# BUTTER 2022



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Happy New Year!
New year, new lawn journal, same old lawn.
Yesterday was nearly 60° and gorgeous.
Today is 10° with sleet.
I'm ready for spring!
My 2022 goal is to stay consistent. I value consistency over everything. From spring green up to winter dormancy I want the turf to look like May 15th or October 15th. This is not possible but it's the goal.
I will have to make a change to my fertilizer program this year. After three years of Carbon X I am nearly out. I will probably replace it with soybean meal. My fescue really likes SBM.
The only project I have planned is to go to war with Poa trivialis. We've battled in the past but mostly coexisted. The Cold War is over.
Only about 80 days to first mow!


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Happy new year - I'm going to go for consistency in what I do to the lawn but let the results do whatever it is they do


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Happy Kansas Day!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Monday the high was 70°. Today 20° and 6" of snow.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

How is it now a month later?


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Vtx531 It was starting to perk up until yesterday.
February was a weather roller coaster. Near record highs and below normal lows. 13" of snow from two different winter storms. The end of February was mild and the first few days of March were above average temps. Record high of 87° on March 2. Then yesterday rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow. High temps in the 30's, lows in the upper teens. There's more snow later this week. Kansas weather has always been crazy, even before global climate change.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

6" of snow today. The moisture is nice but I'm ready for spring! It's supposed to be in the 60's starting Sunday. Nothing like having all four seasons in the same week.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

I see you ended last year at 2.75" hoc? Do you plan a little bit of a scalp to start off the year or what are you thinking? I ended last year at 3.25" but I want to maintain 2.75" this year so thinking maybe a sliiiight scalp down to 2.25" for the first cut.

Just wondering if you have a set method for the first cut in spring or what have you done in the past and experiences?


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Vtx531 In the past I have left it long in the fall, 3.5", and dropped the mower deck one or two notches in the spring. Even though I mowed it lower last fall I still plan to drop it a notch for the first mow. I always like to get the dead crude off the top to start the season. I'm not sure what height I'll be shooting for this season, probably 2.75 or 3.25" until it gets hot. I do get some scalping in an area by the ditch even at 2.75".


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

The grass still ain't green but at least the beer is black!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Last day of winter, first mow. As always with the first mow it's unimpressive and slightly disappointing. But things will change a bunch in the next week to ten days. HOC 2.25" is the shortest I've ever mowed.


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Showing some love with the snapper! Good luck this season @Butter


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Wiley Thanks and good luck to you this year! I had had to retrieve the Snapper from my brother in law. The suction is much better than the Toro for the first mow of the season.

Today I applied Anderson's Humic DG. I'm not sure that it does much good but it couldn't hurt and I needed to get it out of the garage.
Rain expected to begin the week.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Yesterday was in the low 80's and windy.
Last night we had the first severe thunderstorms of the spring. I love the severe weather. Lightning and heavy rain for a few hours. I could have sworn it rained 10" but this morning the rain gauge said 2". I wanted to mow before the rain but it didn't happen. Today is in the 50's and gloomy. Slight chance of snow tonight or in the morning. Anyway the turf is greening up nicely.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Today started out cold with a heavy frost but turned into a nice spring day with a high of 65°.
This afternoon I mowed for the second time. It's not fully awake in the entire yard but it's getting there. HOC 2.75" bagged with el Toro SR.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

First stripes of the season. I'm trying a slightly different angle to the stripes to start the year. I won't know if I'll like it until I mow the cross stripes. Mulch mowed at 2.75" with el Toro. The Poa triv. Is glowing. Rained .5" earlier yesterday.


----------



## Wile (Sep 17, 2020)

The Draught Stout is delicious. There shall be more yard beers this year! Cheers and great start to the season.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Wile Cheers to you! Lawn beers are a big part of my program. It's latte season!

Yesterday I mowed the backyard with the dirty thirty. Stripes are more than a little shaky.

Today was very windy and nearly 90°. Storms are rolling in.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Today I mowed. It had been 9 days and it was tall. I started out mulching but I was leaving grass tracks on the driveway. I hate grass tracks on the concrete so I switched over to bagging.


----------



## jskierko (Sep 5, 2020)

That's one for the calendar, looks awesome! If you had grass tracks on that concrete in the photo you sure did a remarkable job cleaning them up. What do you use? I will use a broom and a blower, but inevitably some tracks are left behind. Thinking about pulling the trigger on a powersweep attachment for my kombisystem, but having a hard time justifying the cost just to clean off my walk/driveway.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Wow, I'd be amazed if that's not one of your best shots for the season! Looks great. Hoping I can get there in another week or two behind. Clean concrete and tight edging for the cherry on top.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@jskierko Thanks! The concrete in the picture I had switched to bagging. The tracks I made weren't very bad but some were on the neighbors drive. I used a blower and my foot.
@Vtx531 Thanks! I love the edges!


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

@Butter looking so crisp and clean! :thumbup:


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Thank ya @Wiley


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Japanese Maple is leafing out, Boxwood are flushing, Redbuds in full bloom. Spring is a beautiful thing!
Today I mowed. The stripes are getting burnt in.


----------



## bf7 (May 11, 2020)

Butter said:


>


The maple is happy to live next to such a wicked stand of turf!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@bf7 Thanks!

Today I mowed the complementary stripes. 
It was tall and shaggy. I broke the 1/3 rule. Seems like I mowed off the good color.
I bagged and mowed it twice because it was so long. I've struggled to get into a routine this spring.


----------



## nikmasteed (Apr 30, 2020)

Looking good so far this season Butter! I love how you started off your 2022, the goal of consistency, I'm the same way I feel like consistency is what I value most. Glad to see you're starting off super strong! Enjoy those yard beers this year


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@nikmasteed Thanks! The bright green patches of triv. are really messing with my consistency but I plan on dealing with them soon.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Gorgeous Kansas weather today!
I mowed. I hadn't really been happy with the 2.75" HOC so I raised the deck up on notch to 3.25". I think I like it better. I got new neighbors a few weeks ago. Today I was talking to him and he says "I think your grass is different than mine".

Also applied the first fertilizer of the year. 
The last of Carbon X that I bought in 2019 and soybean meal from a local elevator. Together I think I got down somewhere between .5 and .75 lbs of N per K. I'm trying to get the lawn pumped up for a graduation party two weeks from today. There is a good chance of rain a few days this week.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Probably a good move going higher with the tttf. I would go higher on mine because it DOES instantly look better but it gets matted down if I go higher. Looks great.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Vtx531 Thanks! I hope to stay at this height until the temps heat up.


