# Jay20nj's 2021 Lawn Journal



## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

So I'm in the first year following my fall 2020 Mazama KBG reno. The first major issue I have is a ton of Poa a. I have applied tenacity to highlight it so I can easily pull. The front has been manageable by hand pulling but the back is out of control as you can see in the first pic. I'll likely pound it with tenacity when it gets hot and use prodiamine in the fall to prevent which wasn't an option during the reno as I had multiple washouts and had to keep seeding. The back is also thin. I will pull cores today to send for a soil test and continue to hand pull poa in the front. Tomorrow is the first mow and I'll drop 50 lbs of lime per k. (I know I need that without a test based on ly tests). Here's where were starting 2021 and I'm quite disappointed.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Cleaned it up with the rotary and just did a single cut with the gm1000. Lawn appear to be still sleeping. The neighbors with rye and tttf are popping deep green. Cant wait till mine wakes up. Lime down.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I spread lesco carbonpro g at 10lbs per k, the 50lbs of lime per k, and a little starter fert i had laying around at a low rate to just wake her up a little. Pulled cores for testing before I spread anything.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Haven't had any rain all week to water in the lime and carbonpro. Sunday will be a soaker so hoping it pops next week. Fresh mow before the weekend storms. Still barely awake...


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

The lawn is finally awake. Sprayed PGR, FAS, Humic 12 two days ago and gave her a mow today.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Sprayed .25 lb per k of urea. Finally gaining the feeling back in my fingers after all the poa picking with the screwdriver prying so i will prob pick some more this week. Believe i see a couple triv plants popping up in the back so i will gly them this week.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Sprayed .25lb urea, rgs, air8, propiconazole as i saw some evidence of disease… running irrigation much earlier this year as there in zero rain in the forecast and it has been very dry so far this year.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Mowed one of my better cuts. Centered the diamonds perfectly on the last single double centers. After the mow i sprayed urea, n-ext non sense, dimension round 2, and pgr. Will drench her in the morning


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I am getting some drought / heat stress on the curb line from the severe heat on the pavement. This will likely be a whole summer time problem but im going to give hydretain a shot. Especially mowing at 3/4 inch. We have had no rain to speak of in about 3 weeks. All the neighbors lawns are burnt out already. Just a mow for today


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Gave her the full cocktail today. Fresh cut. Then grub ex. Carbon pro g. Fert. Rgs. Air8 and hydretain. Haven't had rain in 3 weeks so with a three day rain im giving the turf a full dose.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

It finally rained after about 3 weeks of no rain and some really hot days in the high 80s and around 90. Fri afternoon through sunday all nice soaking rains. The lawn hasn't had a normal spring to thicken up due to the lack of rain


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I changed to double diagonal stripes. I think i will keep this pattern. I don't feel as though the lawn is striping well though. Not as pronounced as i would have hoped. To the point that its hard to see the lines when i mow. Thinking about moving from 3/4" to 1" to see if that changes anything.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

As disappointed as i feel its come a long way i guess. The pursuit of perfection is killing me. Maybe i just need to enjoy her.


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## OnTheLawn (Jul 23, 2020)

I went through the same thing with my Mazama mono plot as well. For a KBG monostand in its first growing season after a reno… these results are stellar. For whatever reason, Poa A was ridiculously bad this year, especially in NJ almost across the board. Definitely disheartening some days, but looking back now and seeing the progress here is something to be proud of. Get it through the summer and watch it take off again in the fall. Get that pre-emergent down early in the fall and the Poa battle will be a much easier fight next spring.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

The turf has responded really well to the last dose of fert and carbon pro g a few weeks ago. Temps have been pretty much in the 90s and shes thriving. I do have a ring around the tree from having to go around it with the greensmaster. Not sure there is a solution as it doesn't seem to get better. Pleased with the double cut double wide stripes. Diamonds are a mans best friend


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Another photo of todays mow. Still some filling in up in the top of the lawn where there is shade after 1pm. Should be awesome in the fall for its 1st birthday


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I finally sent out the soil sample i pulled in April. Better late than never. She needs k so i will break the applications up since the soil is somewhat sandy.


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## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

It's really looking good keep it up. Don't forget your late summer pre m that should help with POA come next spring. By late fall your lawn will be really really nice it's still a toddler.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Was away on vacation so she wasn't cut for 10 days. This was the true test of PGR and came back to about 3/4 of an inch of growth. Very pleased with the performance. Looking primed after a double cut this morning


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Saw some evidence of fungus in the side yard so sprayed 1oz per k along with tnex today. I lowered the tnex to about 6ml per k instead of the 7.5ml i normally spray due to the propi mix. Never tank mixed them but doubt that would overregulate. We shall see. Inhave some spotty clover but didnt have time to hit it with speedzone. Will spot spray that this weekend. The poa in the back is starting to die off finally. I'm going to split prodiamine in mid august or so for the first app.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Was hoping to kill off the clover this weekend but temps are too hot for next couple days. Maybe later in the week. My first time using speedzone and usually dont kill weeds in the summer so little hesitant to go after the clover now. 
Just a mow today. Loving the double wide diagonals


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Nice mow for the 4th!


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I still haven't been able to kill off the clover due to the high temps. She also needs K but its either been a washout or 95 degrees so I haven't been able to find the sweet spot. Last double wide diamonds for my 2 year olds bday party. Monday we go to verticals. Horizontal doesn't work well due to the gentle slope so verticals for a couple cuts then back to this pattern.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Jay20nj said:


> I still haven't been able to kill off the clover due to the high temps. She also needs K but its either been a washout or 95 degrees so I haven't been able to find the sweet spot.


