# Kc8qpu 2020 Upstate SC Bermuda journal



## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

So after being in our house for two years I figure that our sod has settled pretty good. Last year I had a company treat our yard. They did ok but I still had some weeds. After my neighbor showed me this site and other resources I decided it was time for me to take care of my lawn. On March 21 I borrowed my neighbors Honda push mower and set it as low as it could go. Then proceeded to cut and bag as much as I could. I have a little over 5000 square feet. I ended up with 9- 40 gallons bags of clippings. I could definitely see how unleveled my yard was.









I then checked into leveling. I decided to go with a leveling mix from Super Sod. Only worrying about my front yard this year I ordered two of their large bags. They arrived this past Thursday. Friday I aerated my lawn, and cleaned up the plugs it left. Then yesterday I put down the level mix.





I don't have a drag mat but thought I could get away with just pulling a pallet around behind a garden tractor? It worked ok to help spread the level mix. But I ended up using a landscape rake that I borrowed from my neighbor to really work the mix down. Once I finished that I put down some 17-17-17. I am still waiting for my soil sample to come back. Then put the sprinkler out for a while.









Now we wait. Next I'll order more bags of level mix.


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## wessneroo (Jan 22, 2019)

Nice work! That's going to look great.

I'll be following your journal as your neighbor across the way in Taylors. And beautiful house! We have the same floorplan by the same builder. Looks like your neighborhood has more generous lot spacing than ours.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Thanks. We actually had a contract on a house out in Duncan. Then one day we were out here and stopped to look. Almost same size house, a little bigger lot for $60k less. We love it out here. They just finally sold the last house in the neighborhood. As soon as my front yard starts really filling in we are going to replace our "Walking Dead" plants out front. I was looking at reel mowers but this yard is no where near ready for one. I would hate to buy one just to have it sit for at least a few years before I could use it.


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## AllenbSC (Mar 4, 2019)

CH you need to get the new Honda mower and the swardman reel.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Allen your killing me! It won't be long and my newest yard tool will be a spoon!


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Finally worked on the landscape to get rid of the Walking Dead plants in front of our house. The grass is starting to wake up more and more.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

What a difference one week makes. 




Finally have about 90% of our front landscape done for the year.


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## cutigers08 (Aug 16, 2019)

Great work! Your yard could def handle a low cut with a reel as long as it has a roller. Mine is far worse and reel mowing is the best thing I have done for my lawn.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

cutigers08 said:


> Great work! Your yard could def handle a low cut with a reel as long as it has a roller. Mine is far worse and reel mowing is the best thing I have done for my lawn.


Thanks. I would really like to get a reel mower. But honestly I think I am going to hold off for another year or so. With this being my first year of really trying to take care of my lawn my mind has been very overloaded already. I had a local company called "Grass Nerds" come out and give me a quote to treat my yard. Pretty much right in line with everyone else. Except for PGR treatments. They will do 3 treatments for around $50.00 a treatment. I might still level the other half of my front lawn this year as well.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Ok so it has now been 2 weeks since I put down my level mix from Super Sod. We have also pretty much finished our new landscape in the front of our house. My wife still wants to plant some flowers around that maple tree.





And this is a shot of the side that did not get any level mix at all.



This is a picture of the other side where I was able to spread some of the level mix. You can clearly see a definitive line of greener grass where the level mix was put.



Not sure when but I will for sure be ordering more level mix to finish the sides of my house.


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## Tinsmith292 (Oct 2, 2018)

Was thinking of trying Super Sod leveling mix. How did you like the mix, easy to spread, no crap in the mix?Thanks


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

The mix was not bad to spread. My neighbor down the road will be having his level mix delivered soon. He came down to see if he might be able to use a broadcast spreader to distribute it? No dice. The mixture does hold a lot of moisture content. It will for sure clog up a broadcast spreader. At least your normal residential ones. On a day with a lot of sun and some heat once you starts moving it around it not to bad. As far as there being any junk in the mixture? Only thing I noticed was some random clumps of rich soil clumped together. All in all I am extremely happy. Like mentioned just above there is a huge difference on where even just a little was spread compared to where none was spread. In fact I am going to order two more bags of this stuff for the rest of my front yard and side yards. Albeit, it is a bit pricey compared to just sand! But so far it has made a huge difference.


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## Tinsmith292 (Oct 2, 2018)

Thank you for your response. I know it is more expensive than sand but with your positive experience I might just give it a shot. Thanks again. Raymond. Good work on your yard looks great


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Well after our storm came through yesterday I now have a lot of sand wash out in my yard. I will get some pics of it tomorrow. On the brighter side I have a new member to my lawn equipment family. 


