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Powhatan's 2020 Lawn Journal

52K views 374 replies 15 participants last post by  Deadlawn 
#1 ·
2019 Journal
2020 Lawn Plan
Objectives: biodiverse, low maintenance, non-irrigated, heat and drought tolerant

Mid/Late Winter:

  • Hand-pull weeds.
  • Dormant overseed fescue and shade grass seed.
  • Lite overseed clover - front yard.

Spring:

  • Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control.
  • Spray glyphosate on poa trivialis patches, re-seed dead patches.
  • Garden Safe organic Neem Oil Extract - spot treat grass fungus & garden pests.
  • EcoLogic organic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer (R-T-S) and granular - house foundation & lawn perimeter treatment.
  • Scotts Foundation Soil Improver.
  • Scotts GrubEx - active ingredient chlorantraniliprole better for the bees.
  • Spray N-Ext RGS & Air-8 apps.
  • Andersons HumiChar soil improver.
  • LESCO Dimension Pre-emergent 19-0-7 fertilize - after new grass 2nd cut.
  • Alfalfa pellets low nitrogen slow release organic fertilize - grass & soil feeding.
  • Mulch mow grass (bag mow if disease present) @ HOC 3.25".

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 low nitrogen slow release organic fertilize.
  • Alfalfa pellets low nitrogen slow release organic fertilize - grass & soil feeding.
  • Jonathan Green Love Your Soil soil improver
  • LESCO 0-0-45 PCSOP - improves overall plant health
  • Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.50".

Early Fall:

  • Hand-pull or spot spray weeds with Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control.
  • Andersons HumiChar or LESCO CarbonPro-G soil improver.
  • LESCO Pendimethalin Pre-emergent 0-0-7.
  • Nutrients Plus 16-2-3 low nitrogen organic fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.50".

Mid Fall:

  • Hand-pull weeds.
  • Nutrients Plus 16-2-3 low nitrogen organic fertilize - after first freeze air temps.
  • Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.25".

2020 End of Season Summary

Seed:

  • Dormant overseed KY-31/NoMix/Fine fescue/Clover.

Irrigation:

  • Non-irrigated yearly except for poa trivialis kill patch areas and cover crop mix area new grass establishment.

Fertilize:

  • Spring - synthetic, Summer - organic, late Summer & early Fall - hybrid (synthetic with organic ingredients), and late Fall - synthetic. Yearly amount ~2.50#N with a split 1#N as final "winter" application in Nov for total ~3.50#N. I may not do a "winter" app next year.
  • Broadcasted two ~.85#K apps during Summer months to help with plant health & stress. If next soil report again recommends additional potassium I will broadcast during Spring so grass will have the nutrient before Summer stress sets in.

Fungus - No synthetic fungicides used:

  • Mowed with sharp blade at lower HOC 3.25" to encourage air flow during the fungal disease favorable reveal period. Bag mowed if disease suspect or seen.
  • Sprayed organic neem oil on new forming brown patch, pythium blight, and rust disease areas to smother disease pathogen spores to help limit spreading.

Weeds:

  • Spring - granular dithiopyr PreM, Fall - granular pendimethalin PreM.
  • Hand-pulled mostly. Sprayed selective herbicide on nutsedge, glyphosate non-selective on poa trivialis, and Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control non-selective on various weeds bordering the lawn. Poa trivialis continues to be the primary weed.

Insects:

  • Spring - granular Scotts GrubEx. Spring & Summer - granular organic EcoLogic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer to mostly kill the ticks. Sprayed neem oil on june bugs seen on bushes.

Soil Amendments:

  • Sprayed last of N-Ext RGS & Air-8 that I had on-hand. The Air-8 didn't seem to loosen the soil.
  • Tried different granular products - Broadcasted HumiChar, Scotts Foundation Soil Improver, Jonathan Green Love Your Soil, and LESCO CarbonPro-G. I plan to use the LESCO CarbonPro-G product next year
  • Filled in lawn low spots with top soil.
 
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#352 ·
Current soil temp 55F @ 2" depth. I mulch mowed and broadcasted the final fertilizer app. last week on Thursday. The grass had grown ~1" since previous cut ~5 days prior to that. Today I'm not noticing any poa trivialis growing taller than the surrounding grass, top growth is slowing down. No poa annua seen yet.
 
#353 ·
I think that timing of the final fertilizer last week is going to be good. I did similarly, applying in late October. As research causes the experts to rethink the timing for the winterizing application, we get to experiment and see the results. The current thinking is to apply it at the beginning of the hardening off period in mid or late Fall, right before the 4-8 week "slowdown" starts.

