This season past has been all about getting back to basics and with some time freed up, putting that into the lawns and gardens.
We laid Winter Green couch 25 years ago and the first action I took was to buy a reel mower from a guy trying to mow buffalo who was selling it (through the Trading Post) because it didn't pick up the leaves - DOH! Trying to not reveal my excitement, we agreed on $400.
For the first 24 years, I was content to simply throw a bit of fertiliser every now and then - mow once a week if I could be bothered - water when it looked dry - and generally not put a lot of effort into it. The past 9 months have been very different and in that time I've found this informative forum and a whole raft of other online resources have enabled me to form my own plan. I'm pleased to say the turf is looking the best it ever has and given me the inspiration to do more...
Dates weren't documented, but as a guide, the overall timeline has been:-
Aug - buy Red Rover for $350. Use it as main mower and Kermit Rover repurposed as groomer. Sept (end) - grooming reel put to use and lawns scalped, Scotts slow release applied and watered often. Oct - early on was rather wet so no need to water, with some compacted areas receiving the fork treatment. Lawn greening well. Pre emergent for crab grass and Poa (Knighthawk Prodiamine) and also started using a proper soil wetter. Made the highly scientific "steel bar with screw" measuring tool and put to good use. Nov - Starting to mow at 13mm height twice a week, rains dried up and watering at 30mm to 40mm weekly. Lawn grub treatment and organic fertiliser laid down. Killed off a 40sqm section of turf that looked 'crap'. Dec - mowing 3 times a week at 10mm and loving the result! Bought some humic acid to be applied along with soils wetters and seasol. Cut a 50mm wide and about 5m long section of turf out to be replanted in the 40sqm section. Dug holes and used plugs of about 50x50mm. Jan - Lots more water and the turf is responding well. Continued low mow 3 times a week. More organic fertiliser, wetter, humic etc. Feb - Same as Jan. Scotts Fert on the new section and runners now going everywhere. Laid sand over most of them to persuade them to take root and its stating to fill in. Mar - mow twice a week until the last week where only once. More wet weather around so not much watering needed. Org fert, wetter, humic etc etc. Bought a new DeWalt battery hedge trimmer and took to the murraya, gardenias, buxus, brunfelsia etc to neaten everything up. All cuttings are put through my muncher and spread in the garden beds. Started digging up old garden edging as another project in the making... Planted test area of Dichondra down one side of the house with too much shade for lawn to see how it handles the cold seasons. Pool solar heating sprung 2 leaks and started spraying the washing line. Countess not impressed! Fixed immediately. Apr - raise mower height quarter turn each week and mowing weekly where catcher is luck to be about one-third full. Scotts fert + humic put down. Groomer restore started. 40sqm section responding well. Pre emergent laid down separately. Pool pump 'died'. Brought into work where the bench tech replaced the condenser and we're good to go again. May - plan is to keep raising mower till I hit 15mm. Our Winters are fairly mild and the lawn should stay quite green through the next 5 months. Finish groomer and start on main mower restoration. Both are "every dayers" so it will be mainly tearing them down, getting rid of the crud in places not normally reached, fix any bits, re-grease, paint and put back together.. Possibly switch over motors between them. June to Aug - not a lot to be done. Maybe a fortnightly mow to tidy the tops. Definitely on weed patrol and very happy with the pre-emergent results so far as I'm not seeing any early signs of Poa at all.
I've started recording 10cm depth temperatures on the diary to see how it correlates to what I have in the plan.
Other projects to be thought through first:-
* convert pump sprayer to battery powered model to give consistent pressure and therefore application of contents. Teejets bought so far... * building a working platform for the mowing units to be raised for ease of access. Saw an earlier post using saw horses and am thinking of a steel alternative, possibly with a winch, light etc. * watering system for dichondra. * extend irrigation to front lawn sections in conjunction with new retaining wall/edging. * work on a more detailed plan for the garden beds and dial-in the Vegepods to be an all year producer.
Attached is a draft plan of the areas and I'm keen to see if next season is an improvement on the one ending now..
Youtube has been a good resource for at worst making me think about what I am trying to achieve. Channels like Lawn Tips and Connor Ward keep me informed if not entertained but there is a lack of low mowing couch/bermuda videos around. I find the Americans (Doc) think 25mm is low - but that's just not even close...
Whilst my lawn care experience covers the basics from weed-n-feed, the occasional aerate and regular weekly cutting, i am always looking to improve and learn, although like a lot of people, i am quite time poor by the time it comes to cutting the lawn.
I am very impressed with your post and your spread sheet does wonders for my ocd lol
Absolutely Fantastic. This is exactly what the Lawn Care Sub-Forum needs. Sadly every time we get someone who is a tad enthusiastic in this area they seem to leave and join one of the Facebook groups for self gratification.
I personally am not in to this type of Social Media and that's definitely not what ODK is all about and we feel that our forum makes it far easier for people to learn at their own pace without having to continually post up their "Look at Me stuff" to stay relevant.
