[Bkell101]

This site has been really great so far and I've already learned quite a bit, so thank you all.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed and like this is such an uphill battle ......should I....?

1. Continue the fertilization/broadleaf control/grub control/aeration and overseed program w/my lawn company

or

2. Renovation seed or sod

My obstacles and what I've done so far:
1. fungus infection / brown spot on the grass (also have mushrooms coming up in the grass) - 1 round of group3/11 fungicide so far

2. quite a bit of creeping bent grass now turning brown - nothing yet, considering tenacity

3. moss in several areas - nothing

4. moles - I've caught a few and they seem to have slowed down

5. Unlevel areas (prior trees/mole hill/? ) where I notice water pooling - nothing

Overall, from what I've read, it seems like the creeping bent grass is a major problem if I want a tall fescue lawn. It literally looks like it's choking out the rest of the grass. If I spray with tenacity, I've heard my lawn will turn white for a while (in spots where the bent grass is. which is 40% of the lawn)

Should I just get ready to renovate, or is this surmountable with an overseed?

 

[SpiveyJr]

Im a novice at this so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I don't think renovating or laying down sod will fix some of your problems such as fungus, moles, or unlevel areas. Maybe focus on a few things first to get them squared away before planting seed or sod and hoping things go away?

Maybe address the moss issue first because that's a sign of soil issues whether it stems from too much water, not enough light or a mixture of both.

 

[Suburban Jungle Life]

Usually, the recommendation for someone getting into lawn for the first time is to check out the cool season lawn guide. Take the first year and do your own weed control and grow grass from seed in the fall. Learn what all of that takes and keep reading TLF for info. The second year, you should be set with enough information, completed a soil test, corrected soil deficiencies, and then be ready for a renovation if you so wish. A renovation done incorrectly leaves you with a muddy mess and very little grass.

 

[Creel]

Also from Cincinnati and also new home owner.
From my experience from my first place do as SpiveyJr mentioned. Work on getting the soil nutrients correct and tackle the weed issues now. Then come fall time do an aeration and overseeding like you said with some seed and see how things turn out next year. Doing a full renovation will be a lot more but if the overseeding is a success then you will save a good deal of money. If you check my post in the journal section you can see how just doing Milorganite apps about once every month and a post weed emergent preventer I have had good success.

If you just now started it will feel like an uphill battle since missed the fall overseeding and with the heat we are having. I myself will be seeing how a fall overseed and aeration will do and if by next fall it's not to where I want it I will reno.

 

[gene_stl]

I like Suburban Jungle Lifes' advice because it agrees with what I am doing.

Unless you have the money time and energy on tap for a complete reno , which as noted may not solve all the problems, my recommendation would be to go after these problems one at a time.

I am in my second summer in a house with a lawn that would be too expensive to renovate and irrigate so I am going after a multitude of problems. This is our fourth and hopefully last house and I have done tier one lawns previously. I never liked the idea of glyphosating a lawn. (This is a personal preference probably arising from a lack of confidence in St. Louis weather)

I worry about ending up with the Bonneville Mud Flat. For whatever reason, big white patches from Tenacity don't bother me at all. The difference in the bleaching/whitening is pretty interesting and highlights different species existing in the hodge podge that is my lawn.

It takes a couple or three years to beat a lawn into Tier one or two submission.

One thing I "think" I may be noticing is that since I have been spraying lawn chemicals all over the place I have the impression that the moles like my lawn less. I could be imagining this. I haven't even sprayed grub spray yet but I do have a jug of imicloprid on hand and it will be included in most future sprays.

It probably is possible to fix many of your problems in conjunction with a major reno. Depends on the budget. I don't have experience with getting rid of creeping bentgrass. But I think there are grassy weed herbicides that will do the job for you.

The specific for mossy weeds is Carfentrazone (Quicksilver)

 

[Bkell101]

I like Suburban Jungle Lifes' advice because it agrees with what I am doing.

Unless you have the money time and energy on tap for a complete reno , which as noted may not solve all the problems, my recommendation would be to go after these problems one at a time.

I am in my second summer in a house with a lawn that would be too expensive to renovate and irrigate so I am going after a multitude of problems. This is our fourth and hopefully last house and I have done tier one lawns previously. I never liked the idea of glyphosating a lawn. (This is a personal preference probably arising from a lack of confidence in St. Louis weather)

I worry about ending up with the Bonneville Mud Flat. For whatever reason, big white patches from Tenacity don't bother me at all. The difference in the bleaching/whitening is pretty interesting and highlights different species existing in the hodge podge that is my lawn.

