on the 31k now...

Backyard is full sun esp in the middle of the yard. The edges will have some shade from trees but back yard is facing south.

Front yard slope area is shaded by the house until prob 11 or noon, then full sun till down...

Was already thinking maybe I should be adding prg to front to help hold the slope.

Do I just go for it and yolo

Or do I add prg.

I don't really want to add fescue as I'll already have 31k fescue/blue....

Don't know I'm a month behind, if we have a warm fall I get germination and perfect conditions I'll be fine...

I was told we better have grass next year! Lol no dirt all year again!

Thoughts, opinions, inputs much appreciated.

Farmer's almanac says first possible frost Sept 27.... Booooooo to that


----------



## SNOWBOB11

Seed PRG this year and start over next year with KBG. With irrigation you can seed in July without issue.


----------



## BBLOCK

SNOWBOB11 said:


> Seed PRG this year and start over next year with KBG. With irrigation you can seed in July without issue.


In an ideal world I'm there w ya.

But thats not an option, my wife is understanding but not to that extent. Plus we have a little one otw for this winter... He needs some grass to crawl in.

I'd rather have bare kbg next year and have to baby it all year to fill in...

Is it doable?


----------



## BBLOCK

Plus just prg would be $750, to just kill it off again. Ouch

It doesn't even rain around here let alone rain cash &#128514;


----------



## lbb091919

BBLOCK said:


> In an ideal world I'm there w ya.
> 
> But thats not an option, my wife is understanding but not to that extent. Plus we have a little one otw for this winter... He needs some grass to crawl in.
> 
> I'd rather have bare kbg next year and have to baby it all year to fill in...
> 
> Is it doable?


I think you just answered your question there. I say yolo it. It may not be perfect this year but it will only get better and you'll have the warm and fuzzy knowing your kbg mono is down there somewhere.


----------



## SNOWBOB11

BBLOCK said:


> Is it doable?


I originally seeded my bluegrass front lawn on August 18th. This was late but it worked out fine. Your seeding almost 2 weeks later and your further North than me. It's doable but there's definitely risk of failure. A warm fall will help.


----------



## Babameca

You have 2 choices. Go full blown Champion GQ or stick to 100% KBG. Talking looks, you will never look back with Rye. I've done 3 renos so far with this stuff. KBG is still holding the crown...but...


----------



## BBLOCK

SNOWBOB11 said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Is it doable?
> 
> 
> 
> I originally seeded my bluegrass front lawn on August 18th. This was late but it worked out fine. Your seeding almost 2 weeks later and your further North than me. It's doable but there's definitely risk of failure. A warm fall will help.
Click to expand...

Yeah last year I did Aug 25 seed down I think, w 40% kbg in the mix it wasn't full full by winter but sure it would of been fine this spring, also back yard was alot more shaded.

Hmmm I def wanted it down 2 weeks ago lol

We have been having later, warmer falls but you never know when that changes.


----------



## BBLOCK

Babameca said:


> You have 2 choices. Go full blown Champion GQ or stick to 100% KBG. Talking looks, you will never look back with Rye. I've done 3 renos so far with this stuff. KBG is still holding the crown...but...


Yeah im sure it would be nice too, self repairing is what I'm hoping for with the dogs... Damn dogs ruin grass.

And I would need to have prg on the next ✈


----------



## BBLOCK

lbb091919 said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> In an ideal world I'm there w ya.
> 
> But thats not an option, my wife is understanding but not to that extent. Plus we have a little one otw for this winter... He needs some grass to crawl in.
> 
> I'd rather have bare kbg next year and have to baby it all year to fill in...
> 
> Is it doable?
> 
> 
> 
> I think you just answered your question there. I say yolo it. It may not be perfect this year but it will only get better and you'll have the warm and fuzzy knowing your kbg mono is down there somewhere.
Click to expand...

I like the go for it approach. Already have the seed.

If it fails it would be a great case study for what not to do... Lol


----------



## jskierko

Absolutely go for it! Undoubtedly you will have some areas that succeed and likely some that don't. I think your approach of just babying it is fine, it saves you from having to go full kill again, and it saves your wife from having to look at a bare lawn for the entire summer next year. You may have some spots that don't succeed or establish well enough, just make sure your fertilizing and plugging games are on point for the spring. Based on everything you're saying I feel like your heart is set on the original gameplan and that is exactly what I'd be doing. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.


----------



## BBLOCK

jskierko said:


> Absolutely go for it! Undoubtedly you will have some areas that succeed and likely some that don't. I think your approach of just babying it is fine, it saves you from having to go full kill again, and it saves your wife from having to look at a bare lawn for the entire summer next year. You may have some spots that don't succeed or establish well enough, just make sure your fertilizing and plugging games are on point for the spring. Based on everything you're saying I feel like your heart is set on the original gameplan and that is exactly what I'd be doing. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.


🤟👊


----------



## Nismo

lbb091919 said:


> I think you just answered your question there. I say yolo it. It may not be perfect this year but it will only get better and you'll have the warm and fuzzy knowing your kbg mono is down there somewhere.


Bingo... throw'r down on the 31st don't look back.

Remember, although it has a fancy name, its just grass at the end of the day. Its resilient and grows even if timing isn't perfect. By the end of September I bet its going to look pretty damn good. Look at the progress @Stuofsci02 and @Chuuurles have made in about 8 days.


----------



## doverosx

I would seed any time now. The warm air mass is going to leave our continent and recover with a solid cold front so you have the first few days to let the seed, soil, peat settle in as well as make any other fine tuning with your irrigation before any germination would take place anyway.


----------



## BBLOCK

doverosx said:


> I would seed any time now. The warm air mass is going to leave our continent and recover with a solid cold front so you have the first few days to let the seed, soil, peat settle in as well as make any other fine tuning with your irrigation before any germination would take place anyway.


Don't wanna drop the seed before buddy finishes the install of the irrigation. Which has been my problem.

I welcome cooler temps


----------



## BBLOCK

Good news! 




Irrigation crew decided to come pull all the pipe in this afternoon. Then they'll be back Monday to finish. So at least they'll be done Monday then. 🤞

Glad he called and said he had some time can they come pull the pipe in... Ummm yess yess you can....


----------



## Chuuurles

Oh yes , game time !


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Oh yes , game time !


Even digging in 5 sprinklers tonight so only 31 to go Monday.

Also had them run me 4 extra lines

One to the pond

One to the vegetable garden

One out to the tree area of the front front yard where I'll get a nice pit(valve box) with a spigot. So I can have my large sprinkler w 100' of hose stored...

And then another same thing on the side yard....

I figure that's a good solution for watering the tttf sections. If I get good flow I'll get a few more of those big guys. Tie two together at a time when needed. At least it's a solution wo spending another 10k on irrigation.

Maybe someday when I'm ready to go all kbg w a fairway mower lol I'll irrigate it all too


----------



## Chuuurles

Found one for you today


----------



## BBLOCK

Today is day 4 of chasing the 30k w a hose and sprinkler

Day begins w watering at 5am until 7:30-8 until I leave and watering begins again at 4 or 5pm whenever I get home and goes until about 9pm.

The heat during the day is brutal and the sun has been so intense, it's drying out mid day but I have no way to get water to it then. Besides the well needs the recovery time I'm thinking.

Hoping for the best, germination so far seems to be in pockets and not widespread.

Seed was down for a week before water was even put to it and the seed calls for 10-14 days to germinate and today would be day 10

The shadier areas are doing better for the most part. Full full sun areas are barely germinated for the most part. Hoping for rain this wknd to help me out





W the dew this morning you can see exactly where the pipe is run


----------



## Nismo

Hallelujah! Finally some irrigation action


----------



## Nismo

Chuuurles said:


> Found one for you today


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Found one for you today


How much?


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Found one for you today


Ps don't tell stu 😂


----------



## Robs92k

@BBLOCK 
Congrats on the irrigation and germination! Been on vacation but just read through the string…lots of action in a week, wow.

I agree with everyone else…not that it matters now that you'll have irrigation…let's be honest, you weren't going to wait. Lol, keep working!


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> @BBLOCK
> Congrats on the irrigation and germination! Been on vacation but just read through the string…lots of action in a week, wow.
> 
> I agree with everyone else…not that it matters now that you'll have irrigation…let's be honest, you weren't going to wait. Lol, keep working!


Ty sir. Yeah im just going to go for it and see what happens. Maybe I'll get lucky or maybe i'll have g-mans luck.

Here's my solution for the fescue non irrigated area.

I'm installing hose hookups in pits so I can store hoses and have the 1" line to them. Make life a little easier for watering the areas. I should buy a couple more of the big sprinklers too. I'll have 3 hook ups that will be easy and won't have to drag hoses all over the yard, coil and store in the pits. My irrigation guy said I'm a genius, don't know if that counts for much tho... Lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

With watering this week it seems the bullrush is making a comeback.

I did put tenacity down but I don't think it has much effect on it and also the tenacity sat in the soil for 7days wo being watered in. Label says ten days but who knows how well it works sitting in the sun and heat....

Altho I do have some of them that seem stunted and yellowish and some whiteish and other weeds whiteish so hopefully something is happening

So only thing I could think of was some glove in glove method so I walked around and rubbed what felt like 1000 plants w gly


----------



## Robs92k

Dude, that's an amazing idea…and cheap considering the timing I bet. ROI is probably a few months. Great call!


----------



## BBLOCK

Things never seem to end around here on the old dirt farm

Between trying to keep 30k damp and pulling rocks and sticks out of it still

Trying to get the other section prepped best I can...

