# UMStevo 2020 SE Michigan Lawn Renovation TTTF/KBG



## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Long time lurker on these forums and learning from all you fine folks. I purchased a new home this spring and really wanted to experiment on my side yard with some elite cultivars. This area has been overtaken by a lot of creeping bentgrass and creeping charlie, so I thought to try this process here before moving on to the rest of the yard which is close to 22k sqft. This area also gets a lot of sun and has struggled to keep up during the summer, especially since I do not have irrigation (yet).

KBG has always been popular in my area, but I am very intrigued with all the new TTTF. After reading so many of the forum's renos I decided it would be great to see how this 90% TTTF/10% KBG performs in Michigan. I've had my eye on Mazama for a year now, so I'm happy to add this to the mix. The good sun and shade performance was important in this choice as well as the quicker germination rate. My rear yard has less sun than the front, so if this works out I'll be using a similar blend back there in the years to come.

*Renovation Plan*
Area of Renovation: 1500sqft side yard
Grass Cultivars (Custom mix from SSS Zammer Hammer):

50% 4th Millenium TTTF
40% Traverse 2 TTTF
10% Mazama KBG

Equipment:

Toro TimeCutter 50"
Pull behind Aerater
Pull behind spreader (not needed for this reno, but was amazing for the year yard overseed)
GreenWorks Dethatcher
Dethaching rake
Pull behind Roller

Schedule:
[Fail] Soil Test (did not plan reno out early enough, I got excited)
[Done] 8/21 - Glyphosate 1st application
[Done] 8/28 - Glyphosate 2nd application
[Done] 9/4 - Scalp lawn, dethatch, aerate, add topsoil, level, and roll
[Done] 9/4 - Seed down @ 9lb/1k sqft, roll, tenacity, and peat moss

Days after germination:
[Done] 9/9 - Germination after 5 days!!
[Done] 14 DAG 9/22/20 - 0.2lb/K nitrogen
21 DAG 9/25/20 - Look for no germination, apply more seed as needed
21-28 DAG 9/25 to 10/2 - Apply tenacity depending on weed pressure

*Progress Pics*
Before


Creeping Bentgrass Infestation


9/4/20 Before Scalping (probably should have waited for more death)


9/4/20 Post Seeding and Peet Moss


9/9/20 Germination Day! (5 DAS)


9/10/20 (1 DAG)


9/11/20 (2 DAG)



*Side Experiment*
I had a few bags of seed and truly wanted to see how good my custom TTTF/KBG mix compared to some others.

Seed Mix Samples:

Zammer Hammer (Same as side yard above)
Jonathan Green Black Beauty Ultra
Premium 3-way from landscape store (KBG, Ryegrass, Fine Fescue)

9/2/20 Seeding 


9/8/20 Germination, Possibly bad soil because the side yard was quicker by 1 day. JG started out strong


9/9/20 Zammer Hammer coming is super strong now!


9/11/20 Very impressed with Zammer Hammer, starting to really surpass the JG BBU


Close ups
Zammer Hammer


JB BBU


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

3 Days after germination. Loving how the tall fescue is coming in. Even after some hard rainstorms it seems like most of the seed stayed in place, thanks to raking it in and aeration. Peet Moss pooled up a bit.

Keeping everything wet, watering a few times a day by hand. Peet Moss has been great for this since you can tell when it's dry.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

*Side Yard Reno Update:* A good thunderstorm rolled through last night (9 DAS). Neighbor and friends are impressed with how quickly this is germinating.




*Experiment Update: *(11 DAS) JG BBU started off strong, but the Zammer Hammer is taking an astounding lead!


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## Zcape35 (Sep 17, 2019)

Looks like it's coming along great so far!


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

5 DAG (10 DAS)


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

6 DAG (11 DAS)

Love tenacity!!! Not seeing any weeds except for maybe 10 - 15 of this grass (not sure what it is), but should be easily pulled before my first mow.


Added seed to bare and light spots, but overall she's filling in nicely. Little to no weed and fungus, so very happy with everything so far.


Zander Hammer is so much darker than my existing lawn!


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

8 DAG (13 DAS): Looking so lovely


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Zammer hammer is just winning! Much darker than current lawn and should only get darker.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Fertilizer at .25lb/1k applied. Some rogue fescue in the front section. I plan on hand pulling.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

First mow with my reel mower at highest setting. Not much came off but it was so nice to do it. Don't mind the lines as one of my arms is in a sling from a cycling accident last weekend.