How soluble was your 24-0-11?
 
#354 ·
Green said:
I think that timing of the final fertilizer last week is going to be good. I did similarly, applying in late October. As research causes the experts to rethink the timing for the winterizing application, we get to experiment and see the results. The current thinking is to apply it at the beginning of the hardening off period in mid or late Fall, right before the 4-8 week "slowdown" starts.

How soluble was your 24-0-11?
The 24-0-11 was ~64% fast release urea and the rest slow release PCU. The 50# bag over 12K would of been 1#N/M but I did 25# split app over a ~two week period to make 0.50#N/M. No sense putting down excessive N at one time since top growth is naturally slowing down. Past few years I've noticed there's mow-able top growth for another ~3 weeks right after the first overnight freeze temp and I've used that weather event to time the final fertilization, more fast release N than slow.
 
#355 ·
Powhatan said:
The 24-0-11 was ~64% fast release urea and the rest slow release PCU. The 50# bag over 12K would of been 1#N/M but I did 25# split app over a ~two week period to make 0.50#N/M. No sense putting down excessive N at one time since top growth is naturally slowing down. Past few years I've noticed there's mow-able top growth for another ~3 weeks right after the first overnight freeze temp and I've used that weather event to time the final fertilization, more fast release N than slow.
That's fairly similar to what I did as far as the timing and also the amount of fast release that went down (around a quarter pound). The differences are your weather, and the type of slow release fertilizer that was used (methylene urea in my case because I've had good late-season results with it in the past).
 
#359 ·
Air temp this morning 28F and soil temp 41F. Very minimal grass top growth, the deer and rabbits are eating more grass, probably don't need to mow any more this season except to mulch straggler leaves. Next month I need to fell a dying oak tree in the front yard.
 
#360 ·
:thumbup: Those are some nice late season photos with the low sun angle. I enjoy your photos, which usually have some interesting nature captured somewhere.

FWIW, if you can wait until the ground is frozen (and the grass is definitely dormant) to fell the tree, it will cause less damage to the surface with the impact (assuming it will land in a turf area).
 
#361 ·
Chris LI said:
:thumbup: Those are some nice late season photos with the low sun angle. I enjoy your photos, which usually have some interesting nature captured somewhere.

FWIW, if you can wait until the ground is frozen (and the grass is definitely dormant) to fell the tree, it will cause less damage to the surface with the impact (assuming it will land in a turf area).
Thanks. I don't have a monoculture striped lawn with tight concrete edging so I try to show things that I think are interesting and somewhat eye catching.

I normally wait til after the holidays to fell trees around the lawn so to not have an untidy mess for the holiday visitors. This particular tree is close to the gravel driveway and that's the direction I plan to drop it.

Here's where the home builder damaged the base.



The limbs have been dying and dropping with high winds or heavy rain. It's a safety hazard. A limb could fall on someone's head. I marked some obvious dead limbs; I'm sure the remaining live ones will die in time.

 
#362 ·
Looks great. I often wish the lawn season was a few weeks longer where I am. We are wrapping it up now, over the next week or two here.
 
#363 ·
Green said:
Looks great. I often wish the lawn season was a few weeks longer where I am. We are wrapping it up now, over the next week or two here.
Thanks. It's an okay lawn for being mostly forage grass ;)

I checked for top growth today and nothing detectable new. There's several more leaves that fell and I almost decided to mulch mow the leaves, but there's a wind & rain Nor'easter system coming through tonight that will drop more leaves.

Instead of mowing today I tuned up my Stihl chainsaw to get ready for next month. I changed out the spark plug, air filter, fuel filter, replaced the guide bar, sharpened the chain, and put in fresh gas mix.
 
#364 ·
Used the leaf rake to remove most of the remaining straggler fallen tree leaves and pine needles. Winterized push mowers. Season is done.

2020 End of Season Summary

Seed:

  • Dormant overseed KY-31/NoMix/Fine fescue/Clover.

Irrigation:

  • Non-irrigated yearly except for poa trivialis kill patch areas and cover crop mix area new grass establishment.

Fertilize:

  • Spring - synthetic, Summer - organic, late Summer & early Fall - hybrid (synthetic with organic ingredients), and late Fall - synthetic. Yearly amount ~2.50#N with a split 1#N as final "winter" application in Nov for total ~3.50#N. I may not do a "winter" app next year.
  • Broadcasted two ~.85#K apps during Summer months to help with plant health & stress. If next soil report again recommends additional potassium I will broadcast during Spring so grass will have the nutrient before Summer stress sets in.

