# NOW is the Time to CRUSH Your Lawn for MAXIMUM Results



## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Friend,

You have been searching for that Magic Bullet - the #1 Way to BOOST Your Lawn to the NEXT Level.

And you know what I mean. Grass... thick, rich, glistening in the sun. Glistening with a luxurious ease that only a professional greenskeeper can master.

You have seen the kind of grass I am talking about. It's right there on a golf course, a ballpark, or a lawn in The Hamptons. And you wonder...

What's their secret? How do they do that? How do they get the kind of lawn that even *I* am jealous of??

I can help you.

I know what the secret is. And I want to share it with you because it is easy. Sooo very easy... It is easy because it is nothing more than... timing.

That's right!

You see, your lawn has a cycle just like everything else. The moon... the tides... the very seasons themselves!

And...

If you will only learn how to MASTER those cycles, you can bring even the most unruly of lawns under control.

You can banish weeds forever, grow a thick and rich green swath of lawn, and enrich your soil... season after season... by simply observing your seasonal cycles.

Here's what I mean. Here is the secret... REVEALED!

In Southen New England, the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August are the very worst time of the year for a lawn. Hot, humid days pile up one after another. It never seems to end.

It is 30 days of pure misery. It is ONLY 30 days in Southern New England where summer really takes a sledgehammer to our lawns and delivers a beating that only the most hearty of lawns can escape.

Your lawn will have a similar cycle. And you can see it if you will only watch for it. Be on the lookout for it... mark it on a calendar if you must... but watch for it!

Watch for the cycle that never fails to repeat. Never disappoints (if you like misery). The cycle of 30 days that repeats year after year and brings unrelenting punishment to even the most tenderly of cared-for lawn.

And than... MARK THE MIDDLE!

That's right! Mark the very worst part of that cycle. The very TEETH of summer and the heart of searing heat and...

ATTACK!

Hit it with every fiber of your being! Water... Water! *WATER*! Tame that heat and spring LIFE into your lawn! NOW is the time to rush HEADLONG into fall.

Do not be complacent. Do not wait for the worst to be over. Do not let the heat of the summer get to you, too!

Why?

Because your lawn needs you NOW more than ever. Your lawn is just a few short weeks away from green heaven and... it needs you. It needs you to take it those last few steps past summer and... into fall.

DO NOT LET YOUR LAWN DOWN!

Pick up your hose and rain merciful relief onto your lawn! Water that lawn! Wake it up! Shake it out of its slumber and ROUSE it! Rally it and get it ready to charge headlong into fall... a more gentle season...

A healing and soothing season where there is not a moment to waste. Not even a day or an hour. Because the fall is the best time for your lawn.

The fall is when your lawn needs you to get it ready for the onslaught of winter. It will need repairing. It will need feeding. It will need seeding. It will need your help.

You will be there in the fall... It is easy to be there in the cool, soothing season.

Were you with your lawn in the heart of summer when it REALLY needed you?

Do not let your lawn down and it will never break your heart. NOW is the best time to get your lawn ready to receive the life-giving mercy of fall.

And it's easy to give your lawn all the water that it needs! All you have to do is purchase this simple oscillating sprinkler from The Lawn Forum's online store on Amazon.com.

This little beauty waters up to 3,500 square feet and even has a built-in rain guage! This is perfect for making sure that you get that critical 1" of precious water each and every week - without fail!

Murph


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

Reading this, I'm not sure how to respond.

I guess I just have one question,



BXMurphy, in your day job, are you a master of ceremonies for late night infomercials like they show on some TV channels between 1am and 4am every day?

​
If not, you may want to consider a career change. 

Have fun!


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

ken-n-nancy said:


> Have fun!


Thank you! You, too!...

B


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## davegravy (Jul 25, 2019)

BXMurphy said:


> Friend,
> 
> Were you with your lawn in the heart of summer when it REALLY needed you?
> 
> ...


I'm at a cottage vacation 5 hours away from my lawn right now. Feeling super guilty :shock:  :lol:


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

davegravy said:


> I'm at a cottage vacation 5 hours away from my lawn right now. Feeling super guilty :shock:  :lol:


Good for you! Enjoy!

Too many people are slaves to their lawns. Their lawns couldn't last a week without them.

Guys like you? Made in the shade!

Just stick to the basics: Water, baby!

Water it and it will grow.

B


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## Stuofsci02 (Sep 9, 2018)

Murph,

Can you post a pic of your lawn so we can see what you are talking about. I may have missed it, but I can't find one.

Cheers

Stu


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## Mattsbay_18 (Aug 3, 2018)

He lives in a condo


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## GoPre (Oct 28, 2017)

Holy moley.


