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2018 Lawn and Landscape Thread


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5 hours ago, kmac30 said:

I have moles. Is there a good way to get rid of them beside one of those in ground traps? Dog tries to catch them (digs massive tunnel holes) and I don’t want her to lose a nose. One section of my yard feels like is raised with all the tunnels.

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6 minutes ago, Gourmand said:

apparently a lot of people must agree with you because it's out of stock where I live. 

I say it somewhat sarcastically, but Dallisgrass is not that hard to get rid of mechanically because it sticks out so well.  Don't let it go to seed and keep at it.

Crabgrass is a different story, it goes to seed faster and more prolifically.  I'm working on that in my back yard and I got rid of all the mature plants late last year but dealing with seedlings now.  I had a surgery that sidelined my yard work most of last summer and trying to make up for it now.  Crabgrass seedlings are very easy to pull, there is just a million of them.  I have been doing it in sections though.

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On 6/3/2020 at 2:52 PM, Gourmand said:

Is Barricade effective against Dallisgrass?

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk
 

Seed in Turfgrass

Preemergent herbicides can be used in established turfgrass to control germinating dallisgrass seed. Apply preemergent herbicides in late winter or early spring before dallisgrass seed germinates. Herbicides that control crabgrass such as benefin + oryzalin, bensulide, DCPA, dithiopyr, oryzalin, oxadiazon pendimethalin or prodiamine, are also effective on dallisgrass. (Bensulide, DCPA, and oxadiazon are for professional use only and may have some restrictions for use on residential lawns.)  Preemergent herbicides used on lawns need to be irrigated into the soil with about 1/2 inch of water relatively soon after application in order to become effective. Consult the label for application details.

http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7491.htm

I'm most likely to use a .5% solution of glyphosate(.62oz/gal) for post emergent. This is the bermudagrass release rate. It will burn the turf but not kill it. If it's a big dense rosette of grass you can go a little stronger. You can rig a wick system for small stands by tying an old sock to the end of the spray wand.

@TexasEd try some quinclorac for crabgrass 

Edit: prodiamine=Barricade 

Edited by cactusflinthead
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https://www.fiskars.com/en-us/gardening-and-yard-care/products/gardening-replacement-parts

Looks like they have pruner replacement blades, but some types are out of stock. If yours is one of them, get them to notify you when they've got it or suggest suppliers like Grainger, etc.

I've got some Fiskars scissors for sewing and various garden tools. They are some good stock.

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[mention]cactusflinthead [/mention] - getting these weeds all over my zoysia grass. What do you recommend for getting rid of them? Currently using Certainty for spot treatment of nutsedgee08738c9e9fb4fb60331bdac346cca0c.jpg


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@cactusflinthead and @TexasEd and @workswithseed thanks for your input, I'm trying to read the whole dang thread so as to not ask too many stupid/already answered questions but I'm only a quarter of the way through this thread and thought I'd ask about my existing lawn program.....

I started tweaking out on my bermuda lawn ( 3600 sf) back in late March and have applied a couple of applications of fertilizer (started out with Milo, recently did higher 29-0-4 fert), an April application of Amaze preemergent and this past week I put down Barricade pre along with a Heritage G fungicide application that arrived with my DoMyOwn Lawnbox subscription. I have also previously used a spray application of Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns, though I'm not sure it did much good against the weeds I am targeting. I have a bag of Fetilome F Stop fungicide scheduled for shipment at the end of this month. I'll probably throw down some more Milorganite at the end of this month as well.

Overall I think my lawn is doing pretty well, but I'd like to see it thicken up in some places. I have one semi-circular area in my back yard where I don't have the same soft carpet-like feeling underfoot of the rest of the yard, which is where I saw an explosion of bermuda seedheads. It looks like there's a bit of ryegrass mixed in there as well that I'd like to get rid of. I'm not sure what's going on in that section of lawn but at least it has come back considerably in the last two months, just not with the same thick bermuda I'd like. It feels kinda crunchy if that makes sense. 

Are there any other products you would recommend aside from this fert/pre/fung program I'm following or do you think a lot of that stuff is just trendy sales pitches from the lawncare pros that aren't really necessary? I'm specifically thinking about stuff like lawn PGR, liquid iron, liquid aerators, humic acid etc.....

TIA while I try to get caught up on this two year old plus thread.

 

 

 

Edited by Gourmand
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4 hours ago, El Tri said:

[mention]cactusflinthead [/mention] - getting these weeds all over my zoysia grass. What do you recommend for getting rid of them? Currently using Certainty for spot treatment of nutsedgee08738c9e9fb4fb60331bdac346cca0c.jpg


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i'll defer to the pros but my guess is that your zoysia has gone to seed.

