Mowen da lawn

[Krdshrk 3,877]

By scalping do you mean dethatching?

I don't think this needs to be done to mine - my lawn has been mowed like 4x total.

[Scorpio64 5,147]

1 hour ago, Krdshrk said:

By scalping do you mean dethatching?

I don't think this needs to be done to mine - my lawn has been mowed like 4x total.

Scalping....  Mowing at the lowest possible height, cutting the grass as short as safely possible, giving your lawn a crew cut.

 

Don't put the mower blade in the dirt, just cut the grass really short.  Think of it like this.  Cutting the grass short enough to putt on.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

18 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

Scalping....  Mowing at the lowest possible height, cutting the grass as short as safely possible, giving your lawn a crew cut.

 

Don't put the mower blade in the dirt, just cut the grass really short.  Think of it like this.  Cutting the grass short enough to putt on.

Ah noted.  Will do.  My lawn's so rough I'll be scraping dirt in some places though.  I'll play with the heights.

[Scorpio64 5,147]

1 hour ago, Krdshrk said:

Ah noted.  Will do.  My lawn's so rough I'll be scraping dirt in some places though.  I'll play with the heights.

That's another thing people don't do much anymore, roll their lawns.  Back when I had my own landscaping company I used to roll problem lawns when they got soft after the winter thaw  to even out the heaving from freezing.  It also flattens mole tunnels.  I would also roll a new lawn after the seed was put down.  The guy I work for now doesn't do that.

 

If you have high spots you should probably shave them off with a spade and a landscapers rake.   If the high spots are really bad, like mounds of dirt or construction vehicle tire tracks, a box scraper will do the trick.  Conversely, if you have low spots, fill them in with top soil.

[Zeke 5,504]

Scalp it?!!!!! I can't even keep up with once a week. 

 

[Krdshrk 3,877]

6 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

That's another thing people don't do much anymore, roll their lawns.  Back when I had my own landscaping company I used to roll problem lawns when they got soft after the winter thaw  to even out the heaving from freezing.  It also flattens mole tunnels.  I would also roll a new lawn after the seed was put down.  The guy I work for now doesn't do that.

 

If you have high spots you should probably shave them off with a spade and a landscapers rake.   If the high spots are really bad, like mounds of dirt or construction vehicle tire tracks, a box scraper will do the trick.  Conversely, if you have low spots, fill them in with top soil.

I heard rolling lawns is bad - the dirt is very compacted already and rough.  Rolling wouldn't really do much, no?  I think have to aerate first so that it loosens everything up.

I do have to fill in a lot of low spots and tire tracks.

[Scorpio64 5,147]

5 hours ago, Zeke said:

Scalp it?!!!!! I can't even keep up with once a week. 

 

If your lawn is growing that fast I can only assume this, but my guess is you are watering it every day and putting down a lot of fertilizer.  That, or you have a severe case of OCD.

Let's talk about NPK.  1) Many fertilizers have a huge nitrogen (N) content but are low on phosphorous (P) and potash (Potassium -K) content.  While a high N will make grass green up and grow fast, it causes the growth process to put too much energy into growing grass blades but neglects the root system.  A balanced fertilizer should promote root growth and plant health, but who needs all those roots when the lawn is watered every day.  Whenever there is a drought, those are the first lawns to go dormant and suffer from diseases.  I see more moss and fungi on lawns with expensive sprinkler systems than anywhere else.

Embrace your inner hippie and water less.  It will promote more vigorous root growth and deeper roots.  It will make your lawn more drought resistant in the long run.  A deeper root system is more self sustaining.  You can test your roots by simply trying to pull up a handful of grass or cutting a small patch of sod to see how deep the roots are.  If the roots are 2" long or less, you are definitely over watering.  A healthy root system should be 3" to 4" deep.

Along the same lines of flower power, peace and love, I'm also a fan of organic fertilizers.  I'm not talking about spreading cow pies all over your yard.  Organic fertilizers are sterilized and pelletized and smells less offensive than fresh mulch.   Organics have a lower ecological impact, are very unlikely to burn out a lawn, safe for seedlings, completely safe for pets and chicks dig it.  The only downside to organic is it's more expensive, which I'm sure is no surprise, and you have to apply it more frequently, which makes it even more expensive.  Full disclosure.  I do not always (or even typically) use organic on my own lawn.  That shit's expensive.

Typically, I use a time release fertilizer in the spring and in the fall.  Bada bing, bada boom.

 

Anyway, I'm getting side tracked.....  Just cut the grass as low as you can before you overseed.

 

[Scorpio64 5,147]

1 hour ago, Krdshrk said:

I heard rolling lawns is bad - the dirt is very compacted already and rough.  Rolling wouldn't really do much, no?  I think have to aerate first so that it loosens everything up.

