# Powhatan's 2022 Lawn Journal



## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

2021 Journal
*2022 Lawn Plan*
_Objectives: biodiverse, reduced inputs, non-irrigated, healthy soil life, heat and drought tolerant_​
Mid/Late Winter:

Hand-pull weeds.
Dormant maintenance overseed thin areas with KY-31, TTTF, CRF, KBG, and clover.
Spring:

Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with non-selective organic weed control.
Spot treat grass fungus & shrub pests with organic neem oil.
Slow release organic fertilize.
Amend soil with RGS, biochar, topsoil, and compost.
Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.50" (bag mow HOC 3.25" for more airflow if disease present).
Summer:

Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with non-selective organic weed control.
Spot treat grass fungus & shrub pests with organic neem oil.
Slow release organic fertilize.
Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.50" (bag mow HOC 3.25" for more airflow if disease present).
Early Fall:

Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with non-selective organic weed control.
Slow release organic fertilize.
Amend soil with RGS, biochar, topsoil, and compost.
Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.50".
Mid Fall:

Hand-pull weeds.
Fast / slow release urea fertilize.
Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.50".


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Broadcasted organic fertilizer .44#N/M and CarbonPro-G 8#/M, sprayed RGS 6oz/M.

Next planned organic fertilizer app will be in Jun.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## jskierko (Sep 5, 2020)

Love these pics! Gives me such a nice alternative perspective from my boring, suburban lot.


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## bf7 (May 11, 2020)

jskierko said:


> Love these pics! Gives me such a nice alternative perspective from my boring, suburban lot.


Agreed - the creature closeups are quite refreshing!


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

bf7 said:


> jskierko said:
> 
> 
> > Love these pics! Gives me such a nice alternative perspective from my boring, suburban lot.
> ...


Thanks jskierko and bf7.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Top dressed lawn low areas with top soil. Lots of grass seed heads still being cut off. Fungal disease pressure to increase later in the month as day & night air temps rise. Do not plan to use synthetic fungicides this year.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Healthy soil, organics, and some rain all coming together. 2nd organic fertilizer app planned next month.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Mark B (May 30, 2019)

I get a real buzz seeing you kindly taking care of and enjoying your garden Powhatan! Very nice :thumbup:


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Mark B said:


> I get a real buzz seeing you kindly taking care of and enjoying your garden Powhatan! Very nice :thumbup:


Thanks Mark.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Spot sprayed non-selective organic herbicide Mirimichi Green Weed Control Concentrate @ 13% mix rate on lawn border weeds.

A couple small grass fungal disease spots noticed within the lawn.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

A few small fungal disease forming dark areas that I noticed a few days ago have now subsided without treatment action. Going forward I'll probably need to start treating any new disease forming areas due to higher air temps and humidity. Spraying neem oil on a disease forming area smothers the pathogen and reduces spore germination, thus minimizing disease spread.

Still have some grass seed heads and stalks to cut. I sharpen the push mower blade before every mow.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Local high air temp today 102 F - yikes.

Mowed @ HOC 3.50" earlier in the day before it got hot. Cut way more than 1/3 off. Last mow was five days ago, don't need synthetic nitrogen to get the grass to grow.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

KY-31 growing in the heat with no irrigation.



Grass & clover mix growing in the heat with no irrigation.


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## Wile (Sep 17, 2020)

These pictures are amazing. It looks so serene and yet vibrant.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Wile said:


> These pictures are amazing. It looks so serene and yet vibrant.


Thanks Wile.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

More native wildflowers blooming or budding. Deer and rabbits eating the clover. Young toads and copper head snakes in the lawn.







Got seed? 👍



Received rain showers past couple of days. Some areas of the lawn the grass blades closest to ground level have yellowing moisture rot.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Local Weather Underground station recorded high temp 100 F yesterday and 103 F today. Mid June planned 2nd round organic fertilizer going down.

One of the predators taking care of business without insecticides.



