# mad_mans journal



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

I bought my house back in 2018 and I basically had a sand backyard. Well, without much knowledge and just the desire to have grass we tilled the yard, laid down some peat moss and then sod. I believe the nursery advised it was tif way 419. Over the last couple of years I have tried to maintain it and make it better. I figured I would finally start this journal so I could keep track of the yard with pictures and things Ill be doing so that I can either see the yard improve or see it get worse.

Heres the yard after moving in (4/5/2018)




Then we had sod laid (4/21/2018)


By the end of the year the yard looked like this (11/15/2018)


During the year of 2019 I got a job that took me away from the yard until September-ish. But, luckily the yard still had some grass.


I decided I was going to drop my mower as low as it would go and actually try and make a nice yard. I believe the green grass against the house is a different grass (Turf Type Tall Fescue)then Bermuda grass throughout the yard.(10/4/2019) 


3/16/2020.




From this point on for the rest of 2020 I was attempting to use Urea Nitrogen (46-0-0) as only source of fertilizer (4/15/2020)






I then tried to lay down peat moss to help the soil and to also partially level it out. (9/21/2020) and (9/22/2020)


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

At some point I joined this forum and got the reel mower bug. So I went and purchased a Toro GM1000 and scalped the yard down to 0.25 of an inch. I also shoveled up what I believed to be Turf Type Tall Fescue that was all along the house. I believe part of the sod I was given from the sod farm was TTTF. I don't think I will ever get grass there again as the house always casts shade there. The shadow usually is about 6 or so feet away from the house. (3/23/2021)








These next pictures are approximately 2 weeks post scalp. I still have not mowed it post scalp. It is taking FOREVER to grow. After scalping I decided this year I was going to try a general 12-12-12 fertilizer for Tractor Supply as I did not get the results I wanted from The Urea last year. I have never done a soil test. But am looking into getting one done. Just trying to find a good way to get soil, without a soil probe..(4/4/2021)









So at this point I am severely struggling with getting the yard to fill in and get thick. The closer it gets to the house the thinner it gets. I am hoping that by reel mowing it and keeping it short it will spread.


----------



## Sbcgenii (May 13, 2018)

Does the back of your house face north? In a couple of your pictures it looks like the area Next to the fence does the best. It also looks like the house shades your grass that is close to the house. 419 does not like shade. I don't know what it takes to grow grass in EL Paso but it looks like you are doing a decent job at it. If you scalped at .250 what height are you cutting it at now?


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

Sbcgenii said:


> Does the back of your house face north? In a couple of your pictures it looks like the area Next to the fence does the best. It also looks like the house shades your grass that is close to the house. 419 does not like shade. I don't know what it takes to grow grass in EL Paso but it looks like you are doing a decent job at it. If you scalped at .250 what height are you cutting it at now?


YES! The back of my house faces north!!! You're exactly right the house casts a shadow about 6-8 ft away from the house. And the area furthest away from the house against the back wall does in fact have the best grass. That and the western side of the yard (along the wall with the wooden fence)

I just got the toro out and took it for a spin at .500 it barely took anything off. I got a little stripe action. (4/4/2021)


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

Sending off for a soil test to TAMU (TX A&M university). Should hopefully have results soon. Hope I got deep enough Into the soil (no soil testing tool) I only was able to go down about 3-4 inches.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

First attempt at trying to burn in some stripes. (4/6/2021)


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

Mowed it again today after 5 days. Barely took off the tips. Still waiting for the soil test results so I can fertilize as I should have already done it.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

*SOIL RESULTS ARE IN*

I am more confused then ever. I reel mow 1 time a week and barely take off the tips of the grass. So I definitely do not have growth very much growth. Moreover, I do not have much lateral growth either. The grass does not seem to fill in bare spots, and seems very thin.

*ADVICE NEEDED PLEASE*

I will also post this in the soil fertility section with a link back here as to try and get answers as well.


----------



## HungrySoutherner (May 29, 2018)

What are your current soil temps? What are your current day time temps. That is the regulator on bermuda growth right now. Is it warm enough and is the grass getting enough sun and water. If the soil temps are still cool and the day time temps are singing in the mid to upper 80's the grass isn't going to do much.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

HungrySoutherner said:


> What are your current soil temps? What are your current day time temps. That is the regulator on bermuda growth right now. Is it warm enough and is the grass getting enough sun and water. If the soil temps are still cool and the day time temps are singing in the mid to upper 80's the grass isn't going to do much.


