[bobcajun]

Hi,

In need your input on how I could make my lawn great! The main reason to have a great lawn is for my kids and second its for my personal accomplishment. I grow up with a poor lawn at my parents home and younger I always wish to have a great lawn to play on it. My parents were working a lot in the summer and they never had the time and money to make their lawn great.

I have two young kids and I want them to love be in the lawn every day.

I live in Beresford NB Canada and the lawn season is short here. We still have frost at night. I tried so many time to topdress and/or overseed in spring. Last year I just overseed in the fall but I think it was too late. The lawn mixture that I used is about 40% KBG, 40% PRG and 20% TTTF i think. I wish to only have KBG but I read that overseeding only this type is a waste of money. So I will continue with what I already used. My lawn area is around 9000 sqr/ft.

Heres my lawn right now.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FXvuJymntrtwjcSo2

I ordered Ortho Kilkex to kills weeds and tried to let the existing lawn growing. Im planning to aerate, detach and overseed arround mid august. Not sure if I need to add compost.

Im wondering when I will need to put killex. Right now or only two week before overseeding.

Does just put prodiamine right now will be fine until I overseed?

When overseeding does tenacity at the time of seeding is a good idea?

Of course I will try to build my above the ground sprinkler like Ryan Knorr because my sprinkler is not enough. I just planning to overseed and watering the part at the left of my driveway that is 4500 sqrt/ft for this year. I think using peat moss to protect my freshly spreaded seed.

Im not sure where to start, what to use, when applying products and what the amount of product to use.

Heres my house and lawn.



Of course I live in Canada so products here are restricted and hard to found.

Thank you in advance! :thumbup:

 

[SNOWBOB11]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

If you haven't already check out g-mans cool season guide thread https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1595. It has lots of information and help for someone just starting out in lawn care.

A good place to start would be to get a soil test, see what nutrients are lacking in your soil and try and fertilize the lawn accordingly. Do this through the spring and summer in preparation for a late summer (mid August overseed).

You can also spend time identifying and killing weeds in the grass this spring and early summer.

When you're ready to seed make sure whatever variety of seed type you chose you get good quality seed and try and stay away from the cheaper big box store seeds that contain lots of grassy weeds instead of quality turf grass seed. This includes scotts seed.

Tenacity goes down at seed down to prevent weeds from germinating but can also be used as a post emergent after the seed has germinated and established a bit.

After around 6-8 weeks or so from seed down you can apply prodiamine to stop weed seeds from germinating for the next season.

Of course there is also the option of the full nuke and reno with elite KBG but you have by the looks of it a decent size lawn and for someone just starting out it might be best to get the basics down first.

 

[g-man]

^ +1

One thing to try is to feed your current lawn. I looks like it could use nitrogen.

 

[bobcajun]

I already read g-mans article and I learn a lot. Im more tier 2 guy for now hehe.

As for local lawn company I only have one. They always told me to put limestone because we have acid soil. I put 4-5 bags of limestone every spring. I never test my soil. What's the cheapest soil test that is most effective?

I also get this chimical lawn fertilizer from this lawn company. I just bought one bag from there and it cover all my lawn.



I also buy my seed from there because its the mixture that I told in my earlier post. I put around 3lbs per 1000 sqr/ft. I will go in Moncton next week and try to stop at a golf course supplier store to see what I can get.

Do you think I should apply Killex when its arrive by mail? And spot spray weed with Scotts wee-b-gon ecosens after until Im ready to do the overseeding process with tenacity?

 

[SNOWBOB11]

It's not a good idea to just throw down lime every year without knowing if your lawn needs it. I don't know if you have any labs that will test your soil out east. I have labs that will test for me here in S ON but I choose to use logans lab in the states.

As far as the killex and weed b gone. I've never really used them so I can't speak on how good they are. If I was to guess they probably don't do a great job on handling the weeds with the chemicals they contain that are allowed here. If you have a source for tenacity and prodiamine then see if you can get a better weed killer from them. Try and get something with the ai triclopyr. Of cource that might not kill every weed but it will take care of clover and several others. And yes you can spray that this spring.

 

[SNOWBOB11]

Oh and remember to use a NIS (non-ionic surfactant). It helps the herbicides stick to the weeds.

 

[bobcajun]

Oh and remember to use a NIS (non-ionic surfactant). It helps the herbicides stick to the weeds.

Does no tear shampoo or dish soap do the job?

 

[bobcajun]

I found this organic fertilizer on Home Hardware online. I will call my local store to see what's is available here. It could be a milorganite for canadien here.

25kg 9-2-2 + Iron Natural Lawn Fertilizer

 

[Sinclair]

I found this organic fertilizer on Home Hardware online. I will call my local store to see what's is available here. It could be a milorganite for canadien here.

25kg 9-2-2 + Iron Natural Lawn Fertilizer

Hey Bob,

This is what I am using, and I have great results so far.

 

[bobcajun]

Glad to hear this! I will give it a try then.

What the best time to apply this type of fertilizer?

 

[Sinclair]

What the best time to apply this type of fertilizer?

As soon as you get it, and often. :thumbup:

I've been applying 2lbs per 1000sf weekly, which works out to 0.18lb N per week, and ~0.80lb N per month.

 

[bobcajun]

Cool! I will try this year if the money is not an issue.

I also found a place to do my soil analysis in PEI. Does the S1 - Standard Field Soil will be fine?

