Instead of urea, I use a more-diluted urea based fertilizer with an analysis of 24-0-11 (I am never upset by more potassium). I just dropped again to deliver 0.35 pounds synthetic N per thousand.

The damage from the drowning out is reversing incredibly fast, and although we get rain this week it looks to be light and not very much. Then it clears for ten days of good temperatures and sun.

The latest photo is here. I mowed, applied a second round of Tenacity, and then took the photo.

rutgers1 wrote:The latest photo is here. I mowed, applied a second round of Tenacity, and then took the photo.

Terrific.

Thanks. I had a conversation with my mail man today, who was one of my early hecklers, lol. He didn't quite give me the double thumbs up, but admitted it came out better than he expected. Some parts have definitely filled in over the past two weeks. A few parts, not so much. I guess my next decision is whether I:
1) dormant seed and not use preemergent in the spring
2) use my spring preemergent and hope that things fill in on their own
3) use my spring preemergent and get some pots going in the spring to fill in the holes.

I have a few spots where I think pots would work well. In other areas, there is grass there, but the grass is just sparse -- sometimes a blade every inch or two.

rutgers1 wrote:Thanks. I had a conversation with my mail man today, who was one of my early hecklers, lol. He didn't quite give me the double thumbs up, but admitted it came out better than he expected. Some parts have definitely filled in over the past two weeks. A few parts, not so much. I guess my next decision is whether I:
1) dormant seed and not use preemergent in the spring
2) use my spring preemergent and hope that things fill in on their own
3) use my spring preemergent and get some pots going in the spring to fill in the holes.

I have a few spots where I think pots would work well. In other areas, there is grass there, but the grass is just sparse -- sometimes a blade every inch or two.

That is definitely not in need of dormant seeding pots or plugs. You worked too hard to not keep a solid pre-M down. Anything smaller than 12" that is completely bare, I would let it be, maybe do a plug or two next spring. Next May it will take off. Thin is actually good, you don't want it too full. You want the plants to have some room to grow/expand, especially as they enter their first spring with it concomitant disease pressures.

That's looking excellent John! Hopefully the weather holds up as nice as it's been this past week.

I love it when the grass is at just the right moisture level to have the lawnmower make nice tracks. About 5 minutes after this photo was taken, leaves covered a good chunk of the lawn again thanks to today's wicked winds.

I will take a picture (close up) of some of the more sparse areas soon. I'd like to get people's input on how to handle those. From this picture, it looks like everything is filled in nicely. There are other parts (like near the distant tree) that aren't as full.

i'm doing what jg does for the holes sprinkle some fertilizer to entice the kbg to spread into them.

rutgers1 wrote:I will take a picture (close up) of some of the more sparse areas soon. I'd like to get people's input on how to handle those. From this picture, it looks like everything is filled in nicely. There are other parts (like near the distant tree) that aren't as full.

Are you having issues with kbg being outcompeted by the tree? I know I am in my reno. I'm debating overseeding just that area with fine fescue as I don't know if kbg can flourish in some areas effected by the trees root system.

Gregg wrote:

rutgers1 wrote:I will take a picture (close up) of some of the more sparse areas soon. I'd like to get people's input on how to handle those. From this picture, it looks like everything is filled in nicely. There are other parts (like near the distant tree) that aren't as full.

Are you having issues with kbg being outcompeted by the tree? I know I am in my reno. I'm debating overseeding just that area with fine fescue as I don't know if kbg can flourish in some areas effected by the trees root system.

Here is the photo by the tree. As you see, the grass has been dying the closer it gets to the tree. I noticed this happening as I started scaling back on the water. That area didn't get great coverage by the sprinkler to begin with, but it actually came in very strong at seeding. Now it is pretty much wiped out. I am considering just throwing down a sun/shade mix there in the spring. Previously, I used to put down whatever would grow (all over the lawn), and I might go back to that technique for this area.

Here is another problem area. I am going to nurture it with Milorganite once more (2 applications already) and then the winterize before hoping for the best in the spring. However, I am tempted to overseed this one spot in April and, if possible, avoid preemergent here. I actually have a few spots like that, with most being in the vicinity of the property toward the tree. The area gets a LOT of sun despite the tree, but as crazy as this might sound, I think the soil might have a bit TOO MUCH organic material, as the tree drops a MOTHER LOAD of leaves and I always mulch them right into this spot. The ground is actually a bit spongy at times there.

rutgers1 wrote:Here is another problem area. I am going to nurture it with Milorganite once more (2 applications already) and then the winterize before hoping for the best in the spring. However, I am tempted to overseed this one spot in April and, if possible, avoid preemergent here. I actually have a few spots like that, with most being in the vicinity of the property toward the tree. The area gets a LOT of sun despite the tree, but as crazy as this might sound, I think the soil might have a bit TOO MUCH organic material, as the tree drops a MOTHER LOAD of leaves and I always mulch them right into this spot. The ground is actually a bit spongy at times there.

That second shot (above) will be fine, I would let it be. There is a lot of good grass there.

+1 JG. That will spread like gangbusters.

that is what my problem area looks like and i'm gonna let that spread.

Day 42

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Day 49

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Day 56

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Day 63

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As you can see its slowly filling in

That will be full by May 1. Looking good.

thanks jg, im hoping it does, but i'm not doubting it anymore!

If the area by my tree doesn't fill in on its own, can someone recommend a type of grass that I should put there that would do fine given:
1) competition from the tree
2) dogs walking there
3) less water due to not as good of an angle from the sprinkler and leaf cover overhead

I had grass (not totally full, but more than there is now) previously. It was just a mix of whatever grass I could find. I had a bad habit of buying various different types of seed over the past 5 years.

rutgers1 wrote:If the area by my tree doesn't fill in on its own, can someone recommend a type of grass that I should put there that would do fine given:
1) competition from the tree
2) dogs walking there
3) less water due to not as good of an angle from the sprinkler and leaf cover overhead

I had grass (not totally full, but more than there is now) previously. It was just a mix of whatever grass I could find. I had a bad habit of buying various different types of seed over the past 5 years.

Mulch .

Fine fescue might make it, but expect it to be brown most of the summer when the heat stays over 90 regularly.

The latest photo is below. There are still some weak spots, but overall it looks very nice from the street. I didn't expect it to get this dark in year 1:



direct link to photo here.