# LawnBoys 2020 New KBG (Mazama, Bewitched, Award) Lawn



## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

In fall off 2019 My wife and I decided to build our dream home, forward to Spring off 2020 we are complete and now it's time for landscaping and lawn.

18,000 SqFt In West Michigan

June 22

I had 250 yards of topsoil brought in to cover my completely sandy base.





I have been letting the compost blend fallow and have made a few apps of Glyphosate to maintain some yellow nuts edge and barnyard grass..

On Friday July 24, I rented a 2" x 12" trencher to start my irrigation project, after 6hrs of trenching all my trenches are in and ready for pipe.









Saturday July 25, I was able to get 2 of my 7 zones piped in with heads installed


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## synergy0852 (Jun 30, 2018)

Congrats on your dream home! I look forward to following along on your journey here in W. MI.


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

I'm sure I will be following along as well......


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Irrigation day 3,

Probably 90% complete. All the pipe is installed and just need to tie in all my 2 valve boxes and a few misc. pieces that I didnt have. I hope to wrap it up in the evenings this week and hopefully put water on it by the weekend.


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

:thumbup:


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Haven't updated in a while but this weekend is seed weekend.

All the irrigation is in. 7 zones, and 38 RainBird 5000's. 1 extra zone for some drip irrigation once all the landscaping has been installed.

I installed 2 manifolds one in the front and one in the back to make pipe layout easy. I will say the install went very well and everything is up and running as it should be.

 I was busy and didn't get any updated photos after install.

Today I rented a Ditch Witch mini skid steer with a Harley rake to break up the top layer of soil that has come compacted after being spread. The machine did make very quick work of that.









I spent the last few hours dragging the soil with a drag mat behind the tractor to level everything out and prep for seed tomorrow. I have a few areas that need to be hand raked flat in the morning as they are pretty loose and a little difficult with the tractor and drag mat. 










I have a few area that need mulch yet tomorrow before seed but that should go quick.

Bewitched, Manama, and Award will go down at equal percentages along with starter Fert GreenPop and RGS and Tenacity.

I have one quite shady area that is going to have 20% fine fescue mixed in.


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

Looking good!


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## Zcape35 (Sep 17, 2019)

Looks like it's coming along!


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Late again on an update.

Seed went down 8/16/20.

Mazamma, Award and Bewitched at equal percentage. Followed by Lesco 18-24-12 and RGS.

Applied Tenacity prior to seed.


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

7 days from seed down and we have germination in some areas.


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## Chris LI (Oct 26, 2018)

Grass babies! Congrats! :thumbup:


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Today I had alot more germination. This is 8 days post seeding. This weeks temps look brutal but Thursday and Friday are high of 75 and lows of 54. So later in the week the grass should explode.

This side seems to have a big Jumpstart over other areas but there is more shade.


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

19 days after seeding.

Some spots are thicker than others but overall it was a successful germination so far. I applied another app of starter fert today. And will put another app of RGS down tomorrow.


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## Mtsdream (May 2, 2019)

This is great, coverage looks fantastic


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

Looking good!


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Weekend update, 26 days from putting seed down. Yesterday I applied Greenstart at 3oz/1k and RGS at 4oz/1k. I'm overall happy with how well things are progressing. I still see some germination happening in thin spots and the grass will for sure need to be cut next weekend. Its amazing what a little green will do to the appearance of a house.







I also made a new purchase today. Unfortunately I won't be able to use it for a while as the 22" SR is going to take its place but I cant wait.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

What was your seed rate (lb/ksqft). It seems that you had great coverage. Also, is that topsoil on top of sand?


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

g-man said:


> What was your seed rate (lb/ksqft). It seems that you had great coverage. Also, is that topsoil on top of sand?


I seeded at 4lb/1k and I did overseed a few thin spots with left over seed last weekend with my second app of starter. Yes, I have pure yellow sand. I had 250yds of compost blend soil brought in getting about 4-6 Inches of soil.


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## ken-n-nancy (Jul 25, 2017)

LawnBoy said:


> Weekend update, 26 days from putting seed down. ...


Wow! That's awesome! Great work!


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Thanks for the positive feedback. It's been a lot of work so far and the investment in seed was a little nerve wracking, but so far it has all payed off.

I have some weed pressure starting to pop. This coming weekend I am going to hit it with its first app of Tenacity since seed day. I also am going to start spoon feeding in AS and I have also been researching foliar applications of Urea and may give it a try, this is something I haven't done before.


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## UMStevo (Aug 25, 2020)

Wow! Your lawn is looking amazing! Love that KBG lawn and quick germination! How is it holding up in the shady areas?


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

A few update pictures, 33 days from seeding. I was gone for a few days out of town so it's nice to see a difference especially when your not looking at it everyday. I plan to cut tomorrow and get an app of AS down this weekend. Some spot are thin and some spots are very impressive. I'm planning to push spreading before the snow hits.


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Saturday was the first mowing. The look on my son's face helping me mow was only satisfaction that I needed. Some thin spots in my backyard but I'm hoping a little nitrogen push and some mowing will help push it to fill in.


