# FORT's TTTF Reno Fall 2018



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Hey Everyone!
I want to share with you my lawn journey and how my lawn went from the 1st picture to the 2nd picture! I will start from the beginning and take you on this crazy ride so sit back and relax and be looking for my next post!


----------



## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

Nice job. Subscribed.


----------



## jessehurlburt (Oct 18, 2017)

What a transformation! Incredible job! :mrgreen:


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Thanks! It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Before I start posting a bunch of pics and sharing my process with you, I want to give you a little background. My wife and I bought our home in April 2016. The house was a new build with KBG/TTTF sod. We had twin boys in May and the yard didn't get touched the rest of the year lol. So over the winter/early spring I did what most new homeowners do and Googled how to care for you yard. There was so much information out there I didn't know where to start. I read that core aeration was good for the yard so I had that done by a friend. This is what the yard looked like in April 2017.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

As you can see the yard was in okay shape in April. Doing more research, I read that fertilizer could help the yard look green and healthy so I did what any noob would do, I went to Home Depot and bought the first bag of fertilizer and spreader I found and put it down. At the time, I had no clue about N-P-K and spreader settings, I just put the fertilizer in and spread it. I didn't water it in, nothing lol. This is what the yard looked like at the end of May 2017.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

At this point I felt like I was a pro, I couldn't understand why people thought caring for a yard was hard, this was easy! They lawn wasn't as nice as it was in June but hey, I had the nicest yard on the block so I thought to myself "My work is done!" We had a cooler than usual June and first part of July. This is what the lawn looked like at the end of June, first part of July 2017.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Then August hit and I started to notice my lawn is not the nicest on the block anymore, my neighbor's was, he has a local lawn company take care of his lawn. My lawn started to brown and the only green spots in my yard appeared to be weeds. To this point the only things I had done were aerate and 1 bag of fertilizer. Here are picks of the lawn in August 2017.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

When September rolled around and the yard was looking worse I knew it was time to reach out to the experts (Google search) to see what I could do about these weeds. Not really understanding what I was reading I came across this thing called "Overseeding" so I thought I would give it a try so I dug up all the weeds in my my front lawn and went to the local big box store and grab some TTTF seed and put it down. I did cover the spots with peat moss. This is what the yard looked like at the end of September 2017.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

After Overseeding, I continued to water (the whole yard) for the next couple of weeks a few times a day. The grass grew in and the yard returned to it's green color. This is the yard in November 2017.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I came into this year(2018) armed with enough knowledge to be dangerous! I thought to myself, "You know what you need to do, just go be awesome!" I should have know that I was in for a wild ride  The yard came out of winter okay. I started the year off with core aeration and Milorganite. That's right, Milorganite, "Thrower Down!" I did a little research over the winter and came across "The Lawn Care Nut" YouTube Channel. So much good knowledge on Allyn Hane's Channel and I'll I took from it was Milorganite won't burn your lawn so throw it down. If only I would have taken the time to watch more than 1-2 videos. This is my lawn April 2018.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

At the end of April, the yard was really popping! I had a few issues with weeds so I bought a sprayer and some weed killer and sprayed the weeds. Who knew you were supposed to mix the weed killer with water?! HAHA Who reads the labels, am I right?!? In May, I decided to sod the spots where the weed killer burned the lawn, I also noticed the yard started losing it's color. Here is my lawn late April / May 2018.











May 2018


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

June comes and what do I do? You guessed it, "THROWER DOWN" Notice in the 1st picture the growing brown spot and on the 2nd picture out by the driveway. Here is the lawn in June 2018.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

July 4th, this is what my lawn looked like.



My mind was blown! I was devastated! What happened to my lawn? I was so embarrassed! It was at this moment when I realized I seriously had no clue what I was doing and I needed to really take the time to research what is going on and how to properly take care of my lawn. I stopped taking pictures of the lawn and started to focus all of my attention to really learning and understanding. I found Reddit Lawn Care and read as much as I could. I watched every lawn care YouTube channel/video I could find. Then I found The Lawn Forum. My eyes were opened! Who knew you could go online and find people that are having the same issues with their lawn and have a plan to fix it!? I've been lurking this forum since July soaking up all the knowledge that I could! After reading almost all of the Cold Season Lawn Journals and Cold Season Lawn Guide, I put to together a plan to renovate the my entire lawn.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Thanks to all the fine people in this Forum I was able to diagnose all the problems that I had with my lawn (fertilizer burn, grubs and Chick Bugs)and realized that the best course of action was to do a full renovation. The following is the plan I used.