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## mowww (Jan 16, 2018)

Everything in moderation:
https://sportsturfonline.com/2019/07/23/water-management-during-extreme-heat/10595/?oly_enc_id=6688E3254956E0Z


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

@mowww great article. Thanks for posting.


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## craigdt (Apr 21, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> davegravy said:
> 
> 
> > I'm at a cottage vacation 5 hours away from my lawn right now. Feeling super guilty :shock:  :lol:
> ...


If only it was this simple


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## MMoore (Aug 8, 2018)

TL;DR.
OP is on some good shit tho.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Stuofsci02 said:


> Can you post a pic of your lawn so we can see what you are talking about. I may have missed it, but I can't find one.


Hi, Stu!

You're right, I should have added "visual interest" by including a picture of maybe... a gentle oscillating sprinkler. I like watching those sway back and forth. It's relaxing!

I put some pictures up somewhere... maybe it was the The Notorius Mulch Thread. I eventually got banned from that one... 

I have a 90 year-old "nothing to look at" lawn. It's _nice_ but as they say, a "work in progress."

How's your lawn doing this year?

B


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Mattsbay_18 said:


> He lives in a condo


No... small city plot of land... 6,000 SF with 2,500 SF of actual turf.

Honestly, those guys with those big lawns... I don't know how they even manage! I'm jealous!

B


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

GoPre said:


> Holy moley.


Amen, brother! Praise the Lord for He is good and makes all things grow.

Amen.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

mowww said:


> Everything in moderation:
> https://sportsturfonline.com/2019/07/23/water-management-during-extreme-heat/10595/?oly_enc_id=6688E3254956E0Z


Everything in moderation. Couldn't have said it better! A nice balance of basics all around will serve folks in good stead.

Murph


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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

BXMurphy said:


> ATTACK!
> 
> Hit it with every fiber of your being! Water...
> Water! *WATER*! Tame that heat and spring LIFE into your lawn! NOW is the time to rush HEADLONG into fall.


I dont agree with throwing an over abundance of water on it this time of year. Over watering leads to more problems then under watering. I would water when the lawn needs it, when it just starts showing the early signs of drought stress.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

craigdt said:


> If only it was this simple


Hi, craigdt!

I know... The article is more of a counter-point to those who preach "limp your lawn through summer" and who urge caution about not pushing too much top-growth.

I would suggest the opposite!... right in the middle of summer... get a JUMP on fall!

Put the pedal to the metal and CRUSH it. Crush the heat and get the power of the sun working overtime to build a solid foundation for the prime autumn growing season.

B

PS - Someone suggested a picture and someone else suggested pitching something. I added a picture up top and a link to The Lawn Forum's online store at Amazon.com to buy a sprinkler. Cute, huh?


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

MMoore said:


> TL;DR.
> OP is on some good s--- tho.


?


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> I dont agree with throwing an over abundance of water on it this time of year. Over watering leads to more problems then under watering. I would water when the lawn needs it, when it just starts showing the early signs of drought stress.


Hi, Pete1313!

I agree... I like challenging my lawn, too. It really forces it to REACH! Reach deep, that is!

Reaching deep for moisture, reaching, clawing its way deeper underground to grasp the last available drop of moisture before you hit it with water. A little stress helps your lawn build strong roots!

AND!!.... At this very moment, I think it is of paramount importance to pick your lawn up off the mat and get it ready for fall. There is not a moment to waste!

Your lawn uses the sun as a growth factory. There is plenty of that these days. Water your lawn and get it running headlong and strong straight into the prime autumn growing season!

B


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Im going to post and link a good article from PSU regarding proper irrigation practices. Watering too often can be an issue particularly in the summer. The problem with @BXMurphy post is that he doesn't state how much. On established lawns deep, infrequent water up to an inch per week is recommended.

From PSU: https://extension.psu.edu/principles-of-turfgrass-irrigation

Principles of Turfgrass Irrigation

A practical watering program embodies three basic concepts. Each concept may be set forth as a question:

How should water be applied?
How much water should be applied?
How often should water be applied?
While the basic concepts of a good watering program may appear simple, in actual practice there are many and varied problems associated with the successful application of each.

Manner of applying water

Water should never be applied at a rate faster than it can be absorbed by the soil. The ability of a soil to absorb moisture at a given rate depends upon a number of factors, most of which are directly or indirectly associated with certain physical soil problems. Soil properties that govern water infiltration (movement of water into the soil) are texture, structure, and the degree of compaction. Texture (size of soil particles) and structure (arrangement of soil particles) influences not only the infiltration of water, but also water-holding ability and soil drainage.

