# Some KBG Pots



## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

With the soft results I got from my seeding project this fall I decided I'd get some pots going. They weren't terrible, but the rain sure washed a majority away and put the brakes on the rest.

*Spoiler Alert:* I should've done this when I threw the seed down to begin with!

I'm using the same seed I threw in the yard, the D&K Turf Signature Elite. 


I used some butter tubs we had handy from a local dairy. They're fairly large at about 6" wide and 4" tall. I drilled some 1/8" holes in the bottom of each and filled them with dirt I had handy. Cheap stuff to get about 3/4 full and some Scott's "Premium" for the last quarter. I setup a shelf in my office and found I could fit 7 of them on it. I used these tubs for a few reasons: Free to me, immediately available, and deep. I don't know how long I'll have them in the pots, but these tubs won't be missed.









I swung by the 'ol trusty Home Depot and picked up a 2' LED grow light for $40. The light sits about a foot above the pots from some hangers that came with it. I could easily raise it another 6"-10" if needed.



On 10/21 I measured out a very small (roughly 2grams) amount of seed and split it between the 7 pots.





I decided to hit them hard with 16hours/day of light to start. Will back that down as we get further along. On 10/22 I ordered a heating mat, some WeMo Smart Plugs, and a new Weber thermometer (since I couldn't find mine).

I have a small scoop (Says 25cc) from somewhere that I've been using to spoon feed the water onto the pots. I haven't given them a whole lot, maybe one scoop per pot each day. The WeMo is controlling the grow light to keep it at 16hours/day automatically.

I jammed the Weber into the top layer of the pot, 66.9*. Setup the mat and connected it to the other WeMo. I initially ran the mat for about 4 hours and brought the temps up (didn't move the Weber just turned it back on and checked temps). I got it up to about 73* and turned it off.



I've only ran the mat once since, and not for long. Just to bring temps back up near the 70 mark. Currently around 71.5*.

Germination started to show up on 10/26 (Day 5)...



*BUT* today, 10/28 (Day 7) it's looking strong.



On Tuesday of this week I threw down a cocktail on my lawn. The front yard (about 1800sq ft) got 20oz of each: RGS, MicroGreene, Air8 and an unspecified amount of Urea. That was put in 4gallons of water and broadcast on my front lawn. I had enough leftover to almost fill an Ortho Dial & Spray. I brought that inside and used it as a "Concentrate". I put 3 ounces in 13 ounces of water, stirred it up and spoon feed about 50cc (2 of those scoops) per pot. I had a little left over so I just poured it indiscriminately in the pots.



I figured I'd put this all to some words and pictures and links so that if someone else is considering doing similar over the winter they can iterate on my very scientific and already absolutely perfect execution of this.

Something to consider in the future, while I've not had issues with my tubs draining water at the bottom @ChrisVoit suggested I create a "drain layer" with a small amount of gravel at the bottom of each. I might jam these in the ground after Thanksgiving and see what happens over the winter. They'd either die or not, but it'd give me a chance to make 7 more plugs if they survive. I think I've read others talk about sod being placed in December and surviving.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Pots are great to start in February too, so you could plant them as soon as the ground thaws. One small feedback. Seed to soil contact. Ideally you should not see any the seed. It should be covered in soil and slightly pressed into the soil.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@GaryCinChicago has shared this image multiple times.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

@g-man is that a shoe print? Also who cares about starting in February...I wanna start naoo!


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

That's the a shoe print that push the seed into the soil. The seeds deeper in the soil, grew.

Start them now, but also start some in Feb since you already have the lights, wemo, ect.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

Gonna try and do two rounds of the pots. Hopefully in super early December I'm throwing these in the ground. If they survive great if not oh well.

Then I will do round 2 and hopefully throw them in the ground in the early spring.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Try not to just throw them. make a hole matching the pot size and transfer all 6 in of soil too.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

THROWER DOWN!!! _slams KBG pot into ground_


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## JDgreen18 (Jun 14, 2018)

I was planning on doing this for some bare spots I have in my kbg reno. This way I can use my pre-e and not worry about germination. I'm gonna get that mat and lights.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

@JDgreen18 awesome! Would love to see what you do!

The majority of the growth is at about 1" today. Some less, some more.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

Why is it that whether it's pots or in the lawn that I enjoy looking at new grass seeds germinating so much? I can never get enough pics of new growth.

Cool experiment. If this works out for you I might try starting some pots indoors this winter to fill in a few left over bare areas. Looking forward to more updates.


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## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

I could see this helping with the winter blues. It would be therapeutic to head down to the basement to give the grass a cut when the wind and snow are blowing.

Wife: Are you sharpening the scissors again?!


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

I rotated the pots today, just spun them around. The grass seems to be reaching towards one side more, where the grow light hangs. I'll see if they seem to straighten out. Going to pick up some nylon washers to put as a gap between the little "drip plates" and the "pots".


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

*Day 16:*
So the grass is looking...thin. I drilled the holes a little bigger in the bottom and used a skewer to poke up. I had a drainage issue which this seems to have helped, at least if even for now. I also positioned a fan a couple feet away and had it on a very low setting blowing on the grass for a bit this weekend.

Per a suggestion from @ChrisVoit in the Discord I lowered my light by about 4" so it's closer to the grass for now. I have had to scissor cut, and ended up doing it a couple times because I didn't take enough off the first time. Which is fine. Easy enough. I have the grow light at an angle with the lowered height so it hits the other row a little better. I'll likely rotate them again this weekend.

I made an adjustment with the WeMo on the heating pad so that when I turn it on it runs for an hour and shuts off. Seems easiest to manage it that way.

When I watered last the blades got knocked over a bit on some of them and I was watching to see if they stood up on their own. :|


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

What is your soil temp?


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

g-man said:


> What is your soil temp?


As of right now they're at 69.9 just about an inch below the surface and 70.9 a few inches lower.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

Trimming these boys with the scissors about every day currently. I'm going to back off the 16hr light starting Sunday in prep for jamming them in the ground next month. That will be roughly the month mark. Pry just drop to 14hrs.

I got concerned about some fuzzy on top the soil and got scientific with the Azoxy and tossed a little in a cheap small sprayer and sprayed the pots. I'm hoping that the next month indoor sees them get thickened up a little bit. I'm going to keep the daily trimming going and aim to get the little guys shorter. It's crazy to think this grass is overgrown for all those reel mower guys.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Have you been feeding them? Any idea of the nutrients of the soil?


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

Wow, the pots are doing great.


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

ABC123 said:


> Have you been feeding them? Any idea of the nutrients of the soil?


No idea of nutrients in the existing soil but about a week in I did give it a cocktail of Humic/Urea from the leftovers I sprayed on my lawn. I'm debating any other fert because I'm planning to jam this in the ground when it's fairly frozen out.


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