Glyphosate anything that was green (I had no green grass, just weeds)

Rented Power Rake, set it on the lowest setting to dig up dead grass & roots and made 2 passes

Pick up all the dead grass and roots

Put down Bayer Advanced 24-Hour Grub Killer Plus

Watered the dirt for 2 days

Rented aerator. Core aerated, made 3 passes

Sprayed Tenacity over the entire yard (which was 98% dirt)

Waited 2 days then laid down 50lbs grass seed (ss1000)

Rented a lawn roller and rolled the lawn

Covered seed with peat moss

Watered 3 times daily for 20min each time for 2 weeks

Prayed


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

September 2018 Power Rake


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

September 2018 Power Rake Clean Up


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

September 2018 Seed and Peat Moss


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Week 1 Post Seed


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Week 2 Post Seed


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Week 3 Post Seed


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

1st Cut


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

2nd Cut


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Everyone on this Forum, I can't thank you enough for all the help and confidence you have given me to do a full renovation! I plan to keep updating my journal so stay tuned for more pics because my lawn is far from perfect! I created an account on the Forum yesterday so I can tell you thank you and hopefully my experience can help someone else.


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Welcome to TLF. This thread was hilarious since I know we could all relate to it at some point in our lawn care learnings.

Three key things for next year: PreM in early spring, soil test and GrubEX after green up.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Whew! Thankfully the first year is over!

What was your watering schedule like the first year before it burnt up and died?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Green It was nonexistent, who knew you had to water in order to help keep your lawn healthy and green? Not me obviously lol. Current plan is watering once a week (usually the day after I mow) .5 inches since things are cooling off.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@g-man Thanks for the tips! I am currently working on my lawn plan for 2019 and believe me, all 3 of those are on my list!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Delmarva Keith said:


> Nice job. Subscribed.


@Delmarva Keith Thanks! Hopefully my experience is helpful and if not, you'll get a good laugh.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

jessehurlburt said:


> What a transformation! Incredible job! :mrgreen:


@jessehurlburt Thanks, appreciate the kind words.


----------



## JDgreen18 (Jun 14, 2018)

Looks good


----------



## NoslracNevok (Jun 12, 2018)

We had about the same learning curve lol, looks great man, fun read! It's always funny to look back at what what we thought we knew compared to the actual knowledge available. Always good keep things in check, using the past as reminder.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@NoslracNevok Isn't that the truth! I've had these pictures on my phone and would look at them from time to time and think to myself, "You dummy." lol. Now that I started this lawn journal, I will be motivated to keep on top of my yard maintenance!


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Is it still warm enough to fertilize it this Fall? It looks like it's growing actively at the moment. When is your average first frost? It would probably be good to be able to get one or two light fertilizer apps down in the next few weeks (per the Fall Blitz program modified for new grass), and then you can pick up in the Spring after you start mowing again (the first Spring after a reno, fertilizer is super important). Assuming you haven't done any yet.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Green Yeah, it's still warm enough to get a couple of light fertilizer apps down. I actually hit it with some micronutrients and Essential Plus 101 last Wednesday. I put down an app of Menards Lawn Food Fertilizer (30-0-3)@ 1# on N a month ago. Do you think/recommend 1-2 more apps at .5# of N over the next two weeks? Current soil temps is 60 degrees. We do have a frost coming next Friday (Nov 2nd) but it looks to bounce back up to upper 30s lower 40s.


----------



## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

This was like when Netflix releases a whole season at once! Fun read @FORT. Looking forward to the release of season 2 :lol:

What's your plan for the spring?


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

FORT said:


> @Green Yeah, it's still warm enough to get a couple of light fertilizer apps down. I actually hit it with some micronutrients and Essential Plus 101 last Wednesday. I put down an app of Menards Lawn Food Fertilizer (30-0-3)@ 1# on N a month ago. Do you think/recommend 1-2 more apps at .5# of N over the next two weeks? Current soil temps is 60 degrees. We do have a frost coming next Friday (Nov 2nd) but it looks to bounce back up to upper 30s lower 40s.


