Lawn care?

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by hudson, Apr 17, 2015.

  1. Where Eagles Dare

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    They cost less than 20 just buy a new one
     
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  2. Where Eagles Dare

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    So any specific pre emergents for fescue or just Lowes/HD stuff fine?

    Don't forget you have to water in your PE
     
  3. GRG

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    I use the HomeDepot TruStar stuff and haven’t had problems with it, I put it down last week and will put it down again later on the spring. Does a decent job and I spot spray everything else.
     
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  4. The Hebrew Husker

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    A lawn guy I watch on YouTube said this was his go to before he got really into the lawn stuff. Said it’s not a bad product and easy to find.
     
  5. Tommy Jefferson

    Tommy Jefferson Well-Known Member
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    I have this same spreader and I think it sucks. I have been figuring out the weight of product I need, turn the dial lower than recommended, and cross hatch until all the product has been dispersed.

    Sure it’s more work, but I feel like it’s going to be a more consistent distribution with this strategy.
     
  6. The Hebrew Husker

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    That’s something I have considered as well. I was at least going to set the dial 40% lower than recommended.
     
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  7. bigred77

    bigred77 Well-Known Member
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    I have three blades

    About to buy a second set though so I can sharpen and swap on the fly
     
  8. bigred77

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    Metsulfuron 6% Sulfentrazone 60%
     
  9. ThirstyAltarBoy

    ThirstyAltarBoy Well-Known Member
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    Definitely be careful about evenly grinding your blades. I bought a balance (~$10 on Amazon) and thought I had it even enough, threw it back on the mower. Started her up and immediately started wobbling the whole thing, shook the bolt off before I could shut her down.

    I also bought a sharpening drill attachment off Amazon, it works well but takes forever. I just use a file and do it by hand now. Doesn’t too take long.

    Also heard the store bought blades are never sharp enough out of the box anyways and it’s just better to sharpen what you have.
     
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  10. The Milkman

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    I sharpen mine with a handheld 4.5” grinder. Its quick and only cost me $30 bucks.
     
  11. ThirstyAltarBoy

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    The local lawn maintenance calendar I follow (central Florida) has me doing PE at the beginning of Feb. and weed and feed at the end of the month. So I would think you would be fine.
     
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  12. The Hebrew Husker

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    Is it worth the “risk” for my beginner/un-handy self to attempt to start my sprinkler system myself?

    Last year I had a company do the start up/winterize because they had a deal where I’d get a discount on a repair I knew I needed.
     
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  13. Tommy Jefferson

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    Does your city require a back flow test?
     
  14. The Hebrew Husker

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    Honestly no idea. Only reason I thought of it is I asked a co worker when he was going to schedule his (we used same company) and he said he’s going to try it himself.
     
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  15. Where Eagles Dare

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    Threw down some PE yesterday. Spent about 30 minutes hand watering the lawn just to get out of the house.

    Hoping to plant some Hydrangeas in the next week or two.
     
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  16. The Hebrew Husker

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    High of 79 tomorrow, but they’re calling for some snow this weekend (45 high and 25 for the low). Just when I thought I might have to scramble to get stuff ready for spring, maybe I’ll have a little more time.

    Depending on the forecast after the weekend, I still might put the 1st PE app down just to use the rain/snow.
     
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  17. AbeFroman

    AbeFroman You touch me, I yell RAT!

    I threw my edgeguard in the trash. Was striping my lawn. The design of the spreader makes the wheels block the lateral spread of the fertilizer. It was the cheapest one so maybe other models are better
     
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  18. The Hebrew Husker

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    That’s what I read online after I used it a couple times last year. It always seemed like it was inconsistent and putting it down way too quick.

    Maybe I’ll look into something else this year. I got this thing for free so I don’t feel terrible about replacing it. It seems like the only two options are Scott’s or a huge one a landscape company uses.
     
