Lawn Care

[Aviator16]

Okay i was browsing through the hot tub threads and i did not see a thread on lawn care. Lawn care is just as important to me as a clean car so i thought i'd start a thread for the lawn.

What i'm wanting to know is, what kind of grass is everyone's lawn?
what kind of mower yall use?
what is the general cut height?
Fertilizer etc.?

I'm growing a nice established lawn with TIFWAY 419 grass, cut three times a week with an old reel type mower at 3/4" (perfect for golf practice ) and i just put down 15-5-10 fertilizer to get it good and green, i'm in the dallas area so its just starting to green up.

[BigJimZ28]

WOW three times a week with a reel...thats a full time job

[Aviator16]

lol yes it is but it looks like a golf course, plus i'm always in shape

[dublifecrisis]

in florida, most of use St. Augustine turf grass. it's high maintenance that is prone to weeds, disease, and insects and requires frequent watering...I actually do 3 yards on the side once a week, which are relatives or close friends. I use THEIR equipment and stay in shape.

I use both a Toro and Cub Cadet which both run on 6.5HP briggs and stratton. I keep em set at the highest height setting and all yards are professionally treated year around for bugs, weeds, and fertilizer (nitrogen, potash etc)

[LouisanaJeeper]

bermuda
21" troy built / b&s 6.5hp
every 5-7 days summertime

weed & feed fertilizer (granual type)

echo edger
ryobi trimmer
cheap gas blower (want to replace w/ echo)

[cajunfirehawk]

• Mower:Honda 21" self propelled hydrostatic bagger/mulcher
• Lawn:Centipede
• How often:1 time a week
• Lawnfood:Scotts turf builder

YMMV but get a honda...

[DieselMDX]

great thread

honda HRR push mower
kentucky blue
3/4
5-7 days

just layed down crab grass preventer looking learn how i can get the best lawn. I am about as anal on my grass as my cars lol

[adjulian]

kentucky blue grass
21" Husqvarna mower - mulcher
mow height 3"
mow 1-2x per week
use a service for lawn fertilizer

On a separate note and I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I had a question for everyone.

The weather is just starting to break in Michigan. I 'power raked' last year but I think I still have a decent layer of thatch present. When I walk on the grass it feels spongy and the last couple of years there has been a decent amount of yellow grass that has stayed in the lawn. Visually, there is a great deal of dead grass in a weave pattern. And I generally mulch throughout the season. I haven't taken a lawn sample to confirm the thatch though. I generally aerate in early spring. My general watering routine has been to water every 2 - 3 days for about 15 minutes per zone but my plan this year is to go heavy water 1x week. I know shallow watering can contribute to a poor root system and I'm planning to change that this year. Our ground has a great deal of clay as well.

I am debating on either manually using a dethatching rake, renting a dethatching machine, or getting a dethatching attachment for the lawn mower. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks for any help.

[weekendwarrior]

I have fescue
21" Husqvarna, with 5.5hp Honda engine
Echo string trimmer
I mow once a week, at the highest setting
I use Scott's fertilizers

I NEVER water my lawn (I think it is a waste), and my lawn is in the top 10% of all lawns in my neighborhood.

[BlueZero]

* Mower: Cub Cadet push mower
* Lawn: I don't know, I will have to figure that out this summer.
* How often: about every 5 days
* Lawnfood: Scotts turf builder

adjulian - I use a manual dethatching rake on mine and it works great. It's a lot of work too. Never used a power dethatcher so I don't know how it compares.

[KnuckleBuckett]

Originally Posted by Aviator16

Okay i was browsing through the hot tub threads and i did not see a thread on lawn care. Lawn care is just as important to me as a clean car so i thought i'd start a thread for the lawn.


What i'm wanting to know is, what kind of grass is everyone's lawn?
KY BLuegrass, Fescue, and Rye grass in a 1/3 x 1/3 1/3 mix.

what kind of mower yall use?
Billy Goat
Billy Goat - Product - Introduction
Your mower is in every way vastly superior to the Goat.

what is the general cut height?
Never less than 3.5" usually 4".

Check out this book. It has made my lawn the nicest and thickest in the neighborhood.
Amazon.com: The Chemical-Free Lawn: The Newest Varieties and Techniques to Grow Lush, Hardy Grass: Warren Schultz: Books

Cut 2x per week in peak season. Cut often and cut as high as possible up to about 6".


Fertilizer etc.?
Mix between natural fertilizers, Milorganite,pete moss, organic matter, epsom salts, and some Scott's pre-emergent weed and feed, any other food goes on at half rate or less. It is very very easy to get you grass addicted to external nitrogen. If this happens it will not devour the cuttings and you will develop thatch. (see book)

I'm growing a nice established lawn with TIFWAY 419 grass, cut three times a week with an old reel type mower at 3/4" (perfect for golf practice ) and i just put down 15-5-10 fertilizer to get it good and green, i'm in the dallas area so its just starting to green up.

Your nitrogen is way too high!! Check out Milorganite as a replacement.
Milorganite



See below for my comments. I started a new lawn insummer 2003.

[Yal]

*Mower: Some green reel mower from HomeDepot. Good work out!
*How often: Once a week.
*Lawn: Fescue (might overseed with bluegrass this spring), in the rear of the house I have a small patch of land that I am going to try Zenith Zoysia on.
*Lawnfood: Scotts Turf Builder with Crabgrass preventer (My neighbors seem to love crabgrass and it tries to encroach on my lawn and this has stopped that!)