# XLT_66's 2019 Tifway & Celebration Lawn



## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

I've been keeping photos and random notes around. Figured it may be time to keep a record of things or have a better place to ask specific question for my lawn.

Moved into this new-build in early April of 2018 in Central Texas (Lakeway).

The home runs on a septic system that has a large drip-irrigation style sub-grade leech field that takes up a large majority of the front-side yard and about 60% of the back yard. These areas where the leech field is snaked under the ground had been sparsely seeded in the winter with a rye grass blend to prevent erosion during the winter months before the home was complete. All other areas on the property had Tifway sod laid with what looked to be whatever leftover rye grass the builder had thrown onto it.

By the time we moved in, the rye was very overgrown and sparse and the Tif was starting to come out of dormancy. It resulted in a terrible looking lawn. I was simply knocking it down every 5-7 days with a rotary mower.

Here are some of the photos from the builder prior to our moving in (low-res):





































As you can see, none of this was ideal but they needed grass growing in the winter on the septic fields so options were limited. I wish they would have laid the Tif sod everywhere and then overseeded the rye...but that's ancient history now.

More to come.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

So, from April 2018-July 2018, I was mowing the yard at about 2.5" with my Honda rotary mower. I put down some starter fert from HD on the Tif sod while the rye grass met its demise under the Texas sun. I didn't know much about anything lawn related, especially Bermuda since my previous homes had St. Augustine planted.

Then, in July 2018, it was time to put down some sod since the rye was gone and the fill over the septic would get muddy when it rained, etc. I wish I knew then what I know now...but I was ended up selecting Celebration bermuda (for reasons I can't seem to recall) to put on the side of the house and in the back yard. In hindsight, this was a mistake as I now have Celebration pushed against Tifway grass and the difference is really noticeable.

Sod on Day 1:


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

In early August, after watering the new sod and rest of the lawn with hose sprinklers, I figured it was time I went ahead and got an irrigation system installed. The install was complete by mid-August, the grass was growing great, I had purchased an old Cal Trimmer and things were on the up and up.

I also did some leveling of the sunken in irrigation trenches. The leveling, this late in the season...was not wise. On top of that, we had incredible amounts of rain. A majority of the sand washed away and I was left with dead grass, exposed trenches, and a lot of sand in my house for most of the fall and winter of 2018.




























End of season. Went too thick on the grass/didn't cut it short enough before hand. Smothered a lot of it.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

That brings us to Spring 2019, where things are starting to look pretty great.

February 17, 2019: I purchased a Sun Joe dethatcher and went to town. I noticed the Celebration sod had MUCH more thatch that the Tifway had, that was a season older. I used the rotary to bag as much material as I could, dropping it lower and lower until bottomed out. I then dropped the Cal Trimmer down as low as I could go without taking up dirt and scalped the lawn in 3 directions.





































In some of these photos, you can see around the perimeter that the grass still has a lot of work to do to fill in the sandy areas leftover from the previous leveling job in August of 2018.



















I now know, I could have been pushing MUCH harder with Nitrogen all the way into end of September (or later) to set myself up better for 2019.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

This brings us to the 2019 growing season.

First thing is first, I picked up an old GM1000 by trading a YETI to a local dude. He had a screamin' mullet haircut and didn't know I get YETI stuff for free. Sweet deal.

This was my first time using it. Grass has greened up, for the most part...still a lot of sandy/dead areas around the trenches.



















But, I've been dropping about 1.2 lbs/N per 1000 of GreenTRX every 6 weeks or so, and about a 0.5lb/N of AMS every 2 weeks or so, pushing the lawn along to fill in nicely.

I'm currently cutting at about 0.7" with the GM1000. The yard has come a long way in the last year and I'm proud of that.





































This past week, I rented a Ryan IV aerator and ran it 2 ways across the lawn. Just in time for the skys to open up on me. I raked the front and side yard cores up in the rain. The back yard waited a day until dry and I sucked them up with the rotary. It was a lot easier just loud and dusty.





































As of this typing, a dump truck is dropping 7 yards of sand in my driveway. Just in time for the first 100 degree day of the year. My wife still has nightmares of the sand from last year...wish me luck!


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Sand delivered. My body hates me already. This year, however, instead of pulling the gorilla cart and drag by hand, I have a 4Wheeler to do the work.

First 100 degree day of the year on Sunday. Also happens to be lawn leveling day. Yay.