Sounds like at the very least, you can get one more 0.25 lb N app done. Was the previous app at seeding time?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@samjonester HAHA, I am glad could help you with your binge reading! Hopefully season 2 goes a little smoother!

I want to try out the N-Ext product in 2019 so below is what I am thinking for 2019. Feel free to provide feedback because I'm just a noob!

March
Soil test
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 

April
Cyonara 9.7 Insecticide
Dominion 2l
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)
Prodiamine

May
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)
GrubEx
2.75# of Nitrogen (30-0-3)
Rate: 0.75 lbs per 1000 sf

June
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)
Cyonara 9.7 Insecticide
Dominion 2l

July
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)
2.75# of Nitrogen (30-0-3)
Rate: 0.75 lbs per 1000 sf

August
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)

September
Core aeration
Tenacity
Overseed
Starter fertilizer
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)

October 
Fall Nitrogen Blitz
N-Ext RGS™ Soil & Plant Stimulant (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Air8™ Liquid Aeration (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
N-Ext Humic12™ Liquid Humic Acid (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) 
0-0-2 MicroGreene™ Fertilizer (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.)
Prodiamine


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Green No, the previous app was 2 weeks after seeding. I seeded on 9/21.


----------



## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

FORT said:


> @Green No, the previous app was 2 weeks after seeding. I seeded on 9/21.


Ok, I stand by what I said before. You can definitely get away with at least one more 0.25 lb N app. Possibly two.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

October 2018 Third Cut


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

After I mowed I threw down some micronutrients and some Essentials Plus. This is the first time putting it down, has anyone else used these products, if so, what was your results?


----------



## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

FORT said:


> @samjonester HAHA, I am glad could help you with your binge reading! Hopefully season 2 goes a little smoother!
> 
> I want to try out the N-Ext product in 2019 so below is what I am thinking for 2019. Feel free to provide feedback because I'm just a noob!
> 
> ...


I'm only familiar with the Air-8 label but it looks like you are going with a "homeopathic" approach at 3 oz per 1,000. Is that something they started recommending recently? I've had "follow the label, the label is the law" drummed in so I sort of reflexively flinch seeing half rates of the low end.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Delmarva Keith Yes, I want to try the "spoon feeding" approach in 2019. I am not going to lie, I haven't purchased the Bio-Stimulate Pack yet but I found this link (PDF) on the website. http://www.greenecountyfert.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DIY_N-Ext%E2%84%A2_Bio-Stimulant-Package_GreeneCountyFertCo-1.pdf.

The PDF states:
Many DIY users prefer to make regular monthly applications to their lawns for various reasons. There is merit to this type of "spoon feeding" schedule for the products in the Bio-Stimulant pack. By applying low rates (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) of each of the four products in the Bio-Stimulant pack monthly, your applications:
• Are easy to schedule/remember.
• Provide for efficient and consistent nutrient cycling in the soil.
• Provide for efficient and consistent aerobic soil functions.
• Reduce the risk of plant stress between feedings.
• Efficiently provide for the needs of both the soil and the turf.
• Reduce the risk of applying too much of any one product in a single
application.
• Ensure that you will "run out" of each product at the same time.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Halloween Domination 2018!


----------



## Delmarva Keith (May 12, 2018)

FORT said:


> @Delmarva Keith Yes, I want to try the "spoon feeding" approach in 2019. I am not going to lie, I haven't purchased the Bio-Stimulate Pack yet but I found this link (PDF) on the website. http://www.greenecountyfert.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DIY_N-Ext%E2%84%A2_Bio-Stimulant-Package_GreeneCountyFertCo-1.pdf.
> 
> The PDF states:
> Many DIY users prefer to make regular monthly applications to their lawns for various reasons. There is merit to this type of "spoon feeding" schedule for the products in the Bio-Stimulant pack. By applying low rates (3 ounces per 1,000 sq. ft.) of each of the four products in the Bio-Stimulant pack monthly, your applications:
> ...


 :thumbup:


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Yesterday after the Chiefs game!
November 2018


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Monday Morning! :lol:


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

@FORT I really thought that I had commented on your thread before now, but...
Your fescue is looking outstanding. Those pics from Sunday are superb! I really like the way your pictures demonstrate how much fescue will fill in after a reno. You often see fescue renos that look thin after 4 weeks; but given another month they end up like yours. Looks great!

