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NJ Hogan 90% TTTF/10% KBG Backyard Renovation

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15K views 93 replies 16 participants last post by  kk07  
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#1 ·
Hey everyone! I'm just getting started on my backyard renovation. We've been in this house for 2 years and our yard has clover, creeping Charlie, bentgrass, you name it and it's probably growing back there. The former owners did not care for the lawn.

Seed:

90% TTTF
Titanium 2LS (6.9 Quality/6.8 Color)
Rebounder (6.9 Q/6.8 C)
Raptor III (6.8 Q/6.7 C)
Rockwell (6.7 Q/C)

10% KBG
Blue Note (6.6 Quality/6.2 Color)
Midnight (6.4 Q/7.8 C)
Legend (5.6 Q/ 7.7 C)

Schedule:

Done | 7/21/20: 1st round of Gly
Done | 7/25/20: Mow @2.5in
Done | 8/1/20: Mow @2in and 2nd round of Gly
Done | 8/14/20: Power Rake/Dethatch and scalped at lowest setting on mower, bagged everything
Done | 8/23/20: Trim Mulberry tree to allow more sun on hill, use manual dethatching rake to remove remaining thatch and loosen soil
Done | 8/24/20: SEED DOWN!
- Finished bagging thatch
- Filled in some low spots with topsoil (8 bags)
- Starter fertilizer (3lb/1000 XST DIY)
- Sprayed Tenacity @ 0.5tsp/1000 (1.25tsp/2.5gallons)
- Put down seed @ 6lb/1000 (18lbs, have 22lbs leftover just in case or for front lawn reno next year)
- Applied PennMulch to hill area (1 bag) and Peat Moss (6 - 3.8cuft bales) to rest of yard
- Swapped out Hunter PGP nozzles for 3.5 & 4.5 low angle in the corners and 1.5 low angle in middle of yard

Edit: located in North Jersey

 
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#2 ·
Scalped the lawn at 2.5" today! Glyphosate is definitely doing it's job. I was planning on another app of Glyphosate on 7/28 or 7/29 (one full week from first application). Should I wait 2 weeks between applications or is one okay?

Also deciding on a seed mix. I've narrowed it down to:

Hogan:

90% TTTF (custom):
Titanium 2LS
Rebounder
Raptor III
Rockwell

10% KBG Hogan's Alley Blend:
Midnight
Blue Note
Legend

OR

GCI COOL BLUE:
85ish% TTTF:
Thor
Black Tail
Falcon IV

15ish% KBG:
Blue Coat

I also really need to get my water situation figured out. It will be an above ground system on a 60x45 plot. If anyone has a similar size lawn with some above ground sprinklers in place let me know what worked for you.

 
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#3 ·
Just ordered seed from Hogan today! 40LBS of the below blend. Based variety off of Northeast NTEP trials (NJ trials are very close to me).

90% TTTF
Titanium 2LS (6.9 Quality/6.8 Color)
Rebounder (6.9 Q/6.8 C)
Raptor III (6.8 Q/6.7 C)
Rockwell (6.7 Q/C)

10% KBG
Blue Note (6.6 Quality/6.2 Color)
Midnight (6.4 Q/7.8 C)
Legend (5.6 Q/ 7.7 C)

Also ordered the Wobbler Sled from Bigsprinkler.com.
 
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#4 ·
Sprinklers came today! Got the Hunter PGP Ultra's from SprinklerWarehouse.com. I will post a layout of the sprinklers shortly!

Glyphosate has done its job. Question:

I am going to dethatch and then scalp the lawn. Should I use a Greenworks/SunJoe or would I need a rental such as a power rake from Home Depot?
 
R
#7 ·
billw said:
Sprinklers came today! Got the Hunter PGP Ultra's from SprinklerWarehouse.com. I will post a layout of the sprinklers shortly!

Glyphosate has done its job. Question:

I am going to dethatch and then scalp the lawn. Should I use a Greenworks/SunJoe or would I need a rental such as a power rake from Home Depot?
Click to expand...
My SunJoe worked great for dethatching!
 
