# I think I have a plan......could use some help



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Been following you guys for a while now but this is my first post.

So here is my situation. We built our current house three years ago, this will be the third growing year post sod (common Bermuda). There are obviously lots of divots and grade concerns, but on top of that my soul is a clay mixture that allows for lots of runoff when watering. Luckily I found you guys late last season so I was able to get down pre emergent and followed up with that, this has been a life saver because I have little to no weeds this season.

After seeing all of these great yards on this site I decided this past fall to start tackling my issues this year!

Issues
1. The past two years I was cutting my Bermuda at 3 1/2". I just didn't know any better. 
2. I had a tremendous amount of thatch build up, almost half an inch.
3. Due to the clay soil I'm assuming, whenever watering it only takes a few minutes for water to start to accumulate. This either causes pooling to occur or runoff onto the sidewalk and street.

What I've done so far
1. Scalped my lawn on 3/9 down to 1 3/4" bagging up all of the clippings.
2. Immediately following the scalp I dethatched the yard in two directions removing most of the thatch build up, bagged this as well. This allowed me to finally see the soil.
3. Put down my first application of milorganite on 3/21.

Plans moving forward
1. Once I can get the lawn of off life support lol. I am hoping to aerate and pull the plugs. Than follow up with some sand to make my first attempt at leveling.
2. I would like to keep the lawn short this year but don't know how feasible that is using a rotary mower.(is 1 3/4" out of the question)

Pics for reference below. But my biggest concern is that my lawn looks so bare and sluggish. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Front yard 2017

Backyard 2017


Post scalp & dethatch 3/9/18








3/22 update


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Sounds like a solid plan. Aerating and filling with sand should help some with the rate of water absorption. What spacing/size/depth of the tines?

I think you should be able to cut at 1.75" with a rotary.


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

+1 Looks like a solid plan. I can already see a big improvement by dropping your HOC during the scalp. Common tends to be a bit leggy when it gets that tall. I was using my scotts push reel on the back before I got my powered reel mower, and I noticed it thicken up greatly by just reducing the HOC, and getting on a good water/fert program. You've set yourself up for success by getting the PreM down, and lowering the HOC.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> +1 Looks like a solid plan. I can already see a big improvement by dropping your HOC during the scalp. Common tends to be a bit leggy when it gets that tall. I was using my scotts push reel on the back before I got my powered reel mower, and I noticed it thicken up greatly by just reducing the HOC, and getting on a good water/fert program. You've set yourself up for success by getting the PreM down, and lowering the HOC.


Not going to lie, I was really nervous dropping the mower down that low. But I hated that every time I walked through the lawn the past two seasons it would bend the grass and show all of the brown underneath.

I guess I'm just nervous seeing this much dirt :| . As you can tell my neighbor has a ton of weeds and still has the over three inches of growth, but his has greened up above that.


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> Colonel K0rn said:
> 
> 
> > +1 Looks like a solid plan. I can already see a big improvement by dropping your HOC during the scalp. Common tends to be a bit leggy when it gets that tall. I was using my scotts push reel on the back before I got my powered reel mower, and I noticed it thicken up greatly by just reducing the HOC, and getting on a good water/fert program. You've set yourself up for success by getting the PreM down, and lowering the HOC.
> ...


Trust me, in a few weeks, he'll be green with envy... and weeds. :mrgreen: I'd encourage you to go lower if you're up to it. Our grass likes to be mowed low, and often. Keep in mind, the brown you're seeing underneath has no leaf tissue, so you're seeing the stalks of the grass, not the leaf tissue. Get the stalk shorter = less visible brown.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Flynt2799 said:
> 
> 
> > Colonel K0rn said:
> ...


Ya I guess I can try a few strips in the back at the lowest setting, see if this digs into the dirt or not. I am already mowing at the 2nd notch from the bottom leaving me one more to go.


----------



## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> I am already mowing at the 2nd notch from the bottom leaving me one more to go.


Do it. If you are wanting to keep the lawn at the second height setting, you will need to scalp below that or you will see brown every time you cut the lawn.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Spammage said:


> Do it. If you are wanting to keep the lawn at the second height setting, you will need to scalp below that or you will see brown every time you cut the lawn.


You guys have talked me into it! Go low or go home lol. Lowest setting should put me at 1 1/8".

Question though, assuming I would want to bag the clippings by dropping down lower. Will this suck up all the milorganite I just put out? If so I guess I can always throw down another app.

Thanks again guys for all the help!


----------



## Rockinar (Jul 21, 2017)

I like to drop my rotary till it drags in the dirt. Even then when im done I look at it and think "Hmmm...still too tall". I just bought a Greenworks dethatcher to try to get some of the long stemmy pieces laying down to stand up so I can chop them too.


----------



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Keep in mind too, that you're going to have to cut your grass when it needs it, versus once a week. You could very easily be mowing every 3 to 5 days all year.

Sounds like a solid plan. I would cut as low as you can, aerate the crap out of it, and then sand and level it.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Rockinar said:


> I like to drop my rotary till it drags in the dirt. Even then when im done I look at it and think "Hmmm...still too tall". I just bought a Greenworks dethatcher to try to get some of the long stemmy pieces laying down to stand up so I can chop them too.


The green works dethatcher is what I used, worked wonders!

I will just need to take it down to the lowest setting and see what happens. As you. An see in the pics it just looks so bare right now. Even my neighbor who never mows has plenty of green :evil: I'm just sitting here with dirt lol


----------



## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

You're doing it right, keep it up!

Bermuda looks great at and below 2inches with a rotary. By mid April everyone on your street will be jealous!


