# Trogdor's 2019 late Bewitched reno



## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Planning my 1st reno has not gone to plan.

At least I can try to document some of what I attempted, this will help for my own learning, and for others to learn from these practices as well.

Shout out to @Harts and @SNOWBOB11 for giving me some motivation and inspiration. They have been awesome, thanks for all the pm'ing guys!

The section I've been toying with is about 2500 sq ft. My dad has been awesome with helping out, as he always is, he's tired of the state of the yard and willing to go to any length so the grandkids can have more fun!

All my supplies started coming in mid-July and began to nuke the lawn then.

Irrigation set up started early August, as did leveling out the yard (called for two big dump trucks of topsoil from the sod farm).

Seed was expected to go down mid-August, but those plans faded when the supplier couldn't get the seed in time, but they miraculously came through without too much delay.

Tried for a Sept. 1st seed down, but also missed that target date. I was just going to scrap the whole thing, but after talking to a few others, they said, just plaster it. One gentleman was so kind as to lend me their professional seeder from the golf course.

Below I will start putting in some photos (I haven't taken many as it has been nothing but weeds).


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Pic of the weeds


Before levelling


Irrigation in, new pad for new shed, run for chickens and lawn almost rewdy for seed


Raked, overseed at 4lbs/1000, then rolled with thunderstorms on the way


Post washout and worm airation


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Things I've pondered I could have done differently - aside from a late seeding on Friday the 13th

1) last pass with non selective herbicide?
2) raked again before rolling? the soil was pretty loose and moist and had good contact
3) applied tenacity at seed down? now 3 days out
4) reseeded to be sure? I see seed everywhere and plan to see what gets started if anything


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

@Trogdor Good that you started a journal and it's nice to finally see your yard. Looks like you have a nice space to work with.

There are a few things that concern me from the pictures. First you seem to have a lot of shade from you trees. Bewitched is a very shade tolerant cultivar but it's important to remember it's still bluegrass. Bluegrass definitely prefers sun. If you have any way of trimming the trees to let more light in that would be ideal.

It looks like you did a great job leveling the area but the soil looks very loose. I hope you were able to roll the seed in well.

It's a good idea to apply tenacity at seed down. You can still apply now IMO being the seed still wouldn't have germinated.

It's very late to be seeding for our area so if there is a early turn to the cold season you could have some issues being KBG takes so long to grow from seed. If things go south don't get discouraged. You can always fix things next year. If there's a delay in cold you might be ok.

Keep the seeds watered and we will see how it turns out.


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Thanks @SNOWBOB11! Took your advice and sprayed.

RE: Shade, it's very present as the house is old and trees are mature but it's not too horrible, my bad on taking pics at worst time. I've thinned the canopies of my biggest maples as much and have taken down two black walnut and three other maples (all roughly 30 feet high 7 inches diameter before they took off too much).

I've noted that the part of the property that gets the least sun gets about 4 hrs (new build monster house), so my fingers are crossed that Bewitched will be okay, if not I may have to add to with something else.

Next year I will call in an Arborist I know to climb and cable up a few trees and do some haircuts.


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Some of the areas did not scratch so well and I had washout, so I put down more seed after applying Tenacity.

Just re-programmed my sprinklers as they were going 5x a day for 3 mins.

When checking I found a little surprise, fingers crossed that it starts coming in well and does not get cold too quickly (loving the extended heat we've had)


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

Nice to see that germination isn't it?


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

SNOWBOB11 said:


> Nice to see that germination isn't it?


Certainly, had anticipated it would be a bit slower.


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

I'm just wondering when I will be able to walk on it to blow the leaves when the start touching down, don't want to crush the seedlings.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

@Trogdor If it's being completely covered by leaves I'd go ahead and see if you can remove them. Even at this early stage. Just tread lightly if you can.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Just think, by next May you'll be breaking out the 1600 and laying down some great stripes! I don't know how you've held onto that thing since June and not used it!

In hindsight, I really wish I had the room to store the 1600. I kind of wish I took the other one he had.


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

@SNOWBOB11 #protip, thanks! The leaves haven't started their thing just yet, but preparing, they tend to come in big waves, especially when the temps dip. I like to get 'em before they get weighed down with rain. Just hate disturbing the growth. Nice to have your journal to compare growth with this seed. And hey, if you need more bewitched, lemme know!

@Harts Will let you know I used it to cut the weeds once. May seems like such a long time away from now. Wanna borrow it till then? You can bring it to your guy too!


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Day 13 post seed down.

Here's another pic this morning before the big rain. Some seedlings are bleached, they do turn green, think from the tenacity.

