OT: Any lawn nuts here?

[noeynox]

Any advice for white clover? I let my lawn grow out for two weeks to keep from watering it as much and had too many damn bees after those little white flowers.

Thanks.

 

[jleves]

Any advice for white clover? I let my lawn grow out for two weeks to keep from watering it as much and had too many damn bees after those little white flowers.

Thanks.

Your lawn needs nitrogen. Get a fertilizer with s very high nitrogen number (first of the three numbers. )

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

Any advice for white clover? I let my lawn grow out for two weeks to keep from watering it as much and had too many damn bees after those little white flowers.

Thanks.

Ortho weed b gon chickweed clover and oxalis killer or any product containing triclopyr will knock out clover in 1-2 applications.

 

[Kitaman]

I'd rather have crabgrass than poison ivy. Had 10 yards of hedges removed (all poison ivy) two weeks ago and the roots were actually branching out into the lawn. The ivy specialist said he's never seen such an extensive invasion before. The freakin root stalks were bigger than baseball bats and embedded in the fence.

Can't count how many times I cut those hedges over the years. Last year was the horrific wake up call.

Got another 5 yards remaining and about 5 more yards on the other side of the house. Very costly but worth peace of mind. If anyone needs PI removed (not sprayed) pm me and I'll give you the hookup.

 

[Rico444]

What's the best way to get rid of grass you don't want? My front lawn has, to the best of my knowledge and researching online, has patches of tall fescue mixed in. They're the long, thick blades of grass that stick out in all sorts of directions and are pretty ugly. It almost look like crabgrass but I'm almost positive it's not a weed, as I've run weed and feed on my lawn twice and haven't put a dent into this stuff while killing a bunch of other weeds I had. Anybody ever deal with this? I tried using Roundup in spots, but it only killed some of it and killed a bunch of good grass along with it. Am I stuck pulling it all out by hand?

 

[August_West]

Most likely hydroseeding. If your soil is properly prepared and you can water 3x day for about 10 to 14 days, it has really good results. Way cheaper than sod and a better route system more quickly. The key is making sure you've killed all the weeds and prepared the soil with good amendments and keep the stuff wet for a couple of weeks. Then you have to keep it up with fertilizer and weed killers.

For a decent sized front lawn, I sprayed the entire lawn with RoundUp waited a week and then tilled it, pulling up all the dead stuff. Then I added a decent amount of amendment (chicken crap, bat guano, rich soil) and tilled it again, leveled it and had them spray the hydroseed. A month later, I had the best lawn in the neighborhood.

What Drought? California’s Rich Ignoring Water Shortage

 

[CL82]

Just the pool. I will never leave the men's side

I'm plying my tradecraft away from the tyrannical despot.

You want a link? I'm killing it.

Sure. It would be entertaining the see the havoc you wreak among the uninitiated.

 

[Robertelamin]

Any advice for white clover? I let my lawn grow out for two weeks to keep from watering it as much and had too many damn bees after those little white flowers.

Thanks.

You know bees are good right? Plus clover is good for your lawn.

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

What's the best way to get rid of grass you don't want? My front lawn has, to the best of my knowledge and researching online, has patches of tall fescue mixed in. They're the long, thick blades of grass that stick out in all sorts of directions and are pretty ugly. It almost look like crabgrass but I'm almost positive it's not a weed, as I've run weed and feed on my lawn twice and haven't put a dent into this stuff while killing a bunch of other weeds I had. Anybody ever deal with this? I tried using Roundup in spots, but it only killed some of it and killed a bunch of good grass along with it. Am I stuck pulling it all out by hand?

There really isn't any selective herbicides for unwanted grass except round up. Herbicides like week b gon, weed and feed or other 3 way herbicide mixes only target weeds, not grass. If mixed properly, round up should kill any grass in a week. What you most likely seeing in your lawn is dallisgrass.

 

[noeynox]

You know bees are good right? Plus clover is good for your lawn.

Bees not when they sting you. I know clover produces it's own nitrogen which greens up your lawn, but I hate those damn little white flowers.

I do love raw honey.

 

[Marty Jackson]

@jleves do you have a sprinkler system?

I've been thinking about putting one in before reseeding the lawn.

The cost of the system isn't much. I'll rent the channel digger, and the only cost would be the hardware. But I'm curious on what the hit to my water bill would be?

I had an irrigation installed for about $90-$100/head. didn't include the plumber cost to hook up per town regulations (back-flow)... I want to say that was about $500 but I don't recall.

have about a half acre and it just cost me $250 for one month (that's with a second meter to back off sewer charges)... of course, the only rain we saw was the 3 days we took off for vacation. Typically it's around $150-$170 in the summer months (June-August)... Without watering, we're in for about $90/month.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Crop dust it

 

[Rico444]

There really isn't any selective herbicides for unwanted grass except round up. Herbicides like week b gon, weed and feed or other 3 way herbicide mixes only target weeds, not grass. If mixed properly, round up should kill any grass in a week. What you most likely seeing in your lawn is dallisgrass.