The fungal disease on the blades appear to be dried and not spreading, within two to three weeks this area should be green again.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Past week high air temps been 90s to 100s F. Current soil temp 90 F. Seeing some stress curling grass blades. Last significant rainfall 9 days ago.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

The HBG grows well with the heat, as does the KY-31. Mowing every ~5 days without needing irrigation and still cutting more than 1/3 off. It's not country club pretty, but at least the turf is not addicted needing a 1" tap water bath every week. Still seeing some brown dying seed stalks. Also, a few random disease spots on blades. Not worried about it.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Round 2 organic fertilizer going down this weekend. I may broadcast Jonathan Green Love Your Soil next month, did that last couple years during July and the turf seemed to benefit from it.


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## ionicatoms (Mar 8, 2020)

Those wildlife photos are top notch! Thanks for sharing!


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

ionicatoms said:


> Those wildlife photos are top notch! Thanks for sharing!


You're welcome. :thumbup:


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

**** DON"T mechanical areate when your lawn has poa trivialis, you'll spread triv around ****


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Broadcasted 2nd round organic fertilizer .44#N/M. 3rd round planned organic fertilizer app will be in Aug.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

This is the area that I identified 2 to 3 weeks ago that had the large fungal disease area. I didn't apply neem oil or synthetic fungicide. It's now mostly green again, grass grew out of the diseased parts. Part of the browning is dying grass seed stalks and some is disease,.



June Bugs appearing with the bees. There are June Bug predators present in and around the lawn.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

:thumbsup: I always love these closeup photos of nature. I may have asked before, but don't remember. DSLR with macro lens?


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Chris LI said:


> :thumbsup: I always love these closeup photos of nature. I may have asked before, but don't remember. DSLR with macro lens?


Thanks

iPhone 11 - no filters or add-on lenses, just pinch the screen to zoom and take pic within ~1" of subject.

The bumblebees stung me three times this past week. Not while taking pics, but when I was push mowing. I guess they don't like the loud noise or vibration near where they are working.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Seasonal environmental conditions warmer day & night air temps with late afternoon thunderstorms favorable for brown patch fungal disease development and spread, now seeing some brown patch in the lawn areas that I typically see it forming every year. Fungal diseases appear on various tree leaves, ornamental bushes, weeds, as well as grass. Can't hold back the tide. Weak plants/leaves die, but the vast majority strong survives without fungicides. Nature balances itself.

Bag mowed @ lower HOC 3.25" to increase airflow and collect disease blades. Seeing PRG seed heads.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Today's high air temp 102 F. Soil temp 92 F.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Those temps are not cool.

I think I'm seeing some Perennial Ryegrass blades in your photo. Looks like they're surviving the onslaught so far.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Green said:


> I think I'm seeing some Perennial Ryegrass blades in your photo. Looks like they're surviving the onslaught so far.


Yep, definitely there's PRG mixed in. Last mow I noticed several PRG seed heads. I've seen PRG survive the summer; I have no idea how much loss, but I do see it throughout the year. I normally sow the quick germinating PRG mid-spring after hand-pulling orchardgrass and poa triv, pulling those clumps leaves large exposed soil areas that need to be covered.


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## BBLOCK (Jun 8, 2020)

i dont think those are "june" bugs, looks like japanese beetles.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

BBLOCK said:


> i dont think those are "june" bugs, looks like japanese beetles.


Thanks for the clarification.

I grew up calling it/similar a june bug cause I typically start seeing them in June.


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## BBLOCK (Jun 8, 2020)

Powhatan said:


> BBLOCK said:
> 
> 
> > i dont think those are "june" bugs, looks like japanese beetles.
> ...


Yeah just so you know, might want to get a Japanese beetle trap going. They eat foliage of trees and plants also lay their eggs in the lawn and the grubs eat grass. They're not good!


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

BBLOCK said:


> Powhatan said:
> 
> 
> > BBLOCK said:
> ...


