# Lawn Obsession - Backyard Renovation



## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Five years after I renovated my front yard (and subsequent mini renovations) it's time to take the backyard!

I took this part of the yard from a really lousily maintained stand of turf to pretty respectable, but as it always goes with lawn care, there are some issues...and that's where my plan went off the rails!

My initial plan was to fill in some low spots and overseed with the new PR/KBG mix that Yard Mastery just released (super excited about this one!). In preparation, I started bringing down my HOC from 4" to around 2.5", did some pretty aggressive dethatching with the Groundskeeper 2 to open up the seedbed, only to discover a lot of creeping bent!

So now I've been agonizing over if I should burn it down and start all over or rehab what's already there by selectively targeting the bent. Since we've had zero rain this year, ordering WAY too much loam, and this year appearing to be the Year of the Renovation, looks like I'm smoking it off and starting over!

Week of August 3rd:

HOC adjustment to 2.5"

Dethatch

Started to fill in some low spots





Week of August 10th:

Send off soil test - not anticipating any sever deficiences

Way too hot to move dirt!

Blanket application of gly

Spray again end of the week

Finish burying sumpump line with dry well at the end.

Getting a reprieve from the heat, final leveling and rolling

Set up sprinkler positioning

Seed arriving







Week of August 17th:

Starter fertilizer at label

RGS and Humic12 at label rate

SEED DOWN!

Pray

More to come!

Last August :roll:



When we first moved in:


Earlier this summer:


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Nearly done moving all the loam to the back yard. I've gone through everything twice with gly and it's looking real crispy.

Almost time for fert and seed!


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Seed down!

And now a new addition!


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## billw (Jul 19, 2020)

lawn_obsession said:


> Seed down!
> 
> And now a new addition!


What is this machine? Lol


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Ha! Yeah not sure what happen to all the decals. It's a Toro Greensmaster 1600, got it for a steal! Reel and bedknife likely need to be replaced but we'll worth the price!


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Day 8 post seeding. PRG coming in nicely.


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## Zcape35 (Sep 17, 2019)

Gotta love that PRG germination speed. Are you planning on using that sweet new Toro on all your grass?


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

The GM1600 is definitely going to be my go to for the back yard after a few mows with the manual reel. Still debating if I'm going to be lower the HOC in the front.


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Quick mow yesterday with my little manual reel mower!


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

It's getting really nice! Double cut at 1".


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## lawn_obsession (Dec 1, 2018)

Getting the hang of the GM1600. Double cut today at .75" which looks great and was my target height.

Color was lacking a little and my soil test came back with a ph of 5.6 so I threw down Jonathan Green Mag-I-Cal at 3.6lb/1k and will follow up again in another week or so.

Next up is a good dose of RGS and Microgreen.



Had a little fun with the side entrance to my backyard and tied my luck at laying sod



And lastly, the hydrangeas are looking amazing right now!


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