I found this yesterday after I mowed. It's kinda weird. Variegated TTTF!? I don't know if it's some kind of deficiency or some kind of mutation or what. Definitely not from chemicals. Somebody posted a similar picture in the cool season forum last fall or this spring but I can't find it. If anybody remembers that post or can find it let me know.


----------



## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

Looks fantastic as always I wonder what soybean is going for this season? I'm soybean jealous it just doesn't exist by me


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@M32075 Thanks! The SBM was $14.88 for 50lbs. One of the benefits of living on the prairie I suppose.
My offer still stands if you want to fly to Kansas and drive a rental truck back to New York full of SBM. I also suppose I could ship you some.

I got .80" of rain last night.


----------



## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

I might be up for a road trip next year I need to finish up my purely organic fertilizer I scored last September for $5 a bag at Walmart


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Rainy week.
Monday .8"

Wednesday 1.4"

Thursday .4"


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Rainy and cool all week. Today was very nice, mid 70's and sunny. I mowed. It had been six days. I bagged because it was tall and still a little wet in places. I've also been doing a bunch of work to the landscape beds. Weeding, cutting new edges and new mulch.


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Looks great like always. Today was just about perfect weather wise!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@ksturfguy Thanks!
Today was pretty nice! When Kansas weather is good it's real good! Sounds like we could hit record highs next week. I guess I better get my fungicide purchased.


----------



## LegionLawn (Oct 31, 2020)

Butter said:


> @Vtx531 Thanks! I hope to stay at this height until the temps heat up.
> 
> 
> I found this yesterday after I mowed. It's kinda weird. Variegated TTTF!? I don't know if it's some kind of deficiency or some kind of mutation or what. Definitely not from chemicals. Somebody posted a similar picture in the cool season forum last fall or this spring but I can't find it. If anybody remembers that post or can find it let me know.


I posted that. I was told it was liriope. I only had 2-3 plants like it that I found. 2 in the front and 1 in the back. I'm not sure how it spread because it seems unlikely to have it in the front and back and not have any in my planters, which is where I would have thought it would have originated. Tbh I'm not convinced it was liriope and also thought it was some weird TTTF mutation.

Here's a link to the thread. I tried to transplant and grow it but it died.

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33351&p=454533#p454533


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@LegionLawn Thanks for responding and thanks for the link. I searched and search but couldn't find it.
It is defiantly not Liriope and is most certainly TTTF. I ask three different turfgrass pros. Two said, "Thats weird!" The other said he wasn't sure, maybe a deficiency or maybe too much of one thing tying up another thing. I ask if it could be some kind of mutation but he didn't respond. I tend to ask to many questions when I talk to people. I couldn't keep mine alive either.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Last week was cold and rainy. This week is hot and humid. Record high Monday 94°. Record high Tuesday 95°. Today I mowed. Bagged because it was tall and lots of undesirable seed heads. Everything is seeding very heavy this year. TTTF is seeding more than I've seen for a few years. KBG is seeding like crazy. Usually the Poa triv. only seeds in one patch in my yard. This year it's seeding in most patches. Not good.
Anyway the diamonds are getting burnt in and the triv. is shining like a diamond in a goats a$$!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I had a very eventful weekend. Saturday I mowed. The turf is trying to seed and is very stemmy. It doesn't cut particularly well. I end up with grey shredded leaf blades. This morning I woke to slow release H20, oh hail! It rained a few different times throughout the morning equaling nearly 1/2" of rain.
The highlight of the weekend was my third, and last, kid graduating high school. She is an amazing young lady and I am so proud of her and look forward to what she will do in the next chapter of her life. Luckily, like my other two kids, she is smart like Mrs. Butter. 
The nest is soon to be empty so maybe I can concentrate on the lawn now!


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Congrats on your kids graduation!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@ksturfguy Thank you very much! It's an emotional time at our house and the summer is gonna go way too fast!

Tonight I applied soybean meal and then had a beer or three to salute the farmers that grew it.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I had every intention to NOT mow today. But rain is expected and as I rolled through town after work, everyone was mowing. So I caved to peer pressure and mowed. I'm glad I did. The turf hadn't grow too much since Saturday so I was able to mulch with el Toro. It was a very satisfying mow. I really love mulching with this mower.

When I was mowing I spotted what I thought was a crabgrass. Turns out it was corn. There was a few kernels of corn in my soybean meal and at least one has germinated.


----------



## Ben4Birdies (12 mo ago)

Thankfully corn is about the easiest weed to kill in a lawn. Haha!

I'm loving the stripes and the dark dense look of your turf!


----------



## nikmasteed (Apr 30, 2020)

Stripes are looking great Butter!!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Ben4Birdies Thanks!
I found another corn stalk today.
@nikmasteed Thank you!

Today I mowed.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

A lot of the week was rainy and cooler. Rain all day Tuesday, .8". Rained all day Wednesday, 1".
Rained half the day Thursday, .3". Friday was nice and so was today. Because of the rain it had been a full week since I've mowed. I double cut. First cut mulching and second cut bagging.
Lots of mushrooms and a few fungusy looking spots. Seems like the turf is making the change from spring mode to summer mode.


----------



## TulsaFan (May 1, 2017)

Lawn looks fantastic! What do your neighbors think about it?


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@TulsaFan Thanks!
My neighbors are mostly indifferent. For the most part where I live lawn care is a chore not a hobby.


----------



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@Butter do you ever pull out your mower when you see your neighbors mowing, just to dominate?


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Jeff_MI84 I ain't saying that never happens but I kinda like playing my own game.

Last night I got .9" of rain. This morning another .6". Tonight with more rain expected I did some applications.
Heritage G. 3lbs/k. Correction Headway G not Heritage.
Acelepryn 5lbs/k.
Soybean meal 5lbs/k.
Raining now to wash it all in.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

2.5" of rain last night. Thats 6" in the last week and 12.75" for the month of May.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Gorgeous Kansas weather today! 77° and sunny. It's a nice change from all the rain. 
Yesterday I power washed under the mower deck and sharpened the blade. 
Tonight I mowed. It has a bit of of torn blades from the last mow.