Irrigation guy doesn't want me to fix his tracks until he comes back so he can see where he ran his pipe. I took pics don't think I can wait. This train is full speed.

Finished this back section off bc the heads are all installed here.

It will be a shame to drive a tractor on it now lol


----------



## Stuofsci02

Almost ready.. seed down Tuesday?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Almost ready.. seed down Tuesday?


I'm going to do my absolute best to make that my reality. Going to try and "work" from home mon-tues

Need it in the ground.

The vibratory plow has really pushed up some solid dry chunks of dirt like giant hard clay balls and will prove difficult to level it all properly because they're kind of just sitting under the surface, of course there's no moisture in the ground. So far been using a hard rake to try and pull them up then crush them w the rake or my feet and then level again.

Thinking of trying to roll them and see if they press back down before raking.

Thoughts?


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Almost ready.. seed down Tuesday?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going to do my absolute best to make that my reality. Going to try and "work" from home mon-tues
> 
> Need it in the ground.
> 
> The vibratory plow has really pushed up some solid dry chunks of dirt like giant hard clay balls and will prove difficult to level it all properly because they're kind of just sitting under the surface, of course there's no moisture in the ground. So far been using a hard rake to try and pull them up then crush them w the rake or my feet and then level again.
> 
> Thinking of trying to roll them and see if they press back down before raking.
> 
> Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I'd think a Harley rake or 6-8" till would do it…possibility?


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Almost ready.. seed down Tuesday?
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going to do my absolute best to make that my reality. Going to try and "work" from home mon-tues
> 
> Need it in the ground.
> 
> The vibratory plow has really pushed up some solid dry chunks of dirt like giant hard clay balls and will prove difficult to level it all properly because they're kind of just sitting under the surface, of course there's no moisture in the ground. So far been using a hard rake to try and pull them up then crush them w the rake or my feet and then level again.
> 
> Thinking of trying to roll them and see if they press back down before raking.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'd think a Harley rake or 6-8" till would do it…possibility?
Click to expand...

It would prob help but at the same time make a mess, kind of beyond the bringing a Harley rake onto the yard.

I will prob do it all by hand bc I'm nuts but I want to finish the whole yard w the level lawn rake just to get it like glass if I can and it helps pull all the pebbles out. Cleans it up nice, but then the seed drill will prob pull stuff up when it slots the dirt. Oh well it'll be better than the avg joe would do.

Might help if we get rain tomorrow to help soften things up!


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going to do my absolute best to make that my reality. Going to try and "work" from home mon-tues
> 
> Need it in the ground.
> 
> The vibratory plow has really pushed up some solid dry chunks of dirt like giant hard clay balls and will prove difficult to level it all properly because they're kind of just sitting under the surface, of course there's no moisture in the ground. So far been using a hard rake to try and pull them up then crush them w the rake or my feet and then level again.
> 
> Thinking of trying to roll them and see if they press back down before raking.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> I'd think a Harley rake or 6-8" till would do it…possibility?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It would prob help but at the same time make a mess, kind of beyond the bringing a Harley rake onto the yard.
> 
> I will prob do it all by hand bc I'm nuts but I want to finish the whole yard w the level lawn rake just to get it like glass if I can and it helps pull all the pebbles out. Cleans it up nice, but then the seed drill will prob pull stuff up when it slots the dirt. Oh well it'll be better than the avg joe would do.
> 
> Might help if we get rain tomorrow to help soften things up!
Click to expand...

Have friends over and been consuming tequila….I'm doing a rain dance for you…let me know if it works.


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'd think a Harley rake or 6-8" till would do it…possibility?
> 
> 
> 
> It would prob help but at the same time make a mess, kind of beyond the bringing a Harley rake onto the yard.
> 
> I will prob do it all by hand bc I'm nuts but I want to finish the whole yard w the level lawn rake just to get it like glass if I can and it helps pull all the pebbles out. Cleans it up nice, but then the seed drill will prob pull stuff up when it slots the dirt. Oh well it'll be better than the avg joe would do.
> 
> Might help if we get rain tomorrow to help soften things up!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Have friends over and been consuming tequila….I'm doing a rain dance for you…let me know if it works.
Click to expand...

Much appreciated good sir! 🍻


----------



## Stuofsci02

Did you get any rain? I got 1.27mm. Just enough to wet the soil. It was good actually.


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Did you get any rain? I got 1.27mm. Just enough to wet the soil. It was good actually.


It drizzled for a couple minutes last night. I don't think anything significant

May get one cloud here soon. But looking at the radar everything forecasted to hit today is now missing us... Brutal


----------



## BBLOCK

@Robs92k ypu should prob drink tequila and pray for me more often. Bought me 2mm and more fresh germination today. Woohoo


----------



## BBLOCK

Worked on cleaning up the fire pit slope today been needing to get to. It after the dozer and equipment kind of pushed soil in. Had to reclaim it by hand.

I'll see how this makes out, see if I don't mind mowing it. I might raise the whole thing up next year. Or keep it sunken I think it's cool, but maybe put a retaining wall around it all, like one step down into it and then you would also have the wall to sit on...

Oh well back to this year.

I'm trying to fix all the trenches from the pipe and also using level rake on the whole yard. pulling all the pebbles out too 


Going for that glass finish.


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> @Robs92k ypu should prob drink tequila and pray for me more often. Bought me 2mm and more fresh germination today. Woohoo


I'm on IT! My wife's not going to be happy that I'm drunk…again…not to mention dancing in the lawn. Some people just don't understand the struggle. Lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

The little bit of rain we did get is helping to jump start things
Hoping to start seeing more wide spread thick germination soon 🤞


----------



## SNOWBOB11

Is that circle of green where you had the sprinkler out?


----------



## BBLOCK

SNOWBOB11 said:


> Is that circle of green where you had the sprinkler out?


Haha yeah of course!

And the other day the tape wore off the fitting and it was leaking... Putting down more water....

If only I had the time to deeep soak each and every spot.

I leave it in each place for 20 mins

And it's 10-12 moves to do one cycle everywhere. Literally a full time job if you were trying to keep it moist constantly


----------



## Stuofsci02

It'll come.. We had some super dry hot weather the last two weeks, so without water I would expect delayed germination.. Sprinklers today?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> It'll come.. We had some super dry hot weather the last two weeks, so without water I would expect delayed germination.. Sprinklers today?


They're here today, showed up didn't leave me hanging. Hopefully they'll get done today!

I told him I need the sprinklers for tomorrow!

They cna install drip line and the hose pits later just need sprinklers lol


----------



## Chuuurles

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> It'll come.. We had some super dry hot weather the last two weeks, so without water I would expect delayed germination.. Sprinklers today?
> 
> 
> 
> They're here today, showed up didn't leave me hanging. Hopefully they'll get done today!
> 
> I told him I need the sprinklers for tomorrow!
> 
> They cna install drip line and the hose pits later just need sprinklers lol
Click to expand...

Awesome, so glad it's getting done ! Which heads did you go with again ?


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> It'll come.. We had some super dry hot weather the last two weeks, so without water I would expect delayed germination.. Sprinklers today?
> 
> 
> 
> They're here today, showed up didn't leave me hanging. Hopefully they'll get done today!
> 
> I told him I need the sprinklers for tomorrow!
> 
> They cna install drip line and the hose pits later just need sprinklers lol
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Awesome, so glad it's getting done ! Which heads did you go with again ?
Click to expand...

Ty sir! Me 2!



I think there's a couple reg pgps in too for some of the smaller radius' like out by the pond


----------



## BBLOCK

So my body is toast but I did somehow manage to level lawn rake the whole yard. I figure there ain't no finish like a hand finish.

Sprinklers are installed. But there was one little oopsies...

When they were pulling the zone out by the pond the other day I guess the line broke underground and never got noticed right up by the main Junction.

First thing I said to the guy this morning is something isn't adding up here for this Junction because I did a sketch of everything and it didn't make sense to me, of course he didn't listen to me bc what do I know... I'm just a home owner... Lol. I was the one that solved the problem... Showed the guy how to locate his pipe with coat hangers, been in the business for 20 years had no idea you could do that. So I guess he learnt something from me ha.
So they have to come back tomorrow to finish fixing that, also put my drip line in. The other craply part is he doesn't have my 16 zone rachio, he has them on order... Put in some hunter non wifi for now. He was hoping it would be at his house tonight when he got home. Sigh. Lol









So my plan for tomorrow is seed w a broadcast, then drill it in. I think going w the low rate kbg I have better control w the broadcast than the seed driller.

When they leave, spray gly and then drag the level board and roller to help bury the seed.

Then tenacity and start watering this thing.

Wish me luck🤞🍀


----------



## Chuuurles

Good luck ! That's a ton of work you did getting everything cleaned up already. Those PGP ultra heads are sweet!


----------



## Robs92k

Duuuude…bada$$. That lawn is going to look great by the end of the season!!

Got to feel a bit of pride on this one BBLOCK…nice work sir!


----------



## JP900++

Congrats on surviving. Looking forward to seeing the progress.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Awesome…. Well done. The finish line is in sight!


----------



## BBLOCK

Wooohooo

Today is day 14 after seed down of the tttf/kbg. Day 7 after trying to chase it with water.

And this morning I'm seeing much more of a green glow!







It's coming it's coming. Cooler temps this week should help!


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Good luck ! That's a ton of work you did getting everything cleaned up already. Those PGP ultra heads are sweet!