Likewise, soils that exhibit good aggregation (a measure of structure) permit more rapid infiltration of water than soils that display poor structural properties. Compaction refers to a condition in which aggregation is reduced or absent; hence, the soil is dense. The degree of compaction at or near the surface is of special importance insofar as infiltration of water is concerned. It has been shown experimentally that a very thin layer of compacted soil will substantially reduce the rate of infiltration.

Another very important factor that influences the ability of a soil to absorb moisture is the rate at which the water is applied. Sprinklers that do not adequately disperse moisture, as well as sprinklers that deliver a large volume of water within a concentrated area, tend to cause surface runoff. Whenever water is applied at a rate faster than it may be absorbed by a given soil, the water is being wasted.

Amount of water to apply

The amount of water to apply at any one time will depend upon the water-holding capacity of the soil, the amount of moisture present when irrigation is started, and drainage.

The water-holding capacity of the soil will, to a large extent, determine how much water will be needed at any one time. Loams and clay loams are generally considered to have desirable water-holding capacity, whereas sands display very little water-holding capacity. A sufficient amount of moisture should be applied to insure that the entire root zone will be wetted. Once the soil has been wet throughout the root zone or after contact with subsoil moisture has occurred, any additional water applied will merely fill the large pores and be "excess."

Removal of excess water from soils is referred to as drainage. Unless soil are adequately drained, many problems arise because of the slow removal of excess water.

Frequency of irrigation

The frequency of irrigation depends on the type of grass, the soil's physical properties, and the climatic condition-especially rainfall, humidity, temperature, and wind movement.

It is often said that many turfgrass problems may be attributed to improper watering. Perhaps one of the most important factors contributing to improper watering is frequent irrigation-watering too often. In general, it is an excellent idea to let the condition of the grass determine when to apply moisture. On most general turfgrass areas the time to apply moisture is just as the plants begin to wilt. As a matter of fact, with one possible exception, this could become a rule of thumb for watering turfgrass. The exception is on newly seeded areas which must be kept moist during the period the seed is germinating and seedlings are becoming established.

Frequent, shallow watering tends to keep the upper layers of soil near a point of saturation most of the time. This encourages shallow rooting and promotes weak turf which is susceptible to disease and insect attack as well as damage from traffic. The practice of watering deeply only when plants show signs of wilting is for most turfgrass areas a practical approach to a sound watering program and it is a big step forward in the development of healthy, vigorous turfgrass. Far too many of our turf areas are watered too frequently and for too short a time.

Irrigation Equipment

It is important that the sprinkler used delivers a uniform amount of water over the area covered by the sprinkler throw. Many commercially available home lawn sprinklers do not give uniform coverage. You can check your sprinkler output by placing a row of one pound coffee cans (or any cans of equal size) in a line at one to two foot intervals from the sprinkler to the point of furtherest throw. By allowing the sprinkler to run for a known time (½ to 1 hour) the amount of water in each container can be measured and these results plotted on graph paper to show the distribution pattern and application rate of that particular sprinkler. Normally this procedure should be used at a time other than during periods of peak community water use, as water pressure may be lower than normal during these periods.

Poor water distribution can also be due to human error. Often a stationary sprinkler is allowed to remain on one area of the lawn longer than on another. This can be overcome by using a traveling sprinkler that moves over the area at a uniform pace.

In summary, watering practices should provide for the proper distribution of water, permit good water infiltration, and assure sufficient water retention to support plant growth without irrigation for a reasonable time. Above all, good watering practices should provide for the removal of excess water. Finally, a sound watering program should utilize only as much water as is needed by the turfgrass plants to produce healthy, vigorous wear-resistant turf.


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## 86halibut (Jun 23, 2019)




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## Pete1313 (May 3, 2017)

@BXMurphy, I agree with the first part, but I'm not sure right now is the time of paramount importance to start "crushing" your lawn. Now is still the time to keep it on cruise control, keep doing the BMPs to try and minimize any of the abiotic and biotic stresses of summer. It's too early to wake it up, 4 weeks from now would be a better time(depending on location). Too much water is going to add more stress. If the lawn needs it, ofcourse water. The lawn will need more water during summer due to higher ET losses, but disagree excess water or other inputs are needed this time of year.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

BXMurphy said:


> craigdt said:
> 
> 
> > If only it was this simple
> ...


I'm not sure what your goals are with these type of post. It seems to me that you are trying trolling the site and the members. You are suggesting that the advise from multiple universities and practiced by multiple members is wrong.