I share your pain with both the clover issue and K needs. Also, I need some foliar Fe and Serenade. Maybe we can get to it over the next couple of days, before the temps spike again. Humidity is off the charts and ripe for a fungal outbreak. Your lawn still looks great. Nice touch for the B-day party!


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Double singles again. A dog pissed on the corner and that made me sad.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I rotary cut the back and give it about 20% of the attention the front gets but the domination line is strong. I wish i could level it better but it stays very wet as there are wetlands in the woods. Wish i could reel mow it all… just not worth the frustration.. (light spots are just sun peeking thru)


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I finally sprayed the clover so excited to see that die off. Also threw down 0-0-50 but I completely over applied in a big way. From what ive read it wont be harmful to the turf. Keeping my fingers crossed on this


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Were back to the double wide diagonals. Lawn is looking pretty good considering the heat and humidity. Clover is dying. The mower needs some attention. Good backlap this coming weekend. Need to start sourcing some sand for the fall as well.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Hit the lawn wiith tnex and 5 grams of prodiamine per k. Was too late for the pre m. Saw some poa. Next year im spraying in july and sept. Just need to get thru this month and into growing season to fill in a couple areas around the tree and by the walkway. Areas that get more sun are looking pretty awesome


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

After an 8 day vacation i cut off over an inch and i cut at 3/4 inch so the lawn is looking pretty average. Cut it in both directions with and against the grain vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, and then laid the stripes back in. Basically mowed it like 10 times to get it all looking tight. Its also rebounding as the pgr is wearing off. I may let it grow for a couple weeks as it has been under regulation since spring just to see what happens. There is some dead grass not thatch that i need to remove in the coming weeks. And needs some sand to level. Lot of work ahead. Few clover spots as well. Just surviving until sept when i can start pounding the N and get her back into tip top shape. Included a nightime photo as well…


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## jrubb42 (Jun 20, 2019)

Great work all year with the lawn. I've read through your journal a couple of times now. Good job not panicking with the Poa, I probably would have. Lol.

What are you thoughts on the Mazama now almost having a full season with it? Are you happy with it or would you go with something else if you had to do it all over again?


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Thank you! I'm very pleased with the mazama. I have had some minor disease spots pop up but ive hit them before they became any type of real problem. I do have to do some leveling and i often do fear what will happen if i have any type of issues with the gm 1000 so im looking for a backup mower. Overall i would absolutely gomwith the mazama if I were to do it all over again..

Sprayed .5 lbs of n and some air8 (not measured just dumped the rest of what was left so maybe 6 oz ish) per k before the rain today…


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

I rarely post pictures of the back because i treat it like a red headed step child (no offense to anyone that has one of those). Its mazama reno / poa a / triv popping up from the neighbor. I give it all the same fert etc as the front but it stays super wet and i had a ton of washouts so some parts are bumpy. Will never see the greensmaster.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

It still looks great! Have you considered improving the drainage? Core aereation and sand topdressing (a few times) might go along way. The front looks so good, I think you might get bored and need another project.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Thank you. The tree line is all wetlands pretty much. I don't know that its worth the time or effort. Plus i have a walkout so there is a steep hill on the side that would be annoying with the reel. I would have to dig a trench all the way across the back and through the wetland area to a small stream. Too many roots and too much work to bring in stone to do it. Im one of the few that even has a basement due to the water table.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

I had a feeling, when I saw the jet black/green algae areas. Maybe a project down the road would be to lay out a grid of perforated pipes (with socks), channeling water to the lower area, and building an aggregate, subsoil, and soil/sand surface (think USGA) around and over it, with only a slight increase in grade (if you need to-by cutting in the perf pipe slightly).

I seem to have ideas for others projects, but never can keep up on my own. :lol:


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

The only time anyone goes back there is me when i mow it. People only see it when i have a party and were on the deck which is elevated so its just not worth the effort. Ill use it to test stuff for the front ie xonerate 2sc


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Gotcha. It does sound like a good test plot area.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Loving the single doubles. Going to dethatch and level this week…


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Sprayed urea to get it growing quickly before the detatch this week. Its also rebounding from tnex so hopefully that makes the blades pop thru the sand quickly


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Dethatching complete.. also sprayed 2nd application of prodiamine and did some minor leveling.


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## MJR12284 (Jun 21, 2020)

How'd the lawn respond from the dethatching?

Thanks for the encouraging words on my reno. I know I need to remain patient…


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Sprayed the weekly dose of urea and added some iron this application so we can pop for halloween. The lawn really isnt spreading as much as i hoped. I believe lack of sun is the issue as it gets shade from 1pm on… it has recovered 85% from detatching. Next year i will do it much earlier. Some poa popping up. Next year's prodiamine app will be August 1st


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Dropped some humic today before tomorrow's rain.


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Shes looking pretty good. Lot of rain this week so concerned about the back being soaked for the rest of the year. Dropped the hoc back there and it is still under regulation


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Neighbor was driving his golf cart around on halloween so i had to get a pic on it


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Hate all the leaves. Cleaned them all up and gave her a fresh cut. Still growing a bit. Lawn is still dark green while all the neighbors who didn't participate in the N blitz have yellowing


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## Jay20nj (Jul 25, 2018)

Shut down the sprinkler system for the year after final fert. Now its just a matter of the constant cleaning of the leaves. Debating one last mow this weekend. Missing the mow already


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## Wile (Sep 17, 2020)

Awesome work! The pattern is perfect for fall. It's great that your neighbor brought the golf cart over to make it "official."


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