----------



## SEKBrian (Jul 20, 2020)

Weather has been awesome! Grass is lookin good


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@SEKBrian Thanks! Yesterday and today have been absolutely perfect weather! Hopefully everyone won't want to move to Kansas after finding out we had two nice days in a row.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Wow! Not only is your blade sharp, your lawn is, too! I'm finally getting caught up on other journals, and read yours from 1/1/22. Lots of weather that hasn't held you back, and congratulations on your final HS graduation! I really like the angle change in your stripes. They show a nice diamond pattern and must really pop as you drive down the street. Are you considering a third angle perpendicular to the street? I think that occasional pass might highlight the other two angles and you could let them "ghost out" over time, if that one wasn't your favorite.

I'm also loving your SBM. I don't have a lot of storage, but picked up a $5 bag of a knockoff (or rebranded POP 10-0-2) from Walmart last fall. It has a lot of SBM mixed with distillers grains.

Good luck in June! Enjoy the refreshments after the mow! I'm on the same page with you, with an afternoon mow and beer afterwards.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Chris LI Thank you! It's gonna be odd having an empty house this fall but I guess that's how it works. Raise good kids so they can leave.
I think I need to switch patterns or like you said add another one. I tend to hang on to a pattern longer than I should.

Rained yesterday .6" and .2" overnight. It was supposed to rain today but didn't. I applied Main Event Iron and AMS both at 2 oz/k. Had I known it wasn't gonna rain I would have mowed before but I didn't. I did mow the backyard. It was very swampy and I left lots of mud tracks. More rain tonight and through next week is predicted.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Get ready to rumbuuullll! It's time for the Main Event! You're going to kick your color into overdrive! :nod:


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I didn't get much rain last night, maybe 2/10th.
I'm not sure if that's enough to water in the Main Event or not but tonight I had to mow. Hopefully I didn't cut off all that Ironie goodness.
Today was hotter, 87°, and more humid. There is a good chance of rain tonight.


----------



## Wile (Sep 17, 2020)

Fantastic!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Wile Thank you!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Thursday is my favorite day to mow!


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Love that blue-green color and stripes! All set for the weekend!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Chris LI Thanks! I think light and angle were on my side in that pic.
Cheers to the weekend!


----------



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

Those stripes are burned in so good.


----------



## bf7 (May 11, 2020)

I'd say you timed that iron perfectly &#128077; excellent response.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Jeff_MI84 Thanks!
The lawn gods of YouTube can burn lines in with one pass but for me it takes lots of repetition.
@bf7 The iron is really making the color pop. Plus we've had lots of rain and now sunshine.
Last night someone drove through the ditch. They didn't break the "skin" but there is a decent rut. This kind of thing used to make me so mad. 
I must be getting mellow in my old age. Not much I can do about it, fix it or don't.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> Last night someone drove through the ditch. They didn't break the "skin" but there is a decent rut. This kind of thing used to make me so mad.
> I must be getting mellow in my old age. Not much I can do about it, fix it or don't.


I know what you mean. I used to get infuriated, too. However, I've gotten used to fixing ruts and damage (and pretty good at it, too). I favored KBG and TTTF, and never planted PRG until about 3 years ago, when I needed something green in difficult to grow areas. Sometimes, you just need to be flexible, or you'll lose your mind. A little Milo medicine goes a long way.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

The rain has shut off and now it is hot, humid, dry and windy! At 97° today it was way too hot to mow so I mowed. It's just gonna stay hot and it needed a cut. 

Here's a pic of the side yard that I rarely post.

Mrs. Butter said me and the lawn are like a teenage girl and the sunset. We just can resist a selfie!


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Looks amazing as usual. I'm having trouble finding the Busch can in your most recent pictures.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Wiley Thanks! The blue cans? In my area they are available everywhere. Liquor store, convenience store, grocery store. Seems like the green cans are only available at the liquor store.


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Butter said:


> @Wiley Thanks! The blue cans? In my area they are available everywhere. Liquor store, convenience store, grocery store. Seems like the green cans are only available at the liquor store.


Lol! I was meaning that it was not in your most recent picture. I was playing a little Where's Waldo and thought it might be hiding somewhere in there.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Wiley LOL! I completely misinterpreted. Not the first time I've looked like a dipsh!t. I was all worried you didn't have "the nectar of the gods" available to you in NorCal. I was trying to figure out a way to send you some!


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Butter said:


> @Wiley LOL! I completely misinterpreted. Not the first time I've looked like a dipsh!t. I was all worried you didn't have "the nectar of the gods" available to you in NorCal. I was trying to figure out a way to send you some!


I appreciate that and thank goodness Busch is still on the California compliant list. Pairs perfectly with an evening mow.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Today the turf looks a little stress after yesterdays mow and another hot day today.
I expected that and a little stress is good but it continues to have that torn leaf grey cast that I don't like. It also has a bit of fungus here and there.
I fired up the irrigation this evening. It needs a little work. Nothing major. I couldn't find a few heads and some need raised and straightened.
I won't run it just yet. Really I just needed to get water to the quick coupler at the vegetable garden. The grass is gonna have to wait.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Great action shot! I love how determined that TTTF plant on top of the sprinkler head is determined to survive. It reminds me of WWII/Korea/Viet Nam GI's in the jungle with plants wedged into the netting on their helmets as camouflage. I hope you and everyone in the heatwave make it out OK.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

There was a chance of scattered thunderstorms this evening and they scattered right to my house. 3/4" of rain in about 30 minutes!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Like much of the country Kansas is experiencing hot, humid and dry weather. Nine or ten days in a row with temps well into the 90's. I was lucky and got some rain in the middle of the heat. 
I hadn't mowed for a week. Tonight I mowed. I raised the deck one notch on el Toro to 3.75" and mowed. It was hot but it felt good to be out there.
Also applied second round of fungicide. Headway G at 2lbs/k. Irrigation is set to water it in overnight.
The turf doesn't look too bad, despite the aggressive weather.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Some thunderstorms blew through overnight and this morning bringing cooler temps and 2" of rain! Today's high temp of 85° was about 10° cooler than it's been for 10 or 11 days.


----------



## Baretta (Apr 8, 2019)

You sir, have my dream lawn. Looks so thick and lush. Stunning colour. If I could only get mine to look half as good.
:thumbsup:


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Baretta Thank you for the kind words!

The heat and humidity have caught up to me and I'm sure that the added moisture from the Fathers Day water balloon fight didn't help. Even with fungicide I have fungus. It's early in the season so I'm hopeful that it will grow out.