It takes a couple or three years to beat a lawn into Tier one or two submission.

One thing I "think" I may be noticing is that since I have been spraying lawn chemicals all over the place I have the impression that the moles like my lawn less. I could be imagining this. I haven't even sprayed grub spray yet but I do have a jug of imicloprid on hand and it will be included in most future sprays.

It probably is possible to fix many of your problems in conjunction with a major reno. Depends on the budget. I don't have experience with getting rid of creeping bentgrass. But I think there are grassy weed herbicides that will do the job for you.

The specific for mossy weeds is Carfentrazone (Quicksilver)

Thanks so much for all of the replies.

Man, if I went the lawn reno route it'd be with the company I have now doing the fertilization/weed control/ect program. I'd for sure create a mud flat at this stage if i tackled it on my own...

One of my goals is to learn about general lawn care practices and then take over from the lawn care company next summer.

In the interim though, tenacity seems to be the drug of choice for treating the creeping bentgrass. As of now, the lawn company isn't planning on using it. If I have have this creeping bentgrass, would it be prudent to use it prior to the aeration and overseeding we are planning mid August?

 

[Bkell101]

Also from Cincinnati and also new home owner.
From my experience from my first place do as SpiveyJr mentioned. Work on getting the soil nutrients correct and tackle the weed issues now. Then come fall time do an aeration and overseeding like you said with some seed and see how things turn out next year. Doing a full renovation will be a lot more but if the overseeding is a success then you will save a good deal of money. If you check my post in the journal section you can see how just doing Milorganite apps about once every month and a post weed emergent preventer I have had good success.

If you just now started it will feel like an uphill battle since missed the fall overseeding and with the heat we are having. I myself will be seeing how a fall overseed and aeration will do and if by next fall it's not to where I want it I will reno.

I really like the journal thing. I'm going to try this. It will be a good way to to track and keep me accountable .

 

[Bkell101]

Usually, the recommendation for someone getting into lawn for the first time is to check out the cool season lawn guide. Take the first year and do your own weed control and grow grass from seed in the fall. Learn what all of that takes and keep reading TLF for info. The second year, you should be set with enough information, completed a soil test, corrected soil deficiencies, and then be ready for a renovation if you so wish. A renovation done incorrectly leaves you with a muddy mess and very little grass.

Thanks for the direction. I read the guide. Tons of great information.

I was planning on having the lawn care company do the reno. No way could I handle something like that at this stage. I'm just wondering if I'm wasting my time and money having them do the fertilization and overseeding given the amount of creeping bentgrass I have in the yard. Seems like tenacity is the only product to really kill it without killing off your grass. However, it would leave much of my lawn white for a while. Which is why I was entertaining the idea of just going with sod and starting fresh.

I figure if my goal is to eventually take over the lawncare myself, it'd be easier to start without such a complete crappy lawn with soooo many issues.

what do you think? mainly not sure how to handle the creeping bentgrass.

 

[Bkell101]

Here is the front

 

[Bkell101]

The backyard is way worse, but it's just the backyard at least

 

[Suburban Jungle Life]

If it turned brown from the heat or lack of water, it won't absorb the herbicide. It needs to be green and growing for herbicide to work. Does it come back in the fall? If so, tenacity can be sprayed on seed so if it starts growing, spray and seed.

If you are doing a renovation, then you will need to water and do multiple rounds of glyphosate to prepare for seeding. It strikes me as odd that the LCO doesn't want to use tenacity. With it's low application cost and effective against grassy weeds, seems like a good tool to use.

Sod is the easiest way to a nice lawn. The drawback is the cost. A renovation does cost much less but is more work. Plus, on a reno, you get to choose your cultivars.

 

[Bkell101]

The lawn company said it would green up again in the fall.

I was reading an instruction sheet for tenacity and it said to time the third application with the time you overseed. This means the bentgrass would need to green up by end of July for a September 1 overseed right?

Any thoughts? Also, some of the bentgrass is green right now where it is more shaded and not direct heat and sunlight.

I asked the lawncare company if they spray for this stuff and I'm waiting to hear back.