# Shindoman's Lawn Journal



## Shindoman

It's been 4, maybe 5 years since we re-landscaped our back yard and I became serious about the lawn. Bought a Caltrimmer and watched a few videos. A real mower made a world of difference and got me thinking about cutting short. Then 2 years ago I found a local Turf expert that was willing to come by and take a look, do a soil test and sell me some fertilizer. Dave Duncan of Turf Health Products is an amazing help. There is no replacing an educated expert with 20 years of local greens keeping experience. Last year we started a program of his own fert. blends, PGR, liquid Iron and Nualgi. I top dressed with sand 5 times in the last 1 1/2 yrs. Sometimes I ignore things a bit if I get busy with rving, the house or the kids. But overall I put in the work. May of this year was very dry and I messed up a bit with the water schedule. I also stressed it out cutting too much too quickly. The lawn looked like crap (to my eyes). June has been nice a cool with a few good heavy rains. 4 days ago I did a fert app. and sprayed our Fe, PGR, and Nualgi. 
Today the lawn looks the best ever!

Thick and full, deep color and firm underfoot. I'm cutting at 3/4". Would like to go lower but the Caltrimmer struggles with the bed knife digging in at lower settings. I'm finally starting to understand the big picture and that consistency is important in keeping it healthy and looking good. 
I really enjoy this forum. Lots of ideas and very helpful. 
Today I rejoice!


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## zeus201

Looks amazing...view is kinda meh though (j/k :lol: )


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## Pete1313

Looks beautiful!


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## MountainManChild

damnnnnn nice job!


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## Powhatan

Delightful :thumbup:


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## SpiveyJr

Low cut grass is a thing of beauty! The more pictures I see of people's low cut grass the more I wish I could do that. The pictures look like a postcard.


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## jessehurlburt

Very impressive!


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## steensn

The view!!! [slow clap]


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## Schaef

Wow, looks amazing and that view is unreal. Inspiration at it's finest.


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## pennstater2005

Did you enter that in the Milorganite contest?


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## IaHawk




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## Shindoman

Thank you all for the kind words. I have my wife to thank for sticking to her guns and insisting on a home with a view when we found this place 24 yrs. ago.
Never thought about the Milorganite contest. We can't even buy it here in Canada.


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## llO0DQLE

I'm surprised you don't buy Milo across the border. Very nice! I was thinking whatever happened to you over at ATY and was wishing to see more pics of your lawn. Thanks for sharing, very nice indeed.


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## Shindoman

llO0DQLE said:


> I'm surprised you don't buy Milo across the border. Very nice! I was thinking whatever happened to you over at ATY and was wishing to see more pics of your lawn. Thanks for sharing, very nice indeed.


I don't bother with the Milo from across the border as I get a great deal on Fert from my Turf guy locally. When he does a new blend he usually gives me a bag for free. 
ATY seemed to be more focused on KBG cut at 3". I felt like the odd man out cutting Fescue at under an inch. I tend to visit the forums in spurts. Last year was all about VW forums as I'm building a hot rod 
Passat Wagon. Thanks for the compliment!


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## wardconnor

Looks so nice. Putting in the work pays off for sure. 
Just started the nualgi. About a month into it.

You friends with Jeremy?

@Shindoman


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## Shindoman

wardconnor said:


> Looks so nice. Putting in the work pays off for sure.
> Just started the nualgi. About a month into it.
> 
> You friends with Jeremy?
> @Shindoman


Been using the Nualgi for about 8 months. Doing an app every 3 weeks or so in growing season. It seems to help keep it thick and strong, it just looks healthier. My turf guy wants me to use it year round as we hardly ever see snow or frozen ground for more than a day to two. I probably will. Don't know Jeremy, sorry.


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## Delmarva Keith

I agree - wow. Gorgeous lawn and landscape. Well done!


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## Shindoman

Lots of food, lots of water, no summer heat yet. Lawn has never looked better.


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## JDgreen18

Damn thats amazing


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## Shindoman

We finally are getting a heat wave, high's in the mid 80's ( 30 degrees for us Canucks ). 
I top dressed and over seeded 18 days ago. So I have been hitting it hard with lots of water. 1" of water twice a week plus 3 times a day to keep the seed moist. Granular every 2 weeks plus a milkshake of Iron, Nualgi, and a calcium, phosphate concoction that my Turf expert mixes for me. Lawn has never looked better. I'm trying to transition to a FF, Bent mix and get rid of the PRG/ KBG mix that the sod we laid 5 years ago consisted of. If I knew then what I knew now back I would never had laid sod. But that's what I like about this hobby. I'm always learning something new. I'm hesitant to do a full reno as the lawn is so healthy so we are over seeding once a month and will do a big overseed in early Sept. Prepping the lawn for a big BBQ party this weekend. Cutting every day in the same direction to get the stripes to pop. Right now I'm loving my lawn. Back in May it looked awful and I realized I made a few mistakes mostly with timing. 
Here's a pic showing the stripes. Lighting not so good


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## Shindoman

Cut back the water to firm it up. Here's the stripes today.


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## pennstater2005

Do you ever feel like you're on vacation everyday?!


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## Shindoman

pennstater2005 said:


> Do you ever feel like you're on vacation everyday?!


We do, we RV quite a bit but it's always nice to come home


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## Methodical

Nice. Hard work pays off.


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## rob13psu

Splendid! :thumbup:


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## Green

Amazing view!! 2nd best view I've ever seen in a yard! The guy with the #1 view, in Northern CT, had some nice flower gardens, but his lawn was nowhere near like yours!


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## Shindoman

Green said:


> Amazing view!! 2nd best view I've ever seen in a yard! The guy with the #1 view, in Northern CT, had some nice flower gardens, but his lawn was nowhere near like yours!


Thanks for the compliments, when we were shopping for a home my wife insisted on a view. We got a good one!


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## Shindoman

A couple days of cooler temps has the turf looking less stressed. The PGR is doing it's job. Here is a pic of all the clippings from 4 days of growth on 2K of lawn.


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## Shindoman

Did a top dress/overseed on the weekend. Barely had enough sand in my stockpile to do it. I need about a yard for a good spread. Cooler temps on the way. Giving it lots of water.


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## Shindoman

Second cut since the top dress/over seed. Starting to see the FF/Bent blend getting a foothold against the PRG and KBG I want to get rid of.


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## llO0DQLE

Why didn't you just nuke it and do a reno?


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## Shindoman

llO0DQLE said:


> Why didn't you just nuke it and do a reno?


To me it just seems so drastic to do a reno. The turf is so thick and established, it would be tough to start over from scratch. FF/Bent thrives in our climate so hopefully it will dominate. If I don't get the desired results, I'll do a reno next fall. Also, Glyphosate is banned in my municipality.


