The official TFF lawn care thread. Here we will discuss a multitude of topics. Including but not limited to.

Grass types
Soils
Fertilizer
Watering
Ph
Weed killers
Pre Emergent
Fungicides
Insecticides
Soil test
Landscapes/Flowers
Organics in lawn care

We have a lot of good lawn care peeps here on the TFF that can provide tips and techniques, what works for them and what doesn’t. Lawn care can be subjective and what someone likes someone else might not. No big deal. Will discuss that. Pics are welcomed. Specially so your progress can be tracked so we/you can see how it’s going and changing for the better or worse over time. This season is coming to an end. So it's a good time to learn, ask questions and stock up to get ready for next season.

Keep gardening questions in the gardening thread please.

Thank you Derek

We'll talk about soil test first as I feel it is the most important part of caring for your lawn. This will help with you selecting witch fertilizer would work best for you. Also it will give you a proper Ph level and if it needs to be adjusted. Neutral Ph is 7. Below 7 is Acidic and above is Alkaline. My ideal Ph would be around 6.8 Under 7 nutrients in the soil are less bound up and taken up more easily by the roots. Above 7 and they are bound up in the soil and not available as easily. Specifically iron. That's why it's hard to grow the East Texas acid loving plants in our N. TX Alkaline soils. Same with turf. Your turf will grow fine. But with iron bound up and not available it's hard to get that dark lush green. So adjusting your Ph would be something you would want to look at.

Here is my soil test from Texas A&M. Very simple and inexpensive test. As you can see I'm pretty good. No major issues. Except my Ph is 7.7 So I applied 5lbs per 1000sq feet of elemental sulfur twice this year. In April and September. This is the safest, but slowest way to lower your Ph. I'm going to get a soil test in February or March and see if my Ph dropped any. I doubt it did much so next year I am going to go more aggressive and apply Ammonium Nitrate as my nitrogen and sulfur source. That should get me headed where I want to be.

Here is the link to do the Texas A&M soil test. Do the #2 test for $19.00 - It's explains how to collect samples on the form. Takes about 2 weeks to get your results emailed to you from A&M. Also is the link to prepay for the test and how to take a soil sample. I will also link the soil sample tool I use. It's cheap, works good and doesn't tare up your lawn like a shovel does. Do not do the soil test you find at box stores and Amazon. Send it to a quality lab like A&M or Waypoint.

http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/files/soilwebform.pdf

https://soiltesting.tamu.edu/

https://secure.touchnet.com/C21490_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=11500

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SBX2SK5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks Derek, great idea. There has been a lot of very useful information shared by many on this forum regarding lawn care and having it available in a single thread will be most helpful for future reference.

Thread of the year?

My plan for next year is to have an amazing front / back yard. The rest of my property that surrounds the home is OK.

I want to start with basics and work my way up. This thread will be my guide. Thank you

God willing, I may have just mowed the lawn for the last time this year.

Maybe one more time before Thanksgiving, and that is it!

While your getting your soil test results. Aerate tour lawn now. Make sure to use someone that had a machine that will remove the plugs.

I have a pair of these

why remove the plugs...???...i have zoysia grass if that matters

Helps if you have soil compaction. And another main benefit is basically a soil gas relief. It allows oxygen to flow into the soil and they become besties.

[/quote]
Helps if you have soil compaction. And another main benefit is basically a soil gas relief. It allows oxygen to flow into the soil and they become besties. [/quote]


This plus it gives the ground and turf time to heal.

(if any confusion for newbs like me) Core aerator. Pulls plugs out of the ground and leaves a hole for the O2. You can leave the plugs laying on the ground to breakdown over time.

Depending on which core aerator you rent. They can pull out some decent cores up to 4". You can use those cores to use to send in for your soil sample. This is a pic of my core tool and core. You want to cut off the top 1/2" and use that to the next 3". Using the aerator you could go around and collect many cores to use from different areas which is preferred to get a whole sample. You don't want to do this when your soil is wet. Needs to be somewhat dry.

Line domination will also need to be discussed. You must shame your neighbors who don't lawn care. This is mine as of today. I'm happy but not happy with it, but it is fall. I plan to increase my domination next year. Roller22 loves line domination. And for that. I thank you. I want y'all that are participating in this thread to shoot for line domination next year and the years to come.