I do have to fill in a lot of low spots and tire tracks.

If your soil is compacted, rolling is the last thing you want to do.  You would only roll in the spring when the ground is soft.  Ice expands, right... If a lawn gets saturated with water from snow or rain, then freezes and thaws several times it causes heaving.  .I would only recommend rolling if your lawn becomes uneven after the winter.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

13 minutes ago, Scorpio64 said:

If your soil is compacted, rolling is the last thing you want to do.  You would only roll in the spring when the ground is soft.  Ice expands, right... If a lawn gets saturated with water from snow or rain, then freezes and thaws several times it causes heaving.  .I would only recommend rolling if your lawn becomes uneven after the winter.

Yeah I'll hold off on the rolling until springtime.  I'm going to aerate and slice.  

[Scorpio64 5,147]

1 hour ago, Krdshrk said:

Yeah I'll hold off on the rolling until springtime.  I'm going to aerate and slice.  

You may not even need to roll.  It's not an automatic thing, case by case basis.  If you see lumps in your yard after the spring thaw, then roll it. 

[High Exposure 5,662]

I rolled my lawn this spring year after pitting seed down. Evened it out a lot after the tilling and seeding we gave it the previous fall.

[Zeke 5,504]

19 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

If your lawn is growing that fast I can only assume this, but my guess is you are watering it every day and putting down a lot of fertilizer.  That, or you have a severe case of OCD.

Let's talk about NPK.  1) Many fertilizers have a huge nitrogen (N) content but are low on phosphorous (P) and potash (Potassium -K) content.  While a high N will make grass green up and grow fast, it causes the growth process to put too much energy into growing grass blades but neglects the root system.  A balanced fertilizer should promote root growth and plant health, but who needs all those roots when the lawn is watered every day.  Whenever there is a drought, those are the first lawns to go dormant and suffer from diseases.  I see more moss and fungi on lawns with expensive sprinkler systems than anywhere else.

Embrace your inner hippie and water less.  It will promote more vigorous root growth and deeper roots.  It will make your lawn more drought resistant in the long run.  A deeper root system is more self sustaining.  You can test your roots by simply trying to pull up a handful of grass or cutting a small patch of sod to see how deep the roots are.  If the roots are 2" long or less, you are definitely over watering.  A healthy root system should be 3" to 4" deep.

Along the same lines of flower power, peace and love, I'm also a fan of organic fertilizers.  I'm not talking about spreading cow pies all over your yard.  Organic fertilizers are sterilized and pelletized and smells less offensive than fresh mulch.   Organics have a lower ecological impact, are very unlikely to burn out a lawn, safe for seedlings, completely safe for pets and chicks dig it.  The only downside to organic is it's more expensive, which I'm sure is no surprise, and you have to apply it more frequently, which makes it even more expensive.  Full disclosure.  I do not always (or even typically) use organic on my own lawn.  That shit's expensive.

Typically, I use a time release fertilizer in the spring and in the fall.  Bada bing, bada boom.

 

Anyway, I'm getting side tracked.....  Just cut the grass as low as you can before you overseed.

 

I have yet to hose my lawn this year. Jus following my scotts app on me phone. I think last time was April- may for anything.

[Krdshrk 3,877]

Seed I threw down 2 weeks ago is starting to come up...  May have to put more down - not sure. 

[ChrisJM981 924]

I put seed down in the back and thought I followed directions. I guess I didn't water enough, because nothing grew. I'll try again at the next house in the fall. 

[Krdshrk 3,877]

14 minutes ago, ChrisJM981 said:

I put seed down in the back and thought I followed directions. I guess I didn't water enough, because nothing grew. I'll try again at the next house in the fall. 

I only watered it once - there was enough rainfall after seeding that it started taking.

 

[ChrisJM981 924]

1 hour ago, Krdshrk said:

I only watered it once - there was enough rainfall after seeding that it started taking.

 

I watered as directed before and after applying I believe. I think there was a decent amount of rain after.

[Zeke 5,504]

2 hours ago, ChrisJM981 said:

I watered as directed before and after applying I believe. I think there was a decent amount of rain after.

What kind of seed( shade or sun)

birds?

compact soil?

infertile soil?

weed killer prior too soon?

you suck, and your lawn hates you?

[Zeke 5,504]

Running mower empty, Little startron added. Prepping snow blower and checking genny. 

Ran weed eater dry also. Now the chainsaw is gonna need some wrenching. NS

[gleninjersey 2,139]

Will prob run mower one more time.  Mulch up last of leaves.  Then let it run dry.

 

[Zeke 5,504]

51 minutes ago, gleninjersey said:

Will prob run mower one more time.  Mulch up last of leaves.  Then let it run dry.