----------



## PaulzDeep (7 mo ago)

Now that's a great looking lawn! Really like your push mower roller too. Where do I get something like that for my mower so i can also have some sweet lines?


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@PaulzDeep Thanks!
I have a big league lawn roller attached to my Toro Super Recycler.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

The last couple of days have been cooler and rainy. Today the heat and the humidity are back. 
Tonight I mowed. Second mow at 3.75".
I like this HOC. The brown patch doesn't seem to be getting worse, so that's good.

After dark shot with extra driveway!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I'm happy that June is over. It's been hot, humid and dry. The tough months are coming up.
Tonight I mowed for the first time in a week. I keep telling myself that the brown patch is not getting worse but I'm just not sure. For some reason I can't seem to learn to tighten up fungicide apps when conditions are right for fungus. 
Anyway, it ain't in bad shape for the shape it's in.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I got 2" of rain last night and this morning.
It's a nice time of year to get a good rain.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Happy 4th of July!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Saturday I applied Growth Products Essentials Plus and Micrel each at 3oz per k. 
Tonight I mowed. I will water overnight and apply fungicide in the morning. Then I'm gone for two weeks. Starting yesterday the heat is on again. Mid to upper 90's for the next few days at least.

My new neighbor made a wide swath with his lawn tractor and cut a nice arch by the driveway at 2". This is another one of those things that used to really bother me but I'm getting better. It's just grass, right? He apologized and said he would get me a six pack of beer. So that's cool.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> My new neighbor made a wide swath with his lawn tractor and cut a nice arch by the driveway at 2". This is another one of those things that used to really bother me but I'm getting better. It's just grass, right? He apologized and said he would get me a six pack of beer. So that's cool.


Wisdom at it's finest. I used to fret about the strip next to the RV being trampled during seasonal preparation/winterization and the area being torn up every time it departs/returns. It still stinks, but I'm learning better ways to grow/maintain turf that can be applied in different locations/situations. Why create more stress on yourself/myself, when the damage is already done? Good luck on your trip, and we'll see you soon!

I hope the liquid apps are helping with your granular program. I'm interested in hearing your feedback.


----------



## nikmasteed (Apr 30, 2020)

With lawncare, as in life, I've eventually come to embrace the mantra to "not sweat the small stuff". My neighbor mows a foot or so into my property, I think partially because he feels he takes some ownership of the road sign there. He's a semi-scalper so its a little unnerving, but he's a nice guy lived in the house his whole life entering retirement, I'd much rather live with an imperfect border than try to stay on top of his mowing habits. Dogs pee on the road sign anyway

Best of luck to your lawn while you're away! Sounds like you've prepared well! Looks great Butter as always!!!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

WARNING: Mostly non lawn related post.
Today, or maybe yesterday Kansas time, 
Mrs. Butter and I have been married 30 years.
It has gone by as fast as you can snap your fingers. The bad times are easily forgotten and the good times too numerous to remember. Three amazing kids and a good life. 
Thanks Mrs. Butter!
We are celebrating in Hawaii!

Meanwhile back at the lawn. Mrs. Butter says I have failed my children by never letting them mow. Today Little Butter got the job done. He's 25 with a house and lawn of his own so i guess it was time.


----------



## nikmasteed (Apr 30, 2020)

Congrats @Butter to you and your wife! Enjoy Hawaii, looks like there's a nice lawn there for you to inspect!


----------



## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

@Butter congratulations on your anniversary! Cheers


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Little Butter needs more practice to get the stripes as straight as yours. :-D

Congrats


----------



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@Butter congrats and enjoy the trip.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Congratulations! You found a way to get a nice lawn in your photo (not as dark as yours, though :mrgreen.

Little Butter is a chip off the old block; right down to the half faced selfie with beard. :thumbup: I'm sure your lawn is in good hands.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Cracking me up with the half face shot of your son and lawn in the background too :lol:

Congrats on 30 years


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Thank you everyone! We made it home last night. As nice as Hawaii is it's nice to be home and back in the lawn!

While I was gone apparently it was hot, upper 90's, and almost no rain , maybe .3" but high humidity. I watered twice while I was gone (I should have watered more) and my son mowed once. Otherwise the turf was on it's own for twelve days.

Today I mowed, east and west without the roller.
It's time to let these stripes fade.


Along the street has really suffered as it does every summer. This year maybe not as bad but still not good. It's a lot to ask of cool season turf to get through a Kansas summer. Between fungus, heat, dry and asphalt it's a lot.



This week is supposed to be even hotter than last week!


----------



## Wile (Sep 17, 2020)

Congrats on your trip and 30yrs! Agree with VTX the half face shots of you and your son are funny. The yard still looks great with all you're battling.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Have you tried wetting agents and/or a soaker hose near the street edge?

Wetting agents seem to be helping so far. The real test will be coming tomorrow, through next week, when we get cooked. Humidity is high, so I need to get down some Azoxy. I typically don't use fungicides (not for about 15 years), so I picked up some in the off-season.

A soaker hose helped me a number of years ago along my hellstrips. I might have to go see if it's serviceable.

Glad to see you made it home safe. Weather Channel just showed waves cresting over apartments in Hawaii...not sure which location.


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Congrats @Butter on the anniversary and the trip. Hawaii looks amazing. Lawn is also looking good!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Wile Thanks. I guess I have created a selfie style, "half face lawn selfie". Extra points for beard.

@Chris LI I have thought of wetting agents and soaker hose. The problem is I'm not very proactive. Ever year I think that I got it figured out and it won't happen this year even though it's happened every year. Do you think I could still benefit from a wetting agent?

Today I applied another round of fungicide. Currently the backyard, low input and never irrigated, looks better than the front.

In other news, the vegetable garden is producing!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@ksturfguy Thanks! 
This weather we're having is not very conducive to growing cool season turf grass. Stay cool!


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Butter said:


> @ksturfguy Thanks!
> This weather we're having is not very conducive to growing cool season turf grass. Stay cool!


haha no its not. My lawn looks like crap but I'm kind of proud of myself in the fact that it's not stressing me out. I dont have the time to water enough so basically water when I can and mow weekly and call it good until it cools off.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> Do you think I could still benefit from a wetting agent?


Better late than never. As long as the lawn doesn't hit full dormancy, I think it would benefit from a wetting agent. Last year, I got Hydretain down late, but it still seemed to help. This year, I cut it close, but got Tournament Ready and H20 Maximizer down, with noticeable results. Now, it's being put to the test.

