[1fish2fish]

First post...

We moved out of the city a few years ago and up till then, my lawn experience was mowing weeds in front of our duplex that we called grass. We now have 1500 sq feet of lawn and when we purchased the home it was overrun with dandelions to the point there was more yellow than green... this is not an exaggeration. So I hired the local "cheap" lawn care company to get rid of the weeds and feed the grass along with mosquito treatments throughout the summer. They did an OK job but you get what you pay for. This year I decided to take on the yard myself and finding a forum to pick brains and get feedback landed me here.

My primary concern is those dandelions. I thought they were managed because I laid out the Step 1 from Scotts but they are coming back. I started spot spraying them but it's clear there needs to be a more aggressive approach. Rather than blasting a million questions to the group, I'd like to start with a couple to work on the foundation.

1 - Can you tell me what kind of grass I have? I'm in SE Wisconsin and I have two pics attached. Once with the grass freshly cut and another where the grass is longer by the rabbit's nest.

2 - Short of dousing the lawn with gasoline and setting it ablaze, what is the best way to attack the little yellow flowers?

3 - I have an older Yard Machine riding mower. 42" deck with the Briggs vTwin 17hp. From what I have read I should add the mulching feature but I am unclear on if I will need new blades. With this kid cover it? https://www.walmart.com/ip/Murray-MTD-Brands-38-42-cutting-deck-Mulch-Kit-OEM-190-116/35833924?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227023857317&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=78193420952&wl4=pla-152160874112&wl5=9018818&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=35833924&wl13=&veh=sem

4 - The yard is VERY bumpy. How do I flatten it out?

Thanks for any advice or feedback you can offer.

 

[SNOWBOB11]

I would say looking at the pictures you probably have a northern mix (fescue, rye, bluegrass) lawn but it is always difficult to tell from a picture.

I believe there are weed b gon herbicides that should take care of the dandelions, but I'll let others give more in-depth recommendations on that.

Mulching is usually always better than not so if you don't have mulching blades and there is mulching blades that will fit then yes get them.

Top dressing the yard in the fall and sometimes in the spring will over time help with leveling the yard.

Welcome to TLF.

 

[g-man]

Welcome to TLF

I would start by giving this a good read. Print it out and frame it. Cool season guide

Scott step 1 prevents crabgrass and other summer annuals. Dandelions started last fall and hide all winter with the sole purpose of popping those yellow flowers to throw seeds and start all over. So the Scott step 1 won't help with it. You need to get Weed b Gon (WBG) + crabgrass and spray them. If there are too many, a blanket full lawn spray might be easier than spot, but I prefer to do spot spray whenever I can (less chemicals in the lawn).

1) looks like a northern mix (kbg, ryegrass and tall fescue), but I don't see a lot of fescue.

2) no gasoline, those images look really good. Just use wbg

3)I'm not sure. I have to ask, 1500sq ft in a 42in riding mower? How you turn it in such a small yard?

4) a heavy roller. I've seen you tube videos of someone using a asphalt roller on the lawn

 

[probasestealer]

Grass looks good, I don't see any yellow flowers. What gives? Jk. I'm not sure what Scott's 1st step is, hopefully a pre-emergent. I'd start with Weed-b-gone broadleaf hose-end, it should manage most broadleaf.
Take closer pics of your grass. Likely a northern mix as stated above.
Read the triangle approach for weeds (is that what we call it here?)

 

[probasestealer]

Oh, did you mean 1500 or 15,000 square feet? That's a big mower

 

[1fish2fish]

I would say looking at the pictures you probably have a northern mix (fescue, rye, bluegrass) lawn but it is always difficult to tell from a picture.

Thanks!

I would start by giving this a good read. Print it out and frame it. Cool season guide

Thank you... diving in now.

Scott step 1 prevents crabgrass and other summer annuals. Dandelions started last fall and hide all winter with the sole purpose of popping those yellow flowers to throw seeds and start all over. So the Scott step 1 won't help with it.

That explains it.

I prefer to do spot spray whenever I can (less chemicals in the lawn).

That's what I started with but for every one I spray, three pop up. I'm losing this battle fast. The pics I posted are misleading because they are in the best part of the yard. I wanted to focus on just grass to get the best idea of what I was working with.

I have to ask, 1500sq ft in a 42in riding mower? How you turn it in such a small yard?

LOL!!! I forgot a "0", should be 15000.

 

[ABC123]

Looks like possible quackgrass. If you have a sprinkler system I'd apply some milorganite and try to do more frequent mowings. Could you post a picture where the leaf meets the stem?

 

[g-man]

I'm not sure what Scott's 1st step is, hopefully a pre-emergent.

Scott step 1 is pendimethalin. I dont understand why they still use it. Maybe it helps with the sales of step 2.

 

[dfw_pilot]

Scott step 1 is pendimethalin. I dont understand why they still use it. Maybe it helps with the sales of step 2.

+1

 

[g-man]

Looks like possible quackgrass.

In the bottom right side of the first image? Once I click on the image to get the full image I noticed iit.

 

[1fish2fish]

Looks like possible quackgrass. If you have a sprinkler system I'd apply some milorganite and try to do more frequent mowings. Could you post a picture where the leaf meets the stem?

I do not have a sprinkler system. When I first moved in I tried growing hops (a bulletproof plant) for home brewing and it struggled. I was told this was due to all the iron in the well water. Not sure how that would factor for the grass but it may be worth mentioning.

I'm not sure what Scott's 1st step is, hopefully a pre-emergent.

