Lawn Care Tips

Discussion in 'DIY (Do It Yourself)' started by vBlake, Apr 25, 2017.

  1. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    Dismiss is awesome.
    Takes care of a few other weeds also.


    Nutsedge is harder to kill and there are a limited number of herbicides that target it.
    They are also kind of expensive.

    I had been just buying single use packs that mix up a gallon or two of spray and doing it that way. But hell it cost around $20 for a packet that would make 2 gallons, and it takes me 4 gallons to cover my yard completely.

    Decided to bite the bullet and buy a 6 ounce container of Dismiss.
    Off the top of my head the mix rate is something like 0.275 ounces of product per 1000 sqft. I can basically get 6 full backpack sprayers out of one bottle.
    That would have cost me $240 using something like Sedgehammer, Monument, or ProSedge small dose packs. So looking at it that way spending $80 or so on the Dismiss was easier to justify.
    The weeds started browning the next day.
    Still haven't sprayed the back yard, I'll do that one evening this week if I catch one that is cooler and not windy.


    Being that getting even coverage using a hand can or backpack is difficult, I did get a small amount of discoloration on the turf in a few places. It goes away pretty quick and wasn't as severe as what I get when using MSMA.

    Some people will add in a small amount of chelated iron or liquid fertilizer to combat this, but I've yet to try it.
     
  2. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    Looks really nice!
    If the neighbors start getting jealous I've got a tip to send them over the edge.

    Mow it on a diagonal, then immediately do the same but on the opposite diagonal.
    You don't have to change cut height or anything, just mow it both directions.
    It will look like a baseball field for a day or two.

    I do this every now and again if we are having company or something. Just to make it look extra nice.
     
    Zeek likes this.
  3. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    There are some that say you should be concerned about all the heavy metals and leftover pharmaceuticals contained in the solids they make that from.

    I was just reading about it the other day.

    Don't think it's very conclusive though.

    I would think the parts per million would be so small that it shouldn't be a concern.
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2017
  4. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    Been busy with stuff the last few days and our yard has been left unattended.

    I'll have to bag the clippings this time.
    Then time for a heavy watering.

    I'll try to remember to get some pics.
     
    Zeek and vBlake like this.
  5. vBlake

    vBlake Member

    Messages:
    624
    Likes Received:
    957
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Central Arkansas
    Same here a it will 9-10 days between mowing. Mine is really high from where I like to keep it. I'll have to bag then try and mulch a bit if I can. Bagging is a pain.
     
    Last edited: Jun 12, 2017
    OKcherokee likes this.
  6. timdgsr

    timdgsr Member

    Messages:
    495
    Likes Received:
    599
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    I'm trying to nurse a few small bermuda spots in a sea of weeds that is my yard. Just bought the house in October and the last guy didn't even attempt to take care of the lawn.

    I've got what started off as two tiny bermuda spots, that have grown like crazy. I've applied some general weed/feed to kill the majority of broad leaf weeds I was dealing with. I've created a dirt barrier around the bermuda with glyphosate, and watched the bermuda just take off into the bare ground around it.

    However, I've got some crabgrass living in my bermuda, and I'm trying to get rid of it before it becomes a problem. There's some nutsedge mixed in there as well, but while hard to kill, it's easier to kill it without killing the bermuda than crabgrass is. I'll tackle that if I don't kill my bermuda while trying to knock out the crabgrass.

    Just picked up some Drive XLR8 and applied it in a few test spots. The main issue is you're not really supposed to use it over 80 degrees, which pretty much makes it worthless in Alabama. However, I'm trying to sneak it in this week when it's going to be rainy, overcast, and low 80s.

    As soon as I pick up a utility trailer in the (hopefully) near future, I'm going to start bringing in some top soil and seeding some new sections as well. It's a bit later than I would have liked, but I'll give it a shot anyways.
     
    vBlake and OKcherokee like this.
  7. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    Just follow the label.
    Mist kills.
    Buy a quality surfactant, assuming it is okay to use with Drive, especially in the heat. Label should tell you this.
    I usually look up the label online, it is easier than trying to look through the booklet stuck on the bottle. Once you open the book on the bottle it is hard to keep it on there, then sometimes you're left with an unlabeled bottle you are trying to identify next spring.

