My scheduled cuts were Tuesday and Thursday, but got the itch!
36 hour mow. Best I can tell I can get it down to about 7/8”.
No idea why it’s so much darker in one area unless that’s where most of the nutrients settle..?

 

Thankfully got a mow in between rains. The second one was a downpour like we haven’t seen in months.

 

Today was the first day in nearly two weeks where there was hardly any threat of rain.
We’ve had several downpours recently so I decided to raise HOC.
I went up a notch to level 3, and I’m loving it.
Whats crazy is that I went four days without cutting and only saw one seed head!
This is remarkable compared to last year, and I’m not sure what to credit for the difference.
RGS? Air 8? Actually core aerating and leveling? Consistent mowing? Weekly fert and consistent iron?
In other words, I did none of this last summer.
Only one fert app and frequent mowing.

 

Today was the first day in nearly two weeks where there was hardly any threat of rain.
We’ve had several downpours recently so I decided to raise HOC.
I went up a notch to level 3, and I’m loving it.
Whats crazy is that I went four days without cutting and only saw one seed head!
This is remarkable compared to last year, and I’m not sure what to credit for the difference.
RGS? Air 8? Actually core aerating and leveling? Consistent mowing? Weekly fert and consistent iron?
In other words, I did none of this last summer.
Only one fert app and frequent mowing.

Sometimes bumping it up a notch during the growing season will make a noticeable difference because you've probably fallen behind naturally over time and are borderline scalping it. The only way to get back to the original height is a height of cut reset which can be a ton of work. I usually slowly bump mine up till 3" and it looks good in my opinion, but debating on sweating it out and doing a height of cut reset this year.

However, frequent mowing, water and proper fertilization are for sure the things you want to be doing right!

 

Just too difficult for me to keep common below 1” with my current setup.

I’ll glad accept whatever HOC this is until I get a hybrid lawn.

 

Some before and afters.
Used PGR this morning for the first time.

 

It’s amazing how the top growth is just non existent after one app of PGR.
The lawn looks a bit leggier than I’m used to seeing, but I suppose that’s the thickening at work. The hope is that thick turf means fewer winter weeds. Also, who doesn’t want thick turf? Getting there…

Sprayed iron and AMS this evening.
Will water in around 6:00 AM.
More PGR later this week or on the weekend.

 

That is looking great.

 

PGR Results after two apps.
First was .2 oz per 1000 and the second was .4 oz per 1000.
Common is rated for .75 oz per 1000.
Difference here is about three weeks.

 

I hope to one day get my common looking that good. That looks better than some hybrid Bermudas I have seen.

 

You’re too kind. I’ve only been at it for 13 months so anyone can do it.
Mow, mow, mow, and mow some more.

 

Mid month update after a couple of 1" cuts. PGR was making it look too dull at a higher HOC so I did a kind of mild reset. Really needed a verticut.
Using less PGR now (or in reality, my last app just didn't work tooo well since it rained shortly after)
Letting it grow out a bit to maintain at notch 3 (1.5") for rest of growing season. I may even bump up to 2" later!
Please ignore the glyphosate patch

Can't wait to finish cleaning up the area by the house and along the fence. I'm in the process of removing the bed and rocks and will seed PRG for that area in a few weeks.

 

Whats your plan for PreM timing?

 

Just a simple Prodiamine granular when soil temps get closer to 70 degrees.
I'll probably put it down around the first weekend in October.

 

This may have been my last cut with the ol' Ego rotary (on the bermuda at least)!
I've got an Earthwise 7 blade arriving Monday. Snagged it new on Amazon for just $115!

Here's a comparison pic from last 25 September just last year 🤢

 

Looks good and has come a long way.

 

Reel mowing is

Reel vs. Rotary quality of cut

My wife sprays OFF on our son in the grass😆
And yes, I just walk around in the mornings.