I looked up dallisgrass, and while it's close I still don't think that's it. Googling tall fescue is the closest thin I've found. It's those blades of grass that you would pull out as a kid and use as a whistle, if you ever did that.

 

[NJHusky]

We had crabgrass gone wild...since my wife decided we should go organic...Did not work...by last september my lawn was 80% crabgrass. With the current heat, I don't think you will be able to effectively seed a new lawn. At this point crabgrass is green...wait until mid/late August then have someone come in and knock out the crabgrass...wait until late september and reseed your lawn...pick your method...I want to check out the hydroseeding. Once the lawn is in, put down some pre-emergent crabgrass

My wife is anti chemical, so we only do the minimum....and keep everyone off the lawn for 2 weeks after treating

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

I looked up dallisgrass, and while it's close I still don't think that's it. Googling tall fescue is the closest thin I've found. It's those blades of grass that you would pull out as a kid and use as a whistle, if you ever did that.

Post a pic. It could be one of the older wider bladed fescues like kentucky 31. Most of the newer tall fescues are not as wide and a bit softer.

 

[UC313]

Fwiw ive got the concoction ingredients to kill japanese knotweed if anyone is inflicted with that crap. Smoked a 150'x6' area last year. It even passed my environmental working wifes tests.

 

[temery]

Look up Drive XLR8 herbicide. It will knock out the crabgrass and not injure your lawn. Read the directions for daytime temps when applying. You can try ortho weed b gon with crabgrass control too, but in my experience not strong enough unless the crabgrass is young.

How safe is ortho weed be gone? I hired the landscaper from hell to spread 40 years of loan and reseed. He dropped 40 pounds of seed for an acre and insisted it would come in nicely. My lawn is now 75% crabgrass.

I understand it is too late for a premergent, but at this point I'm hoping the the crabgrass is young enough to hit with the Ortho as long as it's safe.

 

[temery]

Pictures in a few days, but for now, I have to say my lawn is 80% there. Dethatching and overseesing in the fall made a huge difference. I have dropped preemergent crabgrass killer per manufacturers recommendations, along with fertilizer, weed killer, etc, and plan to follow though until November.

Here's my problem: I have noticed a bit of crabgrass popping up recently, mostly along the end of my driveway, and bordering the road. In addition, I have several bare spots on my lawn, mostly due to my cat stalking, digging up, and befriending moles.

I can reseed the bare spots, but historically, a bit of crabgrass now = a ton of crabgrass later.

My question now is about watering. I put in an irrigation system, and can set watering on any schedule needed. I had been doing 20 minutes once a week per zone, and my lawn looks really good.

I went a little bit old school, and knocked on the door of the owner of the best lawn in town. After he asked his daughter what grades I gave her in science, he was very helpful.

Bottom line: He said 20 minutes is barely a tease, without weekly rain. He said his irrigation system is set 45 minutes twice a week for heads watering 180 degrees or less, and one hour twice a week for anything greater than 180 degrees.

My next question was, "what's your water bill?"

$2500/year.

I currently pay $50, twice a year (the town minimum), and use rain barrels to recover water from my roof. In the Spring a neighbor lets me overflow pump water from his 1/2 pond after it rains.

Ok, I'm done babbling: How often should I water, keeping in mind my goal is to help the wanted grass outcompete the crabgrass? The $50 I currently spend every six months won't get the job done, but $2,500 isn't going to happen. I need a Goldilocks answer.

 

[fatlucy]

I love my new pond, but those who delivered the rocks and stones tore the hell out of my lawn. They filled and reseeded, but nothing but crabgrass is growing.

Can crabgrass be killed this time of year (without killing the actual lawn)?

Your best off rounding up the entire area before the crabgrass seeds, regrade it and planting it all over again. Buy good seed, mulch and water a lot. Wait until after the damned heat wave.

 

[fatlucy]

Pictures in a few days, but for now, I have to say my lawn is 80% there. Dethatching and overseesing in the fall made a huge difference. I have dropped preemergent crabgrass killer per manufacturers recommendations, along with fertilizer, weed killer, etc, and plan to follow though until November.

Here's my problem: I have noticed a bit of crabgrass popping up recently, mostly along the end of my driveway, and bordering the road. In addition, I have several bare spots on my lawn, mostly due to my cat stalking, digging up, and befriending moles.

I can reseed the bare spots, but historically, a bit of crabgrass now = a ton of crabgrass later.

My question now is about watering. I put in an irrigation system, and can set watering on any schedule needed. I had been doing 20 minutes once a week per zone, and my lawn looks really good.