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  19. The Hebrew Husker

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    It was almost like I had to push it really fast to get the spreader to throw the granules “over” the wheels rather than just directly into the sides which is why it ended up putting it down so quick.
     
  20. AbeFroman

    AbeFroman You touch me, I yell RAT!

    Yeah, I zebrastriped it one year and checkerboarded it the next because I figured it was user error. Then read some forums and saw it was an engineering issue.

    I don't know if you're in Nebraska but here's a resource for soil temps. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soiltemperature
     
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  21. The Hebrew Husker

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    Yeah I am, thanks. I have found a couple others too, good to see they are all somewhat the same lol

    I might run over to the grass store this weekend and see what they have for spreaders. Like I said, my boss gave me this Edgeguard for free (I see why), so I dont feel too bad spending some money on a newer nice one. I'll tell myself I have been responsible with all my stimulus money so I can splurge on a 100 dollar spreader.
     
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  22. The Hebrew Husker

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    Local store just sent an email promoting some sale this weekend. 2 apps of pre emergent, 1 app of weed and feed, 1 app of nitrogen, 1 app of winterizer. So pretty much what I use throughout the year. 85 bucks for 5KSF, 150 for 10K.

    I guess I have a reason to go over there and can now browse the spreader selection too.
     
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  23. The Hebrew Husker

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    I haven’t found a great answer for this. I’m still debating on my 1st PE app this weekend because we have some rain coming.

    It’s probably a little early because soil temps are mid 40s, but I don’t know when the next rain will come, when temps will shoot back up, or when I’ll have my sprinklers turned on.

    I do see next weeks highs will be high 40s with lows getting to 30-32 overnight...assuming I do wait on the PE, will the freezing temps kill off any random seeds that possibly germinated (assuming I wait). The only reason I think my yard maybe a tad warmer than what it says online is because the majority of my grass faces south and bakes in the sun all day.
     
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  24. Det. Frank Bullitt

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    Russellin4885
     
  25. Russellin4885

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    Mid 40's really shouldn't kick off germination, takes some days in a row over 50 to get that party going. On the other hand you're better to be too early than too late. From your weather next week I would think it's fine to wait another week at least unless your not going to have any rain for a few weeks you should be fine. I kind of caught myself in a similar gamble this week. I own a commercial building that I take care of the landscaping for. Temps were too low a week ago and it's been raining pretty much non stop for the last year so wasn't worried about hold off till we got a warm up. Just so happens this week we are having a big warm up and no rain for like 2 weeks straight, I'll end up being a few days later than I want but it'll be fine. All your summer weeds don't just germinate all at once, that 55 degree barrier is just the beginning. Another reason why it's a good idea to do 2 applications in the early and late spring, gives you better coverage through summer.

    Also, if people don't want to geek out over soil temperatures, weather forecast and all that you can just look for forsythia starting to bloom. It will bloom at the same time that summer weeds start to germinate, I always have my eye out for them this time of the year. For those don't know what forsythia looks like:
    [​IMG]
     
  26. The Hebrew Husker

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    While googling this morning I saw that plant mentioned as something to watch out for.

    The unknown is rain, the first app is usually before I get my sprinklers going for the year.

    I plan on doing a 2nd app anyways around Memorial Day (about 2.5 months later), so that’s why I wasn’t incredibly concerned if the only issue may be it doesn’t last through the whole summer.

    I just didn’t want to make the first app completely worthless if I put it down this weekend using the rain, but soil temps only got between 40-45 degrees, and it straight up didn’t work for the crabgrass that will be germinating in the next few weeks.
     
  27. Brewtus

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  28. The Hebrew Husker

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    Saw a bunch of people suggesting this on Reddit the other day. This will probably be what I order if I don’t see something at the local place this weekend.

    Did you have any issues with assembly/calibration?
     
  29. Brewtus

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    No sir. Set up and everything else has been easy.
     
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  30. Det. Frank Bullitt

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    my problem is the manufacturers of the fertilizers, not putting the settings for the different spreaders on their labels.