 

Me too, man. Me too. I got to where I would wake up, make my espresso and then walk around looking at my grass for 30mins. It is definitely something I enjoy now

 

With any luck, this lawn will no longer be mine soon
I got someone off to a good start so they can allow the seedheads to get a foot high next summer. Even sprayed simazine for them 😭
It appears that I'll be joining the small club of reel mowers of Centipede lawns soon. I'm honestly looking forward to it.

So I'll leave you with this shot of the common that I've nurtured from nothing to something in about 15 months time.

Last October:

Last week:

 

Great job, and you learned a lot too.

 

Indeed! Most of it will transfer well to Centipede, but I do hope to have a hybrid bermuda lawn one day when I have more time to care for it.

 

I was just saying that the percentage of people who have Centipede lawns and use a reel mower is very small.
Centipede has built its reputation around the phrase "lazy man's grass", and people who want a lawn like that aren't gonna buy a reel mower.
Bermuda, on the other hand, is the perfect turfgrass for an avid lawn hobbyiest who can fert every week or two and cut every day or two if he/she so desires.
Meanwhile, too much nitrogen can harm Centipede. It's meant to be largely left alone and cut about once a week.

However, if we end up getting a house with Centipede sod I'll be reel mowing it fairly short and hoping to stripe it pretty well.
I'll also be adding iron and other micronutrients because I "can't leave well enough alone", and the lawn is my hobby

Went lower than ever on the reel mower with good results. Didn't measure but possibly 3/4"

 

I was just saying that the percentage of people who have Centipede lawns and use a reel mower is very small.
Centipede has built its reputation around the phrase "lazy man's grass", and people who want a lawn like that aren't gonna buy a reel mower.
Bermuda, on the other hand, is the perfect turfgrass for an avid lawn hobbyiest who can fert every week or two and cut every day or two if he/she so desires.
Meanwhile, too much nitrogen can harm Centipede. It's meant to be largely left alone and cut about once a week.

However, if we end up getting a house with Centipede sod I'll be reel mowing it fairly short and hoping to stripe it pretty well.
I'll also be adding iron and other micronutrients because I "can't leave well enough alone", and the lawn is my hobby

Went lower than ever on the reel mower with good results. Didn't measure but possibly 3/4"

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Ah got it. I will say my centipede grows tall real quick, but other than that Ive been doing nothing to it. I mow at 2-3in Last year when I thought it was Bermuda I dumped a pound of nitrogen a month on it and it didnt care. This year I have put down no fertilizer in 6 months and it still doesnt seem to care. The biggest issue is just slow spread rate. I certainly appreciate that in Bermud and St Aug.

 

We are getting some serious heat/growing temps this week so I couldn't help myself and put down some Green Max last week.
Squeezing all the fun out of this lawn before we move!
First two were before the latest cut. I'm only having to mow once/week right now, and I don't have to mow that much...

 

Well? Dont keep me hanging! Hows the new lawn?

 

Funnily enough, we just closed on the day that you bumped this thread! We ended up getting the THIRD house that we offered...so it took a while!
The new lawn is absolutely atrocious, but we love the neighborhood and house, which is priority right now (getting moved in).

However, I bought some 15-0-15 weed and feed today as well as some 2-4D and Atrazine. Needless to say, I have mostly Centipede and St. Aug and absolutely no bermuda.

As a challenge, I will try to roll with the Centipede this year to see if I can salvage this disaster!

And this is how a lot of it looks close up:

While I know that's Black Medic, anyone have any idea what this is? some kind of Aster?

 

Nice, looks like a new challenge! Centipede is slow, so not much you can do to expand it. St Aug is fast and demanding and fragile.

 

Oh, and how could I forget? Obligatory South Louisiana snow pics from January
So, I'll leave the old house with this:

 

As a challenge, I will try to roll with the Centipede this year to see if I can salvage this disaster!

I lied! TifTuf arrives tomorrow!!!

 

Hah well at least you got all the supplies already.