I went a little bit old school, and knocked on the door of the owner of the best lawn in town. After he asked his daughter what grades I gave her in science, he was very helpful.

Bottom line: He said 20 minutes is barely a tease, without weekly rain. He said his irrigation system is set 45 minutes twice a week for heads watering 180 degrees or less, and one hour twice a week for anything greater than 180 degrees.

My next question was, "what's your water bill?"

$2500/year.

I currently pay $50, twice a year (the town minimum), and use rain barrels to recover water from my roof. In the Spring a neighbor lets me overflow pump water from his 1/2 pond after it rains.

Ok, I'm done babbling: How often should I water, keeping in mind my goal is to help the wanted grass outcompete the crabgrass? The $50 I currently spend every six months won't get the job done, but $2,500 isn't going to happen. I need a Goldilocks answer.

Crab grass loves it dry and hot. Gotta keep it cool and moist.

 

[UC313]

Pre emergent is the best bet for crabgrass. That means spring time only. Crab grass will grow in the heat like were having while regular grass wont. I say wait until spring and use some scotts halts.

 

[arch]

The Lawn Care Nut

 

[temery]

but in my experience not strong enough unless the crabgrass is young.

Define 'young'.

 

[Chief00]

After reseed use plenty of lime. It’s cheap and makes the fertilizer more efficient. You will get a rich green look. Get lime rich in calcium and magnesium.

 

[sledog]

Must use good / hearty grass seed. Most pop brands I've tried did not work well.

I used Pearls Premium grass seed 1-2 years ago to reseed parts of the lawn that never seem to grow well. Pearls supposedly grows very deep roots and is dense so weeds have to room to elboe in. Also, grows slowly so need not cut that often, and after established, much less water. Ain't genetics great! Had a chat with CL82 who also used it, I think.

Anyhow, in spring grass was GREEN GREEN compared to rest of lawn, and while the drought season is now here (town is on water restrictions yet again), still doing really well. Fertilized it in late March with fertlz + anti-crab, and applied some of the calcium / bio 'lime' alternative in April, and it looks great. Did not measure pH of soil. Will use more this August.

Their website is great for the details.

www.pearlspremium.com

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Very likely they seeded at the wrong time of year. Young grass can't compete with crabgrass.

Crabgrass is an annual that self seeds at one time of year; late spring. It grows aggressively and will shade out and rob nutrients from young grass. Using a pre-emergent will also kill newly sprouted grass. The trick is to get the grass to mature enough so you don't kill it along with the crabgrass seed.

If you can get the grass to fully establish and grow thick it will eventually shade out the crabgrass. Reseed in fall and fertilize as needed.

That said, my lawn looks like hell. I hate having to constantly maintain anything other than my disposition.

Well here’s the lawn nut

 

[Devland]

Take/send soil samples to UConn soil test lab. The results will give you a good idea what you need to do to your lawn. My results came back and told me my soil was too base. I had been heavily liming every year. It turns out I was over liming. I think the cost was $12.

 

[Bryan Lord]

Watering your lawn is public masterbation.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Your best off rounding up the entire area before the crabgrass seeds, regrade it and planting it all over again.

Without growing a 3rd eye or killing the neighbors' pets, anyone effectively used the new RoundUp for Lawns product? If yes, would it help @temery with his crabgrass? Or, is it just too late by this point in summer with increasingly more 90+ degree days? @NC_Uconn_Fan

 

[huskyrob1]

I love my new pond, but those who delivered the rocks and stones tore the hell out of my lawn. They filled and reseeded, but nothing but crabgrass is growing.

Can crabgrass be killed this time of year (without killing the actual lawn)?

No you can't. You'll have to wait until the early spring. Unlike normal grass which goes dormant at the first frost in fall, frost completely kills off crabgrass plants, EXCEPT for the millions of seeds. You might notice in the early winter after a heavy rain, where there was crabgrass is now a muddy mess because now there's nothing there to hold the soil together. Start raking and seeding your lawn in early March, even late February if you have some warm days, completely rake out all the dead crabgrass roots as best you can, seed the area half fescue and half Kentucky bluegrass. Rake the seeds in with a good dark top soil, ten bags ought to be enough. Then wait, the important thing is to help your new grass get an early spring jump on crabgrass. Even though you have raked out the crabgrass as best you could, the crabgrass seeds are still there, but they don't germinate until the soil temperature hits 65F, by that time your early spring work will have paid off, but you're not done, watering your new grass is extremely important to help it choke out any crabgrass that does germinate. If you don't water and fertilize, the the crabgrass will eventually win out again over a few years. Scott's sells a good early spring fertilizer that inhibits crabgrass germination while giving your grass a good shot of the nitrogen it needs.