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## Shindoman

Borrowed an electric dethatcher from my friend. It did a great job opening up the canopy. Quite surprised by the performance of this cheap unit. Then did a top dress and overseed after that. Hit the weather just right as it started to rain just after I finished. We've had 4 staright days of a nice gentle rain. Dropped some fert today. Now just sit back and wait for the seeds to grow.


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## Delmarva Keith

Shindoman said:


> Hit the weather just right as it started to rain just after I finished. We've had 4 staright days of a nice gentle rain. Dropped some fert today. Now just sit back and wait for the seeds to grow.


Lurching from drought to near floods here. I hate you :mrgreen:


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## Shindoman

@Delmarva Keith 
We get so much rain here but it never floods. Lots of hills and streams.


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## Shindoman

First cut since overseed 12 days ago. Germination rate seems not too bad. We did get a big downpour one night so a bit did run off. Did a double cut at 7/8" and stripes look good.


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## zeus201

Landscaping and turf is on point!


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## iowa jim

The only thing lacking is a big flock of flamingos.


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## llO0DQLE

Very nice!


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## Shindoman

I love this time of year. We've had nothing but sun for the last 2 weeks. Highs in the mid 60's. 
Grass is looking great and not growing that fast at all. Gave it some liquid Fe and Nualgi 4 days ago. 
gonna drop some granular tomorrow. Cut it at 3/4" today. Sun is low in the sky so hard to get a nice pic.


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## Suburban Jungle Life

:shock: Love the view!


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## TravisH06

Congrats on LOTM. Looks amazing and what a great view!


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## NoslracNevok

Congratulations for YOTM. There isn't an apparent drop in turf quality along your edge. What if any steps do you take to avoid the extra stress from turning along the outside border?


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## Shindoman

NoslracNevok said:


> Congratulations for YOTM. There isn't an apparent drop in turf quality along your edge. What if any steps do you take to avoid the extra stress from turning along the outside border?


There is some stress along the ends where I turn mostly from dropping the spinning drive reel the 
Caltrimmer has. Also in the south end of the yard where the turf gets less sun because of the plants in the beds. I think that using only sand to top dress helps with the shady areas. I'm shopping for a new mower that will solve the burnout marks from the Trimmer.


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## Shindoman

We've had couple nice dry days so i cut the lawn today. Maybe it will be the last one for a while. 
Once the rain starts it may not stop for a few months. Always nice to be in the yard on a sunny fall day.


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## Green

Shindoman said:


> Once the rain starts it may not stop for a few months. Always nice to be in the yard on a sunny fall day.


That's how I feel about our recent rain and snow. Part of my yard is now a partly frozen pond with leaves in it, while the rest is snow on top of leaves with more leaves on top of that. And there's more rain, snow, and freezing temps in the immediate forecast.

Looks good, by the way.


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## 2xjtn

I see you've discovered the benefits of Nualgi as well


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## Shindoman

Did a clean up, fert, iron, and Nualgi. Did a couple of cuts with my new Dennis reel mower. A much more balanced machine than the Caltrimmer. The striping will be much better with the full rear roller and added weight. 
Soil is still cold as the snow just left a couple weeks ago so turf is not growing that much yet.


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## AZChemist

That view! Spectacular!


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## Pete1313

The early season stripes are looking good!


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## PNW_George

Shindoman said:


> Did a clean up, fert, iron, and Nualgi. Did a couple of cuts with my new Dennis reel mower. A much more balanced machine than the Caltrimmer. The striping will be much better with the full rear roller and added weight.
> Soil is still cold as the snow just left a couple weeks ago so turf is not growing that much yet


lawn looking great, love the Dennis.


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## Shindoman

2xjtn said:


> I see you've discovered the benefits of Nualgi as well


Mr. Duncan said it would help and it does!


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## Shindoman

PNW_George said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Did a clean up, fert, iron, and Nualgi. Did a couple of cuts with my new Dennis reel mower. A much more balanced machine than the Caltrimmer. The striping will be much better with the full rear roller and added weight.
> Soil is still cold as the snow just left a couple weeks ago so turf is not growing that much yet
> 
> 
> 
> lawn looking great, love the Dennis.
Click to expand...

Thanks, still can't believe I bought one.


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## zinger565

That looks great! Odd question, but where are you getting the Nualgi? Looking at their website it seems they really only sell to commercial operations.


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## Shindoman

zinger565 said:


> That looks great! Odd question, but where are you getting the Nualgi? Looking at their website it seems they really only sell to commercial operations.


There is a local supplier to golf courses that sells it to me. He's my turf Guru that is a wealth of information and gives me great deals on anything I need. He gets a great kick out of my turf maintanance practices and he kids they are better than most courses he deals with.


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## Shindoman

Cut again today. Just excited to use Dennis. It gives a much nicer cut than the Caltrimmer.


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## SGrabs33

Shindoman said:


> Cut again today. Just excited to use Dennis. It gives a much nicer cut than the Caltrimmer.


   

Haha, just kidding. The yard is looking great. Some yards are so nice and flat that they deserve a nice heavy REEL :thumbup: looking forward to your journal this year!


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## Shindoman

SGrabs33 said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Cut again today. Just excited to use Dennis. It gives a much nicer cut than the Caltrimmer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, just kidding. The yard is looking great. Some yards are so nice and flat that they deserve a nice heavy REEL :thumbup: looking forward to your journal this year!
Click to expand...

Lol 
Sorry, don't mean to offend Trimmer fans. It served me well. It's not a fair comparison. Dennis is way more expensive. Like when Swardman compares to Trimmer and McLane even though Swardman is a lot more money.


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## SGrabs33

No offense at all. I was joking. I'm sure the new owner of your Trimmer is ecstatic to start his/her REEL journey just as much as you are to start yours with the Dennis :thumbup:


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## Shindoman

Sold it to a gardener that already has 2. He swears by them. You see a lot of reels being used in Vancouver by the gardeners as they cut well in the wet.


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## mowww

You could have a niche VRBO there charging a premium to turfies to enjoy the lawn and view. Wow, beautiful.


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## Shindoman

Cut at 5/8 2 days ago and at 9/16 today. The Dennis gives such a great cut and has very precise but easy set up for 
HOC. My Landscape blade is at the UPS store. Excited to give it a try. Liquid food last night and granular today. Supposed to rain for the next few days. Weather has been awesome for a week now.
Hoping to get the Verticutter reel end of next week to do a clean up and top dress.


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## Shindoman

Working on the stripes,


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## SGrabs33

Looks amazing as always!

You mentioned a verticutter. Does the Dennis have a cartridge system?


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## Shindoman

SGrabs33 said:


> Looks amazing as always!
> 
> You mentioned a verticutter. Does the Dennis have a cartridge system?


It does. Couldn't be happier


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## SGrabs33

Shindoman said:


> SGrabs33 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Looks amazing as always!
> 
> You mentioned a verticutter. Does the Dennis have a cartridge system?
> 
> 
> 
> It does. Couldn't be happier
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it! Looking forward to more awesome pics of the yard and that view!