Fungus - No synthetic fungicides used:

  • Mowed with sharp blade at lower HOC 3.25" to encourage air flow during the fungal disease favorable reveal period. Bag mowed if disease suspect or seen.
  • Sprayed organic neem oil on new forming brown patch, pythium blight, and rust disease areas to smother disease pathogen spores to help limit spreading.

Weeds:

  • Spring - granular dithiopyr PreM, Fall - granular pendimethalin PreM.
  • Hand-pulled mostly. Sprayed selective herbicide on nutsedge, glyphosate non-selective on poa trivialis, and Mirimichi Green PRO Weed Control non-selective on various weeds bordering the lawn. Poa trivialis continues to be the primary weed.

Insects:

  • Spring - granular Scotts GrubEx. Spring & Summer - granular organic EcoLogic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer to mostly kill the ticks. Sprayed neem oil on june bugs seen on bushes.

Soil Amendments:

  • Sprayed last of N-Ext RGS & Air-8 that I had on-hand. The Air-8 didn't seem to loosen the soil.
  • Tried different granular products - Broadcasted HumiChar, Scotts Foundation Soil Improver, Jonathan Green Love Your Soil, and LESCO CarbonPro-G. I plan to use the LESCO CarbonPro-G product next year
  • Filled in lawn low spots with top soil.
 
#365 ·
2021 Lawn Plan
Objectives: biodiverse, low maintenance, 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/KBG/CRF).

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.
  • EcoLogic granular organic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer - house foundation & lawn perimeter treatment.

  • Lime - (if soil test recommended) to raise pH.
  • LESCO CarbonPro-G soil improver.
  • Scotts GrubEx - active ingredient chlorantraniliprole better for the bees.
  • Nutrients Plus Screamin' Green 16-2-3 low nitrogen hybrid fertilize.
  • LESCO 0-0-45 PCSOP - (if soil test recommended) improves overall plant health going into Summer stress.
  • Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.50" (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 granular organic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer - house foundation & lawn perimeter treatment.
  • Safer Brand Lawn Restore 9-0-2 low nitrogen slow release organic fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass @ HOC 3.50" (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.
  • LESCO CarbonPro-G soil improver.
  • Nutrients Plus Screamin' Green 16-2-3 low nitrogen hybrid fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.50".

Mid Fall:

  • Hand-pull weeds.
  • Nutrients Plus Screamin' Green 16-2-3 low nitrogen hybrid fertilize.
  • Mulch mow grass & leaves @ HOC 3.50".
 
#366 ·
Low air temp this morning 23F. Soil temp 39F @ 2" depth.

Hand-pulled some poa trivialis, mouse-ear chickweed, hairy bittercress, and orchardgrass weeds. Some earthworms came up with the poa triv clumps. The poa annua must be blending in very well; I didn't notice any last year till late Dec and early Jan.
 
#370 ·
Collected soil sample to send to Va Tech soil lab next week. Soil temp 43F @ 2" depth. Collected cores at ~4" depth from 12 random areas. Last sample I sent in two years ago in late Jan, my sample was tested three weeks later after the priority farm samples were completed, so this time I'm hoping my sample is processed sooner. I suspect the pH will need to be raised with lime; the last lime application was 3 to 4 years ago.

Hand-pulled some small poa annua weeds, first time noticing them this year. They were in an area known to grow poa a. Some of the leaves had the identifiable crinkle.
 
#372 ·
Happy New Year!
 
#375 ·
Powhatan said:
Deadlawn said:
What is the big deal about poa trivialis? I understand it grows best under wet conditions which is probably why I have none here!
In my lawn it's considered a weed. Once you have it infesting your lawn it's very difficult (sometimes impossible) to remove. It spreads via seeds and prolific stolons. At times you think you killed it off only to have it come back again. There's no selective herbicide for poa triv labeled for turf grass that I'm aware of. Here's one example TLF member fighting it: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=23730
I don't think I have any poa triv or poa annua. Plenty of orchard grass right now. I'm not one to nuke and it does stay green through the winter. Maybe I should let it grow into a hay field, harvest it and sell it to the local farmers, LOL!

Seriously, the only thing I really hate is crabgrass because it dies off in the fall as soon as temps go down into the 40's, then leaves bare areas prone to erosion. And then there is the quack grass that is infecting my garden beds. That stuff has some long rhizomes that seem to go forever - aaaarrrrrgh!!!!!!
 
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