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

I haven't been around a while but here is an update.

Getting into Spring after seeding last fall the lawn is doing great and couldn't be happier with the success. We are struggling this Spring with the temperatures in Michigan as the ground temp just broke 60F today, we have had frost warnings the last few weeks but it looks like that is soon to be behind us. I have been heavy on the N this Spring to push more growth and will soon switch to organic and liquids as we warm up. 








I have a small trouble spot and looks like I need to get on the disease control for the season.


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

I built this sprayer set up for the JD and so far it works great and makes liquid apps a breeze.



I bought the JD brackets that the use for their sprayer setup so the sprayer just hangs on a bracket and uses a hitch pin. It makes it easy on and off.

I used a Fimco 25 gallon spot sprayer tank and added some boom and sprayer parts. I can get a good eaten 60" swath that is very consistent. I also added a DC wireless relay with remote that is mounted under the hood with a quick disconnect wire in the back so all electrical is hidden. The remote is programmed with 2 buttons (momentary and latching)


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## synergy0852 (Jun 30, 2018)

Glad to see you're back @LawnBoy. Are you seeing seed heads yet?


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

synergy0852 said:


> Glad to see you're back @LawnBoy. Are you seeing seed heads yet?


Thanks, I just did an app of propiconazole tonight and noticed seed heads popped over the weekend.

You are probably seeing a lot warmer ground temps by you I would imagine, you must be at least a week ahead.

Poa killing you too?


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## synergy0852 (Jun 30, 2018)

Been battling it since last fall digging it out as I see it and using tenacity to help with that process as it sure knows how to hide.


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

I think the POA is behind me for the time being and now getting into dealing with the summer dryness. Went thru a long dry spell which helped identify deficiencies in watering so I had to add a few more heads and adjust nozzles. We just got nailed the last week with 6.5" of rain total so now I can give the irrigation a break for a while and focus on fungus control.

Photo from 6/11/21





Photos from 6/27/21







So far I am very pleased with the success and seed choice going into the first full season. The grass is defiantly getting denser and the color is getting more depth.


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## gregonfire (Sep 18, 2017)

Wow what an awesome lawn and house. Great work! Very impressive.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

This came out great - the only reason why I stumbled upon this was from @synergy0852 post on his journal about your property.

Please link your journal in your signature.

It's refreshing to see a taller cut KBG lawn. Looks lovely!


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

@JerseyGreens I appreciate it! I will do that, I am not active to much on here but its nice to check in on others every once in a while. I've been cutting 3.25" and that seems to have been the sweet spot for this turf.

@gregonfire Thanks man!


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## ksturfguy (Sep 25, 2018)

:thumbup:


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## Butter (Nov 14, 2017)

Very nice! I like the tall cut.


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Looks amazing. Do you think you will need fungus control if not mowing short? The new/improved kbg is supposed to be fungus-resistant?


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

Vtx531 said:


> Looks amazing. Do you think you will need fungus control if not mowing short? The new/improved kbg is supposed to be fungus-resistant?


Not to highjack but no such thing as fungus-resistant cultivars. The new cultivars do score higher in fungus tolerance though which is a good thing!


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## ROJ_3030 (Sep 28, 2019)

Wow! Glad I came across this!

Awesome job on yard, especially coming from a new construction project. I need to plan a field trip to check out these elite KBG lawns in person between yours and @synergy0852. Definitely subscribed. :thumbup:

Man, your setting is gorgeous there too!


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

JerseyGreens said:


> Vtx531 said:
> 
> 
> > Looks amazing. Do you think you will need fungus control if not mowing short? The new/improved kbg is supposed to be fungus-resistant?
> ...


@Vtx531 Thanks, Even tho these grasses will resist fungus I cant completely stop it. It will still invade and with the high amount of rain and very humid days this is when it will.


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## MJR12284 (Jun 21, 2020)

This is a fantastic reno! Great job documenting your progress. Congrats!


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Here's an update going into Spring 2021. Put an app of AS down 2 weeks ago along with Humic/Fullvis/Kelp from K4L and some Penterra. Temps are starting to cool off at night so will be doing AS every two weeks thru the fall to push growth.


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## synergy0852 (Jun 30, 2018)

:thumbup:


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## LawnBoy (Sep 30, 2018)

Going into fall here is an update, Photos are from 10/17/21.

Went heavy on the Nitrogen the last few months and I think it helped greatly fill in, I have noticed my south side has thinned since Spring but that gets more shade, I am hoping it will thicken up again in Spring when it gets more sun, Debating overseeding some shade tolerant fescue in here...

9/4 Applied first app of Ammonium Sulfate .6/lb N/1000
9/19 Second app of Ammonium Sulfate .6/lb N/1000 and app of Fulvic Humic Kelp
10/2 Applied a 25-0-15 with 5% Iron .72/lb N/1000
10/6 signs of yellowing so Propiconizole was applied and I will hold back on the N for right now.

Found some Poa Annua so I got my hands on PoaConstrictor and am giving it a try, Sprayed 10/17 and will follow up in 21 days.


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