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#9 ·
Stuofsci02 said:
billw said:
Anyone else having a difficult time finding hoses right now? They are sold out everywhere.

Should I go with 5/8" or 3/4" for my DIY irrigation? GPM is 8.
Click to expand...
For 8 gpm I would recommend 3/4" hose. Will you be coming off a 3/4" supply from your house?
Click to expand...
I am coming off the spigot on my backyard...the current hoses are 5/8" but I believe the line coming out of the house is 3/4".
 
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#12 ·
Yesterday hit up Home Depot and rented a Power Rake. Greenworks is completely sold out and I don't have time to buy it online. The Classen was great, did two passes and got a ton of thatch out.

Filled about 11 bags with thatch and mowed on lowest setting. Finally have bare dirt showing up. Plan now is to fallow and thinking about seed down next weekend. Too early?

Should I aerate prior to seeding? Anything else to prepare the seed bed?

I see some people bring in topsoil into the whole yard, I see others say absolutely no topsoil. What's the consensus?



 
G
#13 ·
What part of NJ? The Northern third is like Southern and Central/Eastern CT, and I can say the next two weeks are generally perfect timing for seed here.

Aeration would only be necessary at this point if your soil is mechanically compacted, like from vehicles, lots of sports, or something.

Edit: I see you said Northern NJ.
 
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#14 ·
Green said:
What part of NJ? The Northern third is like Southern and Central/Eastern CT, and I can say the next two weeks are generally perfect timing for seed here.

Aeration would only be necessary at this point if your soil is mechanically compacted, like from vehicles, lots of sports, or something.

Edit: I see you said Northern NJ.
Click to expand...
Union County so that's kind of Central but more North. Soil doesn't seem too compacted. Pretty easy to drive a stake into it (was putting up some Tiki torches).
 
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#16 ·
MJR12284 said:
Looking good! I'm at about the same point as you in my reno. Spreading 12 yards of topsoil tomorrow on my 4200 sq ft. I would say topsoil only necessary if you need to correct any bumps or unevenness or plan to reel mow in the future.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I am not planning to reel mow. Possibly front yard of our next home (hoping to move towards Jersey Shore area within a few years).

I just walked around and it's surprisingly flat, maybe the power rake broke up some bumps that I had. I'll probably bring in a yard or two of topsoil to fill in a few random low spots but not the whole thing.
 
C
#18 ·
billw said:
Sprinklers are in, using Hunter PGP Ultras set up above ground. Build is in the below pic!

One sprinkler in each corner of the yard and one in the middle going 360 degrees.

Click to expand...
:thumbup:
When I set mine up, I use high flow Gilmour Y valves to control flow, in order to balance pressure/flow to the rest of the zone. I put one side into the spike base and run the hose to the next head in the zone. It's helpful when working on them too, since you can isolate a head to work on it, while still running the zone.
 
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#19 ·
Well now it looks like I'll need topsoil for some major leveling. The flooding pictured below hasn't happened in about a year and a half so I thought I was in the clear after the hurricane a few weeks ago and didn't get any flooding from that.

We had this vinyl fence put in, and the contractor piled dirt up against the fence to cover up the gap between the fence and the ground resulting in:

1. Loss of water flow into my neighbor's yard
2. A slight incline leading up to the fence, so the water pools in that corner. The hump where the trees are doesn't help either, but that was there prior to us moving in.

There is a downspout that exhausts at the top of this hill and I think this results in the water traveling to the area. Maybe i can reroute it to flow into the front street.


This picture shows the slight incline as well from another angle:


Not sure if I should just remove the soil where the incline is, or add more soil to the low spot? Good thing I haven't dropped seed yet.
 
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#25 ·
I have certain areas of the yard that are pretty compact. Best way to address would be aerator?

Time is getting a little tight to get the seed down so I'm thinking about renting an aerator or having a landscaper do that part for me.

Can get aeration done for like $40 (or they can do front and back for $70 total).
 
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