Too many acres of surrounding woods/bushes for traps. I live in a rural area so there are predators here that help lower the "bug" problem. I typically broadcast chlorantraniliprole on the lawn annually, but trying to minimize poisons being applied overall.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Regarding the PR: I think new grass tends to not produce seed a few months after planting, so it's most likely that the seedheads are from last year's or older grass.

When I still had my grandfather's lawn last year, I noticed a tiny bit of PR in an area that likely hadn't seen seed in at least 40 years. And it didn't even look like today's stuff...it was kind of wide bladed. But it survived, somehow, all that time.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

First day of summer 2022. Starting from May 15 have had several days of summer like high air temps 90s to 100s F. Last rainfall 0.49" ten days ago.





Carpenter bee.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

High air temp 98 F, soil temp 91 F. Non-irrigated, relying on rainfall.

TTTF and PRG turning brown checking out (possible dormancy). CRF around house perimeter shady areas actively growing. KY-31 and HBG still doing well staying green. Brown patch disease areas seem to be inactive not enlarging, just need to grow out, have not applied fungicide.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

:thumbup: Still going strong, despite the heat! Have you raised HOC, since lowering to 3.25" on 6/17? What will your max HOC be for the summer? Keep the nature photos coming...love 'em.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Chris LI said:


> :thumbup: Still going strong, despite the heat! Have you raised HOC, since lowering to 3.25" on 6/17? What will your max HOC be for the summer? Keep the nature photos coming...love 'em.


I'm keeping the HOC to 3.25". Looking over my notes past few years, the 3.25" setting has been the all around sweet spot for my lawn. I've noticed that HOC setting increases air flow to reduce grass blade and soil surface dampness. This is especially helpful during those warm humid summer nights to help minimize fungal disease formation.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Areas of the lawn turn brown (dormant) during hot dry July, the KY-31 and HBG stay "green'ish" the longest. Lawn typically greens back up in Aug when rains return.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Jonathan Green Love Your Soil going down soon.

Some native blooms are past peak and others are now appearing.













Hemp Dogbane - The pollinators like the flowers, but it's very toxic to humans and animals. There's a few of these growing in a disturbed area that I need to remove.



NE side of house shadiest area.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Non-irrigated, last rainfall 8 days ago. Last mow was on July 1, the high air temp was 102 F that day. Four days later the active growing KY-31 and HBG are bringing green color back. Two organic fert apps total 0.84#N/M applied so far this year. 3rd round organic fert app planned for mid next month. Have not applied fungicides this year. The previous fungal disease brown patch areas are greening back up.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

10 days still waiting for some summer rain ... in the mean time the grass is growing and needing another cut. Must of missed the memo about weekly 1" irrigation.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Hand-pulled a patch of poa trivialis, pulled up easily like spaghetti.

Received a trace of rain this morning, now a few dark grass fungal areas are forming. I'll have to bag mow next cut to collect diseased blades. The lower canopy will increase airflow and help dry out the fungal areas.

Only a trace of rain in ~12 days and the grass is a jungle. _"Get your dirt right"_ - Pete Denny :thumbup:


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

The whole lawn is damp due to rain drizzle for the past ~24 hours. Noticed several of these nutrient recyclers saprotroph fungi all over feeding on the grass decaying organic material. The stem with umbrella looking cap part is called the sporocarp (fruitbody) reproductive parts; the cap is where spores are produced. I wonder if I'd been using fungicides it would have killed these beneficial fungi.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Bag mowed with sharp blade @ HOC 3.25", cut more than 1/3 off. Put down topsoil on lawn low spots. Broadcasted 54# Jonathan Green Love Your Soil.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

101 F for high today. Saw a black snake cooling off in a wildflower bed. A rabbit was in another bed.

The dark grass fungal areas I mentioned a few days ago are now dry and not expanding, no fungicides used, grass needs to grow out now.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Been mid to high 90s F this week. HBG and KY-31 continue to grow requiring another cut before rain chance this afternoon.

