Welcome! Do you have chickens? Or pets? That's an extreme fence for a front yard.

I was, as were SO MANY other people, in the same situation as you. There's so many people out here who purchased a disaster. But believe me, you're in the right place. The upfront costs can be minimized, the work can NOT.

I'll warn you, once you get some good seed down, and you start seeing actual grass - you're going to be on Kijiji looking for a reel mower - and when that happens, there's a forum for that on here too...

Its a ton of fun, but it never ends. Thank god.

best of luck.

 

Haha I have a french bulldog (he is in one of the pics) but I love the look of a framed hog wire fence and it allows him to watch the world go by when he is outside.

I put in the work no doubt, probably 40+ hours over the past month or so already. Willing to do what is necessary and want a pristine immaculate lawn so show me the way lawn forum.

 

I wouldn't worry about the straw, it's going to become organic matter over time. Some of the photos look like the grass might have got too tall and flopped over. This happens due to a combo of water and the fine new grass blades being too thin and weak to support it being tall. None of the spots look really bad but there is the potential you will lose a little bit. I would stop with the starter fert and go with a fast release like urea dropping 1/4 to 1/2lbs of nitrogen per 1 k. Needs to be watered in with a minimum of 1/4" of water and 1/2" would be better. You could do that right after the next mow. Give it a couple weeks and hit it again. Just be sure to keep up with the mowing. The weeds in that one photo could be hit with some Ortho Clover, Chickweed and Oxalis killer. Mix per the label (add a non-ionic surfactant-plain dish detergent will also work) and spot spray with a fine mist just enough to cover the weed leaves.

All in all it looks really good. It's going to get a little thicker each time you mow and it will thicken even more come spring. You've definitely done a nice job for your first reno!

 

Thanks man...I agree it does look great but for whatever reason I am super OCD about it. Which is odd because I am not this level of OCD about anything else. I think you are right and that I let it get too tall but that was probably just due to my lack of knowledge about when to cut it.

Done with starter fertilizer, got a link to urea fertilizer that I should pick up? This work?

https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Peasy-Urea-Fertilizer-46-0-0/dp/B071WCW6P7/ref=pd_sbs_86_t_1/142-7022911-6862015?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B071WCW6P7&pd_rd_r=7b189e31-2992-4905-b1b9-417e638bf7c8&pd_rd_w=dwKYk&pd_rd_wg=TBLJJ&pf_rd_p=5cfcfe89-300f-47d2-b1ad-a4e27203a02a&pf_rd_r=E4H8F35JMAK0Q64K6X92&psc=1&refRID=E4H8F35JMAK0Q64K6X92

And that ortho killer it won't kill the grass?

 

That urea will work, but...
At 46% nitrogen (rounded to 50% for easy head-math), the 1/2 pound N/M rate means you need 1 pound of that fertilizer per 1000 sqft of turf. So on your 6K lawn that 5-lb bag would come up slightly shy of one app at the 1/2 pound rate, or not quite enough for two apps at 1/4 pound rate. So I would buy more than 5 lbs.
Urea can be found in 50-pound bags for about $20 if you have a farmer's coop or feed store near you, or a Lesco/Site-one, maybe a Rural King, etc. Forget the big box stores, they won't have it. The same places that sell urea will also probably have ammonium sulfate which is 21-0-0.

Ortho CCO would be fine to apply now. Generally "most" selective herbicides are okay on new lawns once you've gotten a couple mows in, but always check labels to be sure.

The pics from your problem area look like there may be some small yellow/brown lesions on the leaves. With it being unusually warm lately and you keeping things moist, there is the possibility of fungus. I'm in a similar boat but just seeded 2 weeks ago today and only 9 days post-emergence. I applied propiconazole this past weekend. However, you're farther along, backing off on the watering, temps are supposed to break with overnight lows getting well below 60 into the weekend, and with you already feeding N it might grow out okay without fungicide.

 

You almost certainly have fungus activity. One of the picture shows melt out. Monitor those areas and if it gets worse be ready to attack with some fungicide. Most guys here won't wait even that long. If you have in hand, just go for it.
B

 

Lawn guy told me I could use a broad leaf weed killer after the 3rd time I mow it. Is that true?

Looks like it is coming along fine. The answer to your question is yes.