Ty I will do my best


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Duuuude…bada$$. That lawn is going to look great by the end of the season!!
> 
> Got to feel a bit of pride on this one BBLOCK…nice work sir!


Thanks Rob, I figure, work my butt off one summer give up basically all my free time and get this project done in one swoop! Instead of doing small renos for years... That's not for me. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy lol

Figured I'd try and get the best grade I can starting out so I don't have to fix later, can just continue to improve over time. Mowing smooth ground is nice, until the frost has a say this winter....


----------



## BBLOCK

JP900++ said:


> Congrats on surviving. Looking forward to seeing the progress.


Thank you! Let's hope I can grow grass! Dirt farming was fun and all but I'd rather move up to the world of grass farming lol


----------



## Nismo

Looks great. You'll find yourself out there watching the sprinkler heads go back and forth... something very therapeutic about it. Especially with a morning coffee... or scotch... depending what the mood strikes.

Perfect week for seed down as well. Not too hot and light rain forecasted for Saturday and Sunday.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Looks great. You'll find yourself out there watching the sprinkler heads go back and forth... something very therapeutic about it. Especially with a morning coffee... or scotch... depending what the mood strikes.
> 
> Perfect week for seed down as well. Not too hot and light rain forecasted for Saturday and Sunday.


Oh yah foresure can't wait to be done the work and relaxing on the deck watching sprinklers and grass grow!

The weather is improving! Maybe the stars will all align and I'll be able to actually pull this project off lol


----------



## BBLOCK

I give up! I can't do this anymore!

JUST KIDDING!

I'm freaking done! What feels like 6 months later I have 45.5k seeded and finished! Woohoo!

Irrigation is working and complete today!

My day was, finish raking where they made a mess today.

Gly

Seed w broadcast

Drill seed multiple directions w the 3point seeder

Drag and roll.

If I don't have good seed to soil contact well then I give up!

tenacity

Soil tackifier on the slopes

I'm kinda tired I have like 50 hrs into this thing in the last few days but it's all done and I couldn't be happier. I gave it my best effort and I have no regrets. Only thing I could of done more is peat moss. But f that on this size of property! I'd be another week 😂

Here's some pics for your fancy































Well I'm done, so now I can't get back to other things like mounting my starlink on the roof and getting it off the front step!

Cheers 🍻

Timer starts now ⏲


----------



## Chuuurles

BBLOCK said:


> I give up! I can't do this anymore!
> 
> JUST KIDDING!
> 
> I'm freaking done! What feels like 6 months later I have 45.5k seeded and finished! Woohoo!
> 
> Irrigation is working and complete today!
> 
> My day was, finish raking where they made a mess today.
> 
> Gly
> 
> Seed w broadcast
> 
> Drill seed multiple directions w the 3point seeder
> 
> Drag and roll.
> 
> If I don't have good seed to soil contact well then I give up!
> 
> tenacity
> 
> Soil tackifier on the slopes
> 
> I'm kinda tired I have like 50 hrs into this thing in the last few days but it's all done and I couldn't be happier. I gave it my best effort and I have no regrets. Only thing I could of done more is peat moss. But f that on this size of property! I'd be another week 😂
> 
> Here's some pics for your fancy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well I'm done, so now I can't get back to other things like mounting my starlink on the roof and getting it off the front step!
> 
> Cheers 🍻
> 
> Timer starts now ⏲


Looks incredible. You ended up getting that seed bed looking very nice! Watch out, I didn't know what to do with myself for a fews days, you get used to all that work ha ha I am Sure you will stay busy though.


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> I give up! I can't do this anymore!
> 
> JUST KIDDING!
> 
> I'm freaking done! What feels like 6 months later I have 45.5k seeded and finished! Woohoo!
> 
> Irrigation is working and complete today!
> 
> My day was, finish raking where they made a mess today.
> 
> Gly
> 
> Seed w broadcast
> 
> Drill seed multiple directions w the 3point seeder
> 
> Drag and roll.
> 
> If I don't have good seed to soil contact well then I give up!
> 
> tenacity
> 
> Soil tackifier on the slopes
> 
> I'm kinda tired I have like 50 hrs into this thing in the last few days but it's all done and I couldn't be happier. I gave it my best effort and I have no regrets. Only thing I could of done more is peat moss. But f that on this size of property! I'd be another week 😂
> 
> Here's some pics for your fancy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well I'm done, so now I can't get back to other things like mounting my starlink on the roof and getting it off the front step!
> 
> Cheers 🍻
> 
> Timer starts now ⏲
> 
> 
> 
> Looks incredible. You ended up getting that seed bed looking very nice! Watch out, I didn't know what to do with myself for a fews days, you get used to all that work ha ha I am Sure you will stay busy though.
Click to expand...

Haha I might be content drinking beer and watching sprinklers but you're right when it's gogogo it's hard to stop


----------



## Stuofsci02

Well done sir.. Color me impressed. Having a larger sized property (although only half the grass) I truly appreciate the amount of work you put into this! I hope it turns out great!!


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Well done sir.. Color me impressed. Having a larger sized property (although only half the grass) I truly appreciate the amount of work you put into this! I hope it turns out great!!


thanks bud, me 2!

what's cool is, i have 360 rotors all along the edge of where the kbg mono and the tttf/kbg meet, so i'm actually getting more than 14.5k irrigated now! so run those sprinklers all double time and it's helping me irrigate the other plot! and the ultra's do throw pretty far! some day i may irrigate the rest but with those new hose pits and tttf being more drought resilient i might not really need to.


----------



## BBLOCK

Starting to get a lot more germ. Which is nice.

Pics don't do it justice but lots of new poke throughs everyday now. Still a few areas with not much I'll try to focus the water in that area.

Ingrounds throwing out will help alot


----------



## Nismo

Good work @BBLOCK! Fingers crossed for a nice warm fall and a chance for that grass to grow like crazy.


----------



## BBLOCK

Little better pic w sun shining


----------



## Stuofsci02

There it comes... How long since Seed Down on the TTTF? Did you see my 16 days seed down pics on irrigated?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> There it comes... How long since Seed Down on the TTTF? Did you see my 16 days seed down pics on irrigated?


Yeah it's coming now more widespread for sure may have a couple areas that need more seed. I'm going to wait till next week and see.

Seed down late Aug 16.

So today would be day 16 but only day 9 of getting water to most of it at least once a day. But that heat was so brutal last two weeks. It'll pick up this week if I can keep dragging my butt out of bed before the sun.

I saw the pics, amazing.


----------



## SodFace

Wow looks great! Your lawn is going to be awesome.


----------



## BBLOCK

SodFace said:


> Wow looks great! Your lawn is going to be awesome.


Ty. I hope so, hope it wasn't all for nothing lol.

My newest struggle is trying to get the irrigation adjusted properly and dialed in. For an irrigation noob to jump into 36 heads it's alot to try and dial in to perfection lol

Plus trying to save some time and water for the other area. It's alot, lol slightly overwhelming.


----------



## BBLOCK

Starting to look like I may have a lawn someday. Front is doing better than the side. The side is starting to come can't see it in pics. Hopefully we get rain sun and mon, will really help.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Looking good... I heard if you sing to it at night, it will grow faster....


----------



## davegravy

Stuofsci02 said:


> Looking good... I heard if you sing to it at night, it will grow faster....


The sad part is no neighbours would be phased by a TLF member doing something like that. In character...


----------



## BBLOCK

davegravy said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Looking good... I heard if you sing to it at night, it will grow faster....
> 
> 
> 
> The sad part is no neighbours would be phased by a TLF member doing something like that. In character...
Click to expand...

Lol that's why I moved to the country so no one would hear me 😁

I'm sure my one neighbor thinks I'm nuts since I lived in the yard every night and wknd all season and now I'm out at 5am w a flashlight pulling a hose and sprinkler around hoping I don't run into any bears or fishers lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Got my Rachio controller setup tonight.

Still have to mount rain sensor

Happy to have a wifi controller going versus that digital temporary one in my basement that I had to goto to make any changes. Not ideal when starting out w a new system and dirt to keep moist


----------



## BBLOCK

Now that my wifi controller is rocking, I can use my hose pits to help me water. So now 100' 3/4" of hose and a 1"line feeding my hose. Instead of 150' of hose from the house spigot.

Noticeable difference in the sprinkler pressure now! Haven't confirmed w my gauge yet but less hose to run through should help for sure.

Makes me happy 😊


----------



## BBLOCK

Here's the other pit, exactly what I wanted 100' of 3/4" hose to fit and I think room for the big sprinkler too


----------



## Chris LI

Nice! Now, you're working like a gentleman. :thumbsup:


----------



## Liquidstone

BBLOCK said:


> Here's the other pit, exactly what I wanted 100' of 3/4" hose to fit and I think room for the big sprinkler too


How nice and tidy is that!? Good work. Grass is coming along as well, I'm sure you're anxious to see some even greater growth happening.


----------



## Robs92k

N-I-C-E!!!


----------



## BBLOCK

Liquidstone said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the other pit, exactly what I wanted 100' of 3/4" hose to fit and I think room for the big sprinkler too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How nice and tidy is that!? Good work. Grass is coming along as well, I'm sure you're anxious to see some even greater growth happening.
Click to expand...

Yep I sure am. It's a real struggle to keep that huge 30k area watered I try to hit it all once a day. All I can do. Need rain bad. 2mm at my house since July. Good chance tonight I'm praying. It would help accelerate it out there so much if it got a good soak. It is nice to have the hose pits tho.