Displaying displeasure that he had to move off the lawn.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Cut grass in the heat of the day, not the best time to do it, but needed to be done before forecasted rain. The lower canopy will allow more airflow and help minimize fungal formation. A doe and her twins came out to eat after I cut the grass.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Very colorful! Keep them coming! :thumbup:


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Performed random 8" screwdriver test all over lawn. Majority was able to easily penetrate. Lawn edge areas that have thin grass coverage was only able to penetrate 1" to 2".


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Month of July so far 0.26" cumulative precipitation, high air temps 90s to 100s F. The afternoon summer pop-up thunderstorms keep missing us.

Grass blades are stress curling. Outer lawn edges turning dormant brown.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Great nature photos!

And amazing what grass can do in an ideal soil environment to hang on in heat and drought when far below theoretical water needs are reached. I'm trying to supply as minimal water as possible, and your posts are inspiring and helpful due to the non-irrigated nature. See some my most recent posts with g-man for reference.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Thanks Green. It takes years, soil improvement is foundation key to a healthy turf. 👍

Edit: High air temp today was 103 F.

A spot near the oak tree that is compacted.



Area about 15' away from the oak tree that is not compacted.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Received 0.62" rain on Thursday. HBG and KY-31 continue to grow in the non-compacted areas and need another cut. Keeping the canopy lower at desired HOC increases airflow and reduces disease formation chance. Hot temps forecasted this weekend will continue stressing the turf. I'll wait till Monday to mow when temps are slightly lower.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Edit: High air temp today was 105 F.









This dog vomit fungus appeared for one day and was gone the next.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

The HBG just needed some rain to take off. I'll mulch mow tomorrow when it's a little cooler, afternoon thunderstorm forecasted for Monday afternoon.

Edit: High air temp today was 103 F.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Afternoon rain is bringing the green back.

Hand-pulled some poa trivialis.

Noticed a couple dark grass fungal disease spots forming again. The lower HOC airflow with some sun tomorrow should dry out the spots.

Two organic fert apps total 0.84#N/M applied so far this year. 3rd round organic fert app going down next month. Have not applied fungicides this year.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Looking good! &#128077; Have the 100*+ temperatures eased?


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Thanks Chris. It's cooler now, no 100s in the forecast. We're back to the typical summer 90s temps now. The lawn edges that are thin and have compaction will probably exhibit dormancy through next month.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Bess Beetle - They are typically considered beneficial insects because they recycle dead wood material in the forest.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Two recent days of 99 F temps with one afternoon thunderstorm 1.31" downpour. Seeing more dark grass fungal disease spots appear - one side of disease triangle (environment heat & moisture) increased. I'll need to bag mow to collect disease grass blades next cut.

A mole has returned tunneling (aerating) in the front yard.

Hand-pulled poa trivialis.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Yehl Skipper butterfly


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Tiny, but beautiful. Great size comparison with the clover.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

One of the many beneficial predators - natural pest population control. :thumbup:


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

A couple more 100s F days this past week with random afternoon pop-up thunderstorms, high humidity kicking in, hurricane season ramp up - it's summer. Lots of oak tree acorns falling now, a coming bumper crop. Some brown dormant/disease grass mixed in with the mostly green grass.

A mole continues to tunnel (aerate) in front of a native wildflower bed leaving behind soft soil that I press back down. The June bugs (err, Japanese Beetles - which appear in June  ) were active in this area a month or two ago. I'm sure the mole is eating the grubs and the worms.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

3rd round organic fertilizer going down this week. Turf is looking healthy without needing fertilizer.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Powhatan said:


> 3rd round organic fertilizer going down this week. Turf is looking healthy without needing fertilizer.


Wow, you're doing it around the same time as me, and it's 5-10F hotter there. Actually, I never would have fertilized this time of year in the past, but I'm slowly learning that earlier is key. I'm going to be using 0.5 lb of N from Protene 19-0-19 next week. My fine fescue / mix area in the low input will not be getting this fert. What are you using?


