2018 Journal
January
Third year establishing lawn. No irrigation. Low rate nitrogen feeding and soil improvement amendments will be the focus. I do not plan on applying fungicides this season.
- Hand-pulled some weeds: orchard grass, bittercress, spurge, and marestail; and some poa trivialis from nearby woods ... fed all those to the composter. Edit: Hand-pulled one poa annua that started to show a seed head.
February
- Mailed soil sample to Virginia Tech Soil Lab for testing.
- Hand-pulled some weeds: orchard grass and poa annua ... fed all those to the composter.
- Late winter dormant overseed whole yard 8#/M - 75# DLF Pickseed KY-31 coated, 10# Scotts Southern Gold TTTF coated, and 10# Southern Belle TTTF. Soil temp 54F @ 2" depth.
March
- Wild birds been eating some of the overseed so put down some reserve KY-31/TTTF seed. First week of Mar is forecasted 40sF/20sF, then the warm up begins 60s/40s with rain showers.
- Hand-pulled weeds: several poa annua and some hairy bittercress starting to flower, fed those to the composter.
- The forsythia and daffodils starting to bloom in lower part of county. Put down 1st preM app (mesotrione) 22# Scotts Starter Plus Weed Preventer & 50# alfalfa pellets. Soil temp 46F @ 2" depth, temp anticipated to be in 50s by middle next week along with higher air temps.
- Soil temp warmed-up to 53F. The mesotrione preM is starting to light up poa annua, I hand-pulled several and fed them to the composter.
- Received soil sample test results from Va Tech - pH 6.6, CEC 8.5, and OM 3.1%. P, Ca, and Mg at high amounts so no need to apply more, need nitrogen and K.
- Starting to see grass seed germination. Soil temp 59F @ 2" depth.
- Native plant roots starting to sprout.
- Sprayed several orchard grass clumps with EcoLogic Weed & Grass Killer.
April
- Hand-pulled weeds: poa annua and poa trivialis, bagged them and disposed in county waste removal. Lots more undesirable poa clumps to eradicate, I'll spray those with EcoLogic Weed & Grass Killer later in the week once it warms up again.
- Sprayed numerous poa trivialis clumps with Dr. Earth Final Stop weed & grass killer, used whole gallon jug. Need another gallon jug, several more clumps to spray.
- Sprayed a 2nd round of Dr. Earth Final Stop on the poa triv clumps.
- Sprayed 1st round of Roundup Weed & Grass Killer (glyphosate) on several poa triv and poa annua clumps.
- Sprayed Roundup For Northern Lawns Ready-to-Spray (includes quinclorac) to kill all weeds. Two weeks later, this RTS did not kill the poa triv.
- Planted four Encore Azaleas and three Iris.
- Mulch mowed, set HOC to 4". Put down 22# Andersons Humic DG, 50# LESCO 19-0-7 Dimension Crabgrass Preventer Fertilizer, and 30# EcoLogic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer.
- Put down Scotts LawnSoil to raise low lawn spots.
May
- Mulch mowed, lowered HOC to 3.75". My summer HOC will be either 3.5" or 3.25" to allow good canopy airflow and minimize humidity moisture surface retention.
- Sprayed glyphosate on several poa trivialis clumps.
- Mulch mowed, lowered HOC to 3.5". Put down 25# Carbon X, Scotts GrubEX (chlorantraniliprole) 1x10M, and 30# EcoLogic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer.
- Spot sprayed non-selective Mirimichi Green Weed Control Concentrate @ 13% mix rate on several gravel driveway weeds and unwanted grass clumps.
- Air temps in the 90sF for a few days in late May.
- Mulched mowed, lowered HOC to 3.25" for more air flow. Put down Scotts Topsoil to raise low spots
June
- Added border gravel and some more mulch in the Encore Azalea bed.
- Spot sprayed Mirimichi Green Weed Control Concentrate @ 13% mix rate on orchard grass clumps and gravel driveway weeds.
- Put down 40# EcoLogic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer.
- Air temps staying in the 80sF. Receiving random seasonal afternoon/evening thundershowers.
- Added more mulch to the Encore Azalea and native plant beds.
- Started harvesting KY-31 seeds.
- Hand-pulled various weeds from the gravel driveway and fed those to the composter.
- Submitted mystery plant (poa triv suspected) samples to Virginia Tech lab. Identified as Rough Bluegrass (poa trivialis).
- Summer is here, air temps climbing back up to the 90sF.
- Hand-pulled a few nutsedge weeds from lawn edge in back yard. This same area has some rust disease on mostly PRG.
July
- Hot and dry previous 3 weeks. Shadier parts of lawn KY-31 grass height up to 4" - 6" while sunnier parts TTTF lawn no growth and in early dormancy. Raised HOC from 3.25" to 3.50". Increased chance of thundershowers for next several days. Received 0.82" of rain after 3+ weeks of no rain.