----------



## BBLOCK

Update time

We got a little bit of rain this morning and now it's sunny, and we have some signs of germination! 🤟

So blue velvet starting to pop 5 dasd


----------



## Stuofsci02

Whoot &#129307;. That's as good as you could hope for…. Next few days will be awesome as it will look like the Incredible Hulk shaved on you lawn!


----------



## BBLOCK

Today is 3 weeks since seed drop on the front and side 30k

Got a bit of rain yesterday kept it moist all day and into today so hopefully that helps it out.

I over seeded lightly to give it a boost.

Overseeded heavier in some of the more bare areas. The side is struggling so I soaked it today to try and encourage anymore germination and then overseeded it as well.

Dropped some 16-16-16, only got half my app down over the whole area before it started down pooring on me, I got wet trying to empty my hopper.

Good news is, it wasn't a long rain but enough to drench everything hopefully that will help soak the new seed and help to water in the fert.

Haven't had to turn on my Irrigation yesterday or today. Ground has stayed moist from the rain.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Hopefully the weather starts to cooperate with your plans. The next few days will tell you how much viable seed was still in there..


----------



## BBLOCK

The weather and rain is helping me out!

The glove in glove helped me out too




Hoping with the soil staying wet for last couple days and rain forecasted again tomorrow, really hoping I get more germ happening in the more bare areas.


----------



## Nismo

And you were concerned about it being too late... man, you'll be cutting in a few weeks.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> And you were concerned about it being too late... man, you'll be cutting in a few weeks.


That's the section that was planted Aug 16


----------



## Robs92k

Is the side still struggling or do you have germination everywhere?


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Is the side still struggling or do you have germination everywhere?


The one area is struggling, praying it's just delayed from lack of moisture and not all dead seed.

Here's pics from yesterday, Walked it this morning there is a bit of new stuff popping through. The backside section is doing pretty well couple patches not as good. I dropped more seed on them yesterday


----------



## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> Is the side still struggling or do you have germination everywhere?
> 
> 
> 
> The one area is struggling, praying it's just delayed from lack of moisture and not all dead seed.
> 
> Here's pics from yesterday, Walked it this morning there is a bit of new stuff popping through. The backside section is doing pretty well couple patches not as good. I dropped more seed on them yesterday
Click to expand...

If you're seeing new, I bet it's just delayed. That being said, at first light I was out looking for new blades coming through the matting. The gaps and puddles scared me for weeks. Quite a few areas took significantly longer…2-3 weeks. Keep picturing that view from the porch with green!

Side note…what do you do with your time now that the seed is down and you're not putting hours on the equipment?? Lol.


----------



## Nismo

BBLOCK said:


> Nismo said:
> 
> 
> 
> And you were concerned about it being too late... man, you'll be cutting in a few weeks.
> 
> 
> 
> That's the section that was planted Aug 16
Click to expand...

Ah... i still have faith in the ***


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> Is the side still struggling or do you have germination everywhere?
> 
> 
> 
> The one area is struggling, praying it's just delayed from lack of moisture and not all dead seed.
> 
> Here's pics from yesterday, Walked it this morning there is a bit of new stuff popping through. The backside section is doing pretty well couple patches not as good. I dropped more seed on them yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> If you're seeing new, I bet it's just delayed. That being said, at first light I was out looking for new blades coming through the matting. The gaps and puddles scared me for weeks. Quite a few areas took significantly longer…2-3 weeks. Keep picturing that view from the porch with green!
> 
> Side note…what do you do with your time now that the seed is down and you're not putting hours on the equipment?? Lol.
Click to expand...

I don't seem to ever run out of things to do. But not having to work 16 hr days at home is also nice on the wknd!

Between picking out stones and sticks and finally getting around to cutting off all the roots the seeder brought up. Adjusting sprinklers I'm busy lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

As my luck would have it, hydro cut the power on our street today and for some reason my Rachio 3 controller fried.

So after talking to support they're sending me a new one...

Yaaay I have kbg seed germinating!

Called irrigation guy he's coming out tonight w another controller and I'll replace it w the one they send me.

Can't catch a break lol


----------



## Chuuurles

BBLOCK said:


> As my luck would have it, hydro cut the power on our street today and for some reason my Rachio 3 controller fried.
> 
> So after talking to support they're sending me a new one...
> 
> Yaaay I have kbg seed germinating!
> 
> Called irrigation guy he's coming out tonight w another controller and I'll replace it w the one they send me.
> 
> Can't catch a break lol


Do you have it plugged into a surge protected socket? I lost two rachio 3's due to power outages until I switched sockets. It's a known issue unfortunately.


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> As my luck would have it, hydro cut the power on our street today and for some reason my Rachio 3 controller fried.
> 
> So after talking to support they're sending me a new one...
> 
> Yaaay I have kbg seed germinating!
> 
> Called irrigation guy he's coming out tonight w another controller and I'll replace it w the one they send me.
> 
> Can't catch a break lol
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have it plugged into a surge protected socket? I lost two rachio 3's due to power outages until I switched sockets. It's a known issue unfortunately.
Click to expand...

it was plugged into a power par

i need to get it onto a better surge protector i guess!

my water filtration and softener run off the same power bar, they're all fine.

wont factory reset or anything, it's bricked


----------



## Chuuurles

Yup, it's a paper weight now..if you live in Canada they don't even want it back. I have three Rachio 3 controllers but only one works. I also had a few things plugged in with them that were fine. It sucks..


----------



## BBLOCK

New controller up and running again!

Got lucky most of the soil stayed dark brown a few light brown spots after a day w no water....

Running a quick cycle to dampen things off even tho they're calling for up to 25mm overnight and tomorrow, 90% chance

But I'm better off betting my money on the 10% &#128514;. So I'm damping it off lol


----------



## g-man

Fyi, you can manually open the valves at the box or use 3 9v batteries in series at the wire.


----------



## BBLOCK

g-man said:


> Fyi, you can manually open the valves at the box or use 3 9v batteries in series at the wire.


I wasn't thinking about manually opening the valves, I also wasn't home all day tho. when I had the temporary controller it was just a hunter manual digital controller, but to open the valves I thought we had it in run mode. So if the controller is dead you can still manually open the main valve and then any there after? Should of tried. Using three 9v batteries to power it is interesting.


----------



## davegravy

BBLOCK said:


> g-man said:
> 
> 
> 
> Fyi, you can manually open the valves at the box or use 3 9v batteries in series at the wire.
> 
> 
> 
> I wasn't thinking about manually opening the valves, I also wasn't home all day tho. when I had the temporary controller it was just a hunter manual digital controller, but to open the valves I thought we had it in run mode. So if the controller is dead you can still manually open the main valve and then any there after? Should of tried. Using three 9v batteries to power it is interesting.
Click to expand...

The hunter and orbit valves I own have a knob you can turn counter clockwise to manually open. I assume all irrigation valves have this.


----------



## BBLOCK

davegravy said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> g-man said:
> 
> 
> 
> Fyi, you can manually open the valves at the box or use 3 9v batteries in series at the wire.
> 
> 
> 
> I wasn't thinking about manually opening the valves, I also wasn't home all day tho. when I had the temporary controller it was just a hunter manual digital controller, but to open the valves I thought we had it in run mode. So if the controller is dead you can still manually open the main valve and then any there after? Should of tried. Using three 9v batteries to power it is interesting.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The hunter and orbit valves I own have a knob you can turn counter clockwise to manually open. I assume all irrigation valves have this.
Click to expand...

Yeah makes sense bc there is constant water pressure up to the main valve. I have all hunter valves they have the bleeder screw on them. Wouldn't of helped me yesterday wo any power tho as the well pump won't pump wo power I guess.


----------



## BBLOCK

Well the rain sure did me well. So much germination in all the spots with no grass.

The kbg mono is also almost full blown germination and may be by the time I get home tonight.


----------



## BBLOCK

Bonus pic lol


Spilt some seed when pouring from a garbage can into the seeder on the driveway after mixing it w the shovel


----------



## davegravy

BBLOCK said:


> Bonus pic lol
> 
> 
> Spilt some seed when pouring from a garbage can into the seeder on the driveway after mixing it w the shovel


It's amazing. It seems so hard to get grass to grow well sometimes, and yet I had seed that settled on pretty much bare pavement that still germinated into a thick lush lawn (it starved and died after a couple months of course).


----------



## Nismo

We have more rain in the forecast and a nice warming trend for next week into the mid 20's... things are about to really take off. By next Friday its gonna look awesome.


----------



## lbb091919

You're on a roll now. I gotta give you big square footage guys some props for what you're doing. It's just a totally different ballgame that I have a massive appreciation for.


----------



## BBLOCK

davegravy said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> Bonus pic lol
> 
> 
> Spilt some seed when pouring from a garbage can into the seeder on the driveway after mixing it w the shovel
> 
> 
> 
> It's amazing. It seems so hard to get grass to grow well sometimes, and yet I had seed that settled on pretty much bare pavement that still germinated into a thick lush lawn (it starved and died after a couple months of course).
Click to expand...

Driveway of the month? Lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> We have more rain in the forecast and a nice warming trend for next week into the mid 20's... things are about to really take off. By next Friday its gonna look awesome.


Yep I'm hoping I'm good now!


----------



## BBLOCK

lbb091919 said:


> You're on a roll now. I gotta give you big square footage guys some props for what you're doing. It's just a totally different ballgame that I have a massive appreciation for.


I tell ya it's teaching me paitence! I was way more stressed last year w 3k and impatient. So glad I did last year's reno to teach me before I jumped into this project lol.

I'm cool as a cucumber and just waiting for the magic to happen.