Our soil is typically sandy with a clay layer between the topsoil and sand base. However, I have compacted areas and dense surface tree roots, which is why I went with a two-pronged approach. TR to get water to penetrate and H2O Maximizer to hold it in the root zone.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Last week was brutal! Hot, mid 90's to 100's, and dry. Today was cooler at 93° but the humidity is back. Next week is supposed to be much cooler with good chances of rain.
Today I pulled some crabgrass and sprayed nutsedge. I also applied some Hydretain along the street at the urging of @Chris LI. Earlier in the week I made some irrigation head adjustments in that same area. The prolonged heat and drought really expose the weaknesses in my irrigation.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

:thumbup: I hope the Hydretain helps. It's not a Silver bullet, but should help some, as long as you can get a lot of water down to push it into the root zone and keep getting a good water supply to keep it hydrated and cool the roots. Everything near pavement really cooks with the temps you're seeing.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

I got 1" of rain today and the high temp was 82°!
That's the first measurable rain since June 22!

There are a bunch of spots of dead grass. Some look like fungus damage while others look like dog pee damage. Either way I find it oddly satisfying to rake them out with the Groundskeeper rake.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Butter said:


> That's the first measurable rain since June 22!


The more I do this and pay attention, the more I realize it's sort of normal to go through a dry spell each summer but that seems excessive!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Vtx531 Ain't that the truth!

Tonight I mowed. I raised the deck to 4.25" and bagged. Like every HOC change, it's gonna have to grow on me. No stripes or edging is driving me crazy but it's summer survival mode.


----------



## nikmasteed (Apr 30, 2020)

Maybe no stripes but you've still got some great color given all the heat! I saw you put down Hydretain, I'm starting to become a believer, hope it helps you out too


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@nikmasteed Thanks! There's something about hot summer color of TTTF!

I need to make a correction. A few posts back I said we hadn't had rain since June 22. That was wrong. I forgot the 1" rain on July 1st. Apologies to those scoring at home.

This week was really nice. Highs at or below normal and over 2" of rain! Next week the heat is on again. Today I mowed.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Tonight I applied a fungicide app of Headway G.
I did a lot of it before realizing I had the side deflector down. I tried to go back over it and then I ran out of material. So we'll see how that works out. At least disease pressure is high.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Looking strong! The lawn recovered well from the heat/drought. Your summer color continues to outshine your neighbors. :mrgreen: :thumbsup:


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Chris LI Thanks! The color seems to be holding strong despite no real fertilizer since the last of May and not ideal conditions. Seems like the hot temps bring out the dark color of TTTF.

This week was tough. Highs in the upper 90's into the low 100's with plenty of humidity and no rain. The turf is showing plenty of battle scars from the Kansas summer but it could be worse.
There is a chance of rain tomorrow. Tonight I mowed.

The star of the show in August is always the Hydrangeas.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Today I mowed for the first time in ten days.
Over that ten days the high temps have ranged from 75° to 100° with a total of .10" of rain. I have irrigated a bunch but the lawn is kinda rough.
It's hard to complain with a lot of people going through actual drought and I'm not growing crops to feed people. It's just grass and fall is right around the corner.


----------



## nikmasteed (Apr 30, 2020)

Butter said:


> It's hard to complain with a lot of people going through actual drought and I'm not growing crops to feed people. It's just grass and fall is right around the corner.


I feel this way often also. That said we're all here for lawns so we've got that perspective. Fall sure will be a welcome sight this year.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

August continues to be tough. Last Friday I got .6" of rain. That makes less than an inch for August. According to the drought monitor we are are extremely dry, not drought like many areas are in. Although I irrigate, the lawn is suffering. It seems like I'm having trouble with areas that have been fine in past summers.
High temps have been average or just above average. Upper 80's to mid 90's. Much better than upper 90's to low 100's that we have had. It's just so dry! Chance of rain Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Tonight I mowed for the first time in a week.


----------



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@Butter Hopefully your drought ends sooner than later. I just checked and so far in August I've gotten 3.08" of rain.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Jeff_MI84 Rain is on the way hopefully. I don't have it as bad as a lot of people but it is dry.

In anticipation of rain and better temps I did some stuff today. 
I mowed the front yard with my backyard mower, the Dirty 30. I had been mowing at 4.25" with the Toro SR. I adjusted the 30 to 3.5" and let her rip. I immediately regretted that decision. I had to mow it a few times to dispense the clippings and it looks very bad.

I also adjusted, raised and straightened some irrigation heads.
I fertilized with Holganix 10-3-2 at .5lbs of N/k.
Then I sprayed Main Event Iron.

Irrigation is set to run overnight and hopefully we'll get some rain in the next few days.


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Glad I'm not the only one struggling. My lawn is garbage right now. I just haven't had the free time to water like I need to. Also the moles have been awful this year. Hoping to get back after it here in a couple weeks


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@ksturfguy It sure has been a tough summer. Even with irrigation I've struggled. I'm glad I don't have moles to deal with.

1.7" of rain last night!!


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Glad you got some rain. Hopefully, that is the beginning of some relief for you.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Chris LI No more rain but the temps are nicer.

Year after year I can never get through August un scathed. This year has been the worst for a few years. August gets all the blame but in reality June and July do their part to set August up for failure. I have spent way too much on water from the beer budget to have the turf grass look like it does. I really need to find a new hobby.
Today I mowed.


----------



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@Butter are you doing any overseeding this year or just riding it out?


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> Year after year I can never get through August un scathed. This year has been the worst for a few years. August gets all the blame but in reality June and July do their part to set August up for failure. I have spent way too much on water from the beer budget to have the turf grass look like it does. I really need to find a new hobby.


I know what you mean with water/beer budgets. This has absolutely been the worst drought for as long as I can remember. However, I am in better shape than I can recall in many years. I honestly attribute it to four basic things: 

Foliar fertilizer apps

Wetting agents

PGR (Anuew)

Proper watering-extremely heavy each cycle, with days off in between cycles
Maybe Santa will give you a Pellet Pro and some Tournament Ready and H20 Maximizer.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Sorry for the delayed response.
@Jeff_MI84 I didn't really want to overseed because I think the turf is already too thick causing a lot of my problems.
But the damage is more than I can spot seed. So maybe spot overseed. Mrs. Butter suggested I spray it out and start over but I don't know that I'm prepared for that this year.
@Chris LI Those are all very good suggestions. The only one that scares me is PGR. How do you grow out of damage if you're regulated?
It's all very frustrating because I work hard on the lawn and struggle most years in late summer. Maybe it IS time to start over or find a new hobby or maybe move to a milder climate.