- Sprayed organic Garden Safe Brand Fungicide3 (70% neem oil) on rust disease areas.
- Put down 40# EcoLogic Lawn & Yard Insect Killer.
- Lowered HOC from 3.50" to 3.25". Noticed some brown patch spots in the side and backyard areas that receive morning and late afternoon shade, sprayed Garden Safe Brand Fungicide3.
- Finished harvesting KY-31 seeds, about 1/2 pound collected.
- Mid to late Jul air temps mid-90s to 103F with little to no rain. Jul 23 cold front came through and dropped air temps and rain.
- Mulch mowed, Raised HOC to 3.50". Put down 50# Ringer 9-0-2 organic fertilizer.
- Sprayed another round of organic Garden Safe Brand Fungicide3 (70% neem oil) on brown patch disease areas, much less infected blades, areas greening up.
- Picked up about 5 GL bucket amount of soil obstruction rocks from the front and side yards, lots more to pick up.
- Late July air temps back up to mid-90s to 100F.
August
- The encore azaleas have yellowing leaves indicating iron deficiency. Put down 3/4 cup Pennington UltraGreen Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Plant Food 10-8-6 around each plant.
- Hand-pulled several Annual Sedges. The majority are growing at the entrance and to the side of the gravel driveway. The spring applied preM protection layer probably wore off this late in summer.
- Picked up several small soil obstruction rocks. Used the leaf rake to dethatch some dead grass areas.
- Later half of month cooler temps almost Fall like.
September
- Hot 97F with higher humidity. Lowered HOC to 3.25" due to high rain chance later in the week from hurricane Dorian.
- Noticed young poa trivialis coming up. Sprayed glyphosate 50.2% concentrate mixed @ 3 tbs/1 gl on all young poa trivialis weeds in the spring kill poa t dead patch areas.
- Grass grew to ~6", raised HOC to 4".
- Some young poa trivialis I sprayed about two weeks ago either I missed or didn't die. Sprayed again glyphosate 50.2% concentrate mix @ 3 oz/gl on all young poa trivialis weeds in the spring kill poa t dead patch areas.
- Lowered HOC to 3.50". Several days of recent and forcasted warm air temperatures and no rainfall, hooked up Orbital water timers and sprinklers, set watering schedule to damp irrigate at three different times during the day.
- Grass height 5+", mulch mowed lower @ HOC 3". I only overseeded the back and side yards, I'll overseed the front next spring. Overseed - 40# Scotts coated TTTF Southern Gold, 6# Scotts coated TTTF/CRF Dense Shade, 3# DLF Pickseed coated KY-31, 2# Scotts coated PRG, and 1.5# Outsidepride coated White Clover. The back and side yards receive the most shade during day that's why I put down the creeping red fescue mix. The whole lawn I put down 80# alfalfa pellets and 28# Scotts Foundation Soil Improver.
- 48 hours post seed down white clover germination and emergence.
- 4 days post seed down grass germination and emergence.
October
- 99.5F record high temperatures first few days of month, last significant rainfall >0.50" was on Aug 2.
- Cooler seasonal temps arriving. Planted Southern Wax Myrtle trees to make a hedge row. Adjusted watering timers from daily 3 cycles 5 minutes to daily 2 cycles 8 minutes.
- Hand-pulled various weeds. Poa trivialis coming up in random areas, obviously didn't kill enough this spring.
- Mulch mowed whole yard grass & leaves using gas push mower with sharp blade, set deck to highest setting HOC 3.50". Sprayed N-Ext RGS & Air-8 "Compaction Cure" app. on front yard. Put down 25# Carbon X on whole yard.
- Received very much welcomed steady rain.
- New grass 3"+ and mature grass 7"+ height. Ground has seasonal dampness; pulled up water timers, hoses, and sprinklers. Mulch mowed grass & leaves with sharp blade and lowered HOC to 3.25". Sprayed N-Ext RGS & Air-8 "Compaction Cure" app. on back and side yards. Good steady rain forecasted tomorrow and later in the week.
- Overseeded the last of my 10+ month old grass seed supply TF/TTTF/PRG on the whole yard. Soil temps on average will still be in the 50sF by end of next month. If the seed don't take, no biggie, it will be considered an organic material amendment.
November
- Hand-pulled various weeds. Mulch mowed @ HOC 3.25".
- Hand scattered ~100 each "Pink Swamp" butterfly milkweed seeds over three different garden areas. Put down ~.75#N/M Scotts fertilizer ~70% fast release nitrogen. Sprayed N-Ext RGS & Air-8 "Compaction Cure" app. over whole yard. That's the last of the lawn maintenance applications for the year.
December
- Hand-pulled various weeds. Mulch mowed leaves.