# 1st greens mower cut of the year, need some advice.



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

So I tuned up the baroness and cut at 0.5". Starting to look good, but i'm still not happy with the turf :twisted:  .

There are plenty of areas that are bare dirt and i can't get anything to grow.

After some careful thought my ideas are to 1: Aerate or 2: Rototill good dirt into the areas that need help and let the bermuda take on its own.

What do you guys think?

alex


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Looks pretty good to me. It's still very early in the season.


----------



## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

I agree with Ware.

But - Do you have any pictures of the areas of bare dirt? I didnt notice anything in the pictures you posted. It looks like a solid base of Bermuda coming out of dormancy.


----------



## southernguy311 (Mar 17, 2017)

Agreed with Red and Ware.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I agree with these guys ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It's still early on in the season, if it still looks like that come the end of May or June then start devising a plan of action. I think if you just give it time and feed and water the lawn it will fill in the bare spots that you might have. Remember it's a marathon not a sprint. Just know we are all here to help you!


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

I will get better shots of the bare dirt areas.

This was the problem that kicked off me searching the internet for help. My builder put the sod on garbage, literally. There is nothing but hard clay underneath the turf. I had to aerate and top dress last year just to kick start the lawn.

The problem in the back is there is an areal of rolling hills at the top of which is the bare areas. What I believe is happening is that when it gets water the clay doesn't absorb well and the water just rolls to the bottom. I will take better pics and post them soon.


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Ok here are some pics.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

How much sun does that area get? Was it like that all last season?


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

It all gets full sun for 8 hours I believe. The areas you are looking at are either heavy foot traffic or the peaks of the hills i was talking about.


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

I know this year will be better than last, but I still believe ultimately what is holding me back from having a killer yard is the dense red clay underneath.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> I know this year will be better than last, but I still believe ultimately what is holding me back from having a killer yard is the dense red clay underneath.


Have you done the jar test?


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)




----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> ajmikola said:
> 
> 
> > I know this year will be better than last, but I still believe ultimately what is holding me back from having a killer yard is the dense red clay underneath.
> ...


----------



## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Retry? Just to make sure. Because if it isn't clay, the possible causes could be different


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Will re try tonight and post results soon


----------



## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Just wanted to share a few pictures of my front lawn. These are higher traffic areas that normally don't fill in until May-June. Some areas just take time, I hope that's all you need.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

My lawn looks very similar right now too!! If that help any


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> My lawn looks very similar right now too!! If that help any


There should be grass there though, right? I mean there is a difference b/w dormant bermuda and no grass/dirt patches, right?

Was there good turf there last year during the summer?


----------



## Red Cup (Feb 15, 2017)

The water issue might be true for the top of the "hills" since water rolls off before it has time to absorb. You might have to hand water those areas a little later in the season.

they might be bare now just trying to recover from late in last season it might have thinned a little. Once it get really warm and if its watered and fed well, it will take off.... if you get the sun you claim you do.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Did you dethatch at all this year? I agree with Red Cup and just give it time!


----------



## lagerman72 (Feb 14, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> Did you dethatch at all this year? I agree with Red Cup and just give it time!


Along this note, and I really don't know, but wanted to throw out a suggestion to chat about. Would core aerating then top dress with sand help areas that didn't absorb water?


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

lagerman72 said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> > Did you dethatch at all this year? I agree with Red Cup and just give it time!
> ...


Yes! I plan on incorporating this into my yearly routine.


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

I core aerate twice a year, will be doing it soon once it warms up just a bit more. I like to use compost for topdressing. I have read incorporating sand into the aeration holes can actually cause the clay to get even harder. Probably not true, but I read it on the internet so it has to be true, right? :nod:


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

MQ I haven't dethatched because my yard is so new, I doubt there is any thatch?


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

ajmikola said:


> MQ I haven't dethatched because my yard is so new, I doubt there is any thatch?


Dethatching is kind of a misnomer when it comes to bermuda as what you are actually doing is removing all the stolons that form a web of NVML(Non Verticut Mat Layer-it's a DFW Pilot term he coined  ). By not taking care of this it can create issues with your lawn down the road(scalping, grain and your bench HOC being very different from your actual HOC). The terms "dethatching" and "verticutting" are usually interchangeable when discussed around here.


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

I cut one of my hell strips today. Starting to get there i think.

I ordered backlapping compund so once i sharpen her up it should look good.


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Looking good AJ! You know you can take that grass catcher with the roller on it off if you don't use it?


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Yeah, I like the extra weight to help make stripes. I need to put the catcher on I think it would look cleaner.


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

Ok here is my soil.
Looks like a little bit of sand and all clay. What say you guys?


----------



## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Where are the 2 min and 2 hour marks at? Is it that yellow line? Did you ever have a soil test done?


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

well, I read a lot about the jar test and most places I read say to let it settle for 24 hours and then divide the lines you can see. The only place I read about the 2 minutes and 2 hours was on the "other website". So I didn't do the 2 minute thing.


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Like everything else, there is probably more than one way to do it.

Rachio has a nice support article on understanding soil types here. For the jar test, they recommend:

*The "Mason Jar Test"*

a) Spread soil on a newspaper to dry

Remove all rocks, trash, roots, etc.
Crush lumps and clods.
Finely pulverize the soil.
b) Fill a tall, slender jar (like a quart canning jar) one-quarter full of soil.

Add water until the jar is three-quarters full
Add non-foaming dishwasher detergent, about a teaspoon.
c) Put on a tight fitting lid and shake hard for 10 to 15 minutes.

This shaking breaks apart the soil aggregates and separates the soil into individual mineral particles.
d) Set the jar where it will not be disturbed for 2-3 days.

Soil particles will settle out according to size.









After 1 minute, mark on the jar the depth of the sand.
After 2 hours, mark on the jar the depth of the silt. 
When the water clears, mark on the jar the clay level.
This typically takes 1 to 3 days, but some soils may take weeks.

e) Measure the thickness of the sand, silt, and clay layers.

Thickness of sand deposit __
Thickness of silt deposit __
Thickness of clay deposit __
Thickness of total deposit __








f) Calculate the percentage of sand, silt, and clay. 

[clay thickness] / [total thickness] = __ percent clay
[silt thickness] / [total thickness] = __ percent clay
[sand thickness] / [total thickness] = __ percent sand
g) Use the Soil Texture Triangle and look up the soil texture class.








You end up with the same result, but I think it may be easier to locate/define the lines by marking them at the designated time intervals - if that makes sense.


----------



## ajmikola (Feb 18, 2017)

I have never seen to add dish detergent, whats that about?
But this looks good. Will try it,


----------