Lol my wife would tell you otherwise


----------



## BBLOCK

I have some kind of green things on my dirt farm


----------



## Robs92k

Looking great! Is that the side area or the latest seed down? Looks thin from the pics.

Other areas seem to be taking off!


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Looking great! Is that the side area or the latest seed down? Looks thin from the pics.
> 
> Other areas seem to be taking off!


Which pic are we referring to?

First pic is the backyard the kbg mono.

Third pic has bare spots. Close to the property line up in the front was a slow area but it's taking off.

That side mid section is really picking up steam, still looking bare but big improvement. I think another week and itll catch up alot. It was totally bare so big improvement in a few days


----------



## Robs92k

There it is! Must've been the lighting when I looked at the pic the first time.

Looking great sir!!


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> There it is! Must've been the lighting when I looked at the pic the first time.
> 
> Looking great sir!!




Looks better at ground level


----------



## BBLOCK

Here's the kbg mono update. Day 11, she's coming along couple more days and hopefully I'll have a thicker green glow all over.

There's definitely some over achievers in the pack that are already 2" tall lol. Why can't they all do that, unless it's prg contaminated or something 


























There's more in person than the camera can capture but she's probably right on pace.

Day temps have been low 20's C. And low 10's C at night

So mid 70's day and low 60's even high 50's night F


----------



## Nismo

This thing is gonna take off this week... grab a drink, sit on the deck with a good meal and enjoy all your hard work.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Things are going to shift gears and make noticeable gains


----------



## SodFace

It's got that green tinge/fuzz everywhere. It's coming!


----------



## Robs92k

@BBLOCK …why do I feel like the rest of us (ok, me) we're more nervous than you?

Thanks for the other angle…I agree with ^^…that's going to GO now. Looks way better (and quicker) than my germ with the matts.

No more dirt/ dust everywhere…that's the worst. Love to see the hard work pay off…congrats sir!


----------



## BBLOCK

@Nismo I did sit on the deck yesterday w a drink and a nice cigar just enjoying it all while watching the sprinklers

@SodFace @Stuofsci02 the hardest part is watching some areas thicken up and other spots looking bare still.

@Robs92k man I don't know how you ever dealt w all those mats and staples. I would not be a happy camper if I had to do all that. It seems like a good insurance policy but can't imagine the cost and extra work. Hopefully mine turns out okay wo them. Bc I'm lazy and wouldn't want to do that lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

Day 12
















If you're not patient don't go for the kbg mono lol.

It's weird how it grows faster in patches and right next to the patch it's behind. It's like that all over the yard.

The front slope corner of the house I can maybe understand, the sun is blocked there all morning by the house. But def as the sun is now lower in the sky I'm seeing alot more shadows in the backyard from the trees that weren't there mid summer.


----------



## Chuuurles

Looking good @BBLOCK . Picture with the house and propane tanks in the background shows great germination!

I don't think i have the patience for KBG and washouts..maybe with netless blankets..


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Looking good @BBLOCK . Picture with the house and propane tanks in the background shows great germination!
> 
> I don't think i have the patience for KBG and washouts..maybe with netless blankets..


Yeah you have not been lucky this season w the storms, they get someone every year.

I've been fortunate only had one heavy rain. this is the only washout, I haven't even bothered to fix it. I'll prob fill w soil at some point and just let the grass spread into it.

I didn't use any tackifier over here.

To me slit seeding or using a larger seed drill like I did is the way to go(obviously need to be able to use a tractor and seeder in your yard, ensuring the seed is in the ground, and also rolling with a heavy roller to make sure the soil can't easily wash away. I don't really see a need for blankets as of right now. That is if I can pull this off wo blankets or peat moss. Lol. There's still time for things to go poorly around here lol.


----------



## Chuuurles

BBLOCK said:


> Chuuurles said:
> 
> 
> 
> Looking good @BBLOCK . Picture with the house and propane tanks in the background shows great germination!
> 
> I don't think i have the patience for KBG and washouts..maybe with netless blankets..
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah you have not been lucky this season w the storms, they get someone every year.
> 
> I've been fortunate only had one heavy rain. this is the only washout, I haven't even bothered to fix it. I'll prob fill w soil at some point and just let the grass spread into it.
> 
> I didn't use any tackifier over here.
> 
> To me slit seeding or using a larger seed drill like I did is the way to go(obviously need to be able to use a tractor and seeder in your yard, ensuring the seed is in the ground, and also rolling with a heavy roller to make sure the soil can't easily wash away. I don't really see a need for blankets as of right now. That is if I can pull this off wo blankets or peat moss. Lol. There's still time for things to go poorly around here lol.
Click to expand...

Oh yea I think you are fine, hopefully past the intense summer thunderstorm stage.

Yea in hindsight maybe I should have used my sacrificer to cut deeper slits for the seeds to sit in. I did hit it hard with a landscape rake and rolled it with a 300lb roller though.


----------



## BBLOCK

@Chuuurles yeah the scarifier to make the seed bed really seems to work well jrubb did a good job w that.

Mother nature at the end of the day always wins, it's just whatever mood she's in lol 😂

Did you have your baby yet?


----------



## Chuuurles

BBLOCK said:


> @Chuuurles yeah the scarifier to make the seed bed really seems to work well jrubb did a good job w that.
> 
> Mother nature at the end of the day always wins, it's just whatever mood she's in lol 😂
> 
> Did you have your baby yet?


Nope not yet 😬. Really hoping the Greensmaster arrives first lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> @Chuuurles yeah the scarifier to make the seed bed really seems to work well jrubb did a good job w that.
> 
> Mother nature at the end of the day always wins, it's just whatever mood she's in lol 😂
> 
> Did you have your baby yet?
> 
> 
> 
> Nope not yet 😬. Really hoping the Greensmaster arrives first lol
Click to expand...

Yeah buy all the toys you can now! Lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Day 13 on the mono 


The inspectors showed up to see what kind of progress there is.

Found these prints on the tttf section, lots of lack of respect around here




Nice weed too


----------



## Chris LI

Why, the noive of those gwuyz!
*Curly-The Three Stooges

Silver lining...those tracks may hold moisture for better germination (despite what was trampled). Kind of like "cleating seed in" on a sports field. I've been enjoying this mega project. Thanks for the documentation.


----------



## BBLOCK

Chris LI said:


> Why, the noive of those gwuyz!
> *Curly-The Three Stooges
> 
> Silver lining...those tracks may hold moisture for better germination (despite what was trampled). Kind of like "cleating seed in" on a sports field. I've been enjoying this mega project. Thanks for the documentation.


Haha yep that's how the lawn care nut talks too.

It's def been a mega project, just barely made er through, seems downhill from here tho! Thanks for following along, I have been trying to remember to take lots of pics bc that's what I enjoy seeing in journals.


----------



## PerennialRyeglass

WOW. What an insane amount of work. I'm curious to see how the mono turns out. I love the idea of doing that In my back yard but am feeling pretty intimidated about doing it next year. ...and it's only 2500sq ft. Can't wait to see how it all turns out in the next couple weeks though.. your lawn is going to be insane.


----------



## BBLOCK

PerennialRyeglass said:


> WOW. What an insane amount of work. I'm curious to see how the mono turns out. I love the idea of doing that In my back yard but am feeling pretty intimidated about doing it next year. ...and it's only 2500sq ft. Can't wait to see how it all turns out in the next couple weeks though.. your lawn is going to be insane.


I don't know if there's anything to be intimidated about, you just go for it and see what happens. At the end of the day it's just grass and you'll end up with an awesome lawn or a failed lawn. verdict isn't set yet for mine but I'm sure I'll get it right at some point. My wife told me I was allowed to just do the backyard this year.... So I tore up more than an acre 😇

Id rather go big and beg for forgiveness lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Been a week to the day since I dropped just over 3lb/k 16-16-16 on the tttf/kbg 31k. Looks like another good rain tonight so I dropped the triple 16 again.

Dropped 100lbs last week, and 83lbs tonight. That's all I had, thought I had more on hand when I bought the last round. Would of dropped another 100lbs.
So 5.9lb/k dropped of product

So I believe that to be just shy of 1lb npk/M(.94)

Hopefully she takes off and starts filling in more, still pretty bare in some places,

such is life with non irrigated turf.

-Today is two weeks since seed down on the kbg mono, didn't bother taking any more pics today. It's very green in some patches and bare in other patches so weird how it grows, wish I knew how to make it all perform to the same degree.



One little section of grassy weeds on the tf section, pulled what I saw. Don't know how you ever manage grassy weeds on this magnitude of area, hoping I don't get them too badly.


----------



## BBLOCK

Couple day 16 shots











Everything always looks better at ground level but the honest truth comes from the deck!

Overall I'm pretty happy with it. It's growing so great in some sections everything you dream of and other sections you're like was that the same seed...? It is all from the same bag. Hopefully by snowdown I'm in a decent position and I have the opportunity to pump it hard this fall with N and I'll feed it a feast in the spring.

My tttf section is doing decent, might need to give it a trim this weekend


----------



## Stuofsci02

Looking swell. Did you have your IPA?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Looking swell. Did you have your IPA?


Yeah had a couple. Grabbed a case of Stella too, buddy came over, got a free Stella bbq apron for when you come to visit you can wear it and not get your cashmere dirty.


----------



## BBLOCK

One month after planting the tttf/kbg I did the first mow, straight to the garden tractor, this lawn needs to be tough.