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Green said:


> Wow, you're doing it around the same time as me, and it's 5-10F hotter there. Actually, I never would have fertilized this time of year in the past, but I'm slowly learning that earlier is key. I'm going to be using 0.5 lb of N from Protene 19-0-19 next week. My fine fescue / mix area in the low input will not be getting this fert. What are you using?


Past couple of years I've realized applying low N organic fert on a bi-monthly basis to my low CEC sandy soil during the growing season works well to provide sufficient nutrition while not over stimulating the turf ecosystem balance. An annual low N feeding program is just right for me.

Middle & late Spring, middle Summer feedings (organic fert):

Safer Brand (Ringer) Lawn Restore mixed with Scotts Natural Lawn Food.

Late Summer & Fall feedings (hybrid fert):

Clarus Nutrients PLUS Whole Shebang for late Summer and Screamin' Green for Fall feedings.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Broadcasted 3rd round organic fertilizer .44#N/M. Clarus Nutrients PLUS "Whole Shebang" 6-2-4 low nitrogen hybrid fertilizer planned for next month, this will help the turf recover from Summer stress.

Spot sprayed non-selective organic herbicide Mirimichi Green Weed Control Concentrate @ 13% mix rate on lawn border weeds.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Cold front came through ... dropped temps and rain. 80s F for high temps in the forecast this week, nice :thumbup:


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

YTD 1.32#N/M organic fert applied, have not applied fungicide or preM. Summer recovery hybrid fertilizer application and maintenance overseed next month.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

High air temp and humidity rising again, summer is not done.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

90s F high air temps this past week, last rainfall 0.45" on Aug 10. Ten day forecast continued 90s with no rain. Grass blades showing stress curling. Poplar trees dropping summer stress leaves again.

Edit: Weather change today, high 101 F with a pop-up thunderstorm dropped 1.18" rain.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Many tiny ones like this all over the lawn, he's about 1/2" in length. Natural predators taking care of the insects, don't need pesticides.



More fescue seed heads appearing.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

No fungicide, pesticide, herbicide, or irrigation (only rainfall); applied three apps low N organic fertilizer YTD, plan to apply hybrid fertilizer next few months.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Weedwacked american burnweed, crabgrass, dogfennel, and japanese stiltgrass growing on the lawn boarder.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Mid to high 90s F this past week with no rain. Last week of Sep planned maintenance overseed with hybrid fertilizer.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Raked up dead grass patch areas, prep for overseed good seed to soil contact.

Broadcasted fall preM on gravel driveway. I typically spray non-selective herbicide on the gravel driveway weeds during the growing season to take care of them, but trying something different this year with the preM to see if makes a difference to reduce weed appearance.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Tree leaves are falling 2 to 3 weeks earlier this year than past few years. Moving up maintenance overseed to this weekend.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Powhatan said:


> Tree leaves are falling 2 to 3 weeks earlier this year than past few years. Moving up maintenance overseed to this weekend.


No falling here yet, but I think I'm seeing the very first hint of color change.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Green said:


> Powhatan said:
> 
> 
> > Tree leaves are falling 2 to 3 weeks earlier this year than past few years. Moving up maintenance overseed to this weekend.
> ...


I suspect summer drought stress influenced the early leaf drops. Looking over August weather data for recent years, the high air temps have been typical 90s F, but precipitation was less this Aug than previous years.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Powhatan said:


> Green said:
> 
> 
> > Powhatan said:
> ...


Some years, like last year, I had more than a few leaves dropping straight through the Summer starting in June for some reason. And there was a lot of rain last Summer, so that wasn't it. Very few dropped this year, and it pretty much halted a couple of weeks ago. (We are in severe drought , D3, currently.) There are also not many nuts this year yet; last year, there were tons. This was not a hot Summer here...more average. Last year was on the hot side for a while in June and July, so maybe temps impact leaves more.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

High air temps mid 80s F, low air temps mid to low 60s F. Daily average soil temp 74 F downward trending.

