[glenmonte]

For those of us in the cool season area, we are all in the midst of our fall renovations and rejuvenations. But since I'm just finishing my first full season in a new place with a much larger lawn, I think it's time to really get ahead on a plan for next year.

I'd love to see everyone's input and maybe even plans for 2018. I'll probabably end up using this thread to update next year's progress.

Here's a quick summary at what I want to do next year:

April: Ringer, synthetic pre emergent with fertilizer (Jonathan Green with dimension). About a total of a pound and a third of N per 1000sf.

May: Espoma 15-0-5 and maybe a late application of pre emergent. I'd like to use dimension again, but NYS limits that... Either way I'll try to get down at least another pound of N.

June: a readily available insecticide- spectracode or sevin, then a granular weed control- preen for lawns. If timing works, another 1/2 lb N (probably the espoma again).

July: if needed, another insect control when able and spray as necessary.

August: hopefully just a few squirts for any weeds and limited cutting.

September: another round of ringer early, then later aerate, starter fertilizer, over seeding. Looking for another pound of N.

Final: not sure what I'll put down to pick up in 2019 yet, but whatever it is I should be just above 4 lbs N for the year plus my mulched clippings.

I'm looking at my cost being around $800 tops, but I shouldn't have a problem getting in under that price.

 

[phil]

This is a new home for you? I moved into my house in December of 2016 and spent the entire 2017 season so far building up the soil, overseeding, bringing in topsoil, killing weeds, etc etc. I spent somewhere around $3,000 so far, but thankfully that's all done now. A lot of that was in new seed and topsoil.

I don't see any Spring overseeding in you plan. Not necessary? Even though I did a fall overseed just a week ago, I'm probably still going to overseed in the Spring.

I'm only a little ways up I-87 from you outside Albany, so what did you put down this fall?

I'm getting amazing germination from some custom TTTF I bought online and am very very happy.

Looks like your plan is very cruise control - meaning the lawn is in good shape and you're in maintenance mode. Any interesting projects lined up?

And by the way, I don't mean cruise control in the negative. I can't wait until my lawn is in such nice shape that I can go into maintenance mode!

 

[pennstater2005]

Glenmonte, Welcome to the forum!

I'll take a stab at this but am going to limit my input and recommendations as I don't consider myself an expert by any means.

April: Ringer, synthetic pre emergent with fertilizer (Jonathan Green with dimension). About a total of a pound and a third of N per 1000sf.

Using when the forsythia bloom as a guideline is a popular method around here as to when to apply your pre emergent. Most apply the pre emergent separately from their first fertilization as you don't necessarily want to push growth this early. Using the gddtracker can be a good guideline and I do use it as well as the forsythia. Here's a link:

http://gddtracker.net/?model=7&offset=0

May: Espoma 15-0-5 and maybe a late application of pre emergent. I'd like to use dimension again, but NYS limits that... Either way I'll try to get down at least another pound of N.

This would probably be the better time to start fertilizing as the spring flush has mostly taken place. I apply my first fertilization in May usually towards the end of the month. Dimension again is fine as long as you are applying at the correct rates for a re application at 3 months and keeping track of your total for the year. I will say spraying prodiamine is a little more challenging but definitely cheaper in the long run.

As for the rest of the year I don't do much until August rolls around then one last round of Milorganite before I start hitting it heavy with urea for the fall nitrogen regimen. Link: http://www.thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=753

Late August or early September would be your fall pre emergent application and also the time for over seeding as you noted. Be careful of seeding KBG too late as it takes longer to germinate than perennial rye and may not be established enough by the time the first frost occurs.

Good luck and take my advice with a big old grain of salt :thumbup:

 

[glenmonte]

Thanks for the welcome. Yes, the house I'm in and here are both new homes to me. I moved in last year just as the heat was turning up, so for the most part, the best I was able to do was big time weed control, then I a pretty good aeration and overseed, followed by some heavy doses of nitrogen (a lot of Milorganite, and some synthetic starter). I did have about a third of the front lawn dug up last July for a new sewer line. Instead of waiting until cooler weather to seed, I did two rounds covered in peat moss and kept the sprinklers going three times a day.

After last year's nitrogen, the whole lawn looked pretty good when it woke up in the spring. I fertilize first, then pre-e a few weeks later- I use the forsythia, too. It never fails. I still had a few assorted weeds this, but digging them out or hitting them with just 2-4d/dicamba/quinclorac/triclorpyr worked just fine. I have always preferred to just dig them out.

This fall's plan is for some aeration with overseed. I put down a lesco starter fertilizer from HD (the one with the high P to push the roots in the fall), then just overseed after aerating. Any trouble areas get hit with a rake/garden weasel first. I'll probably get that down in the next week or too, still a bit hot. I don't put down pre-e in the fall because I'm seeding, and I don't seed in the spring because I have pre-e down. However, I don't mind throwing down some seed any other time (even July/August) in trouble spots. I actually find it works just fine with some peat moss for mulch and keeping it wet constantly.

I have a strict mix- I have to keep the fescues/ryegrass in there because I have a bunch of very nice oak trees shading the lawn. I actually try to limit the amount of Kentucky blue because it isn't too happy with a lot of fertilizer/treatment.