It's filling in but not as well as I had anticipated. Will wait to see if I need to throw down some more, opinions are welcomed guys. Getting fidgety.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Ah the *** jitters. Stay patient. If you've had any area of washout you can throw some seed down. Otherwise it's a waiting game now.


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@Trogdor Oh my, I am sweating looking at the weather (2 weeks out) and hoping for you for another month of 'mild' temps. You guys definitely are few clicks higher than us, but Canadian fall is fall. Based on what I have lived thru, here is the bright side. With the shade you have, you will find spring over seeding to be way more successful than by the books. Any bare spots left from this reno, just don't hesitate and do it next spring. Leaves are not on yet so you will have great sun exposure. When summer comes, those relatively young grass plants will be protected now. Over all weed pressure will always stay low ( I am referring to crabgrass, ground Ivy will be your enemy there). I will be following closely...
Good luck brother!


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Day 20 since seed down.

Slow slow is how it's progressing (no pick up and seems like it's gone backwards even). Weather is all over the map, at least we didn't get a dump of snow like AB.

Cut back more of the trees, and now thinking how I've got to get a plan in place for springtime (unless I decide to try all over next summer). Welcome advice.

Thanks for all the encouragement @SNOWBOB11 @Harts and @Babameca

Here's a pic:

https://i.postimg.cc/G26Dvr71/Oct-2-2019-***.jpg


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

It's getting there. If it was a month earlier I'd say you were in great shape. I seeded a few areas just over a week ago that I dug up triv and I'm just getting germination now. We are fighting against the clock. If we can get some warm temps to continue into October maybe we can get some coverage going into winter and then spoon feed next spring to get things to fill out.

I'd consider dropping a app of nitrogen in the next couple days. Avg first frost is just over a week away for us so you should see if you can get 1 or 2 apps down.


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Thanks for the tip @SNOWBOB11, really wish I had been able to get that seed in earlier. I dropped 6lbs of 8-16-16 from BY on Oct 4. Here's a pic before I did that.


A bunch of spots were really not filling in or showing and sign of growth, so I went a bit crazy and raked up the soil some, re-seeded/raked/light roll... It likely won't germinate this late in the game, but if it doesn't rot perhaps it will come to life in the spring (wishful thinking)...

Updated pic on Oct 10th.


If I'm able to will spoon feed some of the melt n spray tmrw.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

Really that's about as good as you can hope for. It's definitely thickening up in that latest picture. This is really a test of how late you can seed bluegrass. I'm interested in seeing how much it can fill in by the end of the season.

I seeded the large areas I dug out the triv on September 24th I think it was? And it's actually not doing bad.



I don't know if there's enough time to get enough roots before winter but we will see.

I plugged the smaller areas and can already see rhizomes spreading which is great to see.

I started feeding the seeded areas as soon as they germinated.

Keep the updates coming.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

How's it looking @Trogdor?


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## Trogdor (Jan 13, 2019)

Thanks@SNOWBOB11, had a good catch but really not at where I had hoped, but this is what I get being so late in the game. The weather was really fantastic this October, just too bad I didn't get it in even 2 or 3 weeks earlier. Will see how much it can be coaxed in the spring. If I get fed up, can always nuke it in July and go again.

I am going to do more reading (additional dormant seed?) and see if peeps like @ken-n-nancy have some words of wisdom (think they've got deep deep shade). Not disappointed as is good to learn. At least I've got my used to my sprayer and have it pretty well dialed.

Kids are asking about prepping the yard for our usual rink... (dunno if that will go forward, as it may totally devastate the young grass).

How did your patches fill in? Do you think it has established enough? What tool did you use to plug?


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

@Trogdor Give it some nitrogen in the spring and see how it goes. If things don't fill out you can always re seed earlier next year. It's definitely better to target early August.

My seeded areas look pretty similar to your lawn. Thin but there is grass. I'll try and get some end of season pics up before it snows.

I used a small shovel to plug the areas. I don't currently have a pro plugger. It works fine doing it this way as long as you make sure you dig down enough and are careful not to do too much damage to the surrounding grass.

The plugged areas have filled in quite well and I'm happy with how they spread. There will be lots of spoon feeding and alfalfa fertilizer for me next year.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

^+1 on the alfalfa pellets next spring. I've used them for seeding and weak areas. Most recently, I was spot sprinkling my friend's yard this fall, with his mini renos and overseeded areas. I think it helped especially in the dog pee areas. Be ready to mow. Alfalfa has a strong growth hormone called triacontanol.


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