OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums General Discussion Forum Lawn Care & Maintenance 2016/17 Lawn Pics

I thought I would start a new thread now that some warmth is here where everyone can show off their handy work. Add some details like grass type and mowing regime too if you like.

Santa Ana couch; Front mowed 2-3 times per week at around 6mm, and the back mowed everyday at 3mm. Coming through nicely, but slammed the brakes on last night with a 15ml/100m2 Primo Maxx app.

i think that front grass looks better than back grass.

Great work!

I'm almost down to normal height at the front and the back is looking better by the day so I'll post some on here soon.

Great idea for the thread too!

Legend Couch


29 Oct 2016

3 Nov 2016

I'm keen to try Primo soon, but seems a bit too early as I'm still trying to recover a few areas that don't get as much sun or need more sand to build them up. Would you apply it partially to allow the struggling areas to grow faster? Does it help thicken the coverage or just slowing everything down like cold weather? How long before it takes effect after applying?

Cheers

I applied my first dose on Monday. Applied evenly on areas that are well established and any areas that are still coming in from winter shade or patches I don't spray. In my case I usually get around 5 weeks of effect from the Primo. After application on Monday it has fully taken effect. I mowed both front and back today with no catcher so that the cuttings go back into the lawn. i was only taking off around 3-4mm compared to usual 15mm. I also mowed the morning of application around 9am, then applied in the afternoon around 5:30pm. Monday night was around 22degs here so actively growing after application. oh and i went with 12ml/100m. have gone as high as 18ml mid-summer.

G'day all

I feel this is a popular forum, where most members just sit-back
and read, and look - but without contributing.

What rings clear is the enormous potential for collectors
of reel mowers to dramatically increase the value of their real property.

I just love rikaussie's layout - moving from the classical to the modern.
Just brilliant stuff.

----------------------
Jack

i'd love to see some more pics of rikaussie's yard. some serious hardscaping by the looks of it.

Thanks Jack, it's an old Victorian house with a modern rear extension completed about 5 months ago.

Will post a pic of the front yard when it's looking less like a beach. (Legend Couch in this area too.)

Hi guys

So this is my lawn currently, both front and back.

Here is the Bent grass at the front. Today was the first time since late September that Iv'e gotten close to the normal cutting height. I reseeded a couple of scalped patches so I had to raise mowing height. After i took this photo I gave it its final full nitrogen hit of the season. by January I'll have to put it on a maintenance program and raise the mowing height to nurse it through summer.





Here is the Santa Ana at the back. Despite the slow recovery where the lawn gets too much shade in winter and the dead spots where I decided to take drastic measures with some crab grass, i'm really happy with it. Today I lowered the mowing height again (down to about 6-7mm). The photo doesn't do it justice but it's a deep green colour and the striping is coming along really well.

Front lawn has gone nuts after some lawn builder/hot weather/rain.... almost looks fake from a distance!

Hello rikaussie

This is just in time for the Christmas biscuit tin and jigsaw market.
What a pretty picture! You must be so proud of your stamp on this
lovely home, with its ornate fret work and castellated bay window.

There has been much thought in your approach - I am sure.
Thank you for sharing this with us.

------------------------
Jack

Hi rikaussie and Mod CJ,(aka the Trump Cat)

I'll certainly have to agree with CJ on this one, you've certainly excelled yourself and I'm sure most of the folks in your street are just lining up to be your neighbours. Lets hope they are recipricating the view that you're giving them as I always say.

Cheers,
BB.

Hi All,

Here are a few shots from this years scalping and regrowth. These also appear on the thread "New Playground for all my Scotty's" but I thought that they would suit here as well.





Cheers,
BB.

Yes, a real credit their Mod BB.
I just love that side-lawn!

I remain annoyed at the missile silo on the front lawn though.
How could a council do that?!
Hopefully, garden growth will hide it ...

all very impressive.
-----------------------------
Jack

Hi Mod CJ,

The placement is done by ETSA (now SA Power Networks)who basically couldn't give a toss. The only reason why it's a double height unit is because the block has a downward slope and they compensate for that with adding an extra tier on it just incase the owner wants to pile up the front with soil to flatten the block and as such not cover it over. Yes it would've been nicer if they put it over the other side of the block.