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## Shindoman

I tried a little experiment last week. Would like to have some type of hard flexible edging to keep a consistent shape to the lawn. Edging curves free hand always seems to end of with some changes in the shape. I bought a commercial quality plastic paver edging that hardscape guys use all the time on some of the houses we work on. 
I thought I would experiment with the 200 sq ft area of turf I have behind my garage. Hoping I can run the landscape blade along the top of the plastic edge to trim neatly. Just trimmed it for the first time and so far, so good. 
Here's a couple of pics of the edging.


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## SNOWBOB11

Can I ask where you got that? I am going to do the exact same thing with the gardens at the side of the house. They but up to the walkway and not grass but I'm tired of the mulch washing on to the patio stones. I saw something similar at HD online and that's what I was going to get.


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## Shindoman

SNOWBOB11 said:


> Can I ask where you got that? I am going to do the exact same thing with the gardens at the side of the house. They but up to the walkway and not grass but I'm tired of the mulch washing on to the patio stones. I saw something similar at HD online and that's what I was going to get.


I got it at a landscape wholesaler. B.C. Brick. Look for a local wholesaler that supplies paving stones and such. They will all do cash sales by credit card. No need to be a landscape company to buy from them.


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## SNOWBOB11

Cool thanks. Looks sharp by the way.


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## Shindoman

My son and his bud have given me a couple of comparison shots. First one is last fall. Cut with the Trimmer at 3/4". Second is a few weeks ago. Just starting to grow well. Cut with the Dennis at 9/16". No wheels marks, more visible striping. 
Cleaner cut.


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## Shindoman

First time ever cutting at 1/2". Weather is going to turn bad so might have to put off verticutting and topdressing for a week or so.


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## N LA Hacker

Still looks awesome!


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## Shindoman

N LA Hacker said:


> Still looks awesome!


Thank you.


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## Shindoman

Big weekend coming up. 
Cut low 
Aerate big time, multiple passes so we can get more sand mixed in.
Rake up the plugs
Verticut with my new attachment for the Dennis, somewhat aggressively 
Rake up
Topdress with river sand. 
Drop some dolipril and a soil amender as per soil test results
Work it in well with my new drag mat.
Overseed with my usual FF/Colonial Bent mix
More drag mat
Pour a Whiskey!

Hope my body is up to the task. Ugh.


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## SNOWBOB11

Man that lawn is so thick I didn't think it needed overseeding. Hopefully you have good weather for your lawn weekend.


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## SGrabs33

Can't wait to see the pics!


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## Shindoman

SNOWBOB11 said:


> Man that lawn is so thick I didn't think it needed overseeding. Hopefully you have good weather for your lawn weekend.


I overseed frequently as I'm try to transition from the PRG/KBG mixture that the yard was sodded with 6 yrs ago to a FF/Bent lawn that I desire. I want a very fine bladed English style lawn. Our cool damp climate is very similar to Britain's My lawn is in great shape so I am afraid to kill it and start over. I started this process last spring and it is slowly working. Some of the old lawns in Vancouver are all colonial bent as it seems to dominate other grasses over time.


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## N LA Hacker

"That's not a verticutter. This is a verticutter"


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## Baretta

Saw your first impressions of the Dennis... that and the lawn looks awesome. Hopefully the weather holds up for the weekend.


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## Shindoman

So last weekend I did my big spring lawn tuneup. 
Here's a few pics.
Started with a pretty aggressive aeration after cutting at 1/2"


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## Shindoman

Raked up the plugs and did another quick mow. Followed that by putting down a soil amender as per my turf guy. Then tried out the new Dennis Verticutter cartridge. Works fantastic. You just feather the clutch a bit to start the row and then the verticut blades pull the unit along without needing drive power. So nice that it all goes in the grass catcher. Verticut and cleaned up 2K sq ft in just about an hr.
I was pretty aggressive with it as I have a flush of annual ryegrass blooming right now. Hoping to knock it way back.


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## Shindoman

I have a couple spots that are quite sparse right now as they are always thin as they get shade from the plants in the bed and seem to stay wet more than other areas. Hoping overseed will help.


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## Shindoman

Now on to topdress and overseed. My Bannerman mini topper always makes topdress much easier. Then tried out my 
New drag rake. Works great but even with 5 or 6 passes still not able to get all the aeration holes filled. It's just too wet yet and the sand is wet. Would be great to try kiln dried sand but I'm guessing it would be crazy expensive for the yard and a half I typically use. Seeded with my FF/Colonial Bent blend that I get custom mixed locally.


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## Shindoman

I really did a number on my lawn. Hope I didn't stress it too much.
Dropped some Dolopril and a 15-5-32 as per soil test and and my turf guys recommendations. 
Got a nice gentle rain the following day. Now we wait.


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## Shindoman

3 days later and is growing very little. The temps are still cool but warmer weather by the weekend.
Sprayed my usual mix of Nualgi, Iron and pgr. Added some turf colorant I got for free. I'll see how it goes with the colorant. Messy to deal with.


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## Shindoman

Day 7 
Mowed at 1/2" yesterday. Starting to see growth and recovery. Warm weather is starting. Hopefully I'll see some germination in 3 or 4 more days.


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## crussell

Nice work! We are starting to turn the corner into some great weather, exciting times in the PNW!


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## Shindoman

Day 22 since topdress/overseed. Finally got a week of warm weather, highs in the low 70's. Growing well now. Starting to fill in nicely. Still has a ways to go to get nice and thick. Mowing at 1/2" all the time now. Annual ryegrass is still hanging around. I curse it everyday. Got the lighting right for a nice striping pic.


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## SNOWBOB11

That's looking great.


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## Shindoman

SNOWBOB11 said:


> That's looking great.


Thank you!


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## Buffalolawny

As soon as i saw the photo of the Dennis mower.

Wow, This is going to get a little more serious than just some normal cylinder mow of the grass.


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## Shindoman

Did a few things on the weekend. Gentle verticut to try and kill off the last of the annual ryegrass. Gave it my usual liquid feed incl. pgr and granular also. Good dump of rain on Monday and I guess my rain gauge isn't working as Tuesday morning sprinklers came on so pretty wet and soft. Stripes not as nice when it's so soft. Mowed tonight. The Dennis is worth every penny!


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## Green

Awesome overseed! What seed did you use this time? And did you still mow right through the grow-in process?


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## Shindoman

Green said:


> Awesome overseed! What seed did you use this time? And did you still mow right through the grow-in process?


I mow right thru. Maybe give it a few extra days between mows but don't want it to get too long and block sunlight for the new ones.
Here's my regular seed blend.


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## lobitz68

Your view is spectacular.


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## Thenenk

How is your lawn handling our heat we've gotten in the NW so far?


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## Shindoman

The heat is deceptive lately. I had been watering 3 times a day for the overseed but then I cut it back to once a week and we had no natural rain. Lawn started to get stressed and I had a burn spot. Must have not been paying attention with my granular app. Here's a pic taken on Tuesday, June 18.