Do you know which cultivars you used, and what is your HOC?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

social port said:


> @FORT I really thought that I had commented on your thread before now, but...
> Your fescue is looking outstanding. Those pics from Sunday are superb! I really like the way your pictures demonstrate how much fescue will fill in after a reno. You often see fescue renos that look thin after 4 weeks; but given another month they end up like yours. Looks great!
> 
> Do you know which cultivars you used, and what is your HOC?


@social port Thanks for the kind words! I bought my seed from Super Seed Store, SS1000. It was a 4 way blend of:

4th Millennium

Traverse 2

Titanium 2

Regenerate

3 weeks after the reno, I ordered some more seed from Super Seed Store and overseeded the bare spots. It was a 2 way blend of:

4th Millennium

Traverse 2

Since the reno, my HOC has been 3 inches.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

It's a bittersweet day, It's Thanksgiving and the last mow of the season. I am thankful for all the helpful people on this amazing Forum!


----------



## Suburban Jungle Life (Mar 1, 2018)

Wow! Great reno!! Stinks the season's done...


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Suburban Jungle Life Thanks! It stinks big time that it's over! This is what I have been working on today.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT Your fescue looks amazing!
I have a couple questions for you.
At what rate and frequency do you apply Natures Lawn Micro and Essentials Plus?
How do you apply them? Backpack sprayer, hose end sprayer or something else?
Do you have a local source for the Natures Lawn product?
Thanks and again the fescue is amazing! I look forward to Spring pictures.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Butter Thanks man, appreciate the kind words! Once my grass started to sprout (around 7 - 10 days), I started applying both Nature's Lawn Organic MicroNutrients once a week (every 7 Days) and Essentials Plus 1-0-1 every other week (every 14 Days). I have a 4 gallon backpack sprayer so I mixed 8 tsp of Nature's Lawn Organic MicroNutrients and 11 oz of Essentials Plus 1-0-1.

I wish I had a place local that sells them but unfortunately I don't. I bought them online and had them delivered. Below are links to both products.

I am putting the finishing touches on my 2019 Lawn Plan and will post it within the next couple of days to get feedback. I liked the way @jdc_lawnguy laid out his plan so I stole his layout and added a couple of things. Thanks @jdc_lawnguy!

Nature's Lawn Organic MicroNutrients (2 tsp per gallon of water)
https://www.natureslawn.com/product/organic-micronutrients/

Essentials Plus 1-0-1 (3 to 6 oz per 1,000sqft)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U1VJBUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## jdc_lawnguy (Oct 30, 2018)

@FORT what a great read and what an amazing journey. You did a great job and I enjoyed comparing notes on our plans. I look forward to seeing how it turns out next year!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

jdc_lawnguy said:


> @FORT what a great read and what an amazing journey. You did a great job and I enjoyed comparing notes on our plans. I look forward to seeing how it turns out next year!


Thanks! As you can see I need all the help I can get and am thankful for you posting your plans, it really helped motivate me to get organized for next year. Keep up the great work and hope you have continued success with your lawn!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

March 2019

I've been itching to get back into the yard and I finally made it today! I was able to get some core samples for my soil test and did some light detaching of some matted down grass. Took these pictures for while I was out, figured I needed a baseline for 2019.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I received my soil sample results and my lawn is very low on P & K ! Here is my 2019 Lawn Plan!! I am going to put down my Pre-M tonight or tomorrow before the rain moves in for the weekend.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

This weekend was very productive! I was able to get some help from the little guys (picking up sticks) and I was able to get my Pre-M down (half rate) and put down my Bio Stem Pack at 3oz per 1000 sq ft.





