# RobbyBobby Lawn Journal



## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Hey TLF!

Been a member since May '17. I remember the night because my girlfriend (now fiancé) walked out on me at 2 in the morning looking at my laptop in pure bliss. She asked me what I was looking at with one thought in mind...and was taken aback when showed her that I was watching someone cut their grass with a Tru Cut C-25.

Well fast forward to 2018. We bought our first house in August and I finally have a yard to call my own. Living in Dallas, TX.

Inheirited Specs:

Front Yard - 1.5K sqft - St. Aug
Back Yard - 5.5K sqft - Weeds and Trees.

Aug -



Dropped an application of Celcius and was able to knock the majority of what was in the yard out over the next few weeks. Thought not able to put down some Pre-M before the winter (late acquiring supplies). I was going to overseed to keep the green.. timing just didnt work out.

Fastforward to today -





Overseed with PRG in mid October and it has yielded some great results! I am having some sedge activity, though not a ton. Any recommendations for cool weather to set this back?

Spring Plans:

Front yard (St. Aug)
- Pre M / Celcius App
- Dethatch? How?
The grass is roughly 2 inches taller than the sideway. The lowest HOC I was able to achieve towards the end of the year was 3 inches. My TruCut just bounces like no other. So much squish when I walk.

Back Yard - 
- Kill off all grass.
- Pre M (Prodiamine)
- Removed 14 tree stumps that are scattered around the yard. 
- Level the yard. Retain the gradual slope away from the house.
- Insall an irrigation system
- Sod.

I have a TruCut H-20 that I need to learn more about. Toro Rotary that does the dirty work for me.

Looking forward to posting more along the journey!

-Rob


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

For educational purposes...

Anyone familiar with what kind of tree these are? I absolutely love them - skinny, tall, green all year.

My research points to a Eastern Red Cedar but that my best guess.






It has been dropping these during the winter.



Thanks!
-Rob


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## Kicker (Apr 5, 2018)

Welcome, Always good to have another lawn from DFW to compare. I don't have a journal up yet but will be starting one this year I imagine since i picked up a Toro Greensmaster 1000 this winter.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

A few of the cedars got a trim Wednesday ahead of bulk trash pickup. 

These basically encompass everything I have in my yard right now. What are some cool weather recommendations to knock these out?


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Frost delay in Dallas.


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

robbybobby said:


> A few of the cedars got a trim Wednesday ahead of bulk trash pickup.
> 
> These basically encompass everything I have in my yard right now. What are some cool weather recommendations to knock these out?


that parsley looking weed is Parsley Peirt. I've tried a couuple selectives with no luck. Likely because of the cold weather. Im waiting until we warm up and Im going to hit them with Celcius.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

robbybobby said:


> For educational purposes...
> 
> Anyone familiar with what kind of tree these are? I absolutely love them - skinny, tall, green all year.
> 
> ...


I suspect these are Eastern Red Cedar _Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana_ which are actually Junipers, but are commonly called cedars. The blue berries come from the female trees.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Austinite said:


> robbybobby said:
> 
> 
> > A few of the cedars got a trim Wednesday ahead of bulk trash pickup.
> ...


Thanks for the reply Austinite! Like you, I spot sprayed with some Spectracide (which highlights Parsley Peirt) with little to no luck. I have celcius in the waiting.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Powhatan said:


> robbybobby said:
> 
> 
> > For educational purposes...
> ...


Thanks for the insight Powhatan! From what I can gather I have 2 females and 4 males in the backyard.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Took advantage of the chemical exchange (fantastic idea) - got 16oz of PGR from @Polarjk.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

1st "I'm a dumba**" experience in the books!

On Jan 18, I sprayed a decent dose of Image on my backyard. I had had positive experiences with it in the past (on Bermuda) so I figured I'd let it knock out all the nutsedge, dollarweed and parsley peirt in the backyard. 

A day later I read some fine print and saw it would kill off PRG....(genius)...Sure enough when warmer weather came, she gone.

This morning, Feb 4. 



As you can see, my backpack spraying still needs some fine tuning as there are a few spots of lush PRG still. I'll finish off the kill with some MSM later this week.

Aiming for PRE-M app next weekend. I don't have irrigation so I'll be planning around some wet forecasts

- Rob


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Busy day on the lawn today. 2.15.19.

I'm getting over a cold, so I figured i'd save my voice get outside in the nice weather and put some work in. 73* in Dallas today! (It'll be 35 by morning tomorrow ha)

Today's activities:

- Picked up a weeks worth of dog turds. 
- Took the Toro Rotary as low as it could go over the entire lawn. Mostly picked up sticks from the the trees, very little growth since I accidentally killed off my PRG. 
- Scalped with the Tru-Cut H20. I got her down to about 3/8s before catching dirt in some areas. 
- Dethatched at the middle setting with my new Greenworks. Worked like a charm but extension cords are a piece of work!
- Toro Rotary to bag all of the thatch. Generated 4 - 40 gallon bags. Mind you, the bottom 2/3rd of my yard was allll weeds when we purchased so no thatch to really speak of. 
-Scalped again.

Before: * I got trigger happy before the picture...so the first little portion is already scalped.







After:







I need to purchase some MSM to kill off the remaining PRG but I have been slacking on that. Ordered a scale to properly measure out my mixes like many suggested. Waiting on that and a rain day before applying Pre-M to the front and back.