Here it is a benefit for all that are not into this type of medium to enjoy and sensibly discuss what they want to and not be pressured in any way shape or form.
Looking forward to much much more here.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
In light of the extended good weather I've had to add a few entries into the schedule. I haven't had to mow for 2 weeks and there's no other obvious sign of the lawn going to sleep so it is getting close to being able to strip Big Red down for its makeover. The Countess is thrilled, NOT!
Listening to many of the forums and online references to fertiliser application rates, they all seem to agree on a "half a pound of Nitrogen per thousand", which in Aussie is 225g per 100m (approx). Is that what should be allowed for? With the organic fertiliser, it seems like 3 times the amount I'm currently laying down so I'm very hesitant to go that hard considering how happy I was with the outcome this past season.
Also just picked up some 20% Imidacloprid on sale for $55 for the litre. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention brand names, prices and source so if the Mods can let me know that would be great so I can add them into the schedule. And no, I'm not on commission anywhere.
No problems in letting us know where the good deals are to be had etc. As long as you are not in any way attached to the retailers or brands that's fine.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
No problems in letting us know where the good deals are to be had etc. As long as you are not in any way attached to the retailers or brands that's fine.
Cheers, BB.[/quote]
Thanks for clarifying BB - I work in the Audio/Video world so this is purely a hobby/passion/obsession!
The 1L Imidacloprid is currently on sale at Specialist Sales for $55, normally $65, under the brand Surefire and product name Spectrum 200SC. Free delivery is an added bonus.
Had the chance to mow this weekend. It was the first in 3 weeks and itβs yet another sign the couch is falling asleep..
Have decided to maintain a 15mm height through Winter.
We had a great storm and downpour last night that produced about 10mm of water and removed the need to turn on the sprinklers. Made me think about looking into a better rain gauge than the plastic thing on the fence so I can really be in control of the whole plan when Spring comes again.. If anyone has a recommendation, Iβm all ears!
Soil temp is crashing quickly and in about 3 weeks weβve gone from 22 C to around 16....
Time to focus on finishing the groomer restoration and getting away with doing less and less on weekends...
The final confirmation of impending cold weather hit today with winds, 18 degrees and overcast conditions. Its safe to say that I won't have to mow for at least a month and even then it will be to remove footprints and the like. My final "treatment" for the lawns this weekend was a hit of Rich-Gro Potash (0-41-17) in granular form so its a little slower to release. The 2.5kg was spread over about 150m so thats about double the usual rate. In Spring I'll use the soluble form when the grass is scalped before a top dress.
Spotted a single Poa Annua sprig where I normally would expect lots more. I remember the time when I used to sit out the front with a bucket and tools and dig the stuff out! The Prodiamine pre-emergent has done a good job as also evidenced by the lack of weeds in general. There are a few "bindie" looking aliens but at this early stage they just pull out with no effort, roots and all. Crabgrass is all but extinct apart from a few strays coming through the fence from next door. Easily despatched but annoying all the same.
A few areas are growing moss with the increasing loss of daylight, so I'll try the residential grade product (Manutec) this weekend and see what happens. It's hard to kill it at the best of times and without something to grow back over the affected area, I fear my efforts will be in vain. I'll do 2 experiments - one half of the affected area will have the treatment and the other just scraped back with a spade.
I'll have to say that I'm somewhat lucky as I seem to not get hardly any weeds during the off season. The few little bits I do get I pull out asap so that it doesn't spread.
I've always been of the opinion the less chemicals you can use the better your lawn will be for it.
Cheers, BB.
I live a 24 Hour lifestyle, but every now and again I seem to fall asleep, well at least that's what my wife tells me.
Enjoyed reading this thread so far. What do you use as your wetting agent, TheCount? I have used a few over the years and the best by far for me has been Hydrolink Advance. I have not watered since March. I have found a more concentrated version of seasol that works out to be better value, so have been using that as my soil conditioner. The garden loves it too - Seaweed Secrets is the name. The brand that formulates this also has a version of powerfeed, but I find it is hit and miss with the lawn, so I only use it on the gardens.
Do you have a fully automated irrigation system? I just installed mine last October. There are some things I would do differently, but overall, I am really happy with it.
It definitely pays to shop around and look for equivalent products with the same active ingredient. My turf often struggles with leaf spot disease. I found a 5L Iprodione product for $120 as compared with $250 that other retailers are asking. Iβm also trialling a range of trace element products and specifically focusing on Potassium (K) and Phorphorous (P) inputs as Iβd like to be able to prevent the leaf spot disease from occurring. This should help strengthen the lawn. So far, so good...