Since my lawn is super low on P & K, I also put down some Simple Lawn Solutions 3-18-18. I hooked it to the hose and only turned the facet on half way so I could apply it and water in the Bio Stem Pack.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

April 2019 (first of the month)

The lawn is greening up nicely! Really happy with what I am seeing, was worried about the more than average snow we received this past winter.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Saw this guy dive slowly past my house after doing a treatment on my neighbor's lawn, I just smiled and waved :lol:


----------



## hunt4turf (Jul 23, 2018)

Hey amazing job on the Reno. Was it mainly the lack of watering that caused the lawn to become what it did in July of 2018? I'm worried mine is going to go sideways this year due to excessive N applications from my summer/fall Reno in 2018.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@hunt4turf thanks! Looking back now, I identified the 3 issues as grubs, chinch bugs and lack of water. I think the signs of grub damage was there first then chinch bugs. I did try to start watering it but by then it was a lost cause lol. I think you will be okay!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

April 10th 1st Mow of the Year!!!!!!!!!

Back Yard





Front yard


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

wow, @FORT. That color is outstanding already.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Awesome!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@social port Thanks! I honestly can't believe it myself. I'm so nervous that I am going to screw it up somehow lol.


----------



## jjepeto (Jan 27, 2019)

Looks really good @FORT. Your neighbors don't stand a chance.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Thanks @jjepeto! My 2 neighbors to the right of me use the same lawn service so I am really trying to dominate them. My neighbors across the road gave up a long time ago lol.


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

FORT said:


> I'm so nervous that I am going to screw it up somehow lol.


I'm going to kick back and wait for this thing to thicken up even more over the next month.
Then, you just gotta get through the summer.


----------



## MassHole (Jun 27, 2018)

This is a great thread! Love the lawn and the learning, and the turnaround!

That SS1000 seed wow!


----------



## Darrell_KC (Mar 20, 2019)

Nice work @FORT!

What part of KC are you in? Im on the southwest corner. Looks like you are in a Prieb neighborhood?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@MassHole Thanks for reading my journal, it's been a crazy ride. I have learned so much from this forum and look back at how "young and dumb" I was when it came to lawn care. Hopefully someone will learn from my mistakes.

@Darrell_KC Thanks! I live south of KC in the Belton/Raymore area.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I was able to get the 2nd mow of the season in this evening. I lowered the HOC a half an inch because there were a few spots growing faster than the rest of the yard. I am going to start spoon feeding the lawn next week,.

Front Yard









Back Yard


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Looking good!


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

That lawn looks very good. I thinking lowering your hoc like you did is a good idea. A lawn this thick could be prove to fungus.


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

FORT, if you want you signature to say FORT with the link, do this without the spaces [ url=http:xyz]FORT[ /url]


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@g-man Thanks for the help with the signature. As for the HOC, this is all new to me lol, I have never had a lawn this thick before. Do you think 3.5 inches is too tall with as think as it is or should I lower it?


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Hoc is a very personal choice. Some like it at 4.5in and other at 1in. I think finding what works best for your climate/lawn is important. As summer heat approaches, back off from applying nitrogen and monitor. If the lawn is staying wet and fungus is starting, then lowering hoc to provide airflow helps. Be ready for Brown Patch. If we get into a drought, then the higher hoc helps. In summary, keep doing what your doing since it looks great and monitor.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I was running out of space in the garage so I picked this up today!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I figured I might as well post some pics of the front yard too!


----------



## testwerke (Apr 4, 2019)

Looks amazing!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

We have rain moving in tonight so figured I would give the lawn its 3rd mow. Also started my spoon feeding today, put down .25# N of AMS. Tomorrow I will be putting down my first app of T-Nex!

Back Yard








Front Yard


----------



## jjepeto (Jan 27, 2019)

Nice early season angles on the stripes. Do you have a kit or just the standard flap on your mower?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@jjepeto No kit here, just the flap. I want to get a kit just cant justify it... yet lol


----------



## drenglish (Jun 22, 2018)

@FORT. Your turf is several shades darker than anyone's on your street. I read back through your reno again - looking forward to seeing how this holds up for you going into summer. We have the same TTTF grass seed blend and man it is looking good right now for you too!


----------



## gregonfire (Sep 18, 2017)

FORT said:


> @jjepeto No kit here, just the flap. I want to get a kit just cant justify it... yet lol


You should get one, just sayin.. works great on my HRX.










Grass is looking great man, keep it up.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@gregonfire those stripes look amazing! I'll see if i can budget it in.


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@FORT there is a cheap way to get stripes like baseball field do. A 3-4in PVC pipe filled with sand/concrete. This way you can stripe without mowing.