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## Shindoman

So this past weekend I gave it a big long drink, did another granular app, and a spray app of goodies. Here's a pic of the same spot tonight, 6 days later. 
I love how grass recovers so quickly!


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## Shindoman

Hopefully it will keep looking this great until I pull out the Roundup in August!😢


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## g-man

Round up?


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## Shindoman

g-man said:


> Round up?


Yes, going to do a reno. I have a mix of grass types that I just can't overcome without doing a full reno.


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## SNOWBOB11

Man, between you @g-man and @wardconnor I don't know who's killing off a better lawn. The pursuit of the best lawn knows no bounds.


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## Harts

@Shindoman I'm a huge fan of your journal. I've been quietly following for the last year. You and others inspired my to go low this year and I haven't looked back.

Looking forward to tracking your reno.

@SNOWBOB11 yours is looking is really great too BTW. Do you plan to drop below 1" with your JD?


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## Shindoman

SNOWBOB11 said:


> Man, between you @g-man and @wardconnor I don't know who's killing off a better lawn. The pursuit of the best lawn knows no bounds.


Keep it on the downlow, I haven told my wife yet.😎


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## Shindoman

@Harts thank you for the compliments. I've always admired your striping.


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## g-man

Shindoman said:


> SNOWBOB11 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Man, between you @g-man and @wardconnor I don't know who's killing off a better lawn. The pursuit of the best lawn knows no bounds.
> 
> 
> 
> Keep it on the downlow, I haven told my wife yet.😎
Click to expand...

I'm not going to ask for permission. I will beg for forgiveness.


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## SNOWBOB11

@Harts I actually did drop below 1" to 3/4" last week. It looked good at that height and was neat to walk on. I think I prefer right around 1" HOC though. It seems to stripe better and the colour looks more vibrant. I'll be cutting the grass tomorrow so I'll post up some up to date pics in my journal thread.


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## Shindoman

Not much new here. We haven't had any hot dry weather yet, so the grass is in great shape. Thick and healthy. 
With rain and my schedule I definitely broke the 1/3 rule with this last mow so the color is a bit off after the cut. I'll give it a spray with some Iron tomorrow and it will green back up.


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## Baretta

Man, putting down roundup on something beautiful as that just doesn't seem right.  Have a day yet planned in August?


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## Shindoman

Baretta said:


> Man, putting down roundup on something beautiful as that just doesn't seem right.  Have a day yet planned in August?


I know it's seems crazy but that's the only way I'm going to get consistent color 
And texture. I'll do a first app around Aug. 15. Seed down first week in Sept.
Wish me luck!


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## Shindoman

So not much happening lately. Been away a bit so the cuts have been a week apart for last month or so. Did verticut 2 weeks ago and although it seems to really stress the lawn, it comes back thicker than ever a week or so later. Lawn is as thick and lush as it's ever been. 
Tonight was the final proper cut before reno. Tomorrow I'll cut it at about 3/8" which is below my normal 1/2". Thursday I'll do my first spray of Glysophate.
Target date for seed down is Sept. 4. Wish me luck!


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## jabopy

Best of luck with the reno shindoman :shock: I can't imagine me ever doing a full renovation on my grass. I'll be watching to see the grass growing  :thumbup:


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## Shindoman

Well, I did the dirty deed. Sprayed Roundup last night. 
Before:


One day later:


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## TulsaFan

Where are the updated photos of your lawn?


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## Shindoman

4 days after first Gly app.


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## Shindoman

One week later. Did a second app yesterday. Missed a couple spots first time.
Lawn looks terrible but I guess that's what I want.


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## Sinclair

What type of grass will you be seeding?


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## TulsaFan

Shindoman said:


> One week later. Did a second app yesterday. Missed a couple spots first time.
> Lawn looks terrible but I guess that's what I want.


Our backyards are starting to look similar minus the million dollar view and lush landscaping! Must be the Dennis?


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## Shindoman

TulsaFan said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> One week later. Did a second app yesterday. Missed a couple spots first time.
> Lawn looks terrible but I guess that's what I want.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Our backyards are starting to look similar minus the million dollar view and lush landscaping! Must be the Dennis?
Click to expand...

I'll be the judge of that! Send me a pic of your fancy Baroness lawn. :thumbup:


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## Shindoman

Sinclair said:


> What type of grass will you be seeding?


Fine Fescue/ Colonial Bent blend from a local supplier.


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## MMoore

@Shindoman 
curious about your topdressing spreader.... do you have any photos of inside the spreader itself? wondering how they work to agitate the soil enough that it doesn't jam.


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## Shindoman

MMoore said:


> @Shindoman
> curious about your topdressing spreader.... do you have any photos of inside the spreader itself? wondering how they work to agitate the soil enough that it doesn't jam.


I'll post a pic next week when I pull it out of storage.


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## Shindoman

Dying a slow death. Nine days after first app.


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## Shindoman

@MMoore here a few pics of my top dresser. The steel mesh screen rotates as you push it and the plastic brushes on each side can be adjusted to allow for fine or coarse material. I've only used sand in mine and it must be somewhat dry to work well.


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## Shindoman

Did one last cut at 3/8" and then did 2 perpendicular passes with the verticut cartridge. It works fantastic.
Pulled a huge pile of material out. I'll do one more app of Gly, possibly tomorrow. Aerate and topdress in the next couple days.Seeing a bit of a hot spell so I'll most likely wait until next weekend for seed down.


----------



## Shindoman

Did a very heavy aeration on Monday.
Then cleaned up the plugs yesterday.
Topdress tomorrow


----------



## SNOWBOB11

It looks like you were able to open the canopy and were able to get to the soil. Should make a good seed bed. Are you going to put a layer of soil across the hole yard?


----------



## Shindoman

SNOWBOB11 said:


> It looks like you were able to open the canopy and were able to get to the soil. Should make a good seed bed. Are you going to put a layer of soil across the hole yard?


1/4" of straight sand and work as much into the aeration holes as I can.


----------



## Shindoman

Layed down 1 1/2 yds. of sand on Sat. Hot, humid weather made it a real workout. Brought up a couple low spots and ran the drag mat around to get it nice and flat. Dropped the seed yesterday. Weather is supposed to be warm for a few more days, then cooler with some showers forecast. Perfect!
The rest is up to the turf gods.


----------



## Thenenk

Very excited for you! This looks really good! I need that top dresser where did you get it?


----------



## Shindoman

Thenenk said:


> Very excited for you! This looks really good! I need that top dresser where did you get it?


I ordered it direct from Bannerman in Ontario, Canada. There are identical units with different branding that are available in the USA. I can't remember what they are called.


----------



## Harts

Got my bag of popcorn. Excited to watch this unfold!


----------



## Green

Great progress.

