My Lawn Renovation Journey 2022 (Turf Type Tall Fescue)

In this video I’m taking you through how I totally renovated my lawn. How I killed off the old lawn, got it down to bare dirt, and finally planted new grass seed. I’m using GCI Turf Type Tall Fescue seed.
Products used
* gciturfacademy.com/products/g...
* bonide.com/product/kleenup-we...
* www.amazon.com/Scotts-Builder...
* www.amazon.com/Castings-Organ...
#lawnrenovation #turftypetallfescue #gcigrassseed
Music in this video is :
*You make me move by Julie B. Nichols
*Flashbulb by Hapasan
*Killer Crossover (inst) by Hapasan

[@kevindowe]

Great job! Good to see a Michigander display their talents.

[@grassymitten5324]

Thank you. I appreciate you watching.

[@cliff9136]

If you rake the seed in gently you’ll get better/even germination. Always hand water to ensure you’re not missing any edges or corners. Seed doesn’t need any external amendments to germinate, just moisture and warmth.

[@DisNiz_ICT]

Glad your video came up.. I did a full reno on my lawn (8500 sqft). Glyphosate (2 rounds), level, seed, fertilize, tenacity and lots of water... i did the project over the Labor Day weekend and got germination throughout the lawn. I'm going into my 4th week and just like you've experienced, i'm getting "spotty" germination and currently at about 1 to 2 inches so far. I was getting a little discouraged due to the spotty growth. I had laid 10lbs per 1k of seed and still got spottiness. i contacted GCI and they said to "stay the course" and give it a full month. Going to lay my 2nd Fertilizer app at week 4 along w/ biostimulants and see what happens in Oct. PATIENCE is what i'm learning in this process.... Thank you for sharing your process!!

[@grassymitten5324]

That’s great to hear. I’m sure once it gets going and you’re able to cut it it will thicken up nice. Just stay the course is right. Watching grass grow is a lot like watching paint dry but more rewarding of course. Thanks for the comment and watching, I really appreciate it. Best of luck to you in the lawn👍

[@zeebecks8704]

I did exactly the same thing this year about the same time.. little earlier since I’m in NE Wisconsin. But yeah man your process and results are about exactly what mine are. Just mowed it the third time today and it’s starting to thicken up nicely. It’s such a pretty turf. Can’t wait till next spring / summer to see it when it matures. Good stuff!

[@grassymitten5324]

That’s awesome! It’s a good feeling when it all starts looking like a lawn again. Thanks for the comment and watching. I appreciate it👍

[@goldenrakelawncare6564]

Excellent! Looks outstanding

[@grassymitten5324]

Thank you 😀

[@lisah6076]

Awesome job. Looks great

[@grassymitten5324]

Thank you. I appreciate you

[@MikeBotrosDIYHomeGarden]

great job! lawn is looking great! i love that humus & manure. I'm going to be applying it 2 or 3 times a year. makes the grass so healthy!

[@grassymitten5324]

Thank you! It was a lot of work but I enjoyed it.

[@MikeBotrosDIYHomeGarden]

@@grassymitten5324 I’m not brave enough to do a full Reno yet. I want to, but I can’t bring myself to do it because I know how much work it’s going to be.

[@grassymitten5324]

I was scared after I put the first app of glyphosate down. I was like what did I just get myself into! Lol

[@teamclarktrackfield]

I commend you for doing a front lawn renovation of that magnitude. I just did my rear lawn of 4000 sqft and I will NEVER do another burn down renovation. It’s just to much work and (in my opinion) unnecessary to achieve the same results with working with a decent stand of grass. Of course each scenario is different, but I will keep my front lawn intact and continue with aeration, over seeding, fertilizing, liquid amendments, etc. I’m glad your lawn came out good. Great video 👍🏽

[@grassymitten5324]

Thanks for the comment. It was my first time doing a complete redo of my lawn. It was really a lot of work. I had several different types of grasses in the front and I hated the way it was looking. That’s why I did a complete renovation. Now my backyard will probably just be a hard de-thatch, level and over seed. Again thanks for watching. 👍

[@rlhanks]

Last year this time I killed off an area in my front yard twice as big as your project. In a matter of weeks I was at the same situation you're in today. But spring was a completely different yard. The grass matured and thickened out. There was still patches but as of now they have all filled in. There isn't an irrigation system, just hose end sprinklers. I used GCI Tall Turf Fescue. This year I oversteered with creeping. I am in Farmington Hills. Be patient, next year all your neighbors will be jealous.