----------



## jjepeto (Jan 27, 2019)

g-man said:


> @FORT there is a cheap way to get stripes like baseball field do. A 3-4in PVC pipe filled with sand/concrete. This way you can stripe without mowing.


Or attach that to your mower?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@g-man Hey, great idea! I am sure there's a YouTube video on how to make it, I'll look it up tonight.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I was able to get my 4th mow of the season this past weekend and today I was able to get my 2nd round of AMS and Bio Stem Pack down.

Back Yard






Front Yard






Product and Tools


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

That COLOR!!!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Butter said:


> That COLOR!!!


I can say the same thing about your stripes!! I am going to have to try double/single stripes next time, it looks awesome!


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

@FORT Are you planning to use preventative fungicides?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

social port said:


> @FORT Are you planning to use preventative fungicides?


Yes, my plan is to rotate between Propiconazole 14.3 and Scotts 5M Disease Ex. I am going to start it this weekend.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I didn't get any pics of last mow so I figured I would take some this time. We have rain moving for the rest of the week (predicting 5+ inches).

Front Yard









Back Yard


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Still looking good, @FORT 
Question: the third photo in the series from the front yard-is that some kind of weed I see in the lower right quadrant of the pic, or is that something else?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@social port Thanks!

Well you had me worried their for a minute so I went back out to investigate and I am happy to report it is not a weed, just dirt/mud from my edger wheel that I had scraped off.


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

:lol: apologies for the alarm, @FORT


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

You should have seen the look on my wife's face when I told her I was going outside to check the grass for a weed that someone from the Lawn Forum spotting in my pictures. HAHA


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

FORT said:


> You should have seen the look on my wife's face when I told her I was going outside to check the grass for a weed that someone from the Lawn Forum spotting in my pictures. HAHA


 :lol: she'll get used to it.
During the middle of a conversation, I'll drop down to begin a deep analysis of a grassy weed. No one even bats an eye anymore.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT
As always I'm amazed by the color!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Finally got a break from the rain today so I decided to do a quick mow. I tried double stripes but I don't think they look very good, might be because the grass was a little wet. Tomorrow I will put down my 2nd app of Pre M along with my 2nd app of T-Nex.

Back Yard





Front Yard


----------



## testwerke (Apr 4, 2019)

Man, that lawn is:


----------



## gregonfire (Sep 18, 2017)

Nice color man. Looking super dark!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@testwerke 
@gregonfire

Thanks guys!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Figured I would add some more pics now that the sun is out.

Back Yard





Front Yard


----------



## samjonester (May 13, 2018)

Looking good!


----------



## JDgreen18 (Jun 14, 2018)

Wow looks fantastic


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

9 days since the last mow figured I better get out and mow! I had my helpers with me so I got to really enjoy the mow! I did notice some spots in the lawn with some fungus so I will probably go out tomorrow and put down an app of Disease Ex or Bayer Advanced Fungus Control. I just watched the LCN put down both in the same day, so I might do both. Anyone else seeing fungus in your TTTF?

Front Yard















Back yard


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT 
Every time you post pics the only thing I seem to be able to say is "that COLOR!"
Care to share your fertilizer/micro program?
As far as fungus, I don't think it's been hot enough yet but it's coming.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Butter

For as much as much knowledge everyone one here has shared with me the least I can do is share what's working for me. This is what I have used so far this year:


1 corrective app of 14-14-14 (.36 lb of N)

1 corrective app of 3-18-18

3 apps of Bio Stem pack @ 3oz (once a month)

3 apps of AMS 20.5-0-0 (every other week)

2 apps of PGR (T-Nex @ .38 oz/K) 14 days apart

mow 2 times a week minimum

That's what I have done so far. We are getting ready to sell the house so I only have a month left with the lawn. It's bittersweet, so I am enjoying the mow as much as possible!


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

What rate on the AMS? Granular or liquid?
Someone is going to get a great lawn when they buy your house and I assume you'll be moving on to a new lawn challenge.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Granular AMS @ .25lbs of N per 1000sqft.

Turns out the guy buying the house is the uncle of a guy I used to work with. I told him to let his Uncle know that I will be checking on the lawn so he better take good care of it lol 

Yeah, we are expecting so we are moving to a little bigger house that is closer to family and friends. It just so happens to have a bigger yard, wonder how that happened..