As new members read and try to learn they will get confused by your advise and can cost them their lawns. If you want to experiment with your lawn, post before and after pictures with your steps so others can see the improvement.


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

I love your flair for the dramatic!

I take some issue with what's espoused and the underlying assumptions.

All year all the time is the right time to do the right things. Theres no magic bullet like waking it up out of summer dormancy a few weeks early before fall growth flushes.

If the lawn has gone dormant by now, it's already overstressed and far too late for what is considered pre drought stress conditioning.

Typically if you are doing pre drought stress conditioning, you are doing that BEFORE summer and just barely letting it stress before getting it to recover fully by resuming normal irrigation. A dormant or browned lawn is well past that timing now and missing the point.

Imo better to keep it constantly growing with proper irrigation or let it go dormant and work within the cycle of natural irrigation rather than subject it to big swings in dormancy.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Hey Murph. I appreciate where you're coming from. I think the issue with your original post is there aren't any specifics. How much water? How often?

Better to have concrete data and explanations with this type of advice.

I'm also not sure what your adversion is to posting pics of your lawn. I have seen you dodge the question multiple times with humor. If it looks like crap right now, so what? We've all posted unflattering images of our lawn.

Hard to take advice from someone who never shows their lawn.

If anyone is reading this forum for the first time, I encourage you to read through several threads. This is an incredibly friendly place that invites and encourages new members to join and post topics and questions. We are all here to help!


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## tgreen (Oct 20, 2018)

I love the idea but what happens when all this water freezes in the winter?


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

pennstater2005 said:


> On established lawns deep, infrequent water up to an inch per week is recommended.


Yep! So many people are afraid of watering in the summer because of some issue or another. Many people just let their lawns go dormant! Don't wait until fall to wake it up. Get a jump on fall and start right now!



pennstater2005 said:


> From PSU: https://extension.psu.edu/principles-of-turfgrass-irrigation
> 
> Principles of Turfgrass Irrigation


Nice article. For a moment there, I thought YOU wrote it! 

Say, you should write an article. It's easy! Pick a topic and write 500 words or so.

Websites like TLF rely on visitors and interaction. Without it, they would die a boring death.

My contribution of 500 words is worth FAR MORE than someone else's contribution of $50 bucks. It lasts longer.

Help the guys out and write an article!

B


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Pete1313 said:


> @BXMurphy, I agree with the first part, but I'm not sure right now is the time of paramount importance to start "crushing" your lawn. Now is still the time to keep it on cruise control, keep doing the BMPs to try and minimize any of the abiotic and biotic stresses of summer. It's too early to wake it up, 4 weeks from now would be a better time(depending on location). Too much water is going to add more stress. If the lawn needs it, ofcourse water. The lawn will need more water during summer due to higher ET losses, but disagree excess water or other inputs are needed this time of year.


I never said excess water...  I merely said watch the timing and when it REALLY starts getting crazy... right in the middle of summer... step up your game! Don't let that lawn die, don't let it go dormant! Water, baby! Get it ready for fall!

Murph


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

g-man said:


> It seems to me that you are trying trolling the site and the members.





g-man said:


> You are suggesting that the advise from multiple universities and practiced by multiple members is wrong.





g-man said:


> If you want to experiment with your lawn, post before and after pictures with your steps so others can see the improvement.


Why are you so *NASTY*?

Good grief, man... I wrote an _article_!

I am not doing scientific research over here... I made a contribution to the site... Don't hate me!

Don't read more into it than was there!

I don't know where you get the trolling stuff. I never suggested advice from "multiple universities" and "multiple members" was wrong.

Come down off your high horse and write your OWN article exclaiming the virtues of NOT watering your lawn!

For Pete's sake... What's wrong with some people?...

Nasty, nasty... G-man very nasty boy... Not nice at all...

Murph


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

BXMurphy said:


> My contribution of 500 words is worth FAR MORE than someone else's contribution of $50 bucks. It lasts longer.


Except what you wrote is not. You wrote a long, rambling hard to read post that ultimately ended up with the instruction to water more. Where are you getting your facts from? I'd like some links. This thread is going to be confusing to new members. Your OP should state deep, infrequent watering on established lawns. That is not true for newly renovated lawns however.

I let my lawn go dormant if it so wishes because I don't irrigate it. And it is unbelievably green and lush in the fall. So, what is the point of your original post?


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

BXMurphy said:


> g-man said:
> 
> 
> > It seems to me that you are trying trolling the site and the members.
> ...


Sorry bud. G-man is right. This comes off as trolling. He's not being nasty. He's being a moderator. This thread is locked as it has no further value.


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