    Come on, there are more than 2-3 spreaders out there.
     
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  31. The Hebrew Husker

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    Sometimes you can find the lb per square foot and figure it out somewhat quick.

    The grass store here, they’ll just say “if it’s not on the bag we recommend x% of your dial”
     
  32. bigred77

    bigred77 Well-Known Member
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    Now I want a forsythia
     
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  33. The Hebrew Husker

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    My house faces south, my backyard slopes toward my house just a bit. Looking back there today, the back part of the yard it looks like some of my lilies are starting to come up through the ground, I guess the sun must get that part pretty warm. Was kind of surprised to see that.
     
  34. Russellin4885

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    Funny enough was going on a walk with my daughter and dog last night and all the forsythia's on my street bloomed I think yesterday.
     
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  35. Brewtus

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    The spreader I listed shows what settings to use based on other manufacturers (Scotts, Vigoro, Earthway) recommendations.
     
  36. Det. Frank Bullitt

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    Interesting, so they calculated backwards to give 'conversion values' if you only have settings available for those other spreaders?

    That's impressive
     
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  37. Brewtus

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    Yeah, it's actually on the label of the spreader setting.[​IMG]
     
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  38. Pharm

    Pharm Right Handed
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    Anyone have a rachio? Any tips on using it?
     
  39. bigred77

    bigred77 Well-Known Member
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    Connect it to the app on your phone
     
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  40. Pharm

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    I meant like optimizing it
     
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  41. bigred77

    bigred77 Well-Known Member
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    I started out just letting it do its own thing, then I told it I didn't want watering on Saturday and Sunday, and it seemed to do OK I guess
    I wanted more water, and my yard runs off my well so cost and water restrictions don't matter, so I ended up telling it to water x minutes per zone 5 days a week and let it do its own seasonal adjustments and weather skips
     
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  42. Where Eagles Dare

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    Wish I could water off a well.

    I get charged sewer usage for water that doesn't go into the sewer. So when I water my lawn a lot, it isn't water cost, it is mostly sewage cost. It's apparently like 8 grand to install a second water meter to track no sewage water use. Sucks.

    I think we well is like 8-10 grand too
     
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  43. Det. Frank Bullitt

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    Thanks for bringing this up. Saved for later.

    [​IMG]
     
  44. The Hebrew Husker

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    After all the planning around the rain this weekend, I’m seeing we might get up 3 inches of rain between Saturday night and Monday, so almost wondering if that will be too much rain.
     
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  45. bigred77

    bigred77 Well-Known Member
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    I tend to err on the side of the prediction will be wrong and any prediction that is saying 3" is gunna be high

    I would get the PE out and hedge my bets
    I would be more upset if I didn't put it out and the rainfall was perfect than if I had to buy again and put it out a second tkme
     
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  46. The Hebrew Husker

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    That’s definitely where I’m leaning, especially if I can get it down Saturday with the isolated rain to maybe get watered in before the heavy stuff the next day or two.
     
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  47. Lucky24Seven

    Lucky24Seven Ain't nothing slick to a can of oil
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    Incredibly easy to charge an irrigation system. Crack open the main line that feeds your system. Go slow until it pressurizes. If you go too fast you can screw stuff up. Wait until you hear water starting to flow and leave it. Once it's at pressure, pop on some stations to let out all the air and you're good to go.
     
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  48. bigred77

    bigred77 Well-Known Member
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    I would start the furthest zone from the valve and let it be running while cracking open the valve
     
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  49. The Hebrew Husker

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    Doesn’t seem so bad. I’ll probably YouTube the specific back flow if I can find it (it’s old as hell I think)
     
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  50. Lucky24Seven

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    Yep. Blowing out the system is easy as well. Close up the mainline, hook a compressor into your system on the isolated line to your yard, wait until it's pressurized. Don't know what a residential pressure would be, but I'd usually run around 35 PSI at the golf course. Then flip on zones until they are blowing out air.
     
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