This week was hotter than average and still no rain but today was 70° and it's been raining since early afternoon. This morning I mowed.

I hope everyone that needs rain is getting it.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Butter said:


> It's all very frustrating because I work hard on the lawn and struggle most years in late summer. Maybe it IS time to start over or find a new hobby or maybe move to a milder climate.


Move here, lol. This Summer was quite manageable with irrigation and biofungicides despite the drought the second half of the Summer. TTTF does really well here. So does KBG. I don't think it got over 98 this year in the state, and I think 93-94 was the highest in my area. Maybe 45-50 or so days 87-91, but it was really manageable, and the night temps weren't all that high except for a few days.

But seriously, I think your plan to "spot overseed" (that's why spreaders have on/off!) and push some N is the solution...it'll recover! I think it'll work fine with or without PGR, as long as your mower doesn't suck up seed. I've had good luck mowing over spot seedings while they're germinating as long as the soil is moist enough that the seed, which gets covered, sticks to the ground. You probably need to seed less area than you'd think. A lot of that brown will just grow out. It already looks a bit better than last photo.

How's the back?


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

I agree with a spot seed, but I would add a dethatching, first. A lot of the brown should thin out with the dethatching, and you may need less seed than you think.

For PGR, my experience is with Anuew. Using the GDD Tracker from Syngenta Green Cast, regulation was roughly two weeks in peak summer, and lasted about 3 weeks when it was a little cooler. Also, amount of regulation is based on dosage. It's generally recommended to start out at light dosages and see how it reacts. I believe it also helps to drive the roots deeper, but would have to read up to confirm it. If you needed for the turf to recover, or if you have seedlings, you could skip it. Rebound didn't seem so bad at all with Anuew. If you're still concerned, go without it at all. I would suggest trying a small test plot to experiment, if you could get your hands on a small sample. PM me if you're interested.

I do highly recommend the Pellet Pro. It's a bit of an investment, but very worth it.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green Your summer does seem milder. What's winter like? Mrs. Butter really wants to move somewhere, anywhere really. Any houses in your neighborhood for sale? What about jobs? I really don't have many skills but I can show up most days.
The back looks really bad. I never irrigate the back and summers like this are really good for common Bermuda to gain ground.
@Chris LI I guess I need to do some research on PGR and Anuew in particular.

Yesterday I got 40/100" of rain. I was gone most of the day today but when I got home at dusk the lawn seemed better. The color is always nice as the sun goes down.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Butter said:


> @Green Your summer does seem milder. What's winter like? Mrs. Butter really wants to move somewhere, anywhere really. Any houses in your neighborhood for sale? What about jobs? I really don't have many skills but I can show up most days.


Winter is interesting. In terms of absolute low records, it's probably also slightly milder than yours due to the water (Chris's on LI definitely is; they're Zone 7a (as is coastal CT. I think he mowed in January once, or, maybe it was late Dec.!) Where I am, it usually dips into the single digit negative temps at least once a year. January and February are solid Winter months, typically 30 to 40 as the daily high (but it can be lower) and there can be a lot of snow, e.g. 30+ inches a year. Sunset is early in late Dec and early Jan, around 4:25PM, but late in June, after 8:30, I believe. On Halloween, it's dark out for the most part. No one sees lawns. March is a transition month that can go either way. Grass usually at least starts initial greenup sometime in March. Crabgrass pre-M goes down in April, which is also when most start mowing and tree leaves come out. Mowing wraps up in the period around or a bit after Thanksgiving generally. Irrigation is usually needed in June, July, and Aug. There's always a house or two for sale somewhere, but people tend to stick around a while. It'll be interesting to see who bought my neighbor's. He was there over 30 years and took good care of the lawn and landscape, and had irrigation installed a few years ago. Hopefully the next person does, too, and knows not to water every day or something, and doesn't let it decline, either. The last house was for sale 3 or 4 years ago; my former neighbor bought it and moved back. I helped him get rid of some Zoysia. Jobs are just like anywhere else. Lots of professional positions, but also a lot of work in hospitality, stores, etc., despite it not being a major tourist destination. Lots of hotels due to the population density, the need for wedding venues, etc.. Some of the nicest people work in some of these.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green Thanks for the run down on your area but I'm out on 30+" of snow. Our Average is 18".

@Chris LI I meant to ask in my previous post, is Anuew the PGR that knocks backs the bad Poas? 
What has been your experience with that?

Today is a stressful lawn day for me. The house is getting a new roof because of damage from a hail storm in May.
I asked the roofers to tread lightly in the yard but they have a job to do so we'll see.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Yes. Anuew seems to damage them. It seems to have taken some out, while others were beaten back, but made some recovery (probably triv). Anuew definitely helped. I think it completely roasted the Poa A.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Butter said:


> @Green Thanks for the run down on your area but I'm out on 30+" of snow. Our Average is 18".
> 
> @Chris LI I meant to ask in my previous post, is Anuew the PGR that knocks backs the bad Poas?
> What has been your experience with that?
> ...


Lol. I just looked up the average snow per year. It's 37 in, double what you get. The grass takes a beating from it. One year we had a blizzard that dumped more than half of that at once. And most of it is in Jan and Feb, with March bringing a good amount some years despite temps going into the 40s and even 50s...it can definitely get messy. People forget how to drive every year. One great thing...there is no naturalized Bermuda grass here...yet. people just don't use it, but that will change unfortunately. UConn has had test plots going for over a decade.

Hope the roof project went well. I lived through that a few years back. They solarized my new grass with their tarps, but it eventually came back. Thankfully it wasn't too sunny, but it was July. My overseed went kind of brown after that, but recovered within a few weeks. They also used a rolling magnet and picked up a lot of nails after finishing. But I bought a small one and kept finding more for months, even in the lawn. Occasionally still find a nail or piece of shingle.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green The roof project went well. They were cleaning up as I got home. We drank a beer and they were on their way. No damage to the lawn or landscape other than foot traffic.

The summer continues to be hot and dry, the lawn continues to look rough and I continue to be too busy and too lazy to fix it properly!
Today I mowed and spot seeded a few spots.