And thanks for the tips on roofing projects. There was minimal grass damage, but it was also not as sunny or a hot day...the tarps damaged some areas slightly and it wilted/matted down, and then some went brown in the week or so after, but it did not really kill anything outright...it revived with water and fertilizer after a couple of weeks. Also, the company used a large magnetic sweeper, and picked up most of the nails. A few were left behind, of course, and I've found 30-40 so far using a small one I purchased. There are still some more...I have to do it again.


----------



## cfinden

Looking forward to see those sprouts.


----------



## Shindoman

Been out of town for 6 days but came home to see a touch of green! I was expecting to not see any germination for 2 weeks but I guess with the warm temps and I've kept it wet it came fast. I'll give it some food tomorrow and warm rains are forecast so that will help.


----------



## crazymas0n

Looks amazing, can't get over your view, beautiful property. Good luck, can't wait to see finished pics.


----------



## Shindoman

Today I dropped a Carbon granular I had, 17-0-4 at half rate along with a spray of Iron and Nualgi, again at half rate. Then once more with the roller. Lots of seed still to germinate. Rains predicted the next few days. Forecast calls for an inch or more over the next few days. This is where all that sand will pay off so seed stays in place and it stays well drained.


----------



## Bug pumper

Did you manage to avoid all the downpours on Monday? It was something incredible in localized spots.


----------



## Shindoman

Bug pumper said:


> Did you manage to avoid all the downpours on Monday? It was something incredible in localized spots.


I guess so. We were on the Oregon Coast until yesterday. My daughter said it poured hard Sat. Night and some rain on Monday. We did see an incredible lighting storm on Thursday in Mt. St. Helens area on Thursday night.


----------



## Shindoman

Today is 15 days since seed down. Usually my seed blend needs 14 days for germination. I wish it was thicker but it's starting to fill in nicely. Started out warm and sunny but this week there's been a few heavy rain days. Wish the sun was out more. The area in the shade in first pic has thin spots from less sun. Then I have another area along the ground cover side that gets less water from the sprinklers and lots of sun so less germination as it might not have kept the seeds moist enough. Rain hopefully ends tomorrow, then drier weather is forecast.
Overall I think it is doing fine, what do you guys think? 
Keep in mind this turf blend has a lighter green shade. Not dark like you KBG guys are used to.
I'l give it some more liquid food tomorrow.


----------



## Thenenk

Looking strong!


----------



## jabopy

Wow :thumbup: you'll soon be getting young Dennis out again


----------



## Shindoman

Like a worried parent, My babies don't seem to be growing fast enough. The last few days have been dark, dreary, and wet. 1" of rainfall yesterday. Pulled a few tiny weeds that are showing up. I'll give it a spray of food tonight. Sun forecast for a few more days. I'm hesitant to drop more seed as I need things to dry up a bit and don't want to be watering to keep the seed moist. Hoping the sun and food will give them a spurt so I can start cutting. It's a very delicate grass at this point.


----------



## Bug pumper

We have been screwed out of a September so far that's for sure. Looks like you're getting nice even germination and good positioning for sun exposure to make it count.


----------



## Shindoman

Day 20. More rain. It just won't quit. Got a dry day yesterday but back to more rain today. I cut for the first time yesterday. Dropped some more seed as still have lots of areas that are thin. At least it's still warm, (highs in upper 60's). It's growing but not fast enough for me. Feeling disappointed but as my wife says
" it's grass, it will grow ".


----------



## DonInTheLawn

That looks amazing. Looks like a golf fairway


----------



## g-man

I will like some of that rain please.


----------



## Shindoman

g-man said:


> I will like some of that rain please.


I'd be happy to oblige if there was a way.


----------



## Shindoman

So looks like sun is on the way. Unfortunately colder temps with it. Lows in the forties. We had over twice the average rainfall for Sept. it's growing but very slowly. Hoping the second round of seed drop germinates soon.


----------



## Shindoman

So looks like sun is on the way. Unfortunately colder temps with it. Lows in the forties. We had over twice the average rainfall for Sept. already. 
it's growing but very slowly. Hoping the second round of seed drop germinates soon.


----------



## Baretta

It was a miserable September wasn't it. Hopefully the week brings progress.


----------



## Shindoman

It's drying up somewhat. Still had a few days of rain lately. It's growing and filling in but slowly. I'm sure I'll have some bare spots until the spring but I guess 
considering we had almost 5 inches of rain in since I seeded it doesn't look too bad. I'll keep feeding and cutting it. Hopefully it will grow right into Nov.


----------



## SNOWBOB11

That's doing well. By next season you won't even remember the bare areas.


----------



## Shindoman

SNOWBOB11 said:


> That's doing well. By next season you won't even remember the bare areas.


@SNOWBOB11 thanks for the positive re enforcement. 
For years I've always had a thick full lawn. It's killing my OCD to have to look at this! 😆.


----------



## Shindoman

Not much new to report. We've had nothing but rain up until a couple days ago. It's filling in slowly but there is some thick bladed Annual ryegrass that has taken hold that annoys me. Still a few bare areas where it's wet and doesn't get any direct sun this time of the year. Pulled some quack grass by hand,. Did a hand rake to lift some of the ryegrass upright and gave it a triple cut. Going to spray some pre emergent (Bemsumec 4LF) to try and combat the flush of undesirable grasses I typically get in early March.


----------



## cfinden

Any growth in Vancouver still? How's the reno looking?


----------



## Shindoman

So it's been a while since I posted anything in my journal. It's been a tough spring as far as the lawn (let alone everything else happening) is concerned.
Early wet spring brought about a thinning lawn with lots of annual ryegrass and crabgrass. Cold temps so not much growth of the good stuff. I did a verticut in early April to get ready for topdress and overseed. My verticutter is a bit too aggressive for the young grass so it made things worse. I decided to spot spray some of the crabgrass with Gly. Dropped seed on April 15 with a soil temp of 50 degrees. But then it never got any warmer. So now I had a weak slowly growing grass with big ugly brown spots. Kept it moist (not hard in Vancouver in the spring) and fed it lots. First few weeks were painful. Covid stress and the lawn left me feeling pretty Down. Kept feeding it and spot seeded the dead spots. I've started doing liquid only nutrition but growth was so slow I supplemented it with granular. In the meantime Poa came for a visit. Mid May came and still looked awful but started getting warmer. Now it started to grow. Kept seeding spots and pulled some weeds by hand whenever I could. Finally in June things started looking up. Grass is a patient mans game. I probably dropped seed a month too early. Looking up now but I still need to wait before I can safely apply a post M. I'll prob use Bayer Acclaim Extra. Hard to find something that's safe for 
FF/Colonial Bent. My first reno ever and I made a lot of mistakes. Ill keep at it and will do another big overseed in the fall and hopefully next year it will be stunning! Here's a few pics of the timeline.


----------



## Shindoman

Nov. 23, 2019



April 10
After verticut and aeration


April 18
Just after seed drop YUK!


----------



## Shindoman

April 22
Keeping the existing grass cut to get it to thicken up.