    Once you determine what mix rate you will use, write it on the bottle with a sharpie.

    Bermuda is tough.

    Might take you a couple seasons to really get it where you want it, but you'll get there.
     
    vBlake likes this.
  8. vBlake

    vBlake Member

    Messages:
    624
    Likes Received:
    957
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Central Arkansas
    Update on On my neighbors weed infested yard.

    If you read back I'm also experimenting with my elderly neighbors yard trying to get him something other than a weed producer. I hit it with 2,4-D and a small application of 13-13-13 and some Milorganite.

    IMG_8419.JPG
    This was after the weed kill and the scalp mowing. Lots of bare dirt and hopeless dreams right? Well it started to look promising before I went on vacation last week so I gave it a quick mowing... when I got back it looked like this!

    IMG_8418.JPG
    It is now about 60-40 Bermuda- Crabgrass. So much better than what it was. It's actually mowable now. My next step is to rid it of crabgrass. If that is successful I may just open my own lawn care business! Haha jk never.
     
    Delkancott and Zeek like this.
  9. vBlake

    vBlake Member

    Messages:
    624
    Likes Received:
    957
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Central Arkansas
    1. I want a sticker with this
    2. And the people said "aaaamen"
     
    OKcherokee likes this.
  10. vBlake

    vBlake Member

    Messages:
    624
    Likes Received:
    957
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Central Arkansas
    Well I'm here in Arkansas so together we may be able to figure out what works. I need a good crabgrass spot spray. I have a few rouge crabgrass issues plus my project yard next to me has a big problem with it. I may try and find that Drive this week.
     
  11. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    There is a lot of stuff for crabgrass, especially easy if you have Bermuda.

    I was mixing some in a small sprayer and just doing spot applications, basically right onto the crabgrass itself.
     
  12. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    IMG_3599.JPG
    Current nemesis: Poa.

    Heat will burn it all out soon enough, but I gotta figure out how to stop it next year.
     
    vBlake likes this.
  13. timdgsr

    timdgsr Member

    Messages:
    495
    Likes Received:
    599
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    No clue what this means.

    I'm using methylated seed oil with it

    I didn't have any luck finding it locally, and ordered it. It's active chemical is "Quinclorac", which I found mixed in with a lot of other random herbicides at HD and Lowe's, but nothing specifically just quin.
     
    vBlake likes this.
  14. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    You don't have to do a real heavy spray or soak to the point of runoff.

    Just a quick mist on the leaves is enough.
     
    vBlake and Zeek like this.
  15. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    Watered the trees, flowerbeds, and lawn today.

    Now it is pouring rain.
    One of those "30%" chance kinda days.

    Sigh...
     
    vBlake likes this.
  16. vBlake

    vBlake Member

    Messages:
    624
    Likes Received:
    957
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Central Arkansas
    Bonus!!
     
    Zeek likes this.
  17. OKcherokee

    OKcherokee Member

    Messages:
    1,754
    Likes Received:
    3,002
    Location:
    In the middle
    I love the rain.

    But if I would have thought we would actually get 0.61" I wouldn't have put a half an inch on earlier in the day.

    It is good for it though.
     
    Zeek likes this.
  18. Theodore

    Theodore Member

    Messages:
    1,575
    Likes Received:
    2,525
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Maine
    Wow. Impressive results.
     
    Zeek likes this.
  19. vBlake

    vBlake Member

    Messages:
    624
    Likes Received:
    957
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Central Arkansas
    Why thank you! Got the quinclorac "crab grass" killer last week. Hopefully when I get it down, this beaute will be super nice!
     
    OKcherokee, Zeek and Theodore like this.
  20. timdgsr

    timdgsr Member

    Messages:
    495
    Likes Received:
    599
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Birmingham, AL
    So far it's killing my crabgrass and not browning my bermuda that got oversprayed with it. I did water the following day as recommended. Also, it's been in the mid to high 80s here, even though you're not really supposed to use it with bermuda over 80.

    Good luck!
     
    OKcherokee likes this.

Share This Page