Best Lawn Mower Lift

what do you have your lesco spreader calibrated at?

i bought the 50lbs unit, & i am trying to judge how to spread the 19-0-6, you stated somewhere between a 7 and 9 spread rate in previous posts. the bag says somewhere between 152-218lbs per acre (i have 200 pounds, and a 1.2 acre lawn) so, i have enough.

the fertilizer bag doesnt have an application rate for northern areas, they list the transition zone as the lightest spread rate but, michigan is not on that list. dont want to put too much on but, dont want to not put enough on, and waste my investment.

reading lesco's directions on the spreader, they have a calibration procedure but, it is extremely detailed and incredibly difficult from what it appears. was hoping you had an easier number to calibrate to, with the lesco guage.

help is appreciated. Ski

 

I never calibrated mine, as it’s not that big of deal. I mean, it’s a human-operated device, so there’s a LOT of error right there. I’d dump it in and go. If it looked like my coverage was down, I’d bump it up. If it looked like it was really throwing down, I’d simply cut back. I only used the bag’s rate guide as a loose suggestion. For sure, I NEVER exceeded rates on anything with emergent; I always went conservative.

This is potent stuff, so it doesn’t take a heavy spread for it to be effective. As you’ve probably noticed, it stinks. The emergents are petroleum-based, which is why it stinks. And, once it rains, it’s going to spread on the soil’s surface like gasoline sits on top of water. That’s how so few of granules generate coverage.

Spreading light isn’t going to waste money, with this stuff. I suggested 7-9, because I don’t want you to over-apply and kill your lawn. It’s easy to do with this stuff, just by simply crossing over what you’ve already covered. You don’t have to get nuts with this stuff for it to be effective. If your measurements are accurate, I’m going to say #11 will use all of the product and #9 will leave some leftover. #7 is a conservative rate I suggested, until you get the hang of it and see how it does for you, because I’m not there. If you’re confident, set it at #9 and go. The heaviest I ever spread this at is #11 and always felt like I was pushing the envelope of what I could get away with. That’s what I’d use for a clean-out application on properties with heavy weeds and I wasn’t contracted with them. #9 is what I used for maintenance applications or for pretty clean lawns. Again, you’re primarily spreading this for the emergent, with the fertilizer being a bonus, which saves spending more money on product or effort.

When you start getting toward the end of your application, fill the hopper the least you can so you run out at the end. Trying to dump product back into a bag is futile. Likewise, no need to always completely top off the hopper and push all that weight around. I’d drop my bags across the end of a yard, so I could add as I needed. There are 80# spreaders out there, but, 50# is plenty to push around.

Being in MI, don’t worry about zones on applications. You’re a cool-season grass zone. Dump it in and go.

 

I wouldn’t do that. Just a little too much overlap and you’re at a #26 rate, which will kill the grass. This stuff will kill with a simple crossing over of paths. It bouncing off big trees and falling to the base, will kill the grass at the base. I never spread across ends of my runs with this stuff, to avoid overlap.

Edit: This stuff is a very fine granule, so bumping up the spread rate on the spreader results in much heavier application of product versus more coarse granules. It’s imperative to be super careful with it.

 

makes sense, that is why i asked, i was not comfortable with the spread rate on the bag. knowing overlap and burning, killing with momentum and Q4+, i didnt want to go too heavy.

here is what i am up against, areas of my lawn are thin, need more grass, i am trying to make that more uniform and thicker. over all the entire lawn has light concentrations of weeds. i have a few dandelions, a few violets, and some weird small vine, with tiny white flowers that grow in small patches, in a few places.

my biggest issue is the thin lawn areas. most of my thin areas are associated with pine trees bordering it (dead needles make the ground too acidic to grow grass easily, even with good clean up). so, i end up with areas close to the pines with moss, low topsoil, and thin grass. again, i am just trying to fill in to be more uniform, in those areas.

i am hoping by severely reducing the weeds, then slit seeding the thin areas, and over seeding my thicker areas later this summer, i can have a more uniform/thicker lawn overall. am i off base with this thought process?