Busy day today ...

Mowed lower @ HOC 2.75" for overseed prep. Repurposed felled tree trunks for lawn edging erosion control. Put down topsoil on lawn low spots. Broadcasted maintenance overseed, riding mower tires pushed seed down for good seed to soil contact. Broadcasted hybrid fertilizer. Setup timer irrigation sprinklers in four separate lawn thin grass edge areas.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Seed down (SD)+2 days - Received 2.13" rainfall yesterday, heavy at times, some seed washout. Broadcasted partial seed reserve.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

SD+5 days - New grass emergence, coated and non-coated seeds.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Past week air temps 80s/50s F, coming week forecasted to be 70s/50s F. Soil temps mid 70s F.

SD+8 days - Most areas have decent amount of new grass emergence ~1" height. Some outer edge areas have no new grass emergence, total washout suspected, I'll broadcast some more reserve seed.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Deer coming in yard every evening eating the fallen Swamp White Oak acorns.

Let the grass grow another week, give a chance for the new grass to get taller, then give the lawn a trim with a sharp blade.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

SD+9 days - Reduced timer irrigation duration from 10 to 5 minutes, retain 3x daily watering setting. With cooler temp mornings the soil is retaining moisture longer. When I cut the lawn I'll adjust to 2x (possibly 1x) daily watering and extend duration time.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

SD+13 days - New grass height 2" to 3", existing grass height 6"+. Mulch mowed @ HOC 3.50" with a sharp blade. Adjusted timer irrigation from 3x to 2x daily watering and extended duration. Cooler air temps 70s/50s F in forecast with rain possible. I'll adjust irrigation settings as needed.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

SD+15 days - Most of the lawn edge areas that I seeded have decent new growth, some edge areas show very little to no germination. I'll collect separate soil samples in the weak germinated areas when I send in my biennial turf soil sample testing to Virginia Tech this coming January. Planned late winter dormant overseed edge areas.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

No fungicide, pesticide, or herbicide; applied three organic and one hybrid fertilizer apps 1.70#N/M total so far this season. No chasing evapotranspiration (ETo) calculations.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

SD+16 days - Mulch mowed @ lower HOC 2.87" with sharp blade to cut new and existing grass at same height. Will raise height back to normal HOC 3.25" next month.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Hand-pulled poa trivialis and sowed grass seeds in this area a week ago.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Another beneficial predator that keeps the pest population under control.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

SD+23 days - Remnants of tropical system Ian dropping rain last few days and some more next couple of days. Extended forecast 70s/40s F. Soil temp 62F. Pulled up timer irrigation sprinklers and hoses.

Oct: RGS, CarbonPro-G, and hybrid fertilizer
Nov: CarbonPro-G, hybrid fertilizer, mulch mow leaves
Dec: Mulch mow leaves.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Mowed higher @ normal HOC 3.25".


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Low temps dipping into the 30s F.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Mulched mowed grass & leaves. Weed whacked some crabgrass and Japanese stiltgrass growing in a lawn edge area.

No fungicide, pesticide, or herbicide applied this year. Turf grass filling in thick and healthy, doesn't need much supplemental nitrogen. Extended forecast 60s/40s F. Soil temp 60F.

Broadcasted CarbonPro-G and hybrid fertilizer, sprayed RGS.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Earthworms


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Notice what it's collecting on it's legs.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Transplanted four Azelea bushes. Mulch mowed grass and leaves. Planned year end last fertilizer app going down mid next month.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Mulch mow grass, leaves, leaves, and more leaves ...


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Last fertilizer app for the year going down this month.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Earthworms doing a very good job of softening the soil. Bees are still active visiting the last of the Spotted Bee Balm blooms. Final application of the growing season CarbonPro-G and hybrid fertilizer going down in about a week. Lots more leaves to fall and mulch.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Transplanted Daffodil bulbs.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Broadcasted CarbonPro-G and hybrid fertilizer. Last application of the year. 