May 5
Some new growth but the killed spots are not germinating.



May 12
Still ugly, using PGR now so some yellowing



May 31
Getting better


May 4
Dead spots finally growing
The white stuff is Pennmulch to keep the seed moist


----------



## Shindoman

June 8, yesterday.
Amazing how the sun position shows off the stripes and changes the color.


Today, June 9
Feeling much better but still lots of undesirables in there. It's been a difficult and stressful experience but I love it! Always learning


----------



## gatorguy

Its come along way! Looks great. Love the dirt bike pics on the lawn.


----------



## jabopy

Wow!! No wonder you went missing for 7 months. :shock: That's a long haul to get back, well done that man. :thumbup:


----------



## Shindoman

So growing nicely, filling in and getting thicker. Still lots of Poa and crabgrass. 
Cutting every other day. Finally getting temps in the 70's after a cool damp spring. I'll do a test sample of a herbicide my turf guy gave me to make sure it's safe for my mix before I proceed.


----------



## Shindoman

Decided against the herbicide. Some stress to the Bent in a test patch and I've been winning the crabgrass war. Poa is starting to die back also but still lots of it. Going to switch to a new PGR. I've been using Podium for a few years now. Going to try Armortech PAC 223. Active ingredient Is Paclobutrazol. 
Here's a pic from tonight. You can see the lighter Poa patches if you look closely.


----------



## gatorguy

Nice! Beautiful evening tonight. Had to take a pic driving home. Gotta love that sky. Look like you have a permanant view of it from your place! Georgeous.


----------



## weirj55

Absolutely beautiful! The yard, the view, the reno - wow you have put some time and effort in. I did a partial reno last fall and am looking to do another this fall with the rest of the yard. It was great to read through your story. That Dennis sure does a nice job in the hands of a capable driver! Keep it up.


----------



## Sinclair

My goodness, I'm convinced you have the best view on TLF!


----------



## rob13psu

Sinclair said:


> My goodness, I'm convinced you have the best view on TLF!


^+1. Beautiful.


----------



## Bcsteve

Hey @Shindoman ... I see you have a mini topper and I've been looking into getting one myself as I can't find one up here in the northern region. I'd just like to apply topsoil once a year so what's the verdict!??! PS super view you have of the city!


----------



## Shindoman

Bcsteve said:


> Hey @Shindoman ... I see you have a mini topper and I've been looking into getting one myself as I can't find one up here in the northern region. I'd just like to apply topsoil once a year so what's the verdict!??! PS super view you have of the city!


It works great for sand and peat moss. Not sure how it would work for topsoil. 
You can buy it direct from Bannerman Turf out of Ontario.


----------



## Bcsteve

Awesom @Shindoman ill have to find out... cheers!


----------



## Shindoman

I can't believe I did this. I've had a great lawn for years. Last fall I did a full reno because I've always wanted a very fine bladed grass English style lawn. I tried a Fine Fescue/Colonial Bent mix that is said to be good for the Pacific Northwest. Started out well but record rainfall and a few bad calls by me left me with a yard full of Poa and crabgrass. Poa is impossible to elimate in our microclimate. So I basically had an entire year with a s--- lawn and it was driving me crazy! Then the guy that I buy all my fertilizer products from installs a putting green in his back yard that is custom grown Poa. So I decide to do the same thing. Theres a local sod farm that grows Poa for golf greens from plugs taken from an old top notch local private course. They supplied the new Poa greens to Chambers Bay after their greens were a disaster a couple years ago when they hosted the U.S. Open. I got a great deal on the price so I ripped up all my turf, did a bunch of prep and levelling, and we laid the new sod today. Now its up to me to make sure I can maintain this special turf. It came cut at 1/4" hoc! I wouldn't even attempt this but my turf products supplier has the same turf and he's happy to share all his knowledge and we will share the cost of any stuff we need. lol maintain at 1/4" to start and hopefully drop it down to putting height next year. Never thought I would end up trying to maintain a putting green but here goes nothing!


----------



## SGrabs33

WOW. Looking forward to this!


----------



## Baretta

:shock: I knew you were up to something. You were too quiet. :thumbsup:


----------



## jabopy

Good grief man!!! :shock: Are you going to tell us what SWMBO said? :roll: Or was she on holiday that week? :thumbup:


----------



## Butter

Awesome!


----------



## tilsonturf

Wow. That sod looks crazy. Good luck with this - looking forward to updates.


----------



## Shindoman

jabopy said:


> Good grief man!!! :shock: Are you going to tell us what SWMBO said? :roll: Or was she on holiday that week? :thumbup:


She just shakes her head in disbelief. But she did comment that she likes the bright green color of the new turf. As my buddy said "Hey, at least he's not gambling or chasing skirts".


----------



## Shindoman

Day 5 since sod went down. Heavy rain this morning and for the next few days.


----------



## Shindoman

Day 11 since the sod went down. Last week was lots of rain. Gave it another shot of the triple 11 on Saturday.. Sunny and warm this week and it's growing really well. Roots haven't fully attached but I'm hoping to do first cut on Saturday.


----------



## Shindoman

Did the first cut today. 14 days after laying. Sod came at 1/4".
I cut at 3/4" today. Some spots are under 3/4" so never got touched but some was at least 1". Don't want to take too much off at one time. I'll cut every other day and lower by a 1/16" each time until I back to 1/4". Seems firmly attached except some parts of my little upper area. Weather has been perfect this week. Sunny and warm, cool damp nights. Perfect for growing grass. I'll spray tomorrow.


----------



## GlynRS2

Looking good!
It looks like green velvet.


----------



## Tassoty

Great looking turf! The leveling....no words. You have now the best English lawn :shock:  . What kind of Poa?


----------



## Shindoman

Tassoty said:


> Great looking turf! The leveling....no words. You have now the best English lawn :shock:  . What kind of Poa?


Not really sure what type of Poa it is. Grown from plugs taken a local old private golf course that has been entirely Poa for many many years.


----------



## jabopy

Have you a close up shot of the turf? What edger do you use + to cut round the stepping stone path?


----------



## Cdub5_

One of the best lawns on the site without question. 
THE BEST when it comes to the view. That is beautiful!!


----------



## Shindoman

jabopy said:


> Have you a close up shot of the turf? What edger do you use + to cut round the stepping stone path?


I use my Milwaukee trimmer with the rotary scissors attachment to trim the stepping stones. Just use it straight up, and down. For the rest of the lawn I use an old school lawn edger. I don't believe in string trimmers. I'll get a close up of the grass for you in the next couple days.


----------



## Shindoman

@jabopy Here's a couple close up shots of the turf, cut at 9/16". I want to get it down to 3/8" and see how it looks. It's a bit too spongy at 9/16" and leaves footprints. Going to spray some food and a 1/2 dose of PGR today.


----------



## jabopy

That's looks as if it's going to be fantastic, you could have started a trend if so.


