@throttleplate @Kirtley Howe - Crabgrass germinates in the spring, so put down preemergent in March/April and it will knock most of it out. 

On 9/22/2025 at 12:01 AM, casts_by_fly said:

@throttleplate @Kirtley Howe - Crabgrass germinates in the spring, so put down preemergent in March/April and it will knock most of it out. 

This! You need to put down the pre-emergent down before the soil hits 52*. 

@12poundbass I typically target putting it down when my soil temp hits 45.  That’s too early for crabgrass germination, but other weeds germinate almost at that temp.  And at that temperature the preemergent doesn’t degrade as fast so you don’t really lose barrier over time the same.  

dandelions are a big no no in my neighberhood, but i do see yards in other areas of town where its all overgrown with dandelions. I like to walk the yard and dig them out with a putty knife, squatting down or kneeling on 1 leg and then standing up gives my hammys, quads, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus a real good workout.

One thing I get a kick out of 

 

Lawn grass is NOT native to N.A. It was brought over by the European settlers cause they liked their manicured lawns. So your 'beautiful' lawn is composed of an invasive species.

 

Side note - dandelions are also an invasive species, brought over for their medicinal and culinary uses.

My lawn is zoysia, can’t imagine it being European. It only

grows in the hot sun 

 

and most other lawns are Bermuda grass 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

My lawn is zoysia

Nope - that's an Australian/Asian 'invader'.

12 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

and most other lawns are Bermuda grass

That's another from Eurasia/Africa/Australia...not native to Bermuda as the name would imply, in fact, they call it 'crabgrass' as it's virulently invasive...pushing out other grass species.

Mine isn’t Bermuda. It’s Kentucky bluegrass.

 

It tends to do better in cooler, wetter climates. Heat and drought are no good for it.

 

I don’t think that growing grass is for everyone. It’s quite a bit of time and work. Trying to grow it in the desert is a waste of water. Better off using it to grow crops instead of grass to play pasture pool on.

37 minutes ago, gim said:

Kentucky bluegrass

Europe, N Asia, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia....there's some debate on whether a small native population was extant in Utah - but the jury is still out on that one. It WAS imported by European settlers into the East Coast.

10 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

That's another from Eurasia/Africa/Australia...not native to Bermuda as the name would imply, in fact, they call it 'crabgrass' as it's virulently invasive...pushing out other grass species.

Zoysia is very good at at pushing other species out, I’ve never had to spray or pull a single weed. My only maintenance is pushing a lawn mower. I was also imported from Switzerland and England so I’m not mad about where my grass came from 😂 

Mine is a fescue/clover/violet/crab hybrid blend. I just aerated and seeded for the former today. Here in Charlotte we are on the edge of a few zones so NOTHING grows well. You just have to pick what season you want your grass to die in.

Kids bought first house recently.   My wife found them a clean, used Honda self-propelled mower for a hundred bucks and took it to them a few weeks ago.  Wife came home from a recent visit with the mower in the bed of her truck.  Kids said it wouldn't start, so they bought a new (no-name) mower.  I took it out of the truck, noted the fuel line shut off was closed; opened it and mower started on first pull.  I am soooo disappointed....and sad.   I bet this Honda will still be running for someone long after the kids' new mower is dead and gone.

On 9/26/2025 at 1:23 PM, VolFan said:

You just have to pick what season you want your grass to die in.

I would choose all seasons if I could! 😂 

First mow of the year today. We’ve had a number of warm spring days (like today)and my lawn was getting pretty shaggy. Lots of rain coming this week, had to get it done today.

2 hours ago, Scott F said:

First mow of the year today. We’ve had a number of warm spring days (like today)and my lawn was getting pretty shaggy. Lots of rain coming this week, had to get it done today.

We need rain in a bad way. Burn ban in effect until mid April. Grass is brown and not growing at all. Still have the Snow-blower on my JD. Expecting rain this week. Crossing fingers.

We have possible snow in the forecast here, so my snow blower is still "at the ready."

Hoping it's all rain though, which seems possible. I'm probably a month out from the first mowing session here. First one of the year is often around early May, right when the dandelions start blooming.

Yard work is for people that don't fish.

40 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Yard work is for people that don't have kids or grand-kids.

Fixed that for you.

Mother Nature has been pretty nice to us down here in Nebraska. I have already been on the water and fishing four times this season. Not many fish...but it's nice to be out...and with stories from @A-Jay, I'm just thankful we don't have ice on the lakes(!) Highs in the 80's today...but cooling later this week.

My nephew has already mowed three times. But my lawn has taken a bit more time to start growing. I spent Saturday pulling the snow blower, chains and weights...and doing the spring maintenance. Changed engine oil and filter, changed coolant, replaced fuel filter, sharpened blades, and greased chassis and deck, and leveled the deck.

Tonight I mow for the first time!

@DaubsNU1 did you even use your snow blower this winter?

I "summerized" my snow blower about a week ago, and started my lawn mower. The grass is still a couple weeks from needing a cut here. There are signs of greenery on the landscape though.

17 hours ago, gim said:

@DaubsNU1 did you even use your snow blower this winter?

I "summerized" my snow blower about a week ago, and started my lawn mower. The grass is still a couple weeks from needing a cut here. There are signs of greenery on the landscape though.

@gim I used the snow blower exactly two times this winter. Once in late November, and once after the new year.

1 hour ago, DaubsNU1 said:

@gim I used the snow blower exactly two times this winter. Once in late November, and once after the new year.

As you might guess, my unit has been getting abused up here.

I think it is 15 years old; it might even be older than that.

I take care of it but the hours are adding up.

I've been going back & forth on either selling it and buying a new model.

Or having this one rebuilt with all new parts (cables, auger, muffler).

The new ones are different, some plastic and not built to last, IMO.

My rig is an all-steel deal that has ZERO "electric" moving parts.. all cables. #oldschool

You know I like that.

I'll be doing an repair vs. new price comparison this summer.

Hope I can even get the parts I need at this point.

If so, we'll be making this old girl like new again, and it should outlive me.

Time will tell

A-Jay

I got a new mower yesterday so mowing will be fun now....for a couple of weeks. 😆

Amazing what an inch of steady rain will do