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

If you just laid the Milo down, then bagging may suck up some of it but probably not all of it. You should wait until you are about 75%greened up before fertilizing. I think you have a solid plan otherwise.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

well I guess I can always drop it to the lowest setting and bag it up. Once I really start to green to 75% I will just start over with my fertilizer plan.

Thanks for all the input guys. Will try and update some pics once I drop it down. Manual says that should put me at 1 1/8".


----------



## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> well I guess I can always drop it to the lowest setting and bag it up.


Yes!!!
How low can you go!!! Cut that baby on the last notch. The more soil exposed to sunlight the faster it will green up.
You have a solid plan


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> well I guess I can always drop it to the lowest setting and bag it up. Once I really start to green to 75% I will just start over with my fertilizer plan.
> 
> Thanks for all the input guys. Will try and update some pics once I drop it down. Manual says that should put me at 1 1/8".


Never trust the manual. Grab a tape measure! Before too long, you'll be reel low, and you'll be glad you did. You can thank us later!

You will probably pick up a very negligible amount of milorganite. Don't worry about it.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Never trust the manual. Grab a tape measure! Before too long, you'll be reel low, and you'll be glad you did. You can thank us later!
> 
> You will probably pick up a very negligible amount of milorganite. Don't worry about it.


I sure hope so. Trying to show the wife how much nicer a short Bermuda looks. Then maybe start working in the pros for a reel mower!


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Tellycoleman said:


> Flynt2799 said:
> 
> 
> > well I guess I can always drop it to the lowest setting and bag it up.
> ...


So I went ahead and dropped it down today. Surprised at how well it turned out using the rotary, I only hit dirt in a couple of places. Now I just need to decide if I want to keep it at the last notch or the 2nd. Any recommendations?


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> ...Now I just need to decide if I want to keep it at the last notch or the 2nd. Any recommendations?


It's always easier to go up than come back down. I'd probably roll with it for a bit and encourage some lateral growth. You can always take it up a notch.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Ya that's what I'm thinking as well @Ware. Plan on attempting to start the leveling process this year as well so hopefully that helps out.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Flynt2799 said:


> Ya that's what I'm thinking as well Ware. Plan on attempting to start the leveling process this year as well so hopefully that helps out.


So yeah, I'd keep it as low as you can for as long as you can stand it - at least until it is all greened up and it starts looking worse every time you cut it.


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Looks great! If I was in your situation, I would consider verticutting in the future, which will give it a chance to thicken up even more by giving the plant more soil points for the plants to sink their roots into. I noticed a lot of stolons in that 4th picture. Looks like your neighbors are going to be jealous of your results this Spring.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Colonel K0rn said:


> Looks great! If I was in your situation, I would consider verticutting in the future, which will give it a chance to thicken up even more by giving the plant more soil points for the plants to sink their roots into. I noticed a lot of stolons in that 4th picture. Looks like your neighbors are going to be jealous of your results this Spring.


I did use an electric dethatcher this year for the first time. Newbie question but what are the differences in dethatching and verticutting?


----------



## Tellycoleman (May 10, 2017)

Oh and by the way, it looks like your neighbor in the 2nd picture has some bad weeds you don't want. I usually spray or cover a little bit of pre-emergent in my neighbor lawn because my neighbor loves to mow his grass at night (dont ask ) with his mower shoot pointed toward my lawn. At least the 1st 2 feet where his property touches mine is relatively weed free. Its doing you more of a favor than him. Cant see the seed heads clearly bahiagrass maybe??


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

@Tellycoleman I thought so too about the weeds, but on closer inspection, just some really stalky-tall bermuda. I had some in my back yard that I had to pull out from around the pool.

@Flynt2799 Dethatching removes dead material from the canopy of the grass layer. Verticutting is designed to sever crowns, stolons and stems and it opens up the turf canopy to promote air and nutrient flow. They're both going to be good practices, it's just just that they have different functions as an end result.

And take @Tellycoleman's advice, and spray your PreM on your property lines a bit over from your own to keep the weeds from coming over into your turf. Just do it.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Any recommendations to fix this issue? Will sand work when leveling or is it too deep.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

I would definitely fill it up when you level. You may have to come back and add a little more if there is any wash out, but you shouldn't have any issues with that. :thumbup:


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Ware said:


> I would definitely fill it up when you level. You may have to come back and add a little more if there is any wash out, but you shouldn't have any issues with that. :thumbup:


That's what I like to hear. For some reason both of these corners have had this depression since construction, I'm guessing somebody drove on it at some point.


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Slowly but surly my lawn is starting to wake up. We had a few cold days here in Austin recently which slowed things down, but getting back in the 80s so should be interesting.

Still waiting keeping an eye on some bare spots to see if they fill in on there own or if they need some coaxing.

Plan on doing my first leveling in the next few weeks.


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

What caused those bare spots?


----------



## Flynt2799 (Oct 17, 2017)

Movingshrub said:


> What caused those bare spots?


I have no idea. The spots appeared about mid way through the season last year. My lawn was maintained around 3" and had a big layer of thatch. I'm assuming I picked up some kind of fungus.

Took it down this year and removed all of the thatch and scalped the lawn. Plan on keeping it as low as my rotary will allow.


----------



## SCGrassMan (Dec 17, 2017)

Ware said:


> Flynt2799 said:
> 
> 
> > ...Now I just need to decide if I want to keep it at the last notch or the 2nd. Any recommendations?
> ...


Is it just me, or does his yard look strikingly similar to yours, "Before"?


----------