 

Supposed to snow tonight 

[gleninjersey 2,139]

Yeah, heard about it at the office. 

Too early for snow!  I'm not ready! Lol.

[Zeke 5,504]

49 minutes ago, gleninjersey said:

Yeah, heard about it at the office. 

Too early for snow!  I'm not ready! Lol.

I wanna shoot (at) clays in the snow!

mrsz not soo much 

[Lostboy 105]

I wanna shoot (at) clays in the snow!
mrsz not soo much 

Im with you. Dix will be open I'm sure. I love the snow. Bring it on. I love when people complain about it like it's acid falling from the sky. You live in the Northeast, it snows here. Deal with it.Embrace it.

Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

[gleninjersey 2,139]

Stage 1 / fertilizer with crab grass preventer should be going down next 2-3 weeks I would think.

Time to drop the lawn mower blades off for sharpening or YouTube how to do it myself and save a few dollars.

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

Anyone out there with a small lawn using a battery powered mower?  I've got a small lawn (maybe 1/5 - 1/8th an acre of grass) and my GF does too.  We're thinking of getting something like this and shuttling it back and forth between our places:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Greenworks-Pro-60-Volt-Brushless-Lithium-Ion-21-in-Deck-Width-Cordless-Electric-Lawn-Mower-with-Mulching-Capability-Battery-Included/1000179065

 

 

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

I can't speak to that model, but I have a Neuton mower. https://www.neutonpower.com/ - it's been fine for my small in-town yard. The last couple of years, I confess, I paid the kid nextdoor to mow --- but when they go on vacation and stuff, I still pull out the little Neuton.

+'s:

• It's much quieter than a regular gas-powered mower - delightfully so
• It doesn't require the winter prep of a gas mower
• It doesn't have the bothersome cord of an electric mower
• A fresh battery will handle my .16 acre yard under the vast majority circumstances (about 45 min going at a slow pace, which is "how I roll" personally) *
• It's a clever design - folds down pretty small to pop right in a trunk
• It's weirdly cute... like a little turtle! People stop and ask about it, lol.

-'s:

• There have been a handful of times when I couldn't complete the whole yard on 1 charge (if I let the grass get too tall, if I didn't sharpen the blades once each season, or if I tried to use the bag to collect grass from across the entire lawn) *
• For the reasons stated above, I strongly recommend you get a second battery (beware: some battery mowers do NOT have a removable battery, and if you get one of those, you're stuck waiting for your mower to re-charge)
• My model didn't have big-boy "bells and whistles" like mowers with more power - I can't mulch for instance, and it's not self-propelled so I gotta push it up the hills in my yard (the mower itself is light, but the battery itself is really heavy, to me anyway). There are workarounds - I have a few small but really steep inclines in my yard so I've learned to wield my weedwacker (also battery-operated) like an "artiste" on those sections - I get those sections so perfectly level you'd think a mower was used. So, between both tools, I can cover the yard just fine.

If the 2 of you have small yards with mostly level stretches, a battery-powered mower is a great option. It looks like the model you found mulches too! I predict you'll both get smitten with it... so draw up a custody agreement... just in case!

 

[Scorpio64 5,147]

3 hours ago, gleninjersey said:

Stage 1 / fertilizer with crab grass preventer should be going down next 2-3 weeks I would think.

Time to drop the lawn mower blades off for sharpening or YouTube how to do it myself and save a few dollars.

The best indicator for when to put down pre-emergent crabgrass control is forsythia bushes.  When they are just beginning to bud is the right time.  If you wait until after they have bloomed, it will be far less effective.

 

[tony357 386]

3 hours ago, DirtyDigz said:

Anyone out there with a small lawn using a battery powered mower?  I've got a small lawn (maybe 1/5 - 1/8th an acre of grass) and my GF does too.  We're thinking of getting something like this and shuttling it back and forth between our places:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Greenworks-Pro-60-Volt-Brushless-Lithium-Ion-21-in-Deck-Width-Cordless-Electric-Lawn-Mower-with-Mulching-Capability-Battery-Included/1000179065

 

 

I purchased Ryobi 20" last year from homedepot. worked great all season. awesome to get away from having to fuel up and stabilize old mower. plus storage is easy fold it up put it in shed stand up out of way no fuel to spill. I have pics somewhere, I also posted pics on home depots website under tony357.

found it. look through reviews you can see my one of blue presses in back ground.

EDIT: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-20-in-40-Volt-Brushless-Lithium-Ion-Cordless-Battery-Walk-Behind-Push-Lawn-Mower-5-0-Ah-Battery-and-Charger-Included-RY40180/206481611

 

[Scorpio64 5,147]

What's with all these green hippy lawnmowers.  What you need is a 2A friendly Huygens' mower.

[blksheep 466]

Goats work too.