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We had our yard re-sodded last spring with Zoysia. We chose it because of it's slower growth, drought tolerance, and it's density makes it more naturally resistant to weeds. Yes it's brown in the winter, but it looks and feels great during the summer months when you actually use your yard.
In your case NRG, diligent use of a good pre-emergent will do a better job than you think keeping the weeds out.
Also, do you happen to know the active ingredient (chemical) in the ortho, and what percent concentration?
Ok, not to get to technical, but I went ahead and took a look at the Ortha Max Weed-B-Gone I used. Looks like the main active ingredient is something called: Dimethylamine Salt of 2-Methyl-4-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid 13.72% (Wow that sounds like some nasty stuff!)
As directed I mixed 2 ounces of he weed-b-gone with 1 gallon of water per 500 sq/ft of lawn and applied using a tank sprayer. I applied after first watering the lawn to aid in uptake (again as mentioned in the instructions). Looks like some of the weeds are turning yellow, but there are plenty that look unphased by the treatment.
Like I said I think I also have quackgrass which the weed-b-gone had no effect on (as expected). Man that stuff grows tall fast. I read somewhere that you can apply roundup to each individual blade using Q-tip! Man that sounds like a great way to spend a weekend!
Anyway, if you have any advice I am all ears. Like you said....I will stay on top of the pre-emergent. Thanks again for all your tips. I owe you big time!
We had our yard re-sodded last spring with Zoysia. We chose it because of it's slower growth, drought tolerance, and it's density makes it more naturally resistant to weeds. Yes it's brown in the winter, but it looks and feels great during the summer months when you actually use your yard.
How much shade can you have with Zoysia?
Also, How much dog traffic can it handle?
I've always been interested, as I'm really not into lawn maintenance, and never seem to get my act together in the fall to do lawn work at the right time. The house I live in now has two good size maples in the front, and is ringed in trees in the back, fenced area with two medium sized dogs....
NRG, the short name for what you are using is 2-4-D. It will work on most of your broadleaves, it just takes awhile (7-14 days).
As for the Q-tip, something that works and may be a little faster is to put on a thin rubber glove, then put on a cotten glove over it. You can wet the cotten glove with round-up and wipe the desired plant with out getting it on anything else, including your hand. Still tedious, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
NRG, the short name for what you are using is 2-4-D. It will work on most of your broadleaves, it just takes awhile (7-14 days).
As for the Q-tip, something that works and may be a little faster is to put on a thin rubber glove, then put on a cotten glove over it. You can wet the cotten glove with round-up and wipe the desired plant with out getting it on anything else, including your hand. Still tedious, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Once again, many thanks to Cary Native. I owe you a few beers for all this free advice! I actually cut the grass today. Man does it look good when everything is at the same height...but in two to three days that quackgrass shoots up way past the fescue and makes the lawn look ragged. At least it is better than bare spots! I am going to let it grow for the next week and then zap it with the glove / roundup routine. I'll let you know how it goes.
To all you folks moving into new homes with brand new lawns my adivce to you is to take good care of it from the start or hire someone to care for it from day one. Don't let it go! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Trying to rejuvinate a neglected lawn is tough work ..... don't let it happen to you!
How much shade can you have with Zoysia?
Also, How much dog traffic can it handle?
I've always been interested, as I'm really not into lawn maintenance, and never seem to get my act together in the fall to do lawn work at the right time. The house I live in now has two good size maples in the front, and is ringed in trees in the back, fenced area with two medium sized dogs....
I have no shade in my yard at all (newer subdivision) and no dogs, so I can't answer the question personally. However, here's pretty good site that probably has all the answers you're looking for. http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/turf/pu...ns/zoysia.html
So far I've been very happy with the lawn. I'm even happier now that it's starting to come out of dormancy and green up!
PM me if you decide to do it and I can give you the name of my landscaper. I interviewed 5 different crews and he came back to me with the best combination of price and knowledge for the sod and irrigation. We liked him so much we had them come back a couple weeks later and install a patio. I have no reservations about recommending them to friends and clients alike.
OK, as we move into the month of August and the fall approaches it's time to get this awesome thread going again!
I am on 3/4 acre in Youngsville off of Hwy. 98 and currently have Tall Fescue. The front lawn is pretty shaded and is about a 100' wide by 50' deep area that is doing OK, some brown spots due to the lack of rain and intense heat, but all in all not too bad. The back lawn, if I can even call it that is 100' x 100' of poo poo. About a quarter of that is newly graded land after some tree removal so I really can't expect much there but the rest is pretty scarce. I own a 42" Cut 19.5hp John Deere ride-on mower and am looking to pick up a 48" Plug Aerator and Broadcast Spreader from Lowe's with some gift cards I got for my B-Day, so I have the tools to get something nice going.