Scott step 1 is pendimethalin. I dont understand why they still use it. Maybe it helps with the sales of step 2.

The guy at Ace told me this is a preemergent and it should help prevent dandelions. Perhaps there is a disconnect between marketing and practical application?

 

[1fish2fish]

I would start by giving this a good read. Print it out and frame it. Cool season guide

Wow! That was soooo good! It was a deep rabbit hole with all those links too. Very well done!

It's was much more info than I can process at this stage but I believe the three biggest takeaways for someone in my position are:

1 - Cutting = Stop taking more than 1/3 of overall height, this means mow more often. Also, sharpen the blades often, the grinder is faster but file produces a better edge.
2 - Kill Weeds - Prodiamine 65 WDG Generic Barricade 5 lb is the preemergent I should be using, ditch the Scotts Stage 1. Apply early spring and late August. Southern Wisconsin and Northern Indiana are pretty close climate wise I would imagine, maybe off by a week or so. I wonder if it's too late to put this out now?
3 - Feed Grass = Urea (46-0-0) from the local feed store. Apply in May and August-Late October.

Did I get the big three out of that? I can always add to it but I think this is the foundation to build upon, right?

Also, the part on weeds was great! I have a backpack sprayer and will be advancing to stage two. I have likely lost the battle this year but will get a head start on next year with Weed Weed B Gon spray and Prodiamine this fall.

Thanks again!

 

[g-man]

It's was much more info than I can process at this stage but I believe the three biggest takeaways for someone in my position are:

Yes it takes time to process.

2 - Kill Weeds - Prodiamine 65 WDG Generic Barricade 5 lb is the preemergent I should be using, ditch the Scotts Stage 1. Apply early spring and late August. Southern Wisconsin and Northern Indiana are pretty close climate wise I would imagine, maybe off by a week or so. I wonder if it's too late to put this out now?
3 - Feed Grass = Urea (46-0-0) from the local feed store. Apply in May and August-Late October.

Big box stores sell prem (crabgrass preventer) with prodiamine or dithiopyr. No need to go all out at once. Scott products tend to be too expensive compare to other options. Use the GDD Tracker and the forsythia. Since you used the step 1, you should be ok and there is no need of more.

We use urea in the fall because it is cheap, but it is dangerous if you over apply. You have a local source of a good product called Milorganite.

Did I get the big three out of that? I can always add to it but I think this is the foundation to build upon, right?

Also, the part on weeds was great! I have a backpack sprayer and will be advancing to stage two. I have likely lost the battle this year but will get a head start on next year with Weed Weed B Gon spray and Prodiamine this fall.

One of the big ones, test your soil and ammend as needed.

I don't think you lost the weed battle. Post some pictures, and we could guide you.

 

[1fish2fish]

Upon further review... I used Scotts Turf Builder. All the different products I looked at while at the store was absolutely overwhelming. It called for the spreader setting at number three but I only used about half of the amount it said I would. My plan was to throw down the second half of the bag in a few weeks. Is that what you would do? Sooner? Later? Throw it out?





Here is an example of how uneven the yard is and how it effects mowing. I mowed on Thursday.



Here is the length I cut the grass to on an level stretch of the yard. This is on setting 5 of my mower. I checked the tires and they are full. What's the next step to get the deck set higher? It's an MTD Yard Machine, Model 13BK608G129, from 2001-ish?



More pictures of the little yellow flowers, but they have closed. Might be due to the rain, maybe they are ready to seed or it could be a morning thing. No clue? You'll see some are dying because I have been spraying them with Weed B Gon but they are are coming in fast! This spot spray strategy is not getting the results I expected but that's due to the volume and rate the dandelions are coming in. Is this where I switch to the backpack sprayer filled with Ortho Weed B Gon Chickweed, Clover and Oxalis Killer with a wide nozzle and hose down the whole lawn?

Please excuse the clumps. I am picking up the mulching plug today and will also be slowing down the speed that I mow.







Here are some more pics of the grass. My weed wacker was down for a week while I replaced the carb. Someone forgot to winterize it, I'm not going to point any fingers but he's a new member of this forum, and as a result you can see the grass near the fire pit in it's full length. I also have a pic of the base as requested.





Thanks again for all the help and feedback! 20 years ago I would have been shit out of luck and at the mercy of the piple faced kid in the lawn and garden section of my local big box store. Some days the internet is pretty awesome!

 

[g-man]

Apply the rest of the 15k sqft bag to your lawn as soon as possible.

I think a blanket app of normal wbg (not the cco) should be appropriate. If you want to use the backpack sprayer, calibrate yourself with water. Apply 1 gallon of water per 1k sqft. Yes 15 gallons of water for your lawnand follow the product label.

 

[1fish2fish]

Apply the rest of the 15k sqft bag to your lawn as soon as possible.

Done!

I think a blanket app of normal wbg (not the cco) should be appropriate. If you want to use the backpack sprayer, calibrate yourself with water. Apply 1 gallon of water per 1k sqft. Yes 15 gallons of water for your lawnand follow the product label.

When you say "calibrate" you are talking about adjusting my walking pace to equal 15 gallons for the yard right? It shouldn't matter if this is done in one pass or two as long as it's done evenly and on the same day, correct?

 

[g-man]

Correct. Most backyard sprayer hold 4 gallons. So 4 refills and a lot of pumping unless yours is an electric pump.

 

[chrisben]

for calibration, mark off a 1000 sq foot area, (driveway works well, so you can see where it's wet) practice spreading 1 gallon of water there, and practicing getting an even application, how much overlap you need, etc