[btwint]

Just found this forum. I have read through many post and I appreciate all the content and tons of great feedback. Every situation is a bit different so I am hoping I could lay out my scenario and get some specific feedback.

Here are the details:

• New Construction / New Sod

• Upstate South Carolina

• 20,000 sqft of yard

• Irrigation

• Cut with Mclane Reel

I have read and even followed the Bermuda Bible for a few years at our previous home which was a much smaller lawn. Sort of nervous about cutting this much yard with a Mclane but we will see how it goes. :shock: My questions revolve around my lawn being new and the work I should be doing PRIOR to starting the recommendations in BB.

My specific questions are below

• When should I lay first application of fertilizer? I plan to use Milorganite but should I start with something that isnt as slow release? Is there a fert schedule for new lawns until they get established?

• How soon is too soon to lay PreM?

• How much water should the new lawn get and when should I cut that back?

• Obviously using a reel I need to work on leveling the yard. I know you should sand when the yard is in growth mode which will be very soon. Since it is new sod is there anything wrong with sanding it now?

Basically I would greatly appreciate any advice or tips that I should be doing before starting the normal Bermuda Bible stuff.

- Chris

 

[Colonel K0rn]

Welcome to TLF! :thumbup:

Glad you've got a good base of knowledge to start with, and it sounds like you've got some experience in taking care of the bermuda. I'd suggest a starter fert over Milo to help get some P in the ground to help the roots establish. Once you get the lawn established, feel free to switch over to Milo or your fert of choice (there's less expensive options out there). Matt Martin aka @thegrassfactor just posted a video on his YouTube channel explaining how it can take a very long time to notice the full benefits of just using Milo alone as a biosolid fertilization program. In your situation, you'll want to provide enough N to give the plants enough to grow, but right now your focus should be on getting those roots established.

That plays into the next issue of your PreM. I'd wait until the Fall to put one down, simply because you would impede upon their ability to penetrate the soil deeply enough to bypass the PreM barrier. Spot spray/hand pick the weeds as they come up through the turf.

Keep the sod moist, but not wet. Go to a piece of sod, and see if you can pull up a corner. When you can't pull it up, then you should cut back on the watering. Perform an irrigation audit to ensure that you're getting accurate water to all areas covered by your irrigation system. In the lowcountry, you're going to need to get at least 1" of water on the lawn once established, but you'll want to be watering at least 2-3 times per day to keep the sod moist.

I would hold off on sanding to level until the sod is rooted. Once that's done, go to town with the sand. The advantage of using a reel mower is that even with some of the undulations, you don't have to worry about scalping like you would with a rotary.

Photos are always welcome, and you should start a lawn journal, so you can track your progress and be up for LOTM. Be sure to sign up on the TLF Member Map.

 

[Tellycoleman]

Welcome to TLF
I have a lawn about your size.
Milo will be an expensive option. in order to get 1 pound of nitrogen down you need to put 16.67 pounds of product per 1000sqft. (with the new 2018 formula) one bag covers 3000 square feet (3.1K) So it wil take 7 bags per application.
Thats almost $60. every month. I would goto your local Site One or Advanced Turf Solutions and get one of their Brochures and look at it. (its like my Sears Xmas catalog when i was a kid) look at whats available.
I use a 18-0-4 with iron thats $10 a bag covers almost 10k square feet.

Second question
WHat will be your HOC
Mowing with a push mower 20K square feet will be a Beast!!!
I did it all last year so get your sunscreen ready
It will take you 2 1/2 to 3 hours to mow. Trust me I know and 13,000 steps on your Fitbit. You will win all fitbit compititions.
I am still waiting to pull the trigger on a triplex mower but i will get one this year.

PGR will be your friend However I am not sure when you can start using it on new sod. Hopefully others will chime in.
With so much yard you want to do as much as you can to reduce the mowing frequency since you have a push reel mower.
Before PGR you need a good sprayer CALIBRATED to put it down.
But your off to a good start
PICTURES PLEASE

 

[btwint]

Thanks for the replies so far. The comments on mowing this much yard is making me sad. Haha

We haven't closed on the house yet. We are closing on the 27th of this month. Hopefully this reply doesn't derail my original request for help but I had to share.

If anyone is in the Southeast you are aware of the downpour we just had today. I decided to ride by the house and see how the well the new sod held up. Appears the sod is doing just fine, the ground underneth the sod....well not so much.

This lot has city water with septic sewer. The drain field is in the front yard. I am not sure if this is because of the drain field not being properly compacted or the irrigation trenches. I can't see the tench for irrigation causing this however the pictures appear to show the horizontal tench in a very similar location.

I have included several pictures showing the yard in different stages even prior to laying the sod and during irrigation install.

Rain 1
Yard 0 :shock:

 

[J_nick]

That's a safety hazard. They should pick up the sod in that area and redo the grading.

 

[Mightyquinn]

At least it happened now and not after you moved in or after the warranty expired. I'm sure the builder will fix it before you do your walk thru.

 

[Ware]

Welcome to TLF!

Makes me sick to see the masonry all splash stained up like that on a brand new home. I'd like to see the look on their face when you ask them to remove it.

 

[Greendoc]

Might not be a good idea to ask them to remove it. I know most contractors acid wash brick work with muriatic acid. That is going to kill the grass all around the house. Any kind of shrub or perennial is even less tolerant.

 

[btwint]

That's a great point. I will be sure to bring this up. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Greendoc]

Last time I had to acid wash masonry stained by landscape install crews, the acid used was either Citric Acid or else Phosphoric Acid. The Citric will act as a mild soil corrective. I am guessing that the soil around the house is probably very alkaline from the concrete. Phosphoric Acid, is of course, P in solution. Neither of those are harmful to plants or grass like how muriatic would be.

 

[Killbuzz]

 

[Greendoc]

:thumbup: That is a lawn big enough for a Triplex.

 

[Tellycoleman]

What kind of tree did they plant. Was it an oak?
As soon as you close on your house have the landscaper take it out. Tell them you want it gone after closing they won't charge you. It's required for code to install a tree or two with every home. But once it's your home remove it or your grass around it will always struggle.

 

[btwint]

They planted an October Glory Red Maple. I have considered removing ASAP. I dont want to cut around it nor do I want it ruining the grass around it.

 

[MasterMech]

Looks like your in my neck of the woods, same size lot and same red clay soil that stains everything in sight.

 

[Greendoc]

Southern red clay is similar to Hawaii red clay. Stains the same too. Which is why I will stay away from a rain soaked lawn. Going on that lawn means I will leave stripes of mud from the clay squeezing up through the grass and red clay footprints all over driveways and sidewalks.

 

[raldridge2315]

They planted an October Glory Red Maple. I have considered removing ASAP. I dont want to cut around it nor do I want it ruining the grass around it.

One either grows trees or grass. It's a rule.

 

[raldridge2315]

Southern red clay is similar to Hawaii red clay. Stains the same too. Which is why I will stay away from a rain soaked lawn. Going on that lawn means I will leave stripes of mud from the clay squeezing up through the grass and red clay footprints all over driveways and sidewalks.

+1

 

[FATC1TY]

Might not be a good idea to ask them to remove it. I know most contractors acid wash brick work with muriatic acid. That is going to kill the grass all around the house. Any kind of shrub or perennial is even less tolerant.

Bleach and a pressure washer will do it just fine as well.

 

[raldridge2315]

What kind of tree did they plant. Was it an oak?
As soon as you close on your house have the landscaper take it out. Tell them you want it gone after closing they won't charge you. It's required for code to install a tree or two with every home. But once it's your home remove it or your grass around it will always struggle.

+1