Lawncare Tips and Pics

[Jeff405]

I didn't see any other good threads, but how about we start one for us urban grassmasters? The season is upon us and we can have all the tips in one place along with pics of your lush green yards. Questions/answers about what type of grass grows best in your area, what you put down or have put down that works, watering, mower height, ect, ect.

Here my situation:
My frontyard is going to be a project this year. We just had a 30yr old Silver Maple taken out and now I need get it somewhat level, get rid of the old shade grass, seed in some new Bermuda and try to get it looking nice. I think I already missed putting down my PreEmergant in time so I'll have some weeds to deal with as well. I need to get the seed down soon as I can. Working on getting it level first shoveling some high spot and filling low spots. I have a long list of honey-dos, but I'm trying to work this in before it's too late. I'll try to get a picture this weekend so you can see how terrible of a start I have.

 

[Jeff405]

I found some good Fertilizer last year, it really seemed to green up the lawn. I was only able to put it down once towards the end of season with my Scotts drop spreader, but I did notice a difference. Wont burn and doesn't need to be watered in, good price as well.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milorganite-36-lb-Organic-Nitrogen-Fertilizer-100048741/100618523

 

[CBarCRanch]

Not warm enough yet for bermuda grass seed. IMO

 

[p238shooter]

I have a project area I am working on also. I mowed close around the house frequently the past few years so our older dog would not itch so much. Particularly since our long hot summer a couple years ago we have been shorted on rainfall and I really hurt the Bermuda mowing too low. This let other grasses and weed stuff take over. I really messed up. Further out where I let it get taller before I mowed it looks great.

This year I put round-up on early to get rid of some of the undesirables that had greened out in my problem area, but with the soil temperature still low, it really looks bad, big yellow dead area. The Bermuda is just starting to sprig out a little, I hope there are enough roots below the dense other grasses I killed to fill in soon or I am going to have a big bare dirt yard and a mud pit if it rains.

I do hope we get some rain soon. Most of the ponds in this area are almost dry, really bad on the ranchers and farmers in this area. A storm just came by and missed us a couple of miles, as usual, dropped almost enough to wet the deck. Bad deal.

My plan is when the Bermuda starts getting established, to spray fertilizer, then follow up with a dose of 2-4-D to work on some of the other weeds and clover, then mow it frequently at normal height hoping the Bermuda will thrive and choke out more of the undesirable grasses and weeds.

 

[stick4]

http://www.eckroatseed.com/fertilizers/
The Spiz is what I use. It was developed at OSU esp for Oklahoma clay soils. Bought 5 bags last week from Eckroat. They're more than helpful in answering questions too.

 

[Shadowrider]

I found some good Fertilizer last year, it really seemed to green up the lawn. I was only able to put it down once towards the end of season with my Scotts drop spreader, but I did notice a difference. Wont burn and doesn't need to be watered in, good price as well.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milorganite-36-lb-Organic-Nitrogen-Fertilizer-100048741/100618523

Milorganite is good stuff. It takes some time but it'll beat all others if you give it that time. I like that I don't have to worry about over applying and burning the hell out of everything. And like you say, it's reasonably priced.

 

[CHenry]

Milorganite is good stuff. It takes some time but it'll beat all others if you give it that time. I like that I don't have to worry about over applying and burning the hell out of everything. And like you say, it's reasonably priced.

The trick to fertilizing is to have your soil tested at the county extension office or OSU to determine what it really needs. Paying for fertilizer that contains elements already in the soil is a waste of money. I had mine tested (took 5 samples in different areas on my 7.5 acres) and they told me all I needed was Nitrogen and sulfur. I buy 50 lb. bags of 34-0-0 12S at the Tuttle CO-OP for like $15.00. You can go to the Braums CO-OP in minco for a custom blend of whatever your soil test shows is lacking.

 

[Shadowrider]

The trick to fertilizing is to have your soil tested at the county extension office or OSU to determine what it really needs. Paying for fertilizer that contains elements already in the soil is a waste of money. I had mine tested (took 5 samples in different areas on my 7.5 acres) and they told me all I needed was Nitrogen and sulfur. I buy 50 lb. bags of 34-0-0 12S at the Tuttle CO-OP for like $15.00. You can go to the Braums CO-OP in minco for a custom blend of whatever your soil test shows is lacking.

Well I threw in the towel this year. I have a strip on the west side of my yard that I can't get anything to grow. I put out 7 strains of fescue and some Kentucky blue and it looked great until the heat hits. It's almost as if it's too shady for bermuda but too sunny for the fescue. I know that's crap because I have dense shade fescue mix on the east side that's shaded almost all day doing just great. Something is going on, so I hired Agrilawn to do it all. They took a soil sample and I'm waiting on the results. I told them I always had bermuda there in years past and I don't care what it takes, just get SOMETHING to grow there.

If they aren't using organic fertilizer, I'll keep throwing the milorganite on it, some anyway.

 

[swampratt]

Neighbor had his lawn sprayed starting last year and over spray put the hurt on my privits and all the leaves turned brown and fell off..Looks horribly. Slowly coming back(still loks like a bunch of sticks) and I had a talk with the yard sprayer man as he was there monday and he was rude as heck and would not look me in the eye and said it was not him.

I told him he is the only one putting down killing stuff and be careful on windy days not to spray my bushes.

OSU extension center got some of the pieces of my bushes and said they can't see anything wrong and must be someone was spraying on a windy day.
All 11 of them at the same time.

I should plant poison ivy on the neighbors side. possibly stinging nettle as he was rude as heck also.

 

[dennishoddy]

The trick to fertilizing is to have your soil tested at the county extension office or OSU to determine what it really needs. Paying for fertilizer that contains elements already in the soil is a waste of money. I had mine tested (took 5 samples in different areas on my 7.5 acres) and they told me all I needed was Nitrogen and sulfur. I buy 50 lb. bags of 34-0-0 12S at the Tuttle CO-OP for like $15.00. You can go to the Braums CO-OP in minco for a custom blend of whatever your soil test shows is lacking.

I buy the 46-0-0 from the local COOP and have them drop bulk into one of their pull behind farm fertilizer spreaders. I think they charge me $7 to rent the spreader vs paying almost 1/3 more to buy in bags and put into my 3 point spreader behind the tractor. Probably put some down Monday to take advantage of up coming rain on a 4+ acre yard.
We have blow sand/loam soil. The rain washes the nitrogen right through. The P & K are typically at good levels. How they stay in there I don't know, but do a soil test every year. Had to add sulphur one year to adjust the PH.