 

Ok...I will grab a bag of urea from the farm supply store as well as some of that ortho killer. What about fungicide? What should I be looking for there? propiconazole?

And as far as watering goes I cut it back from everyday to 3 times a week for 20 minutes per zone. Not sure if that is long enough for the depth of soil required? I guess I need to measure it.

 

Just be careful with the urea. Use a scale to weigh out the correct amount. It's pretty safe when used correctly but if you get careless with it things can go very wrong. If you have any questions post them here before making any mistakes.

You've already cut it twice so the Ortho CCO will be fine at label rate and will not hurt the grass.

I'm farther south than you and we finally have cooler weather coming in this weekend. If your temps are/will be in the 70's you can probably cut back to watering once per week. I would cut the grass, drop some urea and then water. Propiconazole should help with any fungus but the cooler weather will also along with cutting back on the watering.

 

@ForsheeMS

Adding a scale to things I need to buy. I called the local farm store and they have 50lb bags of urea so I will go by there today and pick one up. Will grab a couple bottles of that ortho CCO as well. However they did say its too late for a fungicide. Any truth to that?

Like I said today high of 93 but its been cool for the most part leading up to today...forecast is all low 70s/high 60s for the foreseeable future. If I am watering once a week how long should I water for?

 

Since you just cut yesterday and the temps will be cool, I would drop some urea at 1/4lbs of nitrogen per 1k (going light since you just dropped the starter Monday) and hit it with 1/2" of water. Depending on temps you might be able to go more than a week before watering again. Just keep a check on soil moisture and if it's getting dry and there's no rain water again.

On the weeds, get the concentrated CCO and a 1 to 2 gallon pump up sprayer. Much cheaper this way and you can mix up whatever you think you will need. Give it a day or two after the urea and watering and spot spray the weeds. Triclopyr takes time, especially with cooler temps, so don't expect to see much damage to the weeds for at least a week.

A fungicide app now definitely won't hurt although with the cool temps the fungus will likely go away on it's own. I would have some on hand because come summer there's a good chance you will need it to ward off brown patch.

 

@ForsheeMS

Not sure I follow...so if my yard is roughly 6k that would equate to 1.5 lbs of urea to cover it? Or do I need to do some kind of math of nitrogen < > urea to figure out how much I need to put down? Looking at this website it says 3.3lbs to cover 6k with 46-0-0 at 1/4 lb but not sure if that is right. http://agebb.missouri.edu/fertcalc/

I have a cheapy scott's lawn spreader that I have been using: https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/spreaders/scotts-turf-builder-edgeguard-mini-broadcast-spreader Reading online regarding urea it says to measure out a 1/4 lb, then measure a 1000sqft space, start at the lowest setting to allow the stuff to flow and cover that area.

And as far as CCO goes I read in a sprayer 1 ounce to 1 gallon to cover 200sqft, I probably got at least 1500-2k sqft to cover of that shit. Can I just cover those problem areas CCO and be done with it? No way I can spray them individually.

 

However they did say its too late for a fungicide. Any truth to that?

Fungi need appropriate temperatures and enough moisture to proliferate. Anytime those conditions are met, fungus can take off if you don't do anything to prevent it. Blanket statements relating fungicide applications to some date on a calendar, without taking other factors into account, are not accurate. Perhaps they didn't know you've seeded and been watering. The vast majority of your neighbors' lawns around you probably don't have fungus, unless they've been watering. Not enough precip around here lately.

Normally people associate fungicide applications with late spring moving into summer, when there tends to be adequate rainfall to keep things moist combined with increasing temperatures. You put down a couple/few apps of fungicide a few weeks apart in the May-June-July time frame, and then by late July and August there's usually less rainfall and not enough moisture for fungus to take off.

Your situation is atypical because regularly watering your seed has provided sufficient moisture, combined with unusually warm temperatures for this time of year. Continuously wet soil, hot days, warm humid nights (the overnight low at my house last night was 72 with a dew point around 70)... absolute petri dish for fungus. Now with the weather about to change (hopefully for good for the remainder of this year) out of fungus' favor and with your grass fed & growing, the damaged areas should grow out okay if you skip fungicide for now. But you will want some in your arsenal next year.