Ski

 

Stay away from pines, with 19-0-6. Just the dust will kill the branches. Even Momentum kills the branches. If they’re trimmed off the ground, no worries.

It sounds like a #9 rate will be plenty for what you’re dealing with.

Early on with this stuff, I used the lowest rate suggested and burned the grass in some areas where I’d overlapped (their higher rates are nuts). I quickly learned to come way off their rates and work the other direction. I used to stress over drop rates per 1000 and all that crap, but, just learned to set my spreader number to 9, dump it in, and go.

If you’re trying fill-in underneath pines, that’s a no-go. It’s just not possible. If you want underneath to be aesthetic, cut an edge in, mulch underneath, then, let the needles accumulate. If you can keep the area underneath thick in needles and a nice, crisp edge to your grass and your grass clean, it’ll look pretty nice with the contrast (think down south with crisp edges and pine straw). It’s about all you can do.

Again, we’re talking first week of August, here. Slit-seeding and de-thatching really traumatizes existing grass. If you have heavy accumulation of needles across the yard, you’ll need to mow short (2”), de-thatch, and get the accumulation and needles bagged off. Then, use your spreader to overseed. Where it’s more thin, turn around and apply extra seed (you may have to work the seed in, if it’s barren). You want the areas where you want nice grass to be just soil and grass. If the areas that are thin are caused by needles, you’ll have to be diligent in keeping them bagged off that. If you’re getting up closer to areas of needles dropping straight down and accumulating, then, surrender that area to the pines, cut a clean edge with an edger or Bed Bug, and forget it. When needles are accumulating on your grass due to wind, use a blower to periodically blow them off toward the pines.

For fertilizer, you’ll want something heavier in lime to neutralize. If you don’t want to do a soil test and constantly monitor it, just spread that Pro-Mate I previously mentioned and rock on. That stuff is like a miracle drug for any plant or tree that’s alive. Apply it with every seed application, sometime in May before summer heat, and late-August/early-September. If you can get 19-0-6 applied very early spring for your first application, that stuff will take care of about anything, for the year. If your neighbors’ weed patches pose a problem, you may have to 19-0-6 again, right after summer heat and move Pro-Mate back a month, or skip Pro-Mate altogether. It’s up to you how immaculate you want things to look.

My buddy’s yard, from yesterday. I’ve only helped him with a few things, but, this is mostly done with organics....like a whole pallet of products, and thousands of dollars, per year. Looks amazing, though.

 

Both sides of the driveway were killed off, late June, and were just bare dirt. I slit this 8/14 and the pic was after mowing/bagging, today.



*The far lot was done 2014.*

 

@ducnut , what do we do now? they dont sell the 795526 at your link. that was the last place I bought mine. would like to get another set or 2, if they are discontinuing them. sorry for reviving this old thread but, there is A LOT of good info in here. Ski

 

Checking with my buddy, to make sure they’re still available. I know Excel cut his mower order by 40 units, so there may just be a supply issue.

 

Where in central Illinois are you located?

Do you have any experience with a liquid aeration program. I don’t know much about it but, I know you are not in favor of a mechanical aerator and neither am I. I’m not a fan of de thatching either as in my experience both can do damage to the root system etc. In any event this liquid aeration is basically dish soap that’s acts as surfactant that allows better/deeper water soil penetration thus helping with deeper root growth. I have an irrigation system that I run and there are still some areas that don’t seem to get enough water etc. I’m just wondering if soil compaction is reducing water penetration/uptake in these areas.

 

Get ahold of Chris, at Macon Rental Co, 828-524-8911.

 

Real shops use motorcycle lift tables with the add on wings. LOTS of my customers are set up like that.

 

I need to update my location, as I moved to FL. I was just outside Springfield.