The good, the bad the ugly. She's more thin than I was hoping for. Not sure where u go from here but I'll keep pushing it and hope the kbg in there helps fill in a bit. Really, I need some type of overseed w tttf I just don't know if I wait till next fall or what and work on getting it weed free in the meantime, or spring seed, and then work in weeds in the fall?


----------



## BBLOCK

Decided today was the day I'm going to start pushing the kbg section.

Dropped 2lb/k 5-20-20 and 1lb/k urea

Also dropped a bit of seed in the more bare areas, like this front slope section, covered w a light skim of potting soil


Some sections are rocking pretty good, see what happens now that it's been fed a big meal


----------



## Babameca

Very, very nice!


----------



## Robs92k

Dude, been busy the last week and just catching up…wow. That's some serious progress!!

Love the sprinkler shot…so relaxing!

Great work BBLOCK!


----------



## Stuofsci02

I'd say that is looking great.. non irrigated is tough. There might be some spots that need attention next year, but I'd call this a success.


----------



## BBLOCK

In case I wanna try and push this bluegrass I have 280lbs of urea on deck lol. This would last me 3 lifetimes on my old lawn.


----------



## davegravy

BBLOCK said:


> In case I wanna try and push this bluegrass I have 280lbs of urea on deck lol. This would last me 3 lifetimes on my old lawn.


With that much fertilizer did you have a black van follow you home and park outside for a while? :lol:


----------



## BBLOCK

davegravy said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In case I wanna try and push this bluegrass I have 280lbs of urea on deck lol. This would last me 3 lifetimes on my old lawn.
> 
> 
> 
> With that much fertilizer did you have a black van follow you home and park outside for a while? :lol:
Click to expand...

Lol For real. Good thing I didn't fill my diesel cans too


----------



## BBLOCK

Couple shots of the mono
Das 19


----------



## BBLOCK

The spots that look bare like this one


Look like this at ground level, they're just behind a bit


----------



## BBLOCK

Did a second mow today on the tttf/kbg at 1.75"

Going to be the crazy guy mowing every three days praying if it can't grow up it will grow out and fill in.

Also dropped its first app of fast N 0.5lbN/M

90% chance of rain tomorrow so let's get the pump going. That is 1.5lbs of N in 3 weeks tho so it's either going to grow or burn out lol.


----------



## BBLOCK

Also ordered the 80lb push spyker spreader.

Been hmmming and hawing for a while on what I wanted, thought I was going to get a tow behind for my Size yard but just feel like I have better control with a push spreader.

Was deciding between lesco, spyker or agri fab. Lesco is nice but spyker has a bigger hopper and I like the black better. Went w something SS as ill use it for our Canadian winters and putting salt/sand/grit on my driveway which is pretty long. Excited for its arrival. I don't currently own one as a hand spreader was all I needed before and I've been using my dad's echo 60 which I absolutely hate and made me spend on something good. Will leave my bitcoin wallet address for donations so I don't miss a mortgage payment... Lol &#128514;

Should be good!


----------



## Robs92k

Congrats BBLOCK, looking great!

You'll get some great exercise, but I think you're in to something with the walk-behind. I got that giant spreader and I'm not pleased with accuracy. I really don't have time to walk it off, but you'll def get more accuracy…let me know how it handles crystals and sand…might make it even more appealing.

Christmas in September!!


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Congrats BBLOCK, looking great!
> 
> You'll get some great exercise, but I think you're in to something with the walk-behind. I got that giant spreader and I'm not pleased with accuracy. I really don't have time to walk it off, but you'll def get more accuracy…let me know how it handles crystals and sand…might make it even more appealing.
> 
> Christmas in September!!


Ty sir,

You also have twice the lawn I have.

And for most apps I have two lawns...

So my apps seem to land on different days anyways.

Heck I used my hand spreader the other day on the kbg section. I just did 3 separate measurements and did it by section, hand spreader is the easiest for the small apps...

Take a video of you doing 2 acres w a hand spreader... Lol

I'm actually suppose to be getting a 3 point PTO spreader here anytime, my buddy is hooking me up, we'll see if it comes thru, altho it's used and abused and will need some love, the city was throwing them out so he scooped two of them up. See how that pans out. Prob won't be worth the hassle w having my new spreader in the arsenal.


----------



## BBLOCK

A few pics of where the tttf/kbg stands as of right now. About 35 days since seed down. First week was nonirrigation what so ever.

She's thin but there's baby kbg in every bare area. I'll keep pushing and hopefully this time next year I'm laughing about these weak spots. Time will tell all.









Cutting short hides nothing either. I'm happy I at least have some grass now.


----------



## SNOWBOB11

I think you have very good coverage with the fact you had no irrigation in the mix area. You also have good even coverage in the monostand. It's unfortunate you couldn't have had the bluegrass seed down a few weeks before you did as it would have been good to get that coverage thicker before the temperature start to cool. Still though I think it's doing quite well. Good job.


----------



## BBLOCK

SNOWBOB11 said:


> I think you have very good coverage with the fact you had no irrigation in the mix area. You also have good even coverage in the monostand. It's unfortunate you couldn't have had the bluegrass seed down a few weeks before you did as it would have been good to get that coverage thicker before the temperature start to cool. Still though I think it's doing quite well. Good job.


thank you! i'm happy to be getting back into the grass game and out of the dirt farming stage. i'm going to mulch around my trees next year. i'm not trying to master the art of growing grass up trees


----------



## Babameca

Looks good B. I won't sweat too much over density. For KBG alone, it only happens after a full year. Next spring, it will be so hungry to conquer, you will be well surprised.


----------



## Nismo

Congrats on the Spyker. You will not be disappointed in the build quality of these little tanks. They are expensive, no doubt, but its the last spreader you'll ever buy.

Nice slow moving system today to dump a ton of rain without fear of washout. Heading into some nice temps for weekend you'll still see plenty growth yet. I can't cut often enough on my end with these conditions, its growing like crazy.


----------



## BBLOCK

Quick update on the pics

Day 24 on the mono. She's filling in. Some spots are ready to mow.

The mix is looking great, really starting to fill in.

We had over 3" of rain 


















@Robs92k thay side yard problem area


This back area looks like an established lawn


----------



## Robs92k

@BBLOCK not so much of a problem anymore! Looking awesome…that's hard work and good knowledge paying off. Keep pushing and thanks for the encouragement sir!


----------



## BBLOCK

Plant Id?

Google lens said annual bluegrass

I have a few plants throughout that look like blue grass but are on the accelerated growth above everything else. Are these poas?


----------



## thin_concrete

This is an insane journal - I'm so happy I ran into it. The amount of effort you put in is waaaaaaaaaaay above anything I could muster! Congrats - it looks great!


----------



## BBLOCK

thin_concrete said:


> This is an insane journal - I'm so happy I ran into it. The amount of effort you put in is waaaaaaaaaaay above anything I could muster! Congrats - it looks great!


Haha thanks, it's been a bit of work for sure. But hopefully next year is just taking care of it and feels like smooth sailing.

You could do it too. Just destroy your whole yard and you have no choice. Jump in the deep end!


----------



## BBLOCK

Sep 25. Day 25 since I dropped the kbg monostand seed.

I really want to mow but I think I'll wait another week, it's not very tall and still lots of thinner areas w small plants. Hopefully next Saturday and I'll give er.
On the mono
Dropped 25lbs of 5-20-20 
Dropped 29lbs of Urea

Which gives me 
0.33lb/P/M
0.33lb/K/M
1lb/N/M (0.92lb fast and 0.08 slow)

Just wanted to get rid of the 5-20-20 and make sure there's p in the soil


----------



## BBLOCK

Finally getting around to working on my sprayer.

I think I posted this back when I bought it, it was new in a box on the classifieds.

When I bought it I thought it came w the 2 nozzle boom. But it just came w the fan style nozzle in the middle and it kinda just dropped droplets not very consistently.

So I planned to try and make it better,

Today's the day the work started.

I'm going to try a 3 nozzle teejet setup, brass spray bodies, strainer and nozzles from Teejet.

Spaced 20" apart and 20" height.

Maybe tomorrow I'll get a chance to test it and try calibrating it.

I had to rejig it and make it so it'll do what I want.

Never had a good place to store the hose for the wand, it does now...

Had I known I was going w a wood piece I would have painted it black. Still might provided everything works okay.


----------



## BBLOCK

Photo dump for my records as I'm hoping the mono will pop w that 1lb of N yesterday.

Day 26 since seed down on the mono.

Day 41 since seed down on the tttf/kbg blend











































I hate taking pics w my shadow in them and I usually try not to but I was too lazy to get off the mower lol


----------



## Stuofsci02

Filling in nicely…. The KBG should really start to take shape this week


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Filling in nicely…. The KBG should really start to take shape this week


Starting to feel a bit more confident and starting to think this won't just end in public humiliation 😂

Looking dark as the sun sets, I like how it's filling in. Grow grass grow, grow grass grow.


----------



## SodFace

That is filling in so good! Nice job!


----------



## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Filling in nicely…. The KBG should really start to take shape this week
> 
> 
> 
> Starting to feel a bit more confident and starting to think this won't just end in public humiliation 😂
> 
> Looking dark as the sun sets, I like how it's filling in. Grow grass grow, grow grass grow.
Click to expand...

It is doing well for the late start.. I dont see much Poa so that's good too…


----------



## BBLOCK

SodFace said:


> That is filling in so good! Nice job!


Thank you,

It's def come a long way since I started dropping fert. Hard to believe at one point I thought I would have almost no coverage. Nice to not be living with all dirt


----------



## BBLOCK

Day 28 on the mono.