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Boys out enjoying their bikes and the lawn while I grill some chicken.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

I got a quick mow in before the tornadoes hit!

Front Yard





Back Yard


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT 
Great color as always!
Hope you made it through the storms.


----------



## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

Man that color is crazy!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Butter Thanks! Storms/tornadoes stayed just north of us but looks like there are more on the way.

@Scagfreedom48z+ Sometimes after I get done mowing I look the yard over and think to myself "Man, the color is off or not as dark as it was last month" and after I have been inside for a couple of hours and come back out, I'm like "Man, the lawn is really green!" lol.. I guess I am getting used to how dark it is. I get to enjoy it for 20 more days before I pass the torch to the new owner so I will be getting out and enjoying the mow as much as I can.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT 
Have you thought about renting a sod cutter and taking the lawn with you to your new house?!


----------



## briant2105 (May 29, 2019)

Your yard looks Amazing!! Read your entire thread and have me thinking. I just moved into a house and the front lawn is very green and thick but I have clumps of TF all through out. I will be killing of the front this August and having been looking at several seed options. That color green has made up my mind. SS1000 it will be!!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@briant2105 Thanks for taking the time to read my journal! You will love the results of the SS1000 seed. My wife thought I was crazy for spending that much money on grass seed but the lawn really did sell our house so she has finally admitted that it was a good purchase.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Since I will be moving into the new house in 15 days I haven't put down any PGR so the grass was a little overgrown(I broke the 1/3 rule). I also noticed some areas with fungus so I dropped the HOC a half inch. The forecast calls for a chance of rain everyday this week so I'll be keeping an eye on the fungus!

Front Yard











Back Yard


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Are you writing down instructions for the new owners on what to apply and when with a copy of your current log?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@g-man I have a monthly calendar that has what products (and what rates) I've been using and plan to use all ready for them. Also have a visual spreadsheet too!


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

FORT said:


> @briant2105 Thanks for taking the time to read my journal! You will love the results of the SS1000 seed. My wife thought I was crazy for spending that much money on grass seed but the lawn really did sell our house so she has finally admitted that it was a good purchase.


haha I tell my wife that when she gives me crap for being obsessed with the lawn. I say yeah but when we go to sell the place in a year or two the lawn is going to be one of the first things people see and will help the house stick out. Good luck on your move!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Had a little set back in selling our house so it looks like I will get one more month with the yard! I haven't done anything to the yard (except mow) in 40 days. After this evening's mow I noticed some nutsedge starting to pop up and a few broad leaf weeds. I know what I will be doing tomorrow! 

Front Yard





Back Yard


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Awesome! One more month!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Today I was able to sharpen the blades and swap them out. I did a full service today: edge, mow, trim and blow. I haven't put down any PGR for a month now, I'm trying to get the fungus to grow out. I did put down some N a couple of days ago to help with the fungus as well. I got the dethatch rake out and did a couple of test plots just to see what would happen and to my surprise a lot of the fungus grass was coming up. Looks like I might be doing the whole yard before too long.

Front Yard











Back Yard


----------



## Darrell_KC (Mar 20, 2019)

Looking good. Nice work @FORT


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Darrell_KC Thanks man!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

After picking up downed branches, limbs and leaves from the Gustnado (It's a real thing, I didn't believe it when they weather station was calling it that) we had yesterday, I was able to get a mow in.

Here are some pics after cleanup had started from the Gustnado:







Here are some pics from today's mow:

Front Yard







Back Yard


----------



## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

wow, @FORT. It takes some pretty strong wind to cause that kind of mess -- at least around here.
Your lawn is still looking very nice.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Dang! @FORT 
Are you sure you wanna move?


----------



## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Just read through from the beginning. Awesome job!! Looks beautiful you should be very proud of your work.

What was your last fert app? Looks like it could use a little iron. If you have had a ton of rain you could have a bit of iron chlorosis going on.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Jconnelly6b Thanks for taking the time to read through my journal. I am proud and honestly can't believe how good it looks, what a difference a year (reno) makes!