Here is my plan:
Now until September: wait it out and hope we get some rain here and there and rake up surfaced debris from newly graded land.
September: Lime, Aerate, Seed, Fertilize
February: Fertilize
April: Fertilize and Weed Control
June: Fertilize and Insect Control
Late July/Early August: Fertilize
Repeat
Any comments, suggestions, concerns, etc. would be appreciated. I am also looking for some suggestions on whose Tall Fescue to seed with, I have heard good things about the Rebel blends?
OK, as we move into the month of August and the fall approaches it's time to get this awesome thread going again!
I am on 3/4 acre in Youngsville off of Hwy. 98 and currently have Tall Fescue. The front lawn is pretty shaded and is about a 100' wide by 50' deep area that is doing OK, some brown spots due to the lack of rain and intense heat, but all in all not too bad. The back lawn, if I can even call it that is 100' x 100' of poo poo. About a quarter of that is newly graded land after some tree removal so I really can't expect much there but the rest is pretty scarce. I own a 42" Cut 19.5hp John Deere ride-on mower and am looking to pick up a 48" Plug Aerator and Broadcast Spreader from Lowe's with some gift cards I got for my B-Day, so I have the tools to get something nice going.
Here is my plan:
Now until September: wait it out and hope we get some rain here and there and rake up surfaced debris from newly graded land.
September: Lime, Aerate, Seed, Fertilize
February: Fertilize
April: Fertilize and Weed Control
June: Fertilize and Insect Control
Late July/Early August: Fertilize
Repeat
Any comments, suggestions, concerns, etc. would be appreciated. I am also looking for some suggestions on whose Tall Fescue to seed with, I have heard good things about the Rebel blends?
First, check out the NCSU turf files link from earlier in this thread. They have a good schedule for all types of lawn, fescue included. They also have a good list of recommended fescue blends, but in general I've had good luck with any of the expensive stuff from the box stores - Rebels and Southern Gold are two that I specifically remember.
Here's my opinion on the plan. Take it for what it's worth coming from some random guy on the internet with too much time on his hands.
The most important step is to mow correctly. Normally the advice is to set the mower as high as it will go. Double check, but this should cut the grass to 3" to 4" or so. That's about right for fescue. Mow when it gets to, say 5" or even a bit higher and you'll be fine. Resist the temptation to try to treat fescue like bermuda and cut it to 1" - it will cook when June weather hits.
The remaining steps :
1. If you haven't done it yet, get a soil test done. Otherwise you're shooting in the dark when picking fertilizer types and lime amounts. Check out the ag extension office for details - it's free for NC residents and provides lots of good info and a guide on what to do next.
2. Add another fertilizer application in October. 1lb N per 1000 sq ft, no weed killer or anything fancy, use a basic 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 mix.
3. Include pre-emergent (Halts or Dimension) very late in the winter (late Feb or early Mar) along with the fertilizer. It's not the perfect time to do it, but it is pretty close.
4. Skip the rest of the fertilizer you have listed. Don't do anything to encourage cool season grasses to put on extra top growth during the summer. Otherwise the heat will stress it even more than it's already going to suffer.
5. Skip the weed killer and insect control unless you absolutely need it. Hopefully the pre-emergent got a lot of them, and the rest should be crowded out by grass. Insect control (with the possible exception of grubs? again only if you know you have a problem) and weed control should be spot treat only. If it's so out of control that you need to treat the whole lawn, the weeds will just regrow by the end of the summer anyway - time to think about a total re-do in that case.
Having lived in Virginia and now in MA, and fighting the grass battle each place we go, I'd say go with what works in the climate and what was there to begin with, not what was imported.
I like fescue better too--it's softer and it looks prettier, IMO. But Bermuda just does so much better with those long hot summers.
Having lived in Virginia and now in MA, and fighting the grass battle each place we go, I'd say go with what works in the climate and what was there to begin with, not what was imported.
I like fescue better too--it's softer and it looks prettier, IMO. But Bermuda just does so much better with those long hot summers.
My two story home reflects the sun into the lawn and cooks it worse. And the slope is at the perfect angle for the mid-day sun to cook the grass. The shade I have only helps some.
I like a fairly open area, but I'm fed up with fighting fescue. I have been seriously thinking going to Bermuda or Zoysia. Probably Bermuda.
It's time to regrade the yard anyway. It is way too bumpy to be called a lawn.
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