The lawn survived this year without needing fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, or weekly 1" irrigation tap water baths.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Majority of leaves have fallen. Soil temp 61 F. Extended forecast air temps 50s/30s F with some nightly 20s. Air temps cooler this year than last year.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Forecasted nightly air temp lows 20 F. Soil temp 48 F. Drained the rain barrel. I need to do maybe one more mulch mow to be done with the straggler fallen leaves.

Deer and rabbits eating grass and clover, they'll do that for some weeks now (quasi last mow of the year). Opossum also visiting the yard looking for food.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Soil temp 45 F. Mulch mowed grass and leaves, cut more than 1/3 off. Performed 8" screwdriver test random all over lawn, soil is very soft and smells healthy.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Soil temp 35 F. Overnight air temp low was 19 F.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Soil temp 46 F. Grass still growing. Last year no growth occurred mid Dec.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Looks really good this year.

I find your early version of winterizer fertilizer a month before growth stops not only interesting, but I think it's probably a productive timing, and you may get a lot more out of it as compared to an app around the time growth stops. I incorporated a urea app at that time this year, and it really worked well. I'm calling it "initial winterizer" lately. But I still do a 2nd/final winterizing app as well, a month later, since I'm into being solidly medium input (2.7-3.5 lbs of N per year from both man-made and natural sources).


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Green said:


> Looks really good this year.
> 
> I find your early version of winterizer fertilizer a month before growth stops not only interesting, but I think it's probably a productive timing, and you may get a lot more out of it as compared to an app around the time growth stops. I incorporated a urea app at that time this year, and it really worked well. I'm calling it "initial winterizer" lately. But I still do a 2nd/final winterizing app as well, a month later, since I'm into being solidly medium input (2.7-3.5 lbs of N per year from both man-made and natural sources).


Thanks @Green The lawn has filled in very well since starting bare earth ~5 years ago; it's still a work in progress.

By taking notes, I've learned that my area on average has it's first freeze mid Nov, after that the grass will continue to have top growth for another ~3 weeks.

Trying to make lawn care simple (k.i.s.s. method) to not over think it. I don't want the lawn addicted to needing *cides to survive. Mulch mowing is spoon feeding. I broadcast mostly organic products on a regular feeding bi-monthly schedule. This feeds the soil microbes, promotes healthy soil life, which in turn feeds the grass; the grass knows what it needs when it needs it. The final two fertilizer applications (Oct & Nov) have a mix (hybrid) of fast and slow release since during those months the weather fluctuates warm/cool until finally settling into winter.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Typical weather past couple of weeks: cloudy, air temps 50s/20s F, soil temp 46 F, and rain ~2.00". Some sun mix tomorrow so I'll either mulch mow or rake the remaining leaves.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Mulch mowed grass and leaves, cut more than 1/3 off even in the shadier NE side. Last year Dec 10 was last cut no top growth.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Nil grass top growth since last cut ~6 days ago so I'm calling it done for the season. Soil and grass improved from last year without needing *cides and weekly 1" tap water baths to survive. I plan to perform a similar turf maintenance program next year that I did this year.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)




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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Air temps 50s/20s F, soil temp 38 F - slightly cooler than last year.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

No snow yet this month. Previous week air temps 30s/5s F, soil temp 28 F. Temps were cooler this year than previous year. A warmup coming for year’s end. Deer and rabbits continue to eat the lawn clover. Noticed some poa annua in the gravel driveway, typically this time of year is when I start seeing in the lawn.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Serviced chainsaw and sharpened the chain. Soil temp warmed up to 36 F. Mailed composite soil sample to Virginia Tech Soil Testing Lab. Purchased organic fertilizer and soil amendments for next year.


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## Powhatan (Dec 15, 2017)

Received soil sample analysis from Va Tech. pH, CEC, and OM% increased from previous - healthy soil.


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