June 14th was my last fertilizer app. I think you're right about the chlorosis, we have had a ton of rain. Surprisingly I don't have any iron on hand so looks like I will have to order some. Thanks for being a 2nd set of eyes, I can use all the help I can get! Your feedback is always welcome.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Yesterday morning I put down my Milo app and another round of fungicide. South KC ended up getting 2 inches of rain yesterday/overnight. It had been 10 days without rain. I feel like I am fighting a losing battle with the fungus lol. This morning I used the affiliate link to DoMyOwn and ordered some Eagle 20 EW. Does anyone know how long I need to wait before I can put it down?

@Jconnelly6b I picked up some Rapture-4-0-4 (iron with micronutrients).

Back Yard







Front Yard


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

What fungus are you fighting?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@g-man From looking at the Fungus ID thread and other's post, I believe it is Leaf Spot. Here are s couple of up close pics.


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Looks like a lot of Kansas guys struggling with fungus right now. I put down a small amount of Scott's Disease ex a couple days ago, waiting for it to go on sale again on Amazon and will put down more.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@ksturfguy Yeah, fungus hit us hard. This is my first time really dealing with fungus so I am probably more paranoid than anything.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

What a difference a year makes! Top pic is from today, bottom pic is from 2018 4th of July. It was last year this time when I started my reno planning, I was so embarrassed I couldn't take it anymore. I can't even remember how I found this site but so glad I did. When I found the forum, I read the Cool Season Guide all the way through once a week all the way up to my reno. I appreciate everyone's help and support and my hope is to one day be able to pass along my knowledge and experiences like you.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Had to get the yard mowed since we had a showing this evening. I got an edge, trim, blow and mow in. I heard the guy on my Ring Doorbell say, "This guy really take good care of his lawn!" which is good to hear. I hear it sometimes from one of my neighbors but you never know, he could just be trying to be nice. lol.. HOC 4"

Front Yard











Back Yard


----------



## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

FORT said:


> What a difference a year makes! Top pic is from today, bottom pic is from 2018 4th of July. It was last year this time when I started my reno planning, I was so embarrassed I couldn't take it anymore. I can't even remember how I found this site but so glad I did. When I found the forum, I read the Cool Season Guide all the way through once a week all the way up to my reno. I appreciate everyone's help and support and my hope is to one day be able to pass along my knowledge and experiences like you.


WOW awesome work


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

Saturday (7/13) I was able to get in an edge and a mow. Looks like the battle with fungus is over at the moment so I decided to put down some PGR and micronutrients with iron. Trying a new product called Rapture 4-0-4. I saw @Pest and Lawn Ginja recommend it in one of his videos.


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Looks great as always!


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Butter thanks man, trying to keep it as nice as I can before I hand it over to the new homeowner in August.

@ksturfguy Thanks! The more journals I read the more I think I got really lucky with my reno (LOL) but I will take it. It seems like everyone is organized with their reno plan and has a plan "B" and "C" but I didn't.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

With 2 weeks left with the lawn and the heat wave past us, I decided experiment with the lawn and cut it short. I ended up taking it from 4.25 inches to 1.75. I really wanted to see what it would look like. This is the shortest I've cut it. Not going to lie, it doesn't look the greatest but looks better than expected. I had to make 3 passes to get it knocked down. The neighbors truly think I lost it lol.

Front Yard












Neighbor's yard HOC is 3 inches 


Back Yard HOC 3.5 inches


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT Bold move dropping that HOC. It still looks good. Have you still been fertilizing?


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Butter I know but had to see what it would look like at a low HOC. Kansas City ended up getting 3 inches of rain this past Saturday into Sunday and the high temp has be 80 and low 60. After mowing I did apply my monthly Bio Stem Pack and some iron.

Here is what it looked like Tuesday morning.



Here is what it looks like today.


----------



## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Did you bag the clippings? I dropped mine from 4.0" to 2.5" and had soooo many clippings everywhere. Your lawn is a lot thicker than mine so I imagine you would have had it even worse plus starting higher and going lower.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

@Vtx531 Yes, I bagged the clippings, there were a ton of them! I had to empty the basket after 2 passes.


----------



## FORT (Oct 26, 2018)

This post is bittersweet. This is the last time I will get to mow this lawn. It's been great learning experience for me and I hope I have helped others along the way. I appreciate everyone's help on TLF and look forward to the next challenge (KBG)!

Front Yard HOC 3"



















Back Yard HOC 3"


----------



## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

@FORT 
Looks great! Please don't give up on fescue.


----------