[@grassymitten5324]

That’s awesome. Thanks for the reassurance! Also thanks for watching and commenting 👍

[@delt19]

Nice work. By May next year that grass will be so thick and lush that you won't even be able to tell the thin spots.

[@grassymitten5324]

That’s what I’m hoping for, thanks!

[@yvonnegibson5304]

Great video! I'm in Michigan also. Thanks for the video. I overseeded Labor Day weekend and the grass is spotty. Hopefully, it will fill in, if not I'll add some more seed

[@grassymitten5324]

Thank you. And I wish you the best of luck with your lawn 👍 that’s my thinking too. Worst case just add more seed.

[@yvonnegibson5304]

@@grassymitten5324 Thank you

[@dailyDIYdude]

Great video bud. I just completed my reno using same seed. We’ll see how it goes. Just got 5” of rain.

[@grassymitten5324]

Thanks. Bet of luck you with your reno. That’s a lot of rain lol

[@mementomori887]

The seed does great in the summer. I did my yard last year. I killed mine but I mechanically tore all the old grass up with a tiller the scrapped it with a backhoe and skid steer. I used GCI cool blue, spreader elite and TTTF that you had. This year it look like carpet. Cut it at 3.5-4in and I didn’t water it at in July august. I’m in southern Indiana. It was green but going brown as it was stressed but that was 60 plus days getting baked. I have no trees no shade for it.

[@grassymitten5324]

Thank you for that reassurance on the drought tolerance of this seed. 👍

[@mementomori887]

@@grassymitten5324 idk where you are located. I would suggest a lateral spreading TTTF or KGB overseed with it next year. Seemed to make a big difference in look and feel. I used just the TTTF on the side of my house and switch to the GCI cool blue for the other 2000 sq/ft as the TTTF was sold out. It looks so much fuller and thicker than the straight TTTF does. The GCI seed is legit. I wish I could share pics lol. I’m going on week 3 and it’s already 2 inches tall. I use erosion mats to cover it to keep the birds off it. KGB struggles in my soil so I went with the spreader elite from GCI. TTTF with lateral spreading instead. All the same TTTF seed which is nice.

[@grassymitten5324]

I’m in SE Michigan. I originally was going to use the Blue Heat seed but it wasn’t available when I needed to order it. I will consider doing an over seed with it next year. Thanks for the tip. 👍

[@kirbygameclips7433]

If you don’t use a 3 in 1 at the beginning germination would happen a lot sooner. No matter what the bag says any type of weeding product will slow down germination because it takes water away from the plant no matter if it’s on the grass or not. Second, you really should’ve top dressed immediately. If you’re going to roll the lawn without the peat moss the dirt has to be moist. It looks great but you’ll have better luck without the 3 and 1 in the beginning. That’s what caused the delay in germination.

[@bobziadie2988]

Do yourself a favor and get a peat moss roller. You wont use it much but when you do it really helps getting your peat down evenly. You can also spread various soils/manure/organics too

[@grassymitten5324]

I’ll look into it. If i can use it for more than just peat moss I’d be more willing to get one. Thanks

[@bobziadie2988]

@@grassymitten5324 A Lanzie is the one most recommend. I have a different one and it works fine.

[@huntsw]

Need the first couple of mows when it gets to 2" then you can raise the HOC. This will promote tillering

[@grassymitten5324]

Ok, thanks for the tip.

[@johnhamilton9229]

Great efforts. Now it’s time to replace that air filter on the mower.

[@grassymitten5324]

You know that is a great idea. Lol thanks!

[@sbond1963]

The one thing I found with GCI is the color. Seems to lose its luster as it matures. Going to overseed with some RZ RX type fescue next year. Maybe Titan.

