# 2023 Journal



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

Southeast Michigan lawn rotary mowed in the front and reel mowed in the back. Front was sodded in 2019 and has been overseeded with TTTF and KBG. Back was sodded in 2020 and reno’ed with KBG in 2022. 

2021 journal:








Jeff_MI84's lawn journal


Hello everyone. Below are pictures of my front lawn, since I had sod put down in June 2019. I've come a long way from paying someone else to do it. I have a fertilizing company that has given me good results, but they don't apply it as often as some of you guys do. I plan on getting a sprinkler...




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2022 journals:








Jeff_MI84's 2022 Lawn Journal


I got my final winterizing N app down, too. Used a homogeneous AMS/urea product, and aimed for around 0.25 lb N from AMS and 0.15 lb N from urea, but messed up in the front (see my journal for details).




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Jeff_MI84's Backyard Reno 2022


That will definitely melt. Trust me, I've been watching snow and melt cycles all of the past week. For the fert app, I'm more worried about the soil temp not coming back up. Currently at 29F / five day average 34F. The forecast looks decent this week so I'm not fretting too much. Your soil temp...




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2022 soil test:








My Soil Test Results


How does this look? A little help understanding this would be appreciated. Are the fertilizer recommendations valid?




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2023 goals:
Maintain last year’s reno and work on better timed applications. 
Increase NPK as per soil test results.
Add more micronutrients.
Stay on top of fungicides. 
Work on back yard flowerbeds.
Plant more perennial flowers. 
Reno the front yard. 
Sand level the back yard.


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## bf7 (May 11, 2020)

I had my money on you to be the first 2023 journal. @Butter beat you.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

bf7 said:


> I had my money on you to be the first 2023 journal. @Butter beat you.


If you ain’t first, you’re last.


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## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

We're all winners!


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

Are those recent photos? How much rain have you gotten in the last month or so? I have a theory that excessive rain is what is turning the grass brown in my area (saturated soil causing lack of oxygen space that soil needs for grass to stay green). Same thing happened last year. There is not a fully green lawn anywhere here despite temps above average. Your back area looks almost like it did in November still.

Oh, I have some videos for you that I'm currently listening to: "Soil series" 1, 2, and 3 by Lawncology (John Perry). The soil testing and N recommendation part is relevant to your goal of increasing N per soil tests.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@Green those pictures are from the other day. About two inches total precipitation in the last 30 days. This winter has been relatively dry thus far. There has been maybe 8-9 days of actual snow cover this winter, along with close to or below freezing temps most of the time. 

The reno has three concentrated areas where the lawn has turned mostly yellow thus far. It dropped below freezing and snowed four days after the last mow and the yellowing followed in those spots shortly after, I assume from not enough recovery time. The collars still have a decent green color, minus the tips of the blades.

Jan 13 of 2022 are the pictures below. Early winter of 2020, the lawn was basically brown by Christmas and I had flooded areas from heavy rain. So you’re definitely on to something about excess winter rain and the soil. I will watch those videos at work tomorrow.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

I’ve been noticing a significant amount of digging in the mulch in the flowerbeds. Lo and behold, the stray cat has been in my yard more this winter. I’ve found holes too big to be from squirrels and caught him rolling around spreading his sent by my rose bushes and smaller arborvitae. Thus far, I have thrown down cayenne powder, coffee grounds and sprayed cat repellent. It has had minor effect on the warm weather squirrel activity at least. I considered mothballs but worry about the toxicity. He’s an old cat and was abandoned prior to me moving here 8 years ago.

I’ve also seen him walking across the lawn during the day, only when it’s dry and not frost covered. Not as bad as a person doing it, but I assume he’s been more active since a neighboring dog no longer lives on the other side. I have a sonic emitter thing that stakes in the ground and will move it to the other side of the yard.

After doing some reading, I recently figured that the main reason part of the reno is darker (small area in the back) is because I added soil for grading. Aside from the fact that it is mowed taller and the angle of the camera gives it a darker appearance. I wonder if pulling plugs from there would be a bad idea and give the lawn spots, or if it would even itself out eventually?


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## ReelWILawn (Aug 29, 2021)

New journal!!! Reno area looks great.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@ReelWILawn thanks. It’s looking how I’ve learned to accept it to look. Shame there’s another two months at least before I get out there and rake it. Then the real fun of watching it thicken up begins.


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## ReelWILawn (Aug 29, 2021)

Jeff_MI84 said:


> @ReelWILawn thanks. It’s looking how I’ve learned to accept it to look. Shame there’s another two months at least before I get out there and rake it. Then the real fun of watching it thicken up begins.


I wouldn't worry it looks fine. first spring after a fall kbg reno, it will not look very good. it might be thin, poor color, etc but come June it will absolutely transform.


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## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

ReelWILawn said:


> I wouldn't worry it looks fine. first spring after a fall kbg reno, it will not look very good. it might be thin, poor color, etc but come June it will absolutely transform.


That’s what I mean. Not pay much attention to the lawn so stuff like that wouldn’t annoy me.


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