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1 hour ago, Gourmand said:

i'll defer to the pros but my guess is that your zoysia has gone to seed.

just googled that, had no idea what it was but it sure looks like it based on the pics.

haven't mowed it as i laid down new zoysia next to the existing zoysia i laid in october so i'm holding off on mowing it for another two weeks while it takes hold

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4 hours ago, Gourmand said:

--snip--

Overall I think my lawn is doing pretty well, but I'd like to see it thicken up in some places. I have one semi-circular area in my back yard where I don't have the same soft carpet-like feeling underfoot of the rest of the yard, which is where I saw an explosion of bermuda seedheads. It looks like there's a bit of ryegrass mixed in there as well that I'd like to get rid of. I'm not sure what's going on in that section of lawn but at least it has come back considerably in the last two months, just not with the same thick bermuda I'd like. It feels kinda crunchy if that makes sense. 

--snip--

 

 

My guess is you have shallow soil in a spot.  I don't know where you are but if you are in a limestone area you might have bedrock under there.  After a good watering see how far you can get a pitchfork or spike in the ground.  

If you have deep soil it may be compacted and need aeration and amendments to loosen it up.

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Good call. Coincidentally enough I was messing around with MapDevelopers to double check my square footage calculations and I saw an old satellite image of my property from over ten years ago. It looks like our seller made significant lawn/landscape upgrades from the first owner because the image shows a large area of gravel or something in our backyard that matches up with the area that I'm having trouble with. 

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21 hours ago, El Tri said:

[mention]cactusflinthead [/mention] - getting these weeds all over my zoysia grass. What do you recommend for getting rid of them? Currently using Certainty for spot treatment of nutsedgee08738c9e9fb4fb60331bdac346cca0c.jpg


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Looks similar to bahia grass, but I’ll also defer to the experts. I think our Bermuda grass is likewise afflicted

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Seedheads are normal. I still haven't seen confirmation that it's a nutrient deficiency. That's been the standard answer to the question of why. "It needs nitrogen." But, is that verifiable?

@Gourmand it sounds like you have a good recipe going. That old gravel area might be helped with some compost or other organic matter. Peat moss would be great. Dollar says it's calcaerous and alkaline as hell. Peat will help with it. It's going to help with the water holding capacity too. It's probably going to be a problem area.

Edited by cactusflinthead
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1 hour ago, chikin23 said:

Any idea what is wrong? Bermuda grass that I fertilize and water consistently. I've applied pre emergent, grub control, and fungicide. Grass around these areas looks great, pretty much weed free and thick. 117091799931e2b21503aa51df10f1f4.jpgfab1312a7121ed15dac5caa88a2b6e94.jpgde886f2327fc3566db68d24c600777b5.jpg

When was the last fungicide treatment and what did you at what rate?

 

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1 hour ago, Updawg said:

Is it too late/hot to fertilize st Augustine in Austin. I usually do it after a few mows in the spring and in the fall.
I did have it aerated and top dressed in the spring.

 

Not at all, now is a good time if you haven't already. 

 

Quote

JUNE through September

Mowing

Follow the same recommendations as for March through May.

Nutrient Management

Continue the fertilizer program begun in the spring, applying 3 /4 to 11 /2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet every 8 to 10 weeks. Without soil test information, it is recommended that you use a fertilizer that either contains nitrogen only (21-0-0, ammonium sulfate) or is very low in phosphorus (Examples: 21-3- 6 or 15-0-15) to reduce the chance of excessive phosphorus buildup in the soil. High soil phosphorus levels may lead to its surface runoff in periods of excess rainfall or irrigation. This may eventually contribute to eutrophication of streams and lakes. High levels of soil phosphorus can also lead to deficiencies in iron and zinc.

To prevent yellowing caused by iron chlorosis, apply liquid or granular iron fertilizer throughout the growing season. Follow the label directions for the rate of application. Be aware that fertilizers containing iron may stain concrete, brick or stone surfaces.

Watering

Follow the same recommendations as for March through May.

Weeds

Apply postemergent herbicide as needed. Herbicides containing 2,4-D should be used with care, as St. Augustinegrass is sensitive to this herbicide. Herbicides may damage the lawn if you apply them when the temperature is higher than 90 ºF.

https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/landscaping/maintaining-st-augustinegrass-lawns/

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On 6/11/2020 at 11:19 AM, Updawg said:

Is it too late/hot to fertilize st Augustine in Austin. I usually do it after a few mows in the spring and in the fall.
I did have it aerated and top dressed in the spring.

I don't think it's too late, like Gourmand said.

Get one of those cheap hand-help fertilizer spreaders and just walk around your yard. No need for the bigger ones, imo, unless, of course, you do need it. 

You can adjust the settings pretty easily to control the amount of fertilizer dispensed. Then just water it a bit over the course of a couple of days. 