The square spot was Poa triv. that died or went dormant. I've never had it do this before.
Upper 90's today through Wednesday. Upper 60's forecasted for Thursday.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> Upper 90's today through Wednesday. Upper 60's forecasted for Thursday.


Fall begins Thursday. Hopefully, that's the turning point for you. Maybe, you can begin to enjoy lawn care again. I'm in a similar boat, and we are just beginning to see better conditions, but it's still very dry here.


----------



## macattack (Nov 2, 2020)

Butter said:


> The back looks really bad. I never irrigate the back and summers like this are really good for common Bermuda to gain ground.


Fusilade II works really well on the bermuda. Don't let it go unchecked.


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Chris LI said:


> Butter said:
> 
> 
> > Upper 90's today through Wednesday. Upper 60's forecasted for Thursday.
> ...


Actually Thursday does seem to be the date its supposed to turn lol. 100 degrees today and tomorrow here in NE Kansas. Then cold front moves through Wednesday. I will say the long term models are showing upper 90's again the last 2 or 3 days of SEPT and then early OCT Fall seems to set in. Also little to no rain expected for next 2 or 3 weeks.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Record high temp today. 99°


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Record high temp today. 100°!


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> Record high temp today. 100°!


I hope you and @ksturfguy can hang in there on this roller coaster! Water, water, water! Try to keep the turf cool and hydrated. Hopefully, those lower temperatures arrive on Thursday and you get some relief.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Chris LI I have kinda given up on watering. Today is supposed to be in the upper 80's. Thursday and Friday in the 60's with a chance of rain both days. I've decided to see how it recovers with cooler wetter weather and fix what doesn't recover. Not really the lawn year I hoped for but it is what it is.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Butter said:


> I have kinda given up on watering. Today is supposed to be in the upper 80's. Thursday and Friday in the 60's with a chance of rain both days. I've decided to see how it recovers with cooler wetter weather and fix what doesn't recover.


I dont blame you. I think you'll be fine even on the dryer side with the abnormally high temps. It's late Sept, practically Fall. Whatever is green and growing can't get all that more dormant in the remaining weeks, unless there is no rain. If It does, it should recover ok since it's such a short period (again, as long as October brings rain). I gave up watering late last month for the most part myself, and am only doing those areas that really need it if it comes to that. We were still technically in moderate to severe drought at that point. Almost everything has now recovered (not just mine, but most lawns in my area in general. A few are still brown to some extent, though.) That said, we've been getting rain. I feel like the longer you stick it out with the watering through the hot part of the season, the better the grass recovers once you finally do let it go a bit.

The one thing that always sneaks up on me in early October is that the lower sun angle combined with thirsty trees from Summer and less irrigation, can cause grass to dry out rapidly in some areas that wouldn't have as much earlier in the year.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

The first day of fall has brought much better weather. 3/4" of rain last night and this morning. High temp of 65° today. Things are headed in the right direction. I hope to get some seeding done this weekend.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Another 3/4" of rain last night and today.
I hate just give weather reports but that's all I got at this point. I wish I had gotten some seed down before the rain but it just didn't happen.


----------



## SEKBrian (Jul 20, 2020)

Yeah you're gonna have to stop that. I'm tired of seeing how you're getting all kinds of rain and I'm only getting .1!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@SEKBrian Looks like the rain is gonna shut off for me to now that I seeded.

Today I had some friends help me spot/overseed.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

This week highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's.
Perfect weather for growing grass but no rain in the foreseeable future. I guess I can't have it all and it sure is better than 100° and no rain. 
I have a bit of germination in spots I seeded eight days ago. So that's exciting.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

10 days post spot overseed. Perfect temps for growing grass but NO rain. It is getting very dry and it’s been tough to get enough water down. So germination is far from perfect. I left the water bill unopened in the mailbox.


----------



## macattack (Nov 2, 2020)

Big improvement! I just paid my last water bill. With a small hellstrip reno and overseed complete, I spent $50 last month instead of normal $30. Not bad with fall temps approaching Thursday. Been a very dry late summer/fall, after the deluge of July. No rain in sight, and they are dredging the river like its 1988. Sheesh.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@macattack I finally opened the water bill. It is significantly less than last month. This month may be a different story.

Today I reached that awkward point where I need to mow but the seedlings from the overseed are still so small. I mowed and it looks ok.
I'll do some spot seeding this weekend.







The neighbor killed his yard so it makes mine extra green.








The west side of the driveway is a different story, I haven’t got good germination for a few reasons.
More seed and more water this weekend.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Today I reseeded the west side of the driveway and a section in the back yard.








Check out the Poa triv in the front yard. It’s glowing!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Early this morning a nice storm came through bringing .5” of rain. The first measurable rain since September 23.
This afternoon I mowed. It’s tough to capture that fall color color.


----------



## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

You can definitely see progress. I'm glad that you received that much needed rain, you've been waiting for, for quite awhile. It looks like your neighbor is going to need a reno, after all that remodeling work.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Chris LI No matter how bad the summer is or how bad I screw things up, October always comes along and makes things right.
Thanks October!
The neighbor has a lot going on.

Today I mowed. It’s been awhile since I mowed stripes. Stripes make everything better.









With a fall party next weekend and Halloween coming up I have to get the turf charged up.
Anderson HCU, Main Event Iron, Main Event Molasses. I fully expect life changing results.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

First frost this morning. Hard freeze warnings for tonight and tomorrow night. 24 and 21. Back to the 80's by the weekend.


----------



## bosox_5 (Jun 20, 2018)

I don’t understand your weather. It’s like regular weather, but bipolar.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

bosox_5 said:


> I don’t understand your weather. It’s like regular weather, but bipolar.


 That pretty much sums it up. Some call it climate change, in Kansas, we’ve always just called it weather!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Just as predicted, early this week, lows in the low 20’s and today high of 85°!
Today I mowed. Pumpkins and Mums, it’s looking like fall!


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

That high/low span in the same few days is ridiculous. That would never happen here. The lowest we got down to so far this year is 34, with only 5 or so days in the mid 30s so far, and during that period, it probably hasn't gone above 70. (And with Summer being my current favorite season, I'm not liking this March toward Winter as much. After November, I'll start looking forward to the actual month of March.)

At least the yard looks good there, lawn included.