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## Matthew_73 (Jul 9, 2019)

looks good I used a similar blend. I am at 40 DAG and 4 mows, albeit 2x a week, it's filling in nice 4th spoon feed of .25 lbs fert Can't wait til Spring.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Thanks you! I'm so very happy with it so far. Can't wait for the spring as well. Almost makes me want to try a spring renovation on another part of my lawn.


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## Matthew_73 (Jul 9, 2019)

UMStevo said:


> Thanks you! I'm so very happy with it so far. Can't wait for the spring as well. Almost makes me want to try a spring renovation on another part of my lawn.


I was thinking. But may just do an overseed. Instead.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

29 DAS (24 DAG): first rotary mow. I couldn't be happier. So much greener than the rest of my yard and the entire neighborhood.

Two spoon feedings of nitrogen applied so far. Little to no weeds minus some tall fescue that's in in the front portion.

Also this blend is much darker and more uniform than Jonathan Greene black beauty ultra. See the experiment below.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Cut again at 2.25". I can't get over how good it looks!

Do we put any weed control down this fall or do I have to wait for the spring now?


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

Where in Southeast Michigan?


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## HomerGuy (Jun 5, 2017)

Looking great! I'm also in SE Michigan and going to be seeding a new lawn next year. My last lawn was 100% KBG but I think I will go with a blend on this next lawn, so I'll be following your KBG/TTTF blend closely.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Welcome aboard on my journey! I'm in the Howell/Hartland area.

Just mowed it again. It's so enjoyable when the grass is like this!


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## HomerGuy (Jun 5, 2017)

We are practically neighbors.....I'm between Hartland and Fenton.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Nice to have a fellow grass nerd nearby. Hope my Reno helps you make some decisions.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Put down urea at .5 lb/1k ever other week. Starting to get cold now! After tomorrow the highs are only in the 40s.

Had a get together and had to make sure no one touched the grass!


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Everyone's lawn in the neighborhood is slowly turning yellow as temps are hitting the high 40s only now, but this strip just keeps looking glorious!

Will put down .5lb nitrogen in a week as my winterizer and call it good for the season.


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## HomerGuy (Jun 5, 2017)

Amazing how good it looks after only 7 weeks. I really do think my next lawn will need to be a blend and not 100% KBG.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Thanks @HomerGuy . They say KBG lawns look better after the 2nd or 3rd year. I can't wait to see what this looks like next spring.

Here's another update. Weather has been in the mid 40s all week and lows in the upper 20s and she's still holding strong. HOC 2.5"


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## MJR12284 (Jun 21, 2020)

Domination line established! Looking sweet. Very nice work. Kudos!


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

61 Days after germination

Check out my inherited front yard with a mix of a bunch of garbage grass but utilizing the same fertilizing practices as the side yard. Crazy difference. Both cut at 2.5"


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Been in the 40s and below for the most part the last couple weeks except for a couple days in the 60s.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

2021 Update! April 1st

Soil temps have been warmer than normal, currently at 46.8F five day average, but we were much warmer last week and I saw a lot of green up.

Lots of snow mold, which I'm not used to. Perhaps related to weather and new grass not being mature enough?

Snow mold 2 weeks ago:


Lots of green up since:





Nothing else done yet. Just waiting for ground temps to hit 55F.

Love the look and height of the green section. This area had some extra water from poor leveling.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

*Soil Test for 2021 Spring:*


*Really good green up this week* (only been a couple days since 24-0-6 fertilizer. Will be adding Phosphorus later this week per soil test)


*Seed Experiment: *(Zammer noticably darker than BB Ultra. The Ultra is a much faster grower)


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## HomerGuy (Jun 5, 2017)

Looks great! I'm so curious to see how it holds up over the summer without irrigation.

I'm going to be seeing a new lawn this spring and I've decised to use a TTTF/KBG blend after seeing how quickly yours established and how nice it looks.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Thanks for the reply. It's been my project as well to see how it did over winter (I think well, but with some snow mold. Up in Michigan it seemed worse than normal from what I've heard). It's really coming into its own now after the first fertilizing about a week ago. Noticeably darker and fuller than the rest of my lawn and neighbors. I will post monthly updates.

Here is a pic of earlier out of winter to now AND a nice difference between my neighbors KBG.


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## HomerGuy (Jun 5, 2017)

@UMStevo any plans to expand upon your renovation this fall?


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