I have a buddy doing that program. Since moving away, late ‘20, I haven’t had a chance to look at his thatch accumulation. I know he’s spent a fortune on all kinds of products the place sells. It just seems gimmicky, to me.

I’d check flow rates out of the heads, in that area. Make sure they’re performing as they should. Depending on brand of system, you can potentially change the heads for something higher rate. Another option would be to separate the area into its own zone. But, you shouldn’t be having compaction issues, unless you have high clay content.

As for dethatching, I’m a big fan of it, if the lawn is that bad. If there’s that much dead accumulation, it’s going to need seeding, anyway. Thatch kills, which leaves a barren yard, once cleaned up. It doesn’t sound like that’s your problem, though.

 

The title of this thread gets me every time. I keep thinking struts, extended brackets and over-sized tires...
(If you saw my yard, you'd understand).

 

Putting down new sod, Jack Trice at Iowa State University.

 

First mow. Too wet but with more rain in forecast.

 

How is your mower set up:
A.) Cut height at blade tip?
B.) Is your deck raked?
C.) Are you bagging that?
D.) What mower model are you using?

That doesn’t look like you have enough suction to pull the grass straight, while it’s being cut, regardless of moisture. Your grass looks good and healthy, though.

 

3.5”
Flat
Mulch
Honda hrx 217

It was 6-7” tall and wet. It’s a self propelled mower and I mow as fast as it will go, full speed. I had some other sheet I needed to get done so I let it eat all that it could. LOL. I need to sharpen the blades as well. Yard was soggy wet plus it’s been in mid 30s the last week at night and only in 50s daytime so the grass just seems a bit wilted and not crisp like. I’ll take my time next time. LOL.

 

Oh heck! Haha.

A.) Set your lowest cutting blade, front to rear, and measure both tips. Most deck settings aren’t accurate to the tip measurement, so you want to verify your forward measurement against the deck’s settings.

B.) Then, compare the two tip measurements. Most decks have some rake, with 1/8”-1/4” being optimal. I can’t imagine Honda being high quality and not incorporating rake. It’s an absolute necessity to achieve a clean cut, not excessively drag down the engine, and not scrub the grass.

C. First cut, you definitely want to bag it off. The large amount of material will take forever to break down.

D.) That’s a great mower. The way they’ve contoured the deck means they’re really best at bagging, though. Bagging will allow airflow through the deck, so you’ll get a much nicer cut. And, I’d invest in an extra set of blades, so you can exchange them out with a shop who have an actual blade sharpener (angle grinder jockeys need not apply).

Also, never cut more than 1/3 of the total plant off at a time. As you probably know, as the plant grows in height, the crown (lower 1/3), stem (middle 1/3), and leaf (upper 1/3) are extending upward. Cutting more than 1/3 means cutting off the entire leaf, which stores the plant’s water. I know it can be tough to avoid sometimes, but, if you can minimize the shock to the plant, it’ll pay off in plant health.

Hopefully, you’ll start getting some real warmth from the sun, to get your yard dried out.

 

Right on my man. I’m sure there is a built in step down back to front just that I haven’t measured it. I just can’t bring myself to bag unless it’s fall and I have leaf drop. I can’t stand the idea of taking away any free nutrients plus it’s a PIA as I already generate too much yard waste even after composing. I just can’t bring myself to bagging.

I do have two sets of blades exactly for the reason you described as I have one set at my Dads shop that I sharpened last Spring. I just forgot them. I did just get a bench grinder given to me from a buddy and wife who retired and is selling their house and moving to Florida.

Yeah, the first cut I always let the grass grow long just to help with root development etc but after that I pretty much stay on top of it as you have outlined. This Spring has sucked. Way below temps and just grey dull cloudy days blah. I’ve got a shit ton of sedum's, lily's and hostas to split and replant but the weather has sucked.

i greatly appreciate your knowledge and feedback. Thanks man.
Well I’m off for 5 May Day drinking. LOL.