----------



## Shindoman

Gave it some liquid food and a 2/3 dose of PGR day on Tuesday. Knocked it back a fair bit. Def some loss of color. I'll cut the dosage back to half rate for next time. Have about 4 small spots of snow mold. The sod farm grows it pretty wet it's been quite damp every since I put it down. I'll get a turf whip to knock the dew off in the mornings. That may help. 
Gave it a shot of Heritage Fungicide today. Was hoping to use as little fungicide as possible but what can you do? My turf guy says once we get it strong and get it on a good health plan, fungicides will be minimal. Since my turf guy has the same turf in his back yard, we'll share products to cut the cost. He gets everything wholesale too.


----------



## cfinden

@Shindoman looks amazing, congrats.

If they grow it from plugs it must spread? Poa annua doesn't spread, but poa T does. There's also the modified Poa reptans (Creeping bluegrass) https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.sroseed.com/Files/Files/SRO_USA/Tech_Sheets/Turfgrass/Specialty/Two_Putt_ts.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiCyqjSnqvsAhWSvZ4KHaNlBYoQFjABegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw0cCAMY3iCvMYEBzqRJe9YW

I'm curious on what it actually is, looks great and perfect for your climate.


----------



## Shindoman

cfinden said:


> @Shindoman looks amazing, congrats.
> 
> If they grow it from plugs it must spread? Poa annua doesn't spread, but poa T does. There's also the modified Poa reptans (Creeping bluegrass) https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.sroseed.com/Files/Files/SRO_USA/Tech_Sheets/Turfgrass/Specialty/Two_Putt_ts.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiCyqjSnqvsAhWSvZ4KHaNlBYoQFjABegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw0cCAMY3iCvMYEBzqRJe9YW
> 
> I'm curious on what it actually is, looks great and perfect for your climate.


From what I understand, there are hundreds of varieties of Poa Annua. They develop and adapt to their local climate. 
The local turf experts tell me the old golf courses like Capilano and Marine Dr. transitioned into entirely Poa 
30 or 40 yrs ago. This stuff is from Marine Dr. I don't think you'll find any specifics about this variety anywhere. 
Heres the description from Bos Sod:
Northwest Poa Greens Sod
Consists of: Annual Bluegrass, HOC .250" (6mm) This product is ideally suited for golf greens on the West coast where there is year around play and where the winters are cool and wet. This product is grown on washed sand and is compatible with USGA greens. Northwest Poa Greens Sod is grown from poa annua plugs, native to the Seattle and Vancouver, BC area. This sod type is suitable for new construction or renovations of golf greens, situated in South West Coast of BC and the West Coast areas of the US. Northwest Poa sod will also perform better than bentgrass in a shaded environment.


----------



## Tassoty

Interesting. It made me read quite a few articles and superintendent blogs about poa greens and how the cultural practices are way different than on bentgrass.


----------



## SOLARSUPLEX

Your property has just become what i aspire to have in the future. Seeing as you're basically in WA state and into the Euro car community i'm curious if you ever made your way down for some of the older events? Waterwerks or Leavenworth drive?

Its refreshing to see a property that has neighbors within earshot unlike all these guys in the midwest with their acres of lawn.

Beautiful yard, garage, meals... Im jealous on all fronts. Keep doing what you're doing and setting an example for the rest of us!


----------



## mowww

@Shindoman beautiful work. Thanks for the updates!


----------



## Shindoman

SOLARSUPLEX said:


> Your property has just become what i aspire to have in the future. Seeing as you're basically in WA state and into the Euro car community i'm curious if you ever made your way down for some of the older events? Waterwerks or Leavenworth drive?
> 
> Its refreshing to see a property that has neighbors within earshot unlike all these guys in the midwest with their acres of lawn.
> 
> Beautiful yard, garage, meals... Im jealous on all fronts. Keep doing what you're doing and setting an example for the rest of us!


Thanks for all the compliments. I've never made it to any of the Wa. State cruises. Always seem to have plans as we were into rving and dirt biking. The rv is up for sale, dirt bikes are gone. Hope to have my Passat build completed for next summers cruises. The great thing about the VW thing is that my 2 teenage kids are into it and have their own VW's. Good clean fun for them.


----------



## SOLARSUPLEX

@Shindoman Teaches the kids more than you'd think too. Without my old Audi i wouldnt know how to turn a wrench which lends itself nicely to taking care of a home / garden.


----------



## Shindoman

Not much to report. Haven't done a thing to the lawn in a month. It's incredibly green and thick. We have a fair amount of dollar spot fungus. I did a fungicide about a month ago. Will do another spray tomorrow. Gave it a cut for the first time in over a month. Fungus is mostly in the areas that get less sun and are wetter. Some areas are absolutely stunning!


----------



## Shindoman

Been a pretty uneventful winter here. Starting to warm up a bit. Cut the lawn just once in Jan. Since last November. I've been spraying fungicide every 28 days, gave it a couple feeding of granular over the winter. All the sand topdressing and adding Axis DE to the soil has left me with the firmest lawn I've ever had for this time of the year. Here's the way it looks today. Nice deep green color and just a bit of blotchiness. Fungus spots are still there but hopefully they fill in as it grows. I see signs of that already. Need to cut it in the next few days for sure


----------



## Shindoman

First cut of the year. Gave it a light rake first, then cut. Then I opened up the fungus spots with a rake and gave it second cut at 9/16". Looks pretty darn good for this time of the year. I need to drop a bit sand on the fungus spots and grind it in with my foot like your putting out a cigarette. Apparently that helps to break up the fungus barrier. Start my spray and granular program next week.


----------



## Harts

Looks wonderful as always. :thumbup:


----------



## Shindoman

Harts said:


> Looks wonderful as always. :thumbup:


Thank You 🙏


----------



## Salish_E

Hey @Shindoman , I have learned a bunch by following your journal over the past couple of seasons. A huge inspiration for me - thank you for sharing! The new Poa sod looks fantastic. 
Question for you: I noticed you applied Axis DE at one point. Have you continued to apply it? Do you mix it with your sand and apply with your top dresser?
Thanks again!


----------



## Shindoman

Salish_E said:


> Hey @Shindoman , I have learned a bunch by following your journal over the past couple of seasons. A huge inspiration for me - thank you for sharing! The new Poa sod looks fantastic.
> Question for you: I noticed you applied Axis DE at one point. Have you continued to apply it? Do you mix it with your sand and apply with your top dresser?
> Thanks again!


Axis DE is meant to be mixed in the soil, not on top. I would always aerate before applying with my topdress and work it down in. When I ripped up the old turf, I raked the soil aggressively to loosen it up and added about 12 bags of Axis for my 2000 sq ft. Raked and dragged it smooth. Then watered and rolled before laying the new sod.


----------



## Salish_E

:thumbup: Thanks!


----------



## Shindoman

Lawn is starting to grow nicely. Fungus spots are filling in and it's a rich deep green. Gave it granular and spray on April 1. Warm sunny weather coming next week. I'll do a light topdress in a week or so.


