@bf7 looking good! I'll be following closely. Will be getting my journal up and running this weekend.

 

@Slingblade_847 looking forward to following your journal. Good luck this season!

 

Received soil test back. Generally ok with results but upset my 10-10-10 and starter fert apps last year didn't raise P levels. Could be the topsoil I brought in for reno was deficient. On the bright side, apparently all the lime I dropped in the summer is paying dividends now.

Ordered triple superphosphate (0-45-0) and sulfate of potash (0-0-50), 50 lbs of each, to help increase P and K this year.

 

Today put down prodiamine at 3 month rate (0.5 lbs/acre; 0.185 oz/1k; 5 g/1k). I must have measured it 6 different ways to make sure I was using the right amount. Crazy how little of that stuff you actually need per app. I was hesitant to do pre-em today given the chance for heavy storms tomorrow night (and potential washout of product). But the next few days look pretty windy, and also more forecasted storms. So I decided to just get it down, and hedge my bets by attempting to water it in to an extent with the garden hose. We've had several days in the 60s in a row, and today hit 70. Didn't want to be late on the pre-em.



The lawn is crawling back to life. A lot of people in the neighborhood already had TruGreen fertilizing their yards last week. I'm trying to resist the urge to add nitrogen until the grass is actively growing.

As usual, the back is lagging behind the front. Some of the mulch beds are empty because I am in the process of transplanting shrubs. The dark green pee spots in the hell strip and backyard are getting very annoying.













Yesterday I finished greasing the JD. She only needs a backlap and then she'll be ready to go. Fired up first pull!

 

Looking good and ready to go!

Those dark green spots are definitely interesting - I'm going to be following your journal closely. I have deer in my yard all of the time - assuming peeing as well but I don't have those. Very interesting!

 

Looking good and ready to go!

Those dark green spots are definitely interesting - I'm going to be following your journal closely. I have deer in my yard all of the time - assuming peeing as well but I don't have those. Very interesting!

Thanks man. It's painful waiting for the first mow.

I'm thinking the pee in the backyard is from my dog. I'm just shocked that the spots are so big given he's a shih tzu / miniature poodle mix. The large number of spots in the hell strip and lack of deer sightings or droppings have me convinced that dogs are the source.

 

We will be mowing by next weekend. I'm sure if it.

 

. The dark green pee spots in the hell strip and backyard are getting very annoying.

@bf7 i think your looking at it all wrong. To me it's a preview of what the rest of your yard is soon to become. I mean, that some serious dark s**t man. Once you start hitting the N, the rest of the yard will follow suit. Can't wait.

 

. The dark green pee spots in the hell strip and backyard are getting very annoying.

@bf7 i think your looking at it all wrong. To me it's a preview of what the rest of your yard is soon to become. I mean, that some serious dark s**t man. Once you start hitting the N, the rest of the yard will follow suit. Can't wait.

Haha, I hope you're right 🙏 I agree the darkness is mind blowing for this time of year. It's also growing much faster than the other grass. The height is probably 2+ inches in some places, and the rest of the yard is below 1 inch.

 

Put down 2 lbs/1k of triple superphosphate (1 lb/1k of phosphorus) and hand pulled a few buckets of weeds. The weeds are a mix of poa a and the below, which I haven't identified yet. A high number of them are coming up white due to the tenacity apps late last fall.



Many of the lawns around me have been fertilized already and are greening up fast. I really want to put down nitrogen but still feel it's a little early to be pushing top growth while the young roots are transitioning to spring.

 

Looking good! Those dark spots may also be due to dog spots ironically enough. If it was just a small pee that got washed out a little bit. Doubtful, but could be. I'm experiencing something similar in my TTTF with some spots coming up faster. It could also be the one of the cultivars greens up faster and by some weird twist the bulk of seeds in those spots were mostly that cultivar. Who knows! Good news it's greening up early and the rest will follow.

Don't throw down N too early here and get spooked by the Tru Green trucks. They're out this early to make as much money as possible and get as many apps in as possible.

 

@OnTheLawn thanks! I figured they are definitely from dogs. They are all over the grass along the sidewalk. And now I notice them where my pup usually goes. It's ok with me as long as they stay green and don't die.

 

Been checking my front with a meat thermometer and it's clocking in temps well into the zone where things start moving...they can start moving real quick too!

Things are alive - don't overthink when to throw N - just do it once you are ideally ready to mow because that will surely follow.

 

@JerseyGreens you are probably right. I came very close to throwing it down this weekend but chickened out when I saw it's going to get cold again later this week. Not sure if a couple of chilly days would matter in the grand scheme.

If I can grind it out 5 more days, I think I'll be in the clear for mowing and N. No promises though - I may pull the trigger on either before then!

The pee spots exploding with growth, density, and color could be a sign that it's time. If I could somehow get a jug of dog urine and do a blanket spray, not saying I wouldn't try it given what I've seen lol.

 

Officially kicked off spoon feeding with 0.25 lbs N/1k today. Will have pics after the first mow which should be this week.

 

@bf7 now I'm envious...

Can't wait to see the photos. I may bite the bullet and officially kick off the spoon feeding myself come this weekend....

 

@Slingblade_847 I was also waiting to push N but I just couldn't sit back and do nothing for another warm week. A decent portion of the yard is growing though so I feel ok about giving the babies a nudge. I would tell you to go for it too but I'll report back with some results later in the week.

 

Alright sir! I'll be waiting on your outcome. Truth be told, I won't last through the weekend without not getting some proper N down....

 

What a difference a mow makes. The babies have greened up considerably over the past couple of days. 70s and urea are a great combo. @Slingblade_847 get that N down.

Some of the worst mowing lines I've ever seen. Knocking off major rust.













Many more clippings than expected! Could just be the dog pee spots.



And blooms on the cherry tree this morning!

 

@bf7 Hot damn, man! That is some ding dang dark grass! Yep, the N will be going down. I haven't put N down, but I swear I'm watching my grass get darker. N is only going to help. I've held off long enough. Looking great buddy.

 

@bf7 Hot damn, man! That is some ding dang dark grass! Yep, the N will be going down. I haven't put N down, but I swear I'm watching my grass get darker. N is only going to help. I've held off long enough. Looking great buddy.

Thanks bud. I believe you - I'm sure it is getting darker. Maybe it doesn't need the N yet, who knows. But I don't think it could hurt much at this point.

 

Rocking and rolling now. First mow looks great!

Did you get much clippings and what HOC?

 

Rocking and rolling now. First mow looks great!

Did you get much clippings and what HOC?

Thank you sir! I think it was a lot of clippings. More than I was getting in late October / early November. There's a pic of the clippings in my post from yesterday.

It's a 13/16 inch HOC consistent with last year. I really like that height for the balance of color / height.

When's your first mow?? It makes such a huge difference.

Snapped this morning

 

Looking solid for this time of year.

I'm thinking either Friday or Saturday evening for the first cut.

Whoops missed the clipping picture. That is definitely a significant amount of clippings!

I don't anticipate much here as its still pretty sleepy in the majority of the yard but we will see.

 

Wow, no nitrogen and it's already that dark! I spoon fed last Saturday and it's not even close to that.