# simplesimon's 2022 lawn journal (TTTF in MA)



## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Just getting this started as I'm looking forward to applying what I've learned so far into the lawn this season. I expect to get soil test results back tomorrow and got most of my supplies for the spring!

Pics to start off…


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Sunday 4/3 - blew leaves out of the mulch beds and mowed 2" to clean up the yard. Didn't get much grass clippings. There are a few spots from snow mold that I thought would green up by now but the grass may be dead there...

Put lime down, about 20#/ksqft on the front and sides and about 40#/ksqft in the back.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Tuesday 4/12 - mowed 2" and sprayed prodiamine and Bifen.

Got a mix of weeds I'll need to take care of in a few weeks ..


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Raised HOC to 2.5"…lighting and angle has such an impact on the look! Haven't done any irrigation or nitrogen yet. Waiting for warmer temps to throw down some Bay State Fertilizer.


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

Looks to be off to a good start, man! TTTF takes a decent amount of time to really green up and get moving for the season so I'm looking forward to seeing how your yard shapes up!

If you haven't already, try raking or dethatching the snow molded areas. Breaking up the matting can help what is alive come back through.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Carlson said:


> Looks to be off to a good start, man! TTTF takes a decent amount of time to really green up and get moving for the season so I'm looking forward to seeing how your yard shapes up!
> 
> If you haven't already, try raking or dethatching the snow molded areas. Breaking up the matting can help what is alive come back through.


Thanks! I'm a bit surprised how much it's greened compared to some other lawns around town ... the people here and their Fall Nitrogen Blitz know what they're talking about apparently!


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

Fall N Blitz is really just loading the lawn up for winter hibernation and springtime launch. The deep green in the fall is just a nice benefit! :thumbup:


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Threw down Bay State Fert at bag rate, GrubEx, SOP and turned on and tested the irrigation…gearing up!

Used the new Lesco 80# spreader for the first time…a bit overkill for my yard but it felt like driving a Cadillac compared to the Scott's spreader I had previously.


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

The Lesco is amazing. You'll find yourself wanting a spreadermate in no time, lol


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

I do want it but I can't even use all 9 gallons of capacity on my lawn!

Wednesday 4/27 mowed 2.5". My lawn has not seen weed control in at least a year...maybe two years. I plan on doing a blanket spray on Sunday with WBG as temps warm up.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Friday 5/6 Raised HOC to 3". Still not getting a whole lot of clippings.

Seeing Poa annua pop up but don't have a plan for it for the time being as I'm stretched for time. Most of the other weeds except for the clover seem to be responding to the spot spraying last week.


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

Looking pretty good! Color is darkening up.

My lawn is taking forever to get going and I definitely need to get a weed spraying in myself.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

@Carlson Thanks! I did a good watering on Saturday and noticed it made a big difference. April was pretty dry and I didn't think to water until then.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Mowed 3" and sprayed Propiconazole, RGS, and Bifen and watered in.

Tried the new 4gal manual pump sprayer I bought for cheap off FB marketplace and it sprayed way too quickly. I had done a little practice run on half a gallon but it must not have translated as I basically laid down 4 gallons over 2,500sqft, whoops. It was kind of a pain to pump and spray anyways so I'm trying to rationalize shopping for a battery powered sprayer.

Last two photos is the long strip on the side of the house, front half by the driveway gets full sun but the back half is partially shaded…seeding this and some of the spots in the backyard (third photo) will be my fall project. Might try to nuke that chunk of lime green grass beforehand too.


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

You picked a good day to do fungicide. I have half a mind to go put down azoxy this evening myself!


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Grass has been exploding due to more regular irrigation...it's incredible and was unexpected how much has grown in the last week. I decided to do a weed spray (WGB CCO) to get whatever survived the last round instead of mowing because of time constraints and plan to mow on Thursday.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

What a week for growth…definitely violated the 1/3 rule in some areas, raised HOC to 3.5" and digging the look. Not brave enough to try to do stripes but looking forward to see what my mower's highest setting at 4" looks like.

Still got some weeds, a bunch of triv, poa, and old fescue but it's the best the lawn has looked since I moved here. Better than when I paid an arm and a leg for lawn service.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Mowed 3.5", sprayed prodiamine and t-methyl and watered in.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Had some old 21-0-4 with Merit that's been lying around for three years when my FIL volunteered to fertilize when we first bought the house. Put the rest of that down at about 4#/ksqft.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Irrigation has made such a big difference in my area where conditions have been dry the last couple of months. Myself compared to a neighbor:


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Part of the side lawn on April 24 vs today. I'm shocked how much it's grown…feeling encouraged about filling in the bare spots this fall.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Mowed at 4", highest my mower will go. Kind of loving the thickness.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Mowed 4"

Got a mix of crap in there but it's green.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Mowed 4" and sprayed Bifen/Nyguard around the perimeter. I picked up the Mosquito Sniper System a couple months ago to work with my Ego blower and it's been working well to help make using the new outdoor space more enjoyable.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Back at it…it's been a tough summer with the heat. I had done nothing but mowed.

The town repaved our street and supplied dirt to cover the edge of the lawn that had been damaged. I had a plan to seed those areas this weekend and mowed to 2" on 9/3 and 9/4 but held off on actual seeding until today due to the heavy rains the last couple of days.

Set the watering to 4x/day and will plan to spray tenacity, Propiconazole, and Bifen later today or tomorrow.


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## Carlson (Apr 16, 2020)

That mosquito sniper thing sounds awesome. I have one of those sprayer backpacks and I kinda hate having only one tool that needs gas/oil mixed... may have to get one of those snipers next year.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Carlson said:


> That mosquito sniper thing sounds awesome. I have one of those sprayer backpacks and I kinda hate having only one tool that needs gas/oil mixed... may have to get one of those snipers next year.


It definitely has that feeling of you're using something hacked together, because it is, but the value is incredible. I even used it to spray propiconazole on my crabapple tree. It would always lose all of its leaves by beginning of August due to apple scab fungus but as of right now maybe only half of its leaves are gone!


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Just started to reduce watering frequency and threw down starter fertilizer a couple of weeks ago. Nice to see it start to bounce back a little bit after that initial scalp before Labor Day.

Been keeping it at 2" with the overseed and newly seeded area by the street and planning to raise back to 3" in October.


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

The town repaved my street and wrecked the front part of the lawn. Seed down on 9/7 in the right most picture with about a week in between each picture until today on the left.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Perfect spot for cobblestones.









Ken-n-Nancy's Lawn Journal 2018-19 - "War on...


This thread is intended to document our 2018 Front Lawn Renovation. Before getting in to the log of what we're doing, though, a little background is probably in order... As of 2015, we had completed renovations of all of our lawn areas over the course of the prior 3 years: 2013 Front Lawn...




www.thelawnforum.com


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## simplesimon (Aug 25, 2021)

Not much to update, been following the aggressive blitz with 0.5#N/ksqft and mowing at 3”. I’ve been practicing mowing straight so I can do a decent job with a stripe kit next year.


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