PEI Analytical Laboratories - Soil Analysis Fee Schedule

 

[g-man]

S2 will be better.

 

[bobcajun]

I just received my Ortho Killex and I'm trying to found out the best way to apply it. Using a hose-end sprayer or a 4 gallon backpack sprayer? I don't own any of those.

The instruction said to put 6ml into 1L to cover 50sqf. I have 9 000sqf of turf to cover. A 4 gallon backpack sprayer have 15L of liquid so this means that a full spayer cover only 750sqf. So I need to fill up 12 times the 4 gallon spayer. It's should be easier to buy a hose-end sprayer for this time because I have a lot of weeds in the lawn. Can I add surfactant in a hose-end sprayer?

What's you opinion on this?

 

[SNOWBOB11]

In general a tank sprayer is better for applying herbicides than a hose end sprayer IMO. Unless it specifically says on the label to use a hose end sprayer I'd use the backpack.

 

[bobcajun]

In general a tank sprayer is better for applying herbicides than a hose end sprayer IMO. Unless it specifically says on the label to use a hose end sprayer I'd use the backpack.

You were right for the spraying technic. Next time I will use a backpack sprayer 4 gallon. I tried a Chapin hose end sprayer on my backyard first and I think the ratio was way off. I put the sprayer from 6 to 3 after with the amount of 6ml for 50 sqrf and the coverage was better. So definitly the sprayer is the way to go. I wish I did not mess my lawn.

 

[llO0DQLE]

As far as the killex and weed b gone. I've never really used them so I can't speak on how good they are. If I was to guess they probably don't do a great job on handling the weeds with the chemicals they contain that are allowed here.

lol you Eastcoasters that don't know Killex. Killex is awesome. It's 2,4-D with mecoprop and dicamba. Basically the base of the triangle approach and knocks out most broadleaf weeds. Weed b gone sucks and it's what you guys have in ON because you can't have Killex. Weed b gone is just iron basically.

I wouldn't use Tenacity as a first line of attack. That's pretty expensive and specialized herbicide.

OP - google "Triangle Approach to killing weeds" and follow that. Learn some basics to lawn care - proper watering, mowing and fertilizing and see where the lawn is at at the end of the season. No offense, but I can tell you're new and a reno/overseed is probably too much to take on at this point. I recommend getting some experience and learning all the basics first.

 

[bobcajun]

As far as the killex and weed b gone. I've never really used them so I can't speak on how good they are. If I was to guess they probably don't do a great job on handling the weeds with the chemicals they contain that are allowed here.

lol you Eastcoasters that don't know Killex. Killex is awesome. It's 2,4-D with mecoprop and dicamba. Basically the base of the triangle approach and knocks out most broadleaf weeds. Weed b gone sucks and it's what you guys have in ON because you can't have Killex. Weed b gone is just iron basically.

I wouldn't use Tenacity as a first line of attack. That's pretty expensive and specialized herbicide.

OP - google "Triangle Approach to killing weeds" and follow that. Learn some basics to lawn care - proper watering, mowing and fertilizing and see where the lawn is at at the end of the season. No offense, but I can tell you're new and a reno/overseed is probably too much to take on at this point. I recommend getting some experience and learning all the basics first.

So yeah, I read about the triangle approach and it's make sense. So I put down killex more than two weeks ago and didn't mess my turf and no dandelion on my lawn for now. It didn't kill all the weeds so I'm considering oredring another bottle to do a second application. My neigbors are full of dandelion and it's sucks for me because I need to put more effort each year to get rid of if. One other type of weed that I have is similar of a wild strawberry plant but they dont have any fruit on it and the leaves are bigger. Don't know if a second application of Killex would help. When you think I should apply a second application, ASAP or in the fall?

I also applied a 25kg of organic fertilizer in mid-june that I bought from a local Home Hardware. I have a second bag and I'm planning to put it in mid-august because I want to apply a bag of fert. from my local lawn care company in mid-july.

I also received my 3 Hunter sprinklers with MP3000-360 - Hunter MP Rotator 22-30 ft. radius - 360 Degrees nozzle from Irrigation Direct Canada, and I did a setup like Ryan Knorr. The sprinkler have a very good spray pattern and it's far better than my pulsating one. The only problem is when I put them in series. I don't have enough water flow, so the coverage decrease drasticly, but only one sprinkler is great. So for now I go and move the sprinkler each hour to cover my lawn. I will buy a 3 or 4 zone water timer programmable to plug them and irrigate a part of my lawn when i'm at work.

So here's my next planning:

• second application of Killex (maybe)

• mid-july fert.

• first weekend of august
  • mow shorter (around 2 inches, currently 4)
  • areation
  • detach (maybe)
  • overseed 3lbs/sqf (***, PRG, Creeping Red Fescue)
  • add peat moss (area more prone to dry)
  • apply starter fert.

• mid-august - apply organic fert.

• continuous watering

 

[g-man]

What is the active ingredient in the Killex product?

I think you could run 2 of the MP rotators in series. The MP3000-360 have a 3.64GPM each. Two might be ok on a hose, but 3 will be too much.

 

[bobcajun]

Composition and Ingredient Information

• 2,4-D
• Mecoprop-p
• Dicamba

Killex_Lawn_Weed_Control_Concentrate

As for the sprinklers, 2 is OK. The second sprinkler coverage is not good as the first. 3 sprinklers is too much.