I got it brand spanking new for such a great price I couldn't pass it up.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

I grabbed a few pics this morning. This will make 3 weeks to the day since I did my leveling project. I was hoping it would have been more green by now. Guess its just the impatience setting in. But none the less it is starting to fill in and wake up. Have had some really heavy rain lately. Thus resulted in some of the sand washing around some. The last week I also managed to finish a bunch of landscaping. Bricks, flowers, and mulch around front tree. And now mulch and plants on the side of the house.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Its has been in the low to mid 70's the last three days. The Bermuda is really waking up now. Next year I will for sure wait longer to do the leveling.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

So I am going on my 4th week after I put down my level mix. We are expected to get warmer weather so hopefully it will really kick start this Bermuda to start growing. Last week Sunday I put down a couple of bags of Milo and a bag of Suniland 24-0-6. Here are some of the most recent pics with all of our landscape finished in the front.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

So it's been 6 weeks since I did my leveling job. The temperatures have been terrible here in the upstate of SC. Current soil Temps are only in the low 60's. Last week they were in the high 70's. However, what is growing is nice and green. Really starting to see the difference in mine and the neighbors lawns. Looking forward to all the spots in the front yard fling in.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Week 7 and now that things have started to heat this bermuda is really starting to wake up. I might try another leveling this year depending on how fast it fills in. 
Last weekend I put in a fire pit in the backyard. Instead of tossing the good sod pieces I used them in the front yard to fill in a few spots. 
Really starting to see a clear line between our yard and the neighbors.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Week 8 and finally really starting to grow. Grass Nerds have done a fantastic job so far. Of course I have added some Milo and fertilizer. 
The leveling job did not turn out to well. With all the monsoon rain storms we have had this year a lot of sand was washed away.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

I put down some Sunniland 24-0-11 a few days ago. 

Then today I had a small window between the rain to get the lawn cut. It is really growing good. Just wish my leveling job would have turned out better. There was no way to even think we would have so much rain thus year already and washed a good amount of the level mix. Overall I am very happy with the results so far.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

The grass is growing and filling in nicely. Friday I sprayed some Ironite. Today I had some low spots in the front yard so I leveled them with top soil and sand mix. Then I gave the yard a quick cut tonight.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

It's has been a while since I posted anything. Here are some pics of how the yard is turning out. 
July 15. The spots in the front yard are really starting to fill in. 


June 23. Still have some low spots but the grass is finally starting to fill in. 


Now just last night I cut the yard as short as I could get it and bagged all the clippings. The grass was getting pretty long. The goal is to have that nice short full carpet look by this weekend. We are suppose to get rain the next couple of days.


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## JRS 9572 (May 28, 2018)

It's coming along nicely. Keep grinding at it! (thought I would encourage you. It's been so @#$% humid lately that it's hard to do the work during the evening after work.)


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

JRS 9572 said:


> It's coming along nicely. Keep grinding at it! (thought I would encourage you. It's been so @#$% humid lately that it's hard to do the work during the evening after work.)


Thanks. Here are pics from almost a week later.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Ok. Its now blistering hot. Been close to 100 everyday most of this past week. It will continue through most of next week. Will be watering 3 times during the week. I really wish it would stay this green all the time. 
One thing is for sure. By next year I will have a reel mower. The brown donuts in the an are getting old.


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## BakerGreenLawnMaker (Mar 13, 2018)

It's been blazing in Rock Hill too. My zoysia seems to like the heat though. I've been watering on Sunday mornings, Tuesday and Fridays, just to keep the lawn from drying out.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

We finally got about 1.5" of rain this week. 
Just cut the grass this morning. Its cut at about 1.25".


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Well this was something I have been thinking about for a while. So I went ahead a pulled the trigger and had sand delivered.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

One week update. We had a lot of rain today. I had a very small amount wash out this time.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Week 2 after the leveling/top dress.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Its been 3 weeks now since I did my leveling/top dressing. The grass is still growing like crazy. I have kept the grass as short as I can with the Honda mower.


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## kc8qpu092200 (Feb 29, 2020)

Well looks like the growing season is all but done now. Not exactly what I was hoping for so far. But it has come a long ways. 
Next year it should look better with the addition of the McLane Reel mower. I need to replace the engine this winter. Here are a few pics from yesterday. It will most likely be the last mow of the season. Soil temps are now in the 50's.







And how about a little edging picture!


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