Soil temps, I don't have a clue. Day time temps are in the low 80s high 70s. Sun, check. Water, check. Fert, check. You have some valid points there. I didn't even think about the temps. Thanks for the reassurance!

As for the soil test, I was advised by TAMU to look at applying Urea (46-0-0) which I already have. Or ammonium sulfate?? (21-0-0). As P, and K are good to go.


----------



## HungrySoutherner (May 29, 2018)

mad_man said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> > What are your current soil temps? What are your current day time temps. That is the regulator on bermuda growth right now. Is it warm enough and is the grass getting enough sun and water. If the soil temps are still cool and the day time temps are singing in the mid to upper 80's the grass isn't going to do much.
> ...


Even in your area it's going to pick up growing and spreading once the soil temps get a little warmer and you are getting more sun and heat. It doesn't take as much fertilizer as you think for bermuda to spread so I'd just relax a little and be patient. Once its warmer as long as you can keep up with the mowing and water, it's going to take off.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

HungrySoutherner said:


> mad_man said:
> 
> 
> > HungrySoutherner said:
> ...


Sounds good. Patience is not my strong suit. Could ya tell? Haha.

Secondary question. Granularly spreading that 46-0-0 urea is tough because it comes out to like 2.71 lbs of product for the whole yard. Keep in mind I have almost a full 40lb bag of it.

I have a brand new flowzone battery backpack sprayer. Should I invest in a drill, and a bucket to mix in and switch over to spraying? I have read it's about .25 lb of product. Per 1000 per week. Or .5 lb of product every two weeks?

Thanks again for your help.


----------



## HungrySoutherner (May 29, 2018)

mad_man said:


> HungrySoutherner said:
> 
> 
> > mad_man said:
> ...


If its soluble urea then yes you can spray it. It probably is. With spraying that stuff I wouldn't spray more than .5lbs of product per 1000 sqft no less than 1 gallon of water per 1000. Above that you need to be cautious about the salts in urea burning unless you are diligently watering it in. In terms of how often you should be applying fertilizer I take a different approach than most are going to tell you. I use fertilizer to restrict growth, I don't want my yard growing out of control and have to be mowing every 5 minutes. Less is more in my opinion. So if it were me, and this is how I'm doing it on my turf currently I feed the lawn when it's looking hungry, meaning if its getting plenty of water, heat and sun and the turf isn't growing much at all, then I give it a tiny shot of fertilizer I might be putting out .1# of N per month. Now I know your urge is to starting spraying the yard down to get it to fill in and get it growing, but I would just barely feed it a little maybe .15# of N , let the temps come up to summer growing conditions and see how the turf is doing. It's going to fill in if all the basics are happening. If you are mowing and you see that you aren't picking up much clippings or the turf is looking pale or weak give it another little shot of fert. I know guys on here love to sling fertilizer and go full ham on it, but the outcome is more mowing not necessarily better or denser turf. Over feeding the grass is the equivalent of eating pizza everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will get fat, but not anymore healthy and thats what is happening to the grass, yeah its going nuts growing but not any more or less healthy because you are overfeeding it.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

Just cut it, sprayed pre emergent, and urea at 1/4 pound of product/ 1/8th a pound of nitrogen per 1k.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

Double cut after I had not cut it in about 5 days. YIKES! My stripe action needs work. Tried changing to double stripes but grass refuses to conform. I also bumped the weekly urea rate to 1/2 lb which gives 1/4 lb of nitrogen weekly. I am applying through my back back sprayer.

6/1/2021


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

A quick before and after shot. This seed heads are still going strong. I'm highly considering TNEX for the seed heads and so I don't have to mow every other day..6/13/2021


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

7/16/2021. Quick mow job. Haven't fertilized in about three weeks.


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

07/28/2021


----------



## mad_man (Apr 15, 2020)

I am still mowing it at .5 inches. I have still been spraying my urea nitrogen at 1/2 lb of product. Last week I decided to try and put some iron in the yard and sprayed some chelated iron along with a fertilizer application.

Don't mind the brown edges or my neighbors weeds that are taller then the rock wall..

8/25/2021


----------