- Rob


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

3/7/19

MSM app down to kill off the PRG. Applied at .5oz/acre which came out to roughly .057oz for my 5k backyard.

3/8/19

Half app of Pre-M at the yearly max (.83/k). 2.075 oz for the backyard (2.49oz with the red solo cup). .83 oz for the front yard. 
Prepped for my line domination ha went about 2 feet into the neighbors yard both ways. 




3/9/19

We got dumped on for about 45 minutes... and if that wasn't enough we have thunderstorms in the forecast the next 3 days.






Going to get the tru-cut services and backlapped at a local golf course here shortly before the tru season starts!

-Rob


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

As predicted - Dallas got destroyed over the course of the morning. I even lost power for a good hour +.

So the Pre-M and MSM is watered in....let's just hope I did a good broadcast app


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Was able to take advantage of the awesome weather in Dallas today.

Things tackled:
Rotary Cut - Lowest Setting
Reel Scalp - Lowest setting without hitting dirt.
Dethatch
Rotary - Bagging

Took me the better part of the afternoon. Roughly 4 hours... im starting to see some baby Bermuda coming back!


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Sooooo I detatched my St. Aug front yard today. I didn't go very deep to avoid any true damage. Accumulated 4 - 30 gallon trash bags. Honestly, cant say it looks a whole lot different on the majority of it but some it areas got thinned out pretty good. Worst case .... maybe best case - I killed it and the bermuda on either side of me will slowly take over!


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

It must be spring now! I haven't posted in 8 days and my journal is on page 3!

Update from Dallas:

Getting some good growth in back with Bermuda, need to spray sledgehammer in the front to knock out a lot of crap that popped up after a heavy rain.

Here's to slightly warmer** weather and some spring rain!


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Been MIA for a while.

Backyard hasn't changed much other than I got the 13+ stumps grinder down so it's all turf back here.

Over seeded this winter again but waited a little too deep into the fall season. Fortunately the Dallas winter was super mild and continue to be which helped some seed come in late.

Prior to seeding I tilled the majority of the yard....holy cow is that a workout. Most of the yard was dirt during the summer as I killed off all the weeds. Gave me a chance to smooth over where the previous stumps were, de-rock a good portion of the yard as well as take a little away from my slopes.

Fresh cut from today and yesterday. 70s today which helped dry out the canopy so my rotary wouldn't always clog.

Dropped down some Pre-M on the front and back (.55/k). Hoping to tame some of the POA/Crab breaking out in the backyard and prep the front.

Last Year


This Year


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

I'm hoping I threw down some good Pre-M coverage on Sunday because our rainfall this week has been absolutely perfect for soaking it in. Super light drizzle for the last 2 days


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

RobbyBobby Update:

Spring has been fun so far. Front yard is beginning to look really solid. I've been reel cutting the front yard SA at about 5/8" every 4 days. Line Domination is beginning on both sides! I'm now known in my cul-de-sac for being the "lawn guy" and one of them the other day said "you know if you're not careful, you will have a really nice yard" ...which I got a kick out of.

The house to the right sat vacant for about 4 months and the lawn got out of control...about 4 weeks ago I decided to cut it and spray it. I'm jealous because he has all bermuda and my spray has knocked out almost everything. Single guy living there now still neglects it so i've been slowly inching my way into his side to make that bermuda looking great.

Backyard is still mostly perennial rye. It's holding out OK with how much rain we've been getting in the dallas area.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Cut from this morning. Blanket app of celsius in the top section of my backyard to kill off any residual PRG. Spot sprayed for Dallisgrass in the front. I've hand pulled a lot of it over the past few weeks so there is very little left.

My try at some line domination:



Neighbors neglected everything:





Classic golf ball pic in the backyard. I used to scalp it at this height last year. Just cutting more frequently has helped a ton. Haven't leveled and probably won't. I think we're moving soon


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

We've gotten some good steady rain the last 12 hours. Celsius should be good and deep into the soil. Have some bare spots that need to fill it. Going to drop down a heavy app of N after about another week.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Starting to see a little yellowing. PRG was definitely stunted as we get a fair bit of rain but no growth in this section.



Double cut this morning. Ran over a ton of these guys. Is this the product of ants? What should I be spraying to avoid whatever bug this is...

Ordered some 120 grit pin high after watching a few lapping videos. Heck of a lot easier than I originally thought...especially with my TruCut.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Got my PinHigh 120 in. Suuuuper excite to give ************ a go. Even more excited to give the yard a cut after

Wonder how much lower I can go on the SA without scalping.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Well that was fun but also exhausting for the first time. Turns out my reel had a pretty good small dent in it...I suspect a old fence post as the culprit. Almost wish I had some 80 grit pinhigh to start off with then finish with the 120.

Was cutting paper like a champ after though.







Lowest setting without scalping in the back. I'm about 10 days post the Celsius app to knock out any PRG in this top section (the only bermuda grass in the backyard). Seeing some yellowing and wilting of a few weeds which is great. Letting the larger section of PRG (dirt underneath) go as long as possible.






Dropped the SA (bermuda creeping in sections) in front down another notch and man I'm really happy with it. Edged and watered. Sunny and high 80s in Dallas for the near future.


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