Here's some update pics after dropping 1lbN

Top pics are Sept 26 bottom pics today Sept 28










2 days apart :thumbup:


----------



## Robs92k

Taking off brother!!


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Taking off brother!!


✈ Now!

1.5lbs of N in a week has been good to this baby grass. Plus the p and k

Holler @ @Stuofsci02

For his famous quote" The timid finish last! "

And inspiring me to drop that N and dont be scuuured lol


----------



## Wile

Looking mint!


----------



## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> Taking off brother!!
> 
> 
> 
> ✈ Now!
> 
> 1.5lbs of N in a week has been good to this baby grass. Plus the p and k
> 
> Holler @ @Stuofsci02
> 
> For his famous quote" The timid finish last! "
> 
> And inspiring me to drop that N and dont be scuuured lol
Click to expand...

Don't let the cat outta the bag.. lookin sweet!


----------



## BBLOCK

Wile said:


> Looking mint!


i get happier everyday lol

growing bluegrass is good for a person's patience lol


----------



## jskierko

Really impressed with how that filled in! Makes me want to change my spoon feeding to a ladle feeding and push the limits.


----------



## BBLOCK

jskierko said:


> Really impressed with how that filled in! Makes me want to change my spoon feeding to a ladle feeding and push the limits.


i don't see why not, i'm very impressed with the results 3 days after dropping. and that was 7 days after .5lbs

make sure it's well spread and watered in and should be golden.

id say spoon feeding is the safe route especially for anyone newer to lawn care bc if you mess up something you wont kill your lawn. but it seems like the 1lb of N can really make it dance. its just whether or not you have the guts to ask her to the dance lol


----------



## lbb091919

Oh man, I've been putting down 0.4lbs and this is really making me want to jump on the bandwagon.


----------



## BBLOCK

lbb091919 said:


> Oh man, I've been putting down 0.4lbs and this is really making me want to jump on the bandwagon.


Last year on my smaller lawn I sprayed urea weekly but this Gran thing is working.


----------



## lbb091919

BBLOCK said:


> lbb091919 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh man, I've been putting down 0.4lbs and this is really making me want to jump on the bandwagon.
> 
> 
> 
> Last year on my smaller lawn I sprayed urea weekly but this Gran thing is working.
Click to expand...

Funny, I did the same and I don't know if I'll ever go back to spraying urea. Now it takes me 10 mins tops versus nearly an hour after mixing, spraying, and clean up is all said and done.


----------



## Camman595

BBLOCK said:


> lbb091919 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh man, I've been putting down 0.4lbs and this is really making me want to jump on the bandwagon.
> 
> 
> 
> Last year on my smaller lawn I sprayed urea weekly but this Gran thing is working.
Click to expand...

Gran thing? Tell me more.


----------



## BBLOCK

Camman595 said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lbb091919 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Oh man, I've been putting down 0.4lbs and this is really making me want to jump on the bandwagon.
> 
> 
> 
> Last year on my smaller lawn I sprayed urea weekly but this Gran thing is working.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Gran thing? Tell me more.
Click to expand...

Just Gran, for granular urea


----------



## Camman595

Doh! I should have known that.


----------



## Babameca

oh...that took off!


----------



## BBLOCK

Day 31























First time on a reel mower in a year.


----------



## Nismo

:thumbup: Let there be stripes


----------



## jskierko

Stripes as far as the eye can see... So sexy.


----------



## BBLOCK

jskierko said:


> Stripes as far as the eye can see... So sexy.


And I'm still reel mowing less than you I think lol 🤔


----------



## BBLOCK

Here's a couple progress shots on the tttf/kbg section.

Top pics of the collages are from the first mow on Sept 18, and bottom pics are today Sept 30 and the 4th mow. Cool to see the progress.


----------



## Stuofsci02

Awesome…. Make me very happy to see this!! Well done Sir on a project of scary proportions…


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Awesome…. Make me very happy to see this!! Well done Sir on a project of scary proportions…


💪 👊


----------



## Chuuurles

Wow! Big progress, good job dude !


----------



## lbb091919

This thing is going to be insane next year. Can't wait to see.


----------



## BBLOCK

New to the lineup and first appearance on the field today was Spyker with the first assignment of dropping 62lbs of urea on the tttf/kbg




Driveway patch still growing strong lol


----------



## Nismo

Pretty well the last spreader you'll buy. Beautiful machine.

BTW... the side deflector flaps are usually pretty cheap on ebay. I added one to mine to keep grass seed out of the flower beds and off the walkways... handy mod.


----------



## BBLOCK

Nismo said:


> Pretty well the last spreader you'll buy. Beautiful machine.
> 
> BTW... the side deflector flaps are usually pretty cheap on ebay. I added one to mine to keep grass seed out of the flower beds and off the walkways... handy mod.


OK sweet, thanks for the pro tip I was wondering where you got one.

The seeding is done for now...

Prob don't care if fert goes in the beds but def nice for seed or anything else u don't want in the beds or on the driveway


----------



## uts

I love putting down urea, the white granules over the green shooting out looks awesome. That spyker is awesome. Your reno is running now! Following closely.


----------



## BBLOCK

uts said:


> I love putting down urea, the white granules over the green shooting out looks awesome. That spyker is awesome. Your reno is running now! Following closely.


thanks for following along! hopefully it ends up nice and doesn't all turn to dirt again lol


----------



## BBLOCK

Just some progression collage pics, 7 days apart. Last Sunday and today Sunday, Sep 26-Oct 3

Bonus points if anyone notices something that isn't there anymore.

















The deer had fun dancing on the yard last night. Lots of hoof damage lol mom and youngin


----------



## Stuofsci02

Dish is on the roof?


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Dish is on the roof?




Ding ding ding 🛎 we have a winner


----------



## Robs92k

Lol on the dish…strange how they seem like an eyesore when the lawn looks nice.

Wow, I don't look for a few days and suddenly you have a pretty full lawn….looking awesome BBLOCK.

Side note….how did you decide where to put sprinklers so your fire pit doesn't get hit? I'm looking to add this, but don't have a good location bc of the irrigation…or is that part of the NI portion?


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Lol on the dish…strange how they seem like an eyesore when the lawn looks nice.
> 
> Wow, I don't look for a few days and suddenly you have a pretty full lawn….looking awesome BBLOCK.
> 
> Side note….how did you decide where to put sprinklers so your fire pit doesn't get hit? I'm looking to add this, but don't have a good location bc of the irrigation…or is that part of the NI portion?


Thank you good sir. It's coming along.

I just water the fire pit, it's the only way to make sure all the grass gets hit.

Currently have a 4" sprinkler on the edge of the slope but going to change it out for a 6" to give it a bit more height.

Fire pit is cool sunken but I am going to raise the grade of it a bit now that I see how high I made the lawn. Fire pit pad came before the final grade. Maybe once the ground is frozen I can bring more stone in.


----------



## Babameca

Is it me or the KBG leads the pack?


----------



## BBLOCK

Babameca said:


> Is it me or the KBG leads the pack?


Not in a speed race lol


----------



## Robs92k

Hey @BBLOCK the deer prints don't seem so bad when Moose might be a consideration…is that an issue around your parts?

I've almost hit a few now on my way to Perrault Falls. Still the most beautiful country I've seen…fishing doesn't suck either.

I also forget to mention how jealous I am of the trees on your property…I'll be fairly old by the time I have that much privacy.


----------



## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Hey @BBLOCK the deer prints don't seem so bad when Moose might be a consideration…is that an issue around your parts?
> 
> I've almost hit a few now on my way to Perrault Falls. Still the most beautiful country I've seen…fishing doesn't suck either.
> 
> I also forget to mention how jealous I am of the trees on your property…I'll be fairly old by the time I have that much privacy.


Haha yeah moose would really make a mess. They shouldn't be in this area but not saying it's impossible there is def moose not too far away. Usually more northern but east going towards Montreal has a patch of them.

When we were house shopping, forest was a big hit list item for us, I wanted more land but most houses w lots of land were older and needed lots of work so settled for less land and a new house.

My wife keep bugging me for a tree wall between us and the one neighbor for added privacy. I didn't get to it this year but I'd like to plant a bunch of spruce or cedars. My buddy has a tree farm and large tree spade I really just wanted to take some from the other side of the property and transplant but may end up buying some at some point. Trees are great though especially a forest, I like walking in it w the dogs. they have fun too they flushed and chased a fox yesterday.

There are bears around but only seen the one this year on our property I had posted a pic of it. Coyotes and fishers are the other considerations.

I also never thought I'd get this far ahead in one season as far as the lawn is concerned, have about 1/2 acre left for whatever. 
Would like to know what did this to the tree at the back just past the end of the lawn where the pond is/will be


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## BBLOCK

2nd mow on the blue velvet mono today

5 days since first mow

Quick comparison on the weaker area


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## Robs92k

BBLOCK said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hey @BBLOCK the deer prints don't seem so bad when Moose might be a consideration…is that an issue around your parts?
> 
> I've almost hit a few now on my way to Perrault Falls. Still the most beautiful country I've seen…fishing doesn't suck either.
> 
> I also forget to mention how jealous I am of the trees on your property…I'll be fairly old by the time I have that much privacy.
> 
> 
> 
> Haha yeah moose would really make a mess. They shouldn't be in this area but not saying it's impossible there is def moose not too far away. Usually more northern but east going towards Montreal has a patch of them.
> 
> When we were house shopping, forest was a big hit list item for us, I wanted more land but most houses w lots of land were older and needed lots of work so settled for less land and a new house.
> 
> My wife keep bugging me for a tree wall between us and the one neighbor for added privacy. I didn't get to it this year but I'd like to plant a bunch of spruce or cedars. My buddy has a tree farm and large tree spade I really just wanted to take some from the other side of the property and transplant but may end up buying some at some point. Trees are great though especially a forest, I like walking in it w the dogs. they have fun too they flushed and chased a fox yesterday.
> 
> There are bears around but only seen the one this year on our property I had posted a pic of it. Coyotes and fishers are the other considerations.
> 
> I also never thought I'd get this far ahead in one season as far as the lawn is concerned, have about 1/2 acre left for whatever.
> Would like to know what did this to the tree at the back just past the end of the lawn where the pond is/will be
Click to expand...

