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Powhatan's 2021 Lawn Journal

80K views 247 replies 11 participants last post by  Powhatan 
#1 ·
2020 Journal
2021 Lawn Plan
Objectives: biodiverse, reduced inputs, non-irrigated, heat and drought tolerant

Mid/Late Winter:

  • Hand-pull weeds.
  • Virginia Tech soil sample test.
  • Sow shady and deer resistant native plant seed mixes.
  • Dormant overseed fescue and shade grass seed - DLF Pickseed coated KY-31, LESCO All Pro Transition Tall Fescue Seed Blend (TTTF), and Scotts coated Dense Shade Mix (TTTF, CRF, KBG).

Spring:

  • Lite overseed white & strawberry clover areas if needed.
  • Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control.
  • Spray glyphosate on poa trivialis patches as needed, re-seed dead patches.
  • Garden Safe organic Neem Oil Extract - spot treat grass fungus & garden pests.
  • Lime - (if soil test recommended) to raise pH.
  • LESCO CarbonPro-G soil improver.
  • Scotts Foundation Soil Improver.
  • LESCO Acelepryn (chlorantraniliprole 0.067%) 0-0-7 SOP Insecticide - same active ingredient as Scotts GrubEX.
  • Safer Brand Lawn Restore 9-0-2 & Scotts Natural Lawn Food 11-2-2 slow release organic fertilize.
  • LESCO 0-0-45 PCSOP - (if soil test recommended) improves overall plant health going into Summer stress.
  • Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.25" (bag mow HOC 3.25" for more airflow if disease present).

Summer:

  • Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control.
  • Garden Safe organic Neem Oil Extract - spot treat grass fungus & garden pests.
  • EcoLogic organic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer granular - house foundation & lawn perimeter treatment.
  • Safer Brand Lawn Restore 9-0-2 & Scotts Natural Lawn Food 11-2-2 slow release organic fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.25" (bag mow HOC 3.25" for more airflow if disease present).

Early Fall:

  • Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control.
  • Lime - (if soil test recommended) to raise pH.
  • LESCO CarbonPro-G soil improver.
  • Maintenance overseed fescue and shade grass seed - DLF Pickseed coated KY-31, LESCO All Pro Transition Tall Fescue Seed Blend (TTTF), and LESCO Shady Select (CRF, Chewings, Hard, PRG, KBG)
  • LESCO Starter 14-20-4 fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.25".

Mid Fall:

  • Hand-pull weeds.
  • LESCO 30-0-10 split app Oct/Nov fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.25".
 
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#27 ·
Here's one of the wildflower beds bordering the lawn that I seeded.



This is the back yard corner that receives the bulk of the shade that had alot of poa trivialis. Last year I sprayed glyphosate three times trying to kill all the poa triv there. Well the poa triv there is a zombie plant and is coming back. I sowed the bulk of the shade wildflower seed mix in this area. Maybe a mature wildflower stand will out complete the poa triv.

 
#28 ·
Great photos illustrating the conditions.
 
#31 ·
It should start growing a bit in the next week or two with those soil temps.

Good luck on your dormant seeding. Have you found KY-31 planted now can make it through Summer without supplemental irrigation?

I have extensive rehabbing to do on a property due to plow damage. In fact, all of what I seeded last Fall, plus a lot of existing grass, appears to have been plowed up. I likely will have only a relatively short period this Spring to access that property and fix it before I no longer have access. I will most likely need to dormant overseed as part of the repair, and I still have the KY-31 seed. I was impressed with the germination vigor last Fall, even though it was late in the year. I would hope the reseed would persist even once the property is no longer under my care.
 
#32 ·
Green said:
It should start growing a bit in the next week or two with those soil temps.

Good luck on your dormant seeding. Have you found KY-31 planted now can make it through Summer without supplemental irrigation?

I have extensive rehabbing to do on a property due to plow damage. In fact, all of what I seeded last Fall, plus a lot of existing grass, appears to have been plowed up. I likely will have only a relatively short period this Spring to access that property and fix it before I no longer have access. I will most likely need to dormant overseed as part of the repair, and I still have the KY-31 seed. I was impressed with the germination vigor last Fall, even though it was late in the year. I would hope the reseed would persist even once the property is no longer under my care.
My area's soil is about 7F cooler now than last year same time. On average mid-Mar is when soil temps reach 50F. So next couple of weeks should start seeing emergence across the board. With soil temps slowly warming all the emergence speed will be like sprout and pout. There's been lots of birds feeding on the lawn, so I'm thinking I may have to broadcast a little more seed next month.

