[JohnP]

On 9/4 I did an overseed with some Super Seed Store blend (I just punched zip code into SSS and hit Not Shady as most the lawn gets their stated 4hours or more of sunlight): Midnight, Diva, Everglade, Fiesta 4, Zodiac. Covered with peat, treated with Tenacity. I did proper irrigation and it filled in nicely compared to what it was. Still room for improvement, especially when compared to others on here

I'm kind of getting an itch to do the front yard as a Bewitched reno next year. The wife has already given me her blessing to kill and do new if I want. I am really drawn to the look of a thick KBG and thought Bewitched would be a good option given the maple tree in the front.

What would you do?

1. Would you do a better overseed?
2. Would you nuke and go Bewitched?
3. ???

Finally, would you change the shape of the mulch bed towards the top at all? Making it easier to mow or leave as is? Wife planted bulbs that should hopefully come up this spring if the deer don't kill 'em first. It's a bit of a mess with mulch spilling out from the planting and some pine/leaves that need mulched.

 

[Sinclair]

If that was my lawn I would get rid of the mulch and flowers in the lower corner by the driveway, and in the upper corner by the house. I would also tighten up the mulch ring around the tree, depending on the root situation.

As for seeding vs. nuking, what is your weed pressure like? It doesn't look too bad from the photo.

Kentucky Bluegrass gets lots of love and for very good reason, but there are some kick *** rye lawns too. See wardconnor here and ryanknorr on YouTube for examples of low and high cut PRG.

 

[Sinclair]

Also, digging a trench around the mulch beds will keep the mulch in place better.

 

[JohnP]

The maple has lots of shallow roots so it made it hard to have anything that would dig into the ground. Some of the shallow roots extend beyond that mulch bed, but not far.

I have seen some of the other natural edging others have posted on here. I liked the looks of them but was concerned the shallow roots would ruin the look.

Weeds are a LOT better now that I've actually been treating for them and mowing properly. I was consistently BAG mowing at 2" until about August of this year. I'm a terrible person, I know. I'm mowing at 3" and mulch mowing, letting the lawn thicken up to help resist that more naturally.

I did 24D and Triclopyr about 60 days before the overseed and then Tenacity since. I also did a Prodiamine treatment (a little early, should've waited until about this weekend likely instead of last weekend) at a super low strength. There's light clover that showed up and maybe couch or orchard grass in another area.

 

[g-man]

JohnP a word of caution.

Many have tried to overseed kbg into a no mix without success. Kbg takes a while to germinate and to start growing (3-4 weeks). During that time, the rest of the lawn keeps growing and shadows the new grass.

For the mulch bed, look at this thread and grassdaddy video in it.
http://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=182

 

[JohnP]

g-man, I wouldn't be doing a KBG overseed....I would be doing an entire reno if I did KBG.

If I overseed I would likely go with the Cochise IV TTTF. Sorry if I didn't make that distinction more clear. My initial purchase of seed was "Plug in zip code...buy...."

 

[JohnP]

Also that's the thread I saw before that made me like that natural look.

 

[JohnP]

As far as removing the mulch bed down by the end of the driveway, the wife just planted a crazy amount of bulbs in there as well to surround the rose bush. It was just a rock bed before. She might change it out in the future but for now that's what it is.

For a comparison here's the best photo that shows that tree with roots from when the house was put on the market. I think this photo is Feb 2015.



Also here's the other side of the driveway. The corner at the sidewalk and driveway was also a rockbed when we purchased it, but I removed that, and the dumb bush that was there, filled it in with dirt, rolled, and seeded 9/4 as well. This side is much better than the other, likely because it hasn't had those maple roots suckin' everything out. I never irrigated until the overseed either so the tree side probably never got enough water. Sorry for blurry shot, had to grab it from a video I recorded last week.

 

[SNOWBOB11]

If it was me, I'd nuke and reno. At the end of the day you can overseed and overseed until your blue in the face but I don't think you'll ever get the results like doing a full kbg lawn. I used to overseed my nomix lawn every year and after every time I'd seed it I'd be sure this was going to be the year it stayed thick and full for the hole year. It always thinned and I'd be back to overseeding. I did a bluegrass reno this year I'd im glad I did. I feel I finally have a lawn I can work with to get it to where I want it to be, instead of having to plant new grass every year to thicken it up. Having said this, doing a full reno isn't without its own challenges. But if you enjoy working with your lawn then even with the challenges it's all good. Your overseed looks like it came out good so I think the next step is to do the full reno. There's also nothing like seeing the looks on your neighbours faces when they see your glyphosate lawn.

 

[chrisben]

I would think that Nook between the tree and the garden bed would be a real pain to mow. I have one similar I'm thinking of ways to eliminate.

 

[JohnP]

There's also nothing like seeing the looks on your neighbours faces when they see your glyphosate lawn.

Truth be told I think this is why my wife said go for it. We are the first house when you come into the neighborhood and it's one of those neighborhoods where someone shows up with a plate of cookies when you move in...mostly so they can get phone numbers and update the directory.

"We're such a tight knit that we don't need street lights in here."

Driving by slow when you're outside so they can see what you're doing.

It is a nice neighborhood and we do have a few good neighbors in the bunch, but I think my wife just wants that shock factor of having the neighbors think we "managed to kill every speck of grass." Lol

I just wanna make sure it's the best route compared to just throwing down TTTF or something.

I did do a Logan Labs soil test and have a plan I'm putting in action. Soil isn't terrible. Have my Urea source and ready for winterizer.

Lawn is like 75% there. Feel like getting to 90% would be a reno with the last 10% being whatever small modifications to landscape.

 

[JohnP]

I would think that Nook between the tree and the garden bed would be a real pain to mow. I have one similar I'm thinking of ways to eliminate.

Oh man, I remember the Nook.

It is a pain, I found a trim pass and then stepping to side of mower to spin it around works well. Little squeeze on the Self Propel and I get through it. Not ideal.

 

[zeus201]

If it were me, I'd start over with a blend of ***. I love mono stand KBG but you have to be prepared for the risks.

http://www.ntep.org/reports/kb11/kb11_17-9/kb11_17-9.htm

2016 results for NTEP have been posted and Iowa has a testing site (Ames). Take a look at that too see what *** types scored well in Iowa.

 

[g-man]

I would use a different approach. I overseed next year and continue to amend the soil, and to learn how to make the yard look great. If you like the results, then keep it. If you dont, then reno in 2019 with KBG. This way you are setting yourself up for a better chance of success of a reno.

 

[wardconnor]

I would use a different approach. I overseed next year and continue to amend the soil, and to learn how to make the yard look great. If you like the results, then keep it. If you dont, then reno in 2019 with KBG. This way you are setting yourself up for a better chance of success of a reno.

I like this advise

 

[JohnP]

I would use a different approach. I overseed next year and continue to amend the soil, and to learn how to make the yard look great. If you like the results, then keep it. If you dont, then reno in 2019 with KBG. This way you are setting yourself up for a better chance of success of a reno.

So option 1 with a better TTTF overseed. I'm assuming the better chance of success point is experience plus continued amendments.

 

[JohnP]

I would use a different approach. I overseed next year and continue to amend the soil, and to learn how to make the yard look great. If you like the results, then keep it. If you dont, then reno in 2019 with KBG. This way you are setting yourself up for a better chance of success of a reno.

I think I'm going to do an overseed with the Regenerate TTTF if I can get my hands on it. Scored well in NTEP and another site has a member in my area that did a monostand with it, looks good.

I like this advise

Now if I can just find someone to level off my small yard with a few tons of sand