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## mattcoughlin (Jul 8, 2018)

Nice work! I just did 6 yards of leveling on my yard so i feel your pain. I rented a top dressing machine for $75 and bought a case of beer for a couple buddies and we had it spread in about 2 hours!


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Took the yard down to 0.5" from an overgrown 0.75" today in prep from the leveling tomorrow.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Got it all spread and raked around. Now to start the drag mat. Lord help me. It's HOT!


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

XLT_66 said:


> Got it all spread and raked around. Now to start the drag mat. Lord help me. It's HOT!


Looking good man!! Stay cool


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Pulled the drag for as long as I could. Got it worked in pretty well. Putting some water on it now.


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## bhutchinson87 (Jun 25, 2018)

I heard Austin got some of that nasty storm that rolled through the Dallas area yesterday afternoon. How did your leveling project hold up?


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

bhutchinson87 said:


> I heard Austin got some of that nasty storm that rolled through the Dallas area yesterday afternoon. How did your leveling project hold up?


It was pretty bad. Got about an inch of rain in about 30 minutes. It washed out in the runoff areas that will need to be readdressed but it helped settle it in for the most part. I'll need to check it out after it all dries up today.

I was too busy watching h my Red Raiders punch their ticket to Omaha to see how bad it was out there.


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## bhutchinson87 (Jun 25, 2018)

Yeah, I got about an inch and a half. Not trying to hijack your thread or anything, but I thought this timelapse from my Nest doorbell was pretty cool and shows how quickly the storm came and went.

Nest Timelapse

Same! That was a fun game to watch, Wreck 'Em! :beer:


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

After some heavy rain and some push brooming, the sand is settling in pretty well.

Three days since laying it out.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

New toy today. Can't beat free! Needs a bit of love and grease but everything appears to be working just fine.


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## The_iHenry (Apr 23, 2019)

Wow dude nice glow up! Also free yeti stuff? LMK if you wanna sell some stuff.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Little morning irrigation.

Sand has settled in very nicely this time around. Still probably 2 years of major leaving left to go followed by sporadic spot leveling each season.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Quick cut this morning. Currently at about 0.7", up from 0.5" previously. I was out of town for a week so decided to let it grow. Sort of like it longer.


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## Christech11 (Mar 26, 2019)

Looking good!

Glad to know there are more red raiders on here besides me!


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Interesting look at how PGR and reel mowing can change St. Augustine grass. There was a section creeping over from the neighbor that's been getting the Bermuda treatment.

Rotary mowed and untreated on left. PGR and reel mowing on right.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Little double cut today.







Also, anyone able to recommend a method and or tool that could help me get a nice straight line on that front edge where it meets the rock?


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## Buffalolawny (Nov 24, 2018)

Looking at the rest of the front lawn.

Maybe a line of pavers or white-ish bricks


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Spring has sprung. Scalped about 10 days ago. First time to get some color in the basket.

Two seasons of lawn clippings and scalping is getting a little absurd on my dump pile.


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## MrMeaner (Feb 21, 2017)

XLT_66 said:


> Interesting look at how PGR and reel mowing can change St. Augustine grass. There was a section creeping over from the neighbor that's been getting the Bermuda treatment.
> 
> Rotary mowed and untreated on left. PGR and reel mowing on right.


I have a 1' concrete boarder going around my front yard...between both neighbors north and south of me and the where the asphalt meets the front edge of the lawn. Makes for a nice straight path to edge against. The turf is equal height to the circle drive and boarders in 95% boarder, so I just let the reel ride along the edge concrete when mowing.


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

XLT_66 said:


> Interesting look at how PGR and reel mowing can change St. Augustine grass. There was a section creeping over from the neighbor that's been getting the Bermuda treatment.
> 
> Rotary mowed and untreated on left. PGR and reel mowing on right.


Hey man, I have St Aug in my front yard and have been seriously thinking of trying a PGR on my SA for a season, the research I've done hasn't pointed to saying "yes" use PGR on SA, but after seeing this comparison, I may be doing an app this year. That is wild man! I reel mow the SA at 2.5" HOC and have noticed a small change in lateral growth, but nothing like the photo here.


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## XLT_66 (Jul 17, 2018)

Things are coming along nicely. I've put down about 1.2# N/1000 of GreenTRX so far. Also tore into the GM1000 and redid the bearings and swapped in an 8-blade.

One thing to remember (that I didn't) is check your HOC again when replacing a very worn reel with a new one. Last cut was a short one!


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