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On 5/3/2020 at 9:50 AM, cactusflinthead said:

Neem oil is the most popular broad spectrum organic insecticide. Insecticidal soaps need to hit the pest. Neem has systemic properties. It also has some fungicide effects. If you want track what is in the area set out a few sticky traps. My guess is a kind of beetle. Slugs are also possible. There are organic baits for them as well. It might require a night visit to catch them in action. 

What plant is it? That's got me stumped. 

Thanks for the rec here. That neem oil did the trick. Right after first use I saw these tiny black specs all on the ground around the potted plant. I assume those little critters were the culprit...and tiny they were...like the size of small black pepper grains.

Edited by Tailgate
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Knockout roses were looking great this year (installed last summer). Just noticed leaves turning yellow. Solutions? Thought these were disease resistant. I’m in houston area and it was extremely humid last week.

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@kmac30 Looks like a mild case of fungus, which is very common in roses. Mine get this as well. Nothing to worry about but you should pluck those offending leaves off and try to keep them from falling to the ground. Put them in a bucket or something and also try to pick up as many of those yellowed leaves as possible off the ground because they can infect the rest of the plant as well. You can use neem oil or liquid copper to treat the rest of the plant from developing fungus.

Also if you deadhead your roses regularly they will flower better.

https://www.gardenloversclub.com/ornamental/flowers/roses/deadhead-knockout-roses/

Edited by Gourmand
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10 minutes ago, Updawg said:

I have some knock out roses getting to big. Is it ok to cut them back some. If so is there a proper way and time to do it?

Yeah they're very responsive to cutting them back as long as you don't cut more than about 1/3rd of it. I usually try to cut it at a 45 angle right above where the stem meets another leaf line. Honestly though if your rose bushes are growing so much then you can't really fuck it up. Take some cuttings for flowers in the house as well. 

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Figured out why one section of my lawn felt hard and clay like and never grew nice grass. Found a huge section of chunks of concrete that the builders must have poured out. Excited that by next spring I’ll start growing new grass that stands a chance. 60d01f76b288d513a76939098e72a2a2.jpg

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On 6/10/2020 at 10:25 PM, chikin23 said:

I put Scott's DiseaseEx down at the curative rate (don't recall the setting off the top of my head) about 2 weeks ago.

Ok then. The first step is it stops dying. Is it getting worse or trying to grow? You can patch in some sod in the blank areas to help it out. Hit it again with the medicine in another couple of weeks. 

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On 6/15/2020 at 1:46 PM, Gourmand said:

Yeah they're very responsive to cutting them back as long as you don't cut more than about 1/3rd of it. I usually try to cut it at a 45 angle right above where the stem meets another leaf line. Honestly though if your rose bushes are growing so much then you can't really fuck it up. Take some cuttings for flowers in the house as well. 

Excellent rundown of how to trim roses. 

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21 hours ago, McFly said:

Builders love doing that. Always fun to find the trash pile they just covered in sod and moved on. 

All kinds of shit gets buried. The landscaping co comes in after the irrigation goes in. We get a thin veneer of sand perched on top of the subsoil that remains. There's concrete slop and God knows what all in every bed around a house. 

 

Fun times

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Do any of you have a gas-powered reel mower? I'd love to get one for my bermuda lawn but holy sticker shock those babies are crazy expensive. 

Are they worth the money or would I be better off sticking with my Craftsman rotary mower or a self-propelled reel mower like Fiskars or Scott's?

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spacer.pngWtf is wrong with this section of St Augustine right around the tree in our front yard? Been this way since moving in a few months ago, watered and fertilized to no avail. I thought someone just scalped it when we moved in but now I’m not so sure. 

 

Edited by drt
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I hope this is the correct forum...

Your boy Ol’ Vito moronically took on the challenge recently of putting in an extra patio and cut a sprinkler PVC line. I actually have two stacked right on top of each other, a 3/4 inch line on top escaped any damage, but it’s the 1” line directly below it that was cut.

(When I say “stacked,” I mean they are almost touching, and this will be an issue later in the post.)

I removed the section of damaged pipe, about 10”, and thought I could put two couplings on either end and a section of new pipe in between, but I’m doubtful there’s enough play in the pipe on either side to insert the new section. Perhaps it could be done with a lot more digging. I did see a video where a guy accomplishes this by removing the stop inside one of the couplings, but I may not even have room to do that due to the proximity of Pipe #2.

So I bought a telescoping coupling that would ordinarily work, but jeez it has an enormous body, and I really doubt it will have space to fit, since agan, the asshole landscaping company put the 3/4” line right on top of the 1”.

I know the damaged 1” is a pressurized water line... is the 3/4” the same, or is there a chance it’s just a drain line? I’m asking because I may solve my issue by cutting out a section of the 3/4” line and putting in a flexible line to give me room for the telescoping coupling on the 1” below, but the specs say those flexible lines can’t be used for constant pressure, so I don’t want to create a new issue.

Happy to hear any advice, thanks in advance.

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