I currently use Natures Soil Wetter from plantdoctor.com.au and I think the results are good. The soil profile appears "looser" and getting say a fork down is not a struggle. Hitting my lawn with much more TLC than any year in the past has 'probably helped more' so its likely a combined effect of everything I'm doing. The main reason behind doing the diary/spreadsheet is to force me into consistency across both timing and product type. Then it also gives me a visual reference up on the shed wall to go by. The plan is laminated and stuck to the shed wall and I use a sharpie to tick off bits when they're done or write notes.. I'll work in a weather forecast somewhere which I'm hoping will help with timing of both cutting the turf and applying the cocktail of products.
An updated version is now attached as I've been tinkering with the timing and added more information like product source and application rates. The weekly temperature is starting to fill in too.
Last weekend I was doing some work inside the Vegepod in an area no bigger than 50cm x 50cm where I had a kale plant fail. At the time I took no notice but when I was in there, I dug a little as to just till the soil a bit and thinking about what I'm going to next throw in there.... First scoop produced a huge fat grub - fattest I have ever seen. Second scoop revealed 2 little ones. Cutting a long story short - I ended up tilling the vacant area and pulled out 30 grubs - no bloody wonder the kale didn't take! So I've added a prompt to add Bifenthrin and Imidacloprid to the area and I'll have to make sure we don't harvest anything for a week or 2..
I'm changing to Seaweed Secrets when Spring shows up plus looking at adding a liquid iron (with 16% N) product to deepen the colour and give a foliar feed as so far I've only laid down granular fertilising products.
A major goal is to "re-do" my lawn irrigation. A few years ago I bought some nice Hunter pop-ups and added the MP rotators from the local irrigation company (sadly no longer in business) and they worked great. It was kind of an experiment as they were only put in one area and whilst I had plans to extend further, it just never happened. For about 2 years I've used a good oscillating attachment and moved it manually around. I'm not sure how far I want to take (or how much to spend on) the irrigation plans and for my small areas I really don't see the need to have auto manifolds and the like.. I'm more than happy to use timer taps to manage the areas, but I will be installing enough heads to cover an entire area whereas the oscillator would have normally been moved say 3 times... One small area I still hand water! I have tanks with 9,000L total capacity with a Grundfos pump as the main and a cheap Chinese for backup. All my gardens have irrigation via a mixture of dribblers and the normal fan heads.
There is a lot of press out there about chemical manufacturers removing Phosphorous from their products. I guess they're scared of the "Monsanto/glyphosate effect" of recent times, but it makes it very hard to manage and keep on top of your lawn care when it needs these essentials. So far I've just used Potash to give a huge push of Potassium before the couch has a sleep. P is something I've neglected and I'm keen to see what results you show down the track.
So, not much news from here on as the Winter weather removes the need for maintenance on the lawns and most gardens. My attention turns to the other items on my list. So far I've only achieved the groomer restore, designed the battery sprayer and I'm about 10% through doing the mower. I've got access to our sand blaster at work so I'm using that method to rid me of the horrid red colour!
I've just seen these posts - looks like you have a good plan happening there TC. I have only recently gotten more serious about my lawn, with the yearly scalp and topdress etc, trying wetting agents etc. This year I have a full plan which will include scalping, core aerating, topdressing with quality compost and bentonite clay (gutless perth sand) and a 4 weekly schedule of liquid and granular fertilisers, soil wetters, and things like seaweed solutions etc., several listed above. If you are happy with the amount of fertiliser you are using now I would stick with it. More is not always better.
Plantdoctor had a sale last weekend so I was able to pick up the extra bits I will be applying this year. Things like liquid Iron, Humic in granules (will add to my garden beds too), a bit of slow release also for the gardens, and the seaweed secrets too.. I'm set now and the second page of the spreadsheet is being developed to map out application rates and therefore quantities required for each section. I'll post another version when I'm happy with it and closer to Spring, which is allegedly only 32 days away................ Concentrating on finishing my mower restore which should be this weekend.
Top of the plan, call it opening weekend, kicked into action as soon as I recorded a soil temp of 18C.
I'm still on light duties after the operation on my eye, so all I wanted to achieve was a follow up watering after the solid drenching last week and as per the plan put down synthetic slow release fertiliser to start waking up the grass. By adding humic, kelp and Phosphorous in the soil it will start working on the root building etc. so around the long weekend I can do a dethatch and a minor top dress.
I ran both mowers to see how they are behaving and happy to report they are ready for action. The Victa tilt-a-cut edger will get a new blade next week via an early season once-over to clean out crud from the nooks and make sure things like the belt are in good shape.
Next weekend is void of activity so I'm doing a cricket square curating course on Saturday morning. I'll start designing the back lapping device and look to convert the 5L pump sprayer to battery with a 3lpm pump I had on the boat - just need to find a decent light 12v battery or make one...
I'm laid up with a cold at the moment, TC, staring out the window looking at my grass start to green up and go nuts after the warm days we've had here. It was into the 30s on Monday!
And all the poxy weeds that have sprung up too. Bring on the weekend, hopefully...
I don't collect mowers. I just require Multiple Mowing Solutionsβ’.