The KY-31 is a very hardy plant and what I've seen it handles heat and drought better than TTTF without irrigation. Like any cool season grass it struggles during the summer, curls, has brown blades, and I'm sure some % dies, but overall it survives through several days of 90F/100F temperatures, then greens back up when temps cool and rains return. I maintain a tall cut to give the grass a better chance to survive summer. Promoting a healthy microbial diversity soil helps a lot.

I have KY-31 growing in the gravel roadside that I don't irrigate, fertilize, or amend the soil in the area. From one KY-31 plant a few years ago to many now.
 
#33 ·
Hand-pulled some poa trivialis, mouse-ear chickweed, and hairy bittercress weeds.

Rerouted a gutter downspout to exit into a natural area that has native plants growing instead of exiting into the lawn and causing soil erosion. Filled the soil erosion area with top soil and hand-broadcasted some white & strawberry clover seeds. Clover germinates in cooler soil temps which will put down roots sooner to hold the new soil in place.
 
#35 ·
Soil temp 54F @ 2" depth. YDD GDD 11.5 base 50F. Warming up. The established clover appears to be actively growing now getting taller than the surrounding dormant grass blades.

Hand-pulled some poa trivialis and lots of hairy bittercress weeds. The bittercress is mainly on the front lawn boarding near the gravel road where I probably didn't put down sufficient fall preM. Last year I remember seeing numerous bittercress weeds all over the gravel road sides.
 
#36 ·
Hand-pulled orchardgrass and poa trivialis weeds.

The young poa triv are actively growing getting taller than the surrounding desirable dormant grass. The poa triv has horizontally spreading rhizomes with the tillers popping above ground surface away from plant center; this is why you need to spray or physical remove the triv inches further way from plant center.
 
#37 ·
While waiting for warmer temperatures coming in the next few days ...

Hand-pulled orchardgrass, poa trivialis, and one poa annua that had seed heads starting to appear. Blew off fallen leaves from back woods walking trail and cut up storm felled trees. Performed annual maintenance checks on riding and push mowers. Picked up lawn winter debris. Installed a rain barrel.
 
#38 ·
Soil temp 50F near the house and 47F in the yard. YTD GDD still at 11.5 base 50F. Air temps been cooler past ~10 days, warmer starting today.

A few new clover emerged from seed, soil still too cold for new grass emergence.

Hand-pulled some more orchardgrass and poa trivialis.

For those that are curious ... the orchardgrass came from the contractor's seed mix that the home builder put down 5 years ago; I've been removing orchardgrass for the past ~4 years, there's no selective herbicide that I know of. And the poa triviallis is not a noxious weed that was included in a seed bag I bought; it was unearthed when the home builder dug trenches in the backyard for the septic drain lines. I unknownly made the mistake of spreading the poa triv more by using a core aerator all over the lawn.
 
#40 ·
Soil temps been in the 50sF this week but air temps staying on the cooler side. The YTD GDD is 43 base 50F, which is about half lower than this time last year. I anticipate GDD ~89 is when new grass will emerge.

Raked up straggler fallen leaves and some dead grass.

Birds keep looking for food in the yard and I suspect they are gobbling up some grass seed I put down last month, so I broadcasted some reserve grass seed 30# DLF Pickseed KY-31 and 10# LESCO All Pro Transition TTTF.
 
#42 ·
A lot of the KY-31 clumps are greening and thickening up. Late next month I plan to spray the remainder of N-Ext RGS I have left over to help the grass roots to grow. Then soon after when soil temps reach 60-65F broadcast organic fertilizer and CarbonPro-G.
 
#43 ·
Dug up ~4" cores. Interesting to see the soil profile organic matter buildup without and with top growth. This soil was disturb when the home builder removed trees and built the house. The one without top growth and lower OM has dryer soil; the others with top growth have wetter soil and more OM. A core dug just a few feet away from the lawn edge in a native undisturbed area I had to remove about 2" fallen leaf layer to dig the core, the soil there feels sandy vs clay and is very rich in OM.
 
#47 ·
Soil temp ~63F; the YTD GDD is 83.5 base 50F on it's way up to GDD 98 today. Warm 80sF air temps today.

Lots of earthworm castings and new grass emergence.

Hand broadcasted Pennington UltraGreen Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Plant Food fertilizer @ 3/4 cup around each Azalea bush and Espoma Organic Plant-tone fertilizer @ 3/4 cup around each Southern Wax Myrtle bush.

Put up two Flies be Gone traps; they are non-toxic and work very well.

Dogwood tree blooms are starting to open up.
 
#48 ·
Continuing to see more new clover and grass emergence. A few more native wildflower seedlings have emerged.

Have not mowed or applied fertilizer yet. I'll string trim the grass high tops from around the house perimeter within the week. I plan to spray N-Ext RGS to help the new roots grow. Anticipate lawn soil should be warm enough later in the month to broadcast organic fertilizer and CarbonPro-G.
 
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