 

@ScottW I went ahead and ordered some fungicide, Ortho CCO from Amazon and picked up a 50lb bag of 46-0-0 from the local farm supply store. Now someone tell me how much urea I need to put down because I suck at math.

 

Not sure I follow...so if my yard is roughly 6k that would equate to 1.5 lbs of urea to cover it? Or do I need to do some kind of math of nitrogen < > urea to figure out how much I need to put down? Looking at this website it says 3.3lbs to cover 6k with 46-0-0 at 1/4 lb but not sure if that is right. http://agebb.missouri.edu/fertcalc/

Yes that is accurate. 46-0-0 means urea is 46% nitrogen by weight.
6k yard at 1/4 pound per 1000 sqft means a total of 1.5 pounds of nitrogen.
1.5 pounds divided by 0.46 (ratio of nitrogen content in urea by weight) gives 3.26 pounds of urea that you need to spread.

That is not a lot of product, and a fair bit of turf to cover. Your Scotts rotary spreader will work fine; it's what I have. Set the spreader low (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 to start, and see how she runs) and walk at a good clip. Having to make multiple passes to get the product down is far preferable to applying too much product in a localized area.
Tip: If you're applying in a back-and-forth pattern, let go of the spreader's release trigger before you start your turn-arounds, otherwise it will drop little arcs of higher concentration while you're turning. Ask me how I know...

If you know how your yard is split between sections in terms of sq ft, it can help keep applications even. For example my 5K lawn is ~60% back yard, 40% front, with the front 40% breaking down to 25% left-of-driveway and 15% right-of-driveway. I weigh out only what's needed for a particular section, then run the spreader until empty.

 

@ScottW

Thanks..just going off what @ForsheeMS recommended. Hard enough trying to figure out how much urea now I got to figure out how much per area of my yard? If I had to guess the front is 70%, side 20 and back 10. So if I want to measure the front I would just do 3.3 x .7 = 2.31lbs for my front yard? So on for the rest?

 

@ScottW

Thanks..just going off what @ForsheeMS recommended. Hard enough trying to figure out how much urea now I got to figure out how much per area of my yard? If I had to guess the front is 70%, side 20 and back 10. So if I want to measure the front I would just do 3.3 x .7 = 2.31lbs for my front yard? So on for the rest?

Getting into the LCN world, I think it is time for you to measure your lawn. You'll never have to guess after. :nod:

 

Yup, you've got it. :thumbup:

There's no law that says you have to break it down like that, but I do find it easier.

 

I just did that...measured everything but its hot as hell here today so maybe not so accurate because I rushed through it. Anyways to err on the side of the caution I spread a little over 2lbs over the entire yard with spreader on a 3 1/2, anything lower than that and the pellets wouldn't come out. But man it felt like I was out there forever making passes because it was coming out so slow.

 

The more you do this the easier it will get. Took me a little while to get it figured out. I break mine up into front lawn/back lawn. It's always best to set the spreader light and do multiple passes to get even coverage. That to will become quicker and easier as you get more experience with it. Even if the measuring was off by a few hundred square feet it's no big deal when going that light.

 

One of the main benefits of doing 0.25lb N/ksqft is that the risk of screwing up goes way down. Even if you double apply in a area, it is then only 0.5lb of N, which is still fine.

Make sure you water in the urea and keep the lawn irrigated.

 

One of the main benefits of doing 0.25lb N/ksqft is that the risk of screwing up goes way down. Even if you double apply in a area, it is then only 0.5lb of N, which is still fine.

Make sure you water in the urea and keep the lawn irrigated.

I watered it in after I spread it. Keep it irrigated? Backed off watering everyday to a couple times a week.

 

Aka, don't let it get to drought stress.

 

Going to try.

Looking at the lawn this morning and there are a lot of thin/bare sports and not sure why. Looks good from far but far from good up close. Odd that it looked so good two days ago when I cut it but this morning it just looks tired and bare. I am learning very quickly that growing grass is a real lesson in patience. :|

Also tested soil moisture and about 2 vs 4" down so don't think its because of a lack of water.

 

What height are you mowing at? Looks too long to me. I recommend 2" or around there. Also, put your mower on discharge as the suction is much stronger and it'll help to pull up the blades so they don't mat when you mow.