[@grassymitten5324]

Ok good to know. I’ll see what happens next summer. Mine is still holding pretty green right now compared to my neighbors.

[@stewardb82]

Awesome video. I see that you are in Michigan. I’m in Grand Rapids. I planned to do a renovation this year but I’m now hearing it may be too late to start. Any advice? Should I wait until next year at this point? My reason for wanting to renovate is Poa annua throughout the lawn as well as large patches of bent grass . Looks good from a distance but not so great close up so I’d like to start over .

[@grassymitten5324]

Hey thanks for watching and the comment. If you plan on killing the lawn first it may be too late to start. If you plan on using sod you’ll be ok. Or you could do a hard de thatch and over seed. But if it was me I’d wait to do a full renovation until next year. I’m in SE Michigan so you want to make sure your baby grass roots can handle a hard frost. I started mine July 25th and my first cut was September 19th, if that gives you a time frame. Thanks again and I hope this helps. Let me know how it goes whenever you get started 👍

[@stewardb82]

@@grassymitten5324 thanks for the advice, I’ll keep you posted 👍

[@lostinmyspace4910]

Grass seeds are like chicken eggs. Everything it needs to germinate is within the seed. After the seeds sprout, then you need to feed it with fertilizer to feed the sprouts and to get them to bite into the ground like feeeding baby chicks. I'd wait a good week to feed, r even longer as the seeds don't need it now, and you also don't want to push growth of the existing lawn although in your case you stripped the entire lawn.

[@grassymitten5324]

I’m going to wait until late October to put down my last application. 👍

[@scottsummers6541]

My guess is if you continue to cut it about twice per week that should encourage it...looks good though.

[@grassymitten5324]

Yes it’s growing like crazy right now. Thank you 👍

[@JPLawnsMore]

Nice job! Where’s Pete? Someone tag Pete!

[@grassymitten5324]

Thanks! I tagged Pete in my Instagram post about this. He’s a busy man. 👍

[@peterobara3040]

Please post an update video soon. I'm curious to see how it survived the midwest winter. I did some TTTF in my backyard last year, looked great for a couple months but now more clumpy looking and seems a good amount didn't make it through Chicago winter.

[@grassymitten5324]

Thanks for the comment. I’ll be posting more lawn videos real soon. My lawn came out of winter pretty good. I do have some thin spots I hope fill in this summer. Stay tuned! 👍

[@Squeezedsn95]

What's with the Michigan half lap mowing? Also is that Livonia or Westland?

[@grassymitten5324]

I’m not familiar with that?

[@Squeezedsn95]

Which part, the location or the fact that everyone mows their lawn by going over the last lap half way?

[@grassymitten5324]

It’s neither city. I didn’t know there was a name for that. That’s just how I mow. 🤷‍♂️

[@deancitroni4447]

Thinking about doing the same what part of the country do you live in?

[@grassymitten5324]

I’m in Michigan. It’s a lot of work but totally worth it.

[@deancitroni4447]

@@grassymitten5324 oh yes thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I'm near Atlanta Georgia don't know if it'll work for me here.

[@grassymitten5324]

Yeah I’m in the cool season grass zone. Tall Fescue probably won’t do well that far south. St. Augustine, Zoysia or Bermuda are probably the most popular down by you. housegrail.com/types-of-grass-in-georgia/

[@mmkat99]

Why not just re-sod? Probably the same cost and no labor

[@grassymitten5324]

To re- sod my lawn it would be around $700 just for the sod. And then you have to either install it yourself or hire someone. My renovation coast me about $375 total. Seed and topsoil,fertilizer.

[@Halcyon1861]

Too bad you can't do hybrid bermuda.

[@grassymitten5324]

Yeah not sure how that would work out here in the north

[@Dan-oi4kt]

Background music is annoying as hell

[@grassymitten5324]

Thanks for your opinion

[@gmog7857]

I bought GCI Turf before and I hated it, after watering my ass off it turned brown anyway, I had to remove it and plant JonathanGreen Black Beauty, the best Grass in the world

[@grassymitten5324]

Sorry it didn’t work out for you. I am going to use Jonathan Green seed for my backyard next year though. I’ve heard a lot of good things about their seed.