# 2016 Year-in-review / Lessons Learned



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

This place needs some photos! Here are some shots from 2016...


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

You know I've got pics!


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Wish I would have scalped and leveled the irrigation lines once they filled in.


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## SimonR (Feb 1, 2017)

Not a bad season so far, but lots of rain and heat is proving a little more challenging this year to keep it low


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Looks spectacular, as always, Simon!

Welcome to The Lawn Forum! For those who don't know Simon, check out *The Lawn Geek* on Facebook and Instagram.


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Keeping my Bermuda below .5 all year has taught me a few things. The first, is that it's not that much different from keeping it below 1 all year, you just need the proper equipment.

Without a groomer or verticutter I found the grass became puffy and had graining issues in a spot or two. To remedy this, I preformed a mid-season major scalp. Hindsight, I wouldn't recommend this, instead I would recommend a few minor scalps coupled with some hard taking to thin out the canopy as maybe even a top dressing of quality sand.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Red, why wouldn't you recommend a mid season scalp for? For those that don't have a groomer or verticutter it might be a viable option. I know once I get back into the lawn, my goal will be to keep it below .5" going into dormancy.


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Wow, everyone's lessons learned look amazing! Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, it all looks awesome. With my travel schedule, I learned that even with heavy PGR doses, I can't maintain 1/2" all year, and that will just have to be ok.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

dfw_pilot said:


> Wow, everyone's lessons learned look amazing! Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, it all looks awesome. With my travel schedule, I learned that even with heavy PGR doses, I can't maintain 1/2" all year, and that will just have to be ok.


No shame in that. I think know you can have great looking bermuda at higher HOC's as long as you're doing everything else right.


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## Redtenchu (Jan 28, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> Red, why wouldn't you recommend a mid season scalp for? For those that don't have a groomer or verticutter it might be a viable option. I know once I get back into the lawn, my goal will be to keep it below .5" going into dormancy.


It's viable, but after doing it myself I wouldnt recommend it. The amount of work that goes into the scalp, clean up and after care just wasn't worth the results I had over that month or so period of time.


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## SimonR (Feb 1, 2017)

Thanks everyone and great to be on board with the new forum.

I have been having discussions with Red & MQ regarding my Primo and whether it has lost its effectiveness over time. One thing I don't usually have to contend with is lots of rain and heat. The lawns have gone mental with rapid growth that feels like double the growth rate I am used to. I am considering a small reno on the front lawn as it is getting puffy and prone to scalping already. I have done two increases in HOC and another one is on the cards


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

SimonR said:


> my Primo and whether it has lost its effectiveness over time.


I'll be starting my third year with my gallon of PGR [Regimax]. With over half the gallon left, I'm a bit concerned mine will be losing strength as well this year. If it does, I'll be on the lookout for 1/2 gallon size, or ~ 2 liters.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

dfw_pilot said:


> SimonR said:
> 
> 
> > my Primo and whether it has lost its effectiveness over time.
> ...


I bought some last year and only bought a quart even though it's cheaper by the gallon. I am curious to see what yours does this year, it well could have been something else causing mine to act differently but it "seemed" to not last as long and it was burning the tips of the grass too which had never happened before either.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

Something else I learned from last year is that you can neglect your lawn for the most part and come back the next year and it's amazing how thin it is underneath all the grass. I have hardly any "mat" at all, I only fertilized once last year in late Spring and watered when the Rachio decided it needed it. I am going to try wetting agents this year to see if it helps any, I am looking for more even watering than I am looking to less watering. I think if I can get a more even distribution of water in the soil profile, it will go a long way to having a nice uniform looking lawn. I did find out that Lesco Moisture Manager is not a Wetting Agent per se, it more or less takes water out of the air and soil and supplies it to the plant, it doesn't help "move" water in or around the soil.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> Something else I learned from last year is that you can neglect your lawn for the most part and come back the next year and it's amazing how thin it is underneath all the grass. I have hardly any "mat" at all...


I experienced the same thing after I took some 'time off' for baby/grad school. The scalp was brutal, but what was left was really thin. I do think this made my leveling job a lot easier.


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