Looks like your leaves haven't done much turning colors or dropping yet.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green Ain’t nuthin’ like near record lows followed by near record highs in the same week!
Fall color has been slow or kinda muted, I suppose due to the early cold snap as well as being very dry. We still have some decent color.
Saturday the wind blew from the south at about 40 mph all day and yesterday it blew all day at 50 mph. I’m surprised there’s any leaves left on any trees! The breeze brought rain all day today. 1”


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Perfect Kansas weather this week!
Lows in the 40’s. Highs in the 60’s. Plenty of sun.
Tonight I mowed. Two passes, same direction. First pass mulching, second pass bagging.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Sounds like our weather, finally!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green When Kansas weather is good it’s really good!
The great weather continues. Highs in the 60’s and 70’s. Lows in the 40’s and 50’s. But still not much rain.
Today I mowed. After mowing a few times north/ south, today I mowed east/west. Again, first pass mulching and second pass bagging. I like mowing this way when the leaf pressure is high. I also applied another round of Andersons HCU.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Nearly 100% chance of rain tomorrow. So tonight I mulched in leaves. The grass had grown a little bit since Sunday. Also had new gutters installed just in time for the rain. Makes me think about my youth when I could care less about turf grass or how gutters handle rain.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

The weatherman was right! It rained all day. 
1.5” so far with potentially more overnight.
Also a possibility of a dusting of snow. 
I hope the weatherman is wrong this time.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Got another .8” of rain overnight. No snow but the low was in the mid 30’s.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

After a few weeks of really nice weather and above normal temp the bottom fell out Thursday afternoon. Below normal temps for the foreseeable future. Highs in the 30’s and 40’s. Lows in the 20’s and teens.
Today the high was 37°. So I mowed. It had grown since my last mow, two weeks ago. I probably took off 1.5-2”. The Poa triv had really grown.
I’m happy with the color and density as the season nears the end. I have a few spots that aren’t great and then there’s the triv.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Nice green. Same thing with low temps coming here, too. I won't be mowing again until after Thanksgiving. Like you mentioned, I noticed the Triv is outgrowing everything else as usual this time of year. It's more cold tolerant. You might see it grow into Janurary a bit if it stays warm enough. I swear I have before.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green Seems like we’ve had this same triv discussion in winters past. I’m not sure it ever goes dormant, winter or summer!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Little skiff of snow last night.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Ten days of really cold temps have zapped my color and shine. Temps improve starting today but the end is near.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Monday I had my irrigation system winterized. 
Tuesday was 65°! Highs in the 40’s and 50’s with lows dipping below freezing since Tuesday and for the next few days at least.
Rain is predicted tomorrow so I applied a winterizer fert today. Anderson HCU at 1 lb N/k.
The turf has mostly gone dormant. Kinda early but we had some cold temps. Last year it was really green until Christmas.
I noticed some damaged areas as it went dormant and I suspected that it was due to mowing right before or right after the cold temps. After reading a post by @Green I believe it was from mowing before cold temps. I’ve never had that happen before.
Anyway my season is mostly done.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

My fert app got watered in last night with 1.3” of slow, steady rain.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

@Butter

I think I saw the same type of thing happen to my neighbor's yard. You might be able to see it in a photo I took when I post it. Probably got cold after mowing, so the stripes are pretty brown. Not a big deal though...they don't care and it always comes back next year. I'm just happy they have someone mowing it and fertilizing it. They used to let it get really high and was all weeds, and when they did their own occasional mow, the crabgrass seeds would get all over. Some years ago, they had it overseeded, got Truegreen, had irrigation installed (actually a couple of years before mine was), and have someone mowing it about every 2 weeks. Also gets aerated almost every Fall. Looks entirely passable now (though the Triv and Orchard grass seem to be increasing over time).


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@Green The damage is not so much the stripes but more wheel tracks in the fall seeded areas by the street. I’m sure it will recover in the spring. Hopefully.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Yesterday I was on the roof messing with Christmas lights and cleaning the gutters and taking pictures.
My lawn, like most in the area, is dormant. Early this year compared to the last few. It’s the time of year that I always think about things I could have done to extend the season but nature always wins.








It looks a bit greener from the roof, maybe. Also interesting to me is the variation of green. My house faces the North so the greenest area gets very little sun this time of year.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

It was a nice day today so I spent some time cleaning up leaves with a backpack blower and rake. It’s nice and tidy. There is a lot of green down in the canopy and I thought about dropping the mower a notch or two and mowing. But colder weather is coming and common sense prevailed. It seems like a long time till spring.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

1.1” of rain last night and this morning. 
Today’s high, 60°. Tomorrow’s high, 38°.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Winter has arrived!








Merry Christmas!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

What a difference a week makes! When it comes to the freeze/thaw cycle, I particularly like the thaw.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Another year in the books. It was not the best year but certainly not the worst. Here’s the gritty details.

Weather:
Another typical Kansas year. Very volatile and unpredictable. Summer was hot, long, dry and humid.
High temp 102° on July 23.
Low temp -5° on December 22.
23” of snow.
42” of rain. More than average but most was in the spring.
13” of irrigation.
Mowing:
40 times between March 19 to November 12.
The mowing season ended early and abruptly with a cold snap in early November.
Nutrition:
4.5lbs of N per k. consisting of soybean meal, some Holganix, a bit of starter and urea this fall. Seems like a lot of nitrogen and I plan to dial it back next year.
Some micronutrients and bio stimulants along the way.
I kinda miss applied a fungicide app when I needed it the most and I had some heat/drought stress. So I had to do some over seeding this fall.
Anyway like I said it wasn’t the best lawn year but not the worst. As always I learned some stuff and that’s really what it’s all about.
Outside the lawn I had many blessings but some loss and heartbreak as well.
I love hanging around TLF and having my little part of it. It’s such a good place to learn and get ideas. Thanks to anybody who’s followed along.
Happy New Year!


----------



## macattack (Nov 2, 2020)

Very similar numbers here. We had maybe 46" rain, 4.4# Nitrogen, less snow for sure. I'd have to calculate the watering based on my bill, nowhere near yours. My mowing was down, 34 times. Where do you get the Holganix?
Happy New Year!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@macattack Interesting to me, the last couple years since I’ve been keeping track of rain and irrigation, the total averages out to 1-1.5” a week. It would be nice if the rain was more consistent in the summer and fall.
The Holganix is granular 10-3-2 that came from Ewing.
I still have half of a bag that I will use sometime in 2023.


----------