I've made up a small circular trellis that will slide snuggly over the top of it and plant a small creeper around it so that it will cover it over. Also the small plants that I've placed around the perimeter that you can see in the photos will join up together to form a small hedge and hide it from the street. SA Power Networks never need to gain access to these connection receptacles if the property remains as it is. It would only change if I was to demolish and subdivide and somehow I can't see that happening in my lifetime. The next owner can worry about that when he demolishes the house and builds a block of appartments on the site. I'll then be striking him down with a bolt of lightning from above.

Cheers,
BB.

Looks great BB! Very neat and tidy. A place for everything and everything in its place

Looking brilliant BB!

Hi Folks
So here's progress on mine. Some of you may recall, I laid the turf late in the season earlier this yr around April or so.
If they upload correctly, 1st image is Melbourne cup day, 2nd is an hr or so later


after its rotary mower scalping and laying down some sand
Final image is tonight just a few minutes ago

Hi Joe,

Well it's certainly looking like its coming up well again especially after it's very late planting. Do you intend to utilise a Cylinder cut mower or are you going to stay with a standard rotary ?

Also are those pavers there on a permanent basis or only there temperarily ? There's a reason why I'm asking about this and it depends on your response as to what I'll elaborate on afterwards, but all in all it's looking like it's going really well and with our current weather it will only get better and better and I'm sure you'll be most impressed with it opposed to the other types of grass that are available.

Just while I'm writing, did you use some "Scotts Lawn Builder" fertiliser on it after top dressing it ?

Cheers,
BB.

Hi BB

I used buffalo pro weednfeed a couple of weeks prior to scalping it. Since then it has had 2 applications of Seasol complete garden care solution in the appropriately measured dosage rates.

The perimeter bricks are there to stay and the lawn has had 2 cuts with a Scotty in recent days.
There, I think that covers it all. Thanks for the feedback and please dont hesitate to pass on further advice

Cheers
Joe

Upping the ante here:

Ahh a Grooming reel, that will most certainly help and promote growth.

Did you purchase it like that ?

Cheers,
BB.

Where did you get the grooming reel mate it looks awesome? Thank you

Nah, got the machine via gumtree for a pretty good price, although it was a fairly new machine it hadn't been looked after that well. Probably left out in the weather etc. but nothing major wrong. Blunt reel, bit of rust, roller clutch needing adjustment.

Got the grooming reel made by: http://www.golfandbowlingmachinery.com

They turned it around in less than 2 weeks. Very good service. Especially since they hadn't made a shaft to suit this machine before.

Looks great. The big question is how does it perform?

Not entirely sure yet. The clippings in the catcher are noticeably more brown and stemmy compared to the cylinder mower clippings. The lawn certainly looks scruffy after grooming, but then the mowing afterwards is probably more effective as the grass is standing up.

How low do I go with it?

Hi rikaussie,

It's doing exactly what's it's meant to be doing and that's de-thatching the above ground growth as it is a verti-cutter and the reel mower is a horizontal cutter. Santa Ana likes to be thin on top (unlike us men) and allow the sunlight to penetrate to the soil.

Cheers,
BB.

Hi All
A further update on the progress at my place. The grass seems to be filling in nicely albeit a little slower than I may expect. BB, I took your advice and treated the lawn with Scotts lawn builder to help it along. I am still feeding it every 10 days or so with Seasol as well.
Overall the lawn appears healthy but does appear to be filling in slower towards the brick edging closest to camera. I wonder if this might be due to that area being subject to little or no sun during winter.
1st pic with mowers in frame taken a couple of weeks ago
2nd pic with the faintest hints of striping earlier this afternoon
Happy New year All
Joe

Hi Joe,

Well it's looking good so far and we've still got at least 3 active months of growing to go so it'll only get better.

I'd be cutting it without a catcher every 3~4 days at this stage and you'll find it will be superb for the winter shut down period and I feel you won't have to do too much to it next season apart from regular maintenance and normal up keep.

Well done.

Cheers,
BB.