----------



## hammerhead

Great lawn @Shindoman . Just incredible with unmatched density. Just read your whole journal and it was really entertaining. Never thought Poa Annua could look as good. I guess this variety produces much less seedheads than the wild varieties? I'm not sure if already mentioned but can you tell us the name of that variety?


----------



## Shindoman

hammerhead said:


> Great lawn @Shindoman . Just incredible with unmatched density. Just read your whole journal and it was really entertaining. Never thought Poa Annua could look as good. I guess this variety produces much less seedheads than the wild varieties? I'm not sure if already mentioned but can you tell us the name of that variety?


Thanks for the compliments. This Poa is not a developed single variety. It is grown from aeration plugs taken from one of the older golf courses in Vancouver that has learned how to let what was once invasive Poa grow and flourish. The seed heads are still there. But are only slightly visible for a couple months. This also means overseeding is not required. The other cool thing is there is bentgrass that invades this turf and in the hot summer months when the Poa struggles the bent will take over and looks great. Then as it cools Poa will dominate once again. It does really well in our cool wet winters. I had a green lawn all winter and actually cut it once in January. Currently at 1/2" hoc and going to attempt keeping it at 3/8".


----------



## hammerhead

@Shindoman thanks for the details.
Although this custom blend probably wouldn't work in my climate it is still fascinating how it thrives at your place. You probably found the best adapted mix for your climate conditions. Congrats and keep posting. Very innovative approach, you definitely have some (golf)balls .


----------



## Shindoman

@hammerhead thank you! The best thing any of us can do is talk to a local turf expert. Typically someone that works at a local golf course. The amazing thing about turf is it adapts to local conditions. I thought I could grow Fine Fescue because our climate seems similar to the U.K.. it just wouldn't grow here. My local expert warned me and he was right. Poa it is!


----------



## Shindoman

I verticut the lawn 2 weeks ago. It was getting pretty spongy. Thatch was building up. II also put down 12 bags of dry sand for topdress. I love using bagged sand in my Lesco instead of using the Bannerman top dresser ( I actually sold the Bannerman last week). I was afraid to hit it too aggressive as it's still not warm enough here for the grass to grow strongly. It took a bit of a hit and lost its color but otherwise was ok. I missed out on a spray app because of issues with the solids Not dissolving well enough so the sprayer was plugged.. 
gave it granular last weekend along with a proper spray app. This week it's growing well and starting to green up. All the fungus spots are filled in and looking good. Gave it a nice cut today and another spray app to see what happens. Usually 2 weeks between apps but this is an extra shot. Lots of Poa seed heads right now and areas of Bentgrass are getting bigger. My Turf Expert buddy says the Bent will dominate in the warmer months.


----------



## Shindoman

Growing well. PGR is doing its job. Cutting every 3 days at 7/16". Here's an early morning pic. Funny how the difference in lighting makes the color change.


----------



## cnet24

Hard to believe that is the same weed I spend killing/preventing in my bermuda lawn over the winter. Looks incredible!


----------



## Shindoman

Bought the fancy topdress sand. Greens grade 1mm dried.


----------



## BBLOCK

Happy sanding Shindo


----------



## todmanning99

@Shindoman Sorry if you've already posted this but which Lesco spreader are you using for this? I'm assuming it's the 12olb capacity drop spreader?

Thanks.


----------



## Shindoman

todmanning99 said:


> @Shindoman Sorry if you've already posted this but which Lesco spreader are you using for this? I'm assuming it's the 12olb capacity drop spreader?
> 
> Thanks.


I actually use my 80lb rotary. It will hold 2 bags of sand easy (110 lbs) and I'm only spreading about 8 bags per 100 sq ft. Just a light dressing that I will do every couple months after verticutting to keep the thatch down. Spring and fall get topdressing is heavier so I use about 1/2 yard of wet sand spread with a shovel and broomed in.


----------



## todmanning99

Good to know. Just want you to know how much I appreciate your posts. We live in the same neighborhood so it's interesting to see how things are working for you and how I might also be able to apply them


----------



## 50shades_of_green

Shindoman said:


> Bought the fancy topdress sand. Greens grade 1mm dried.


I quickly skimmed through your journal, amazing stuff! Really tempted to switch to poa also.

I'm not too far from you and looking to start top dressing and leveling my reno from last year. Any advice on what kind of sand to get and where to get it?

I was thinking of using river sand for top dress and a mason sand to level. This place is local to me: https://www.meadowslandscapesupply.com/products/bulk-aggregates/


----------



## Shindoman

50shades_of_green said:


> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Bought the fancy topdress sand. Greens grade 1mm dried.
> 
> 
> 
> I quickly skimmed through your journal, amazing stuff! Really tempted to switch to poa also.
> 
> I'm not too far from you and looking to start top dressing and leveling my reno from last year. Any advice on what kind of sand to get and where to get it?
> 
> I was thinking of using river sand for top dress and a mason sand to level. This place is local to me: https://www.meadowslandscapesupply.com/products/bulk-aggregates/
Click to expand...

I've used river sand for years for levelling and topdressing. I only bought the dried sand for light topdressing during the year. When I topdress after aeration I use River sand to fill in the holes. The dried sand would be too expensive for that. Do you have a lot of levelling to do? Maybe just simplify and use River sand for everything. How is your KBG doing? It typically does not do well around here. Too wet. 
Good Luck.


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## 50shades_of_green

Shindoman said:


> 50shades_of_green said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shindoman said:
> 
> 
> 
> Bought the fancy topdress sand. Greens grade 1mm dried.
> 
> 
> 
> I quickly skimmed through your journal, amazing stuff! Really tempted to switch to poa also.
> 
> I'm not too far from you and looking to start top dressing and leveling my reno from last year. Any advice on what kind of sand to get and where to get it?
> 
> I was thinking of using river sand for top dress and a mason sand to level. This place is local to me: https://www.meadowslandscapesupply.com/products/bulk-aggregates/
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've used river sand for years for levelling and topdressing. I only bought the dried sand for light topdressing during the year. When I topdress after aeration I use River sand to fill in the holes. The dried sand would be too expensive for that. Do you have a lot of levelling to do? Maybe just simplify and use River sand for everything. How is your KBG doing? It typically does not do well around here. Too wet.
> Good Luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks! River sand it is. Not a lot of leveling to do as I graded and leveled the whole thing last year before seeding.

The kbg is doing surprisingly well, when I decided to go with it I gave it a very low chance of success thinking it'd most likely suffer from melting out. Worst case scenario was it'd die off and I'd be left with the prg then overseed with more prg.

With the kbg onto its sophomore year, I'm starting regret not going with a kbg mono because the difference in color with the champion gq mix.


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## Shindoman

@50shades_of_green in the long run a mono KBG will possibly not survive. You chose right to mix with the PRG. Give it a little extra Iron 
If you want more color.


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