Yeah, got nothing. Maybe bear?

Timing is funny, never had an issue, then tonight:



I know it's a deer. Damnit. Lol.

^^And wow…seriously nice stripes for a fresh Reno…don't even see the bare (ish) spots…draws the eye!


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## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> 2nd mow on the blue velvet mono today
> 
> 5 days since first mow
> 
> Quick comparison on the weaker area


The difference is always wild. Another 3 weeks of growing should have you in a great spot for next season!


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## BBLOCK

Yeah, got nothing. Maybe bear?

Timing is funny, never had an issue, then tonight:



I know it's a deer. Damnit. Lol.

^^And wow…seriously nice stripes for a fresh Reno…don't even see the bare (ish) spots…draws the eye!
[/quote]

Yeah first thought was a bear but usually bear markings are deeper claw marks and more pronounced that I've seen. Dunno. Thinking maybe fisher too.

Haha as if a deer just took out that poor little tree.

Stripes are coming along, I'll keep mowing frequently and encourage it to grow. Seemed to work well on my other lawn it's filling in.


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## BBLOCK

Mowed my other lawn today

It's stating to fill in decent.

Snagged a couple pics post mow to keep the progress pics going. So easy to see progress when it's visually documented.

5th mow on the blend

Couple shots of the mono


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## Stuofsci02

Gets better with each day…. I can't wait to see this next fall after a year..


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## Robs92k

Stuofsci02 said:


> Gets better with each day…. I can't wait to see this next fall after a year..


^+1 great lighting!


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## Stuofsci02

Robs92k said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Gets better with each day…. I can't wait to see this next fall after a year..
> 
> 
> 
> ^+1 great lighting!
Click to expand...

He must have got a new phone.. pics seem much improved…


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## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Robs92k said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Gets better with each day…. I can't wait to see this next fall after a year..
> 
> 
> 
> ^+1 great lighting!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> He must have got a new phone.. pics seem much improved…
Click to expand...

Hehe yeah maybe that happened too


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## g-man

I have a feeling that eventually you will end up killing the TTTF in front of the house to make it match the KBG closer to the house.


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## Chuuurles

Wow this is looking amazing, Lets hope this weather holds a few more weeks


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## BBLOCK

g-man said:


> I have a feeling that eventually you will end up killing the TTTF in front of the house to make it match the KBG closer to the house.


You never know. It's kind of an experiment that whole area. It's pretty wet in the spring with runoff coming out of the bush across the neighbor's yard and into mine.i did put like 40lbs of bluegrass in that mix maybe it'll take over in time. Big hitlist would have to happen first. Irrigate that whole area, major sand leveling. Couple drainage issues to still address I'm still low in the front by driveway getting some pooling and backflow from ditch culvert. And last but not least I would need to get into a triplex bc if it was all kbg I'd want to reel mow it.

It is the same kbg(blue velvet) in the tttf that makes up the mono. Def interested to see the color a year from now.


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## BBLOCK

Chuuurles said:


> Wow this is looking amazing, Lets hope this weather holds a few more weeks


Yes indeed getting good growth right now. The more it fills in the happier I get. Haven't pulled the panic lever of pro yet sticking to my original hopes and dreams


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## BBLOCK

3rd mow on the kbg mono today

6th mow on the tttfkbg


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## Stuofsci02

Awesome work.. I guess you didn't get the rain we had here…. I. Gonna need some drone shots soon..


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## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Awesome work.. I guess you didn't get the rain we had here…. I. Gonna need some drone shots soon..


Yeah no rain here 40% tomorrow.

I have a drone I don't know how to fly it. But I plan to practice soon so I can get some overhead shots. Do a comparison shot from the realtor drone shot a year ago when we came to see the place for the first time. A lot has charged as u know.


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## BBLOCK

Day 41 on the mono

4th mow. Just trying to mow often and keep it filling in. Seems like forever lol


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## Stuofsci02

That's looking good. What are you striping the TTTF with?


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## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> That's looking good. What are you striping the TTTF with?


Not striping w anything yet but the mower deck and the tires lol

I should order a striper was just waiting till next season my lawn budget has gone to buying things for infants lol


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## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's looking good. What are you striping the TTTF with?
> 
> 
> 
> Not striping w anything yet but the mower deck and the tires lol
> 
> I should order a striper was just waiting till next season my lawn budget has gone to buying things for infants lol
Click to expand...

Babies love striped grass….


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## BBLOCK

September 26- October 12

Really love these comparisons so I know it's working












:thumbup: if you've been watching the progress


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## Stuofsci02

Always fun to see the differences... I think you should make good progress over the next 2-3 weeks before she packs it in for the year... Get some good N down in the spring the fill the rest in....


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## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> Always fun to see the differences... I think you should make good progress over the next 2-3 weeks before she packs it in for the year... Get some good N down in the spring the fill the rest in....


It was 24 felt like 27 today. It grew a lot almost can't see the lines I mowed yesterday.


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## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Always fun to see the differences... I think you should make good progress over the next 2-3 weeks before she packs it in for the year... Get some good N down in the spring the fill the rest in....
> 
> 
> 
> It was 24 felt like 27 today. It grew a lot almost can't see the lines I mowed yesterday.
Click to expand...

Yeah.. this is free rolling on the weather.. I'll take it to get in a great position next spring..


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## Robs92k

Dude, looking so good!! Going to be nice to relax over the winter I bet (other than cleaning equipment)..


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## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Dude, looking so good!! Going to be nice to relax over the winter I bet (other than cleaning equipment)..


Thank you sir. Feels like I'm getting somewhere now.

Well we're having a baby in February so not sure how relaxing that will be lol

This is me in the winterhttps://streamable.com/mn1iel


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## Robs92k

Congrats on the baby!!! BBLOCK jr!? You're a better man than me…don't have any idea how I'd be able to take care of my lawn and chase kids, but you seem high energy and can get it done.

Might be a little less time on the sled (or just slower)! Side note, it wouldn't play the video unless I downloaded a program, so I couldn't watch the video…virus warnings all over the place.

Snowmobiles or dog sled?


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## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Congrats on the baby!!! BBLOCK jr!? You're a better man than me…don't have any idea how I'd be able to take care of my lawn and chase kids, but you seem high energy and can get it done.
> 
> Might be a little less time on the sled (or just slower)! Side note, it wouldn't play the video unless I downloaded a program, so I couldn't watch the video…virus warnings all over the place.
> 
> Snowmobiles or dog sled?


Oh crap ok. Worked fine for me. I forgot where to host short vids quickly. Ill find another host

@Robs92k try again let me kno


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## BBLOCK

Couple quick comparison pics of backyard. Slowly but surely.

Oct 8&22


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## Robs92k

Wow BBLOCK…that's what I've been waiting to see! That filled in awesome!

Are you seeing frost/ freeze yet? Still looks nice and warm by you…WI:


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## Stuofsci02

@BBLOCK .. This looks great.. I am seeing some of the weedy grasses you were texting me about, but I don't think it is too bad...

@Robs92k ... No frost here yet, nor is it expect for a least another week... In Canada we rarely get cold weather.... :shock:


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## BBLOCK

Robs92k said:


> Wow BBLOCK…that's what I've been waiting to see! That filled in awesome!
> 
> Are you seeing frost/ freeze yet? Still looks nice and warm by you…WI:


The kbg magic. Threw another . 5N down the other day. Lots of rain lately. Too much.

Prob last N app.

We had first frost the other day but only on the rooftops not noticeable on the grass. I was an hour north of my house today and saw first snowflakes of the year.


----------



## BBLOCK

Stuofsci02 said:


> @BBLOCK .. This looks great.. I am seeing some of the weedy grasses you were texting me about, but I don't think it is too bad...
> 
> @Robs92k ... No frost here yet, nor is it expect for a least another week... In Canada we rarely get cold weather.... :shock:


Well it ain't great and I feel overwhelmed w knowing I'll never hand pull it all.

Tenacity lit them up makes em noticeable plus they outgrow the kbg.

Waiting for u your viper and the famous drywall knife lol


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## Stuofsci02

BBLOCK said:


> Stuofsci02 said:
> 
> 
> 
> @BBLOCK .. This looks great.. I am seeing some of the weedy grasses you were texting me about, but I don't think it is too bad...
> 
> @Robs92k ... No frost here yet, nor is it expect for a least another week... In Canada we rarely get cold weather.... :shock:
> 
> 
> 
> Well it ain't great and I feel overwhelmed w knowing I'll never hand pull it all.
> 
> Tenacity lit them up makes em noticeable plus they outgrow the kbg.
> 
> Waiting for u your viper and the famous drywall knife lol
Click to expand...

No need to bring the snake into this…


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## BBLOCK

When you can't mow, you blow!

Soon enough soon enough!


----------

