Best Lawn Mower Lift

So I have this thick ass Zoysia grass. Lawns good but even the people I hired never seem to cut it right. Usually to me seemed they didn’t cut it enough which was usually an outcome of weather and them being booked solid so therefore backed up. So even without bagging get high lift blades? I’m the type of person who doesn’t mind touching up blades every other cut if I have to as long as its value added. I don’t know ahit about mower blades.

 

I have a 1/2 acre. Bought one of these last year! Smartest thing I've done in years. Now I can sit on the deck, have a drink and watch my lawn get cut.

https://www.husqvarna.com/ca-en/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/


I think maybe it will get a custom paint job this year.

 

Bagger blade and high-lift blade are two different blades. You still want the high-lift blade, no matter the grass type. They’ll provide increased suction, which will stand up the grass to be evenly cut, lift existing yard debris to be processed, and better dispersion of discharge.

Zoysia requires a shorter cut height, compared to most grasses. You want to cut it ~1.5”, which means you’ll need a pretty smooth lawn. If you don’t own a lawn roller, you might invest in one (48” wide is what you want).

 

I don’t own one but my neighbor does so same thing and I’ve actually already rolled it once. Deck leveled and set up how the google says to, it has a fresh set of what appear to be somewhat of a medium lift on it now and I’m going to throw a new set on ASAP.

 

Looking at some of the higher end sharpeners I think I’ll make my own that’s built the way I want it. It will be mostly alum I have left from other projects and bits n pieces of stuff I have laying around.

 

Ok so after my sleep deprived babbling. What blades do you recommend for a basic Husqvarna 48” mower? Brand and model I can get on the google machine.

 

@ducnut

What's the deal with a tow behind aerator/spreader that you'd recommend? My grass looks like absolute dogshit.

 

What’s the exact model of mower you have? Better yet, do you have a blade off the machine? Then, we could look at blade length, pilot hole size, and shape to get you into a quality, commercial blade.

I’ve never aerated and don’t see the need. There are a ton of “experts” on YT, and elsewhere, that’ll tell you it’s a requirement. However, I’ve had beautiful lawns, at multiple locations, and have never done it.

As far as spreaders go, I can’t recommend a pull-behind. If you were to spread fertilizer with a pre-/post-emergent and got anywhere close to flower beds or ornamentals, you’ll kill them. Even the dust will kill anything but grass. That’s why many application companies use a liquid for emergents and a broadcast spreader for straight-fertilizer.

I have a Lesco commercial broadcast spreader that works great on even large properties. 3-1/2 acres is the largest of those I used to treated and had three properties in the same development that size. I’d use a drop spreader along beds, 3 passes wide, which gave enough cushion to use the broadcast spreader everywhere else.

 

Thanks for the answer - really appreciate you sharing your lawn care expertise with all of us here. As I started thinking about what a beautiful lawn might entail from a work perspective, I realized I had some more questions for you.

1) Is it worth it to dedicate time to trying to have a nice lawn without a proper sprinkler system to water it? I've got Hunter PSC Z station controller in my garage which has 9 zones listed around my property but it's not functional (as far as I can tell). Am I pissing into the wind trying to have a nice lawn without a watering solution?

2) If I was going to dedicate myself to having a nice lawn (somewhat depends on question #1), that would entail starting a seeding program. What grass would you recommend for someone in the Philadelphia area to focus on? I've historically just bought whatever seed was at hand but I'd like to focus on some consistency for the lawn if I'm going the route of a "nice lawn".

 

1a.) Do you know what aspect of your irrigation system is in inoperable? They’re really simple systems and can be easily diagnosed. It’s definitely worth getting it operable, even if you only run it as needed. Broken lines can be easily repaired, as well. You just need to be diligent about getting an irrigation service provider out there to blow it out, well before freeze.

1b.) It’s absolutely worth attempting it, without irrigation. Your climate looks fairly close to mine, in central IL. We have a terrible July through 2nd week of Aug, where it’d be nice to have an irrigation system. Even with it, a nice lawn still requires staying on top of it, which is where people like me make sense to many with nice properties.

2.) You want to slit-seed, 1st week of August. That’ll be the tailend of the heat and start getting into the cooler, wetter fall. What I do is mow down to ~3” and bag it. If you have a lot of thatch, you’ll want to de-thatch and bag that. This will make it easier on the slit-seeder and ensure better seed-to-soil contact. I’d suggest a tall fescue, followed by a heavy application of 18-24-12 fertilizer. Then, stay off of it until it gets ~6” tall. If you can water it a couple time per week during this period, all the better. Then, mow it to 4” (mow no shorter, ever). That’ll allow your new grass to get some maturity, before frost, and do it with minimal trauma.

Do you currently have weeds? If so, I’d suggest spraying your lawn with Momentum @ 2oz/gal, July 1st. This’ll be advantageous to eradicating weeds and give time for them to dry out, before slit-seeding. Then, you can simply spot-spray what pops up, for the rest of the year. Next year, you can get yourself setup for a granule with pre-/post-emergent and you’ll only need to spot-spray, as needed (maybe once either side of summer).

Find your nearest SiteOne location, as they can sell you professional-grade products and help with guidance. I don’t always trust them, because they may not know what you may know; only what they see professionals doing. I’ve always done my own thing, because I took care of larger properties, wanted to minimize costs to the homeowners, and wanted to spend minimal time caring for the properties.

All this stuff is available from SiteOne:
• I like Lebanon seed. SiteOne stocks it and can sell you a tall fescue that’s appropriate (it’s all close enough). DO NOT EVER buy a mix containing KGB, rye, or anything else!
• I like Pro-Mate 18-24-12. Apply right after seeding and late-May. It’s organic and great for any plant/tree material-it’s like a natural steroid for them.
• I like Lebanon ProScape 19-0-6 with Confront and Dimension. This is nasty stuff and kills any ornamental. However, it’s a good fertilizer that has pre-/post-emergents with residual. What this means is you can apply it late-March and late-August and pretty-much not have to worry about weeds, other than the odd spot-spraying to get rogue weeds that may pop up. You have to be really conservative with application, because it can burn grass.
• Momentum for spot-spraying or general ridding of weeds, but, you don’t want to kill the grass (it’s a selective). 2oz/gal works great-absolutely no higher concentration than that!

Stihl SG-20 is the best backpack sprayer I’ve seen or used. Mix up your Momentum in there and leave it for the year. This way it’s easy to grab and go take care of whatever may have popped up.

I have a Lesco commercial broadcast spreader. The advantage is their spread rate is on the bag of every fertilizer on the planet. Anderson have the nicest spreader, though.

If you seriously get into this lawn thing, just message me and I can help you with more specifics or any questions. And, if you’re looking to start right now, get either spreader I mentioned and ProScape 19-0-6. Plan on a Lesco spread rate #9 and DO NOT double over your previous paths. This will immediately get your grass spruced up and rid your lawn of weeds. You won’t need to do anything else until July, in prep for slit-seeding in August.

 

Wish I could like that post more than once - thanks man! Looking for the spreader and Proscape as we speak.

 

All right, got through my morning emails so can now give this some more thought. From the top....

1a) No idea - will attempt to troubleshoot a bit today and see what I can find. If it's that "easy" to diagnose, though, may just have a service come out and fix it up (assuming I'm not able to).

1b) If the price is right, it's a no-brainer to fix up.

2) Is a slid seeder necessary if I go the plug aerator route? There's a tow behind model that is fairly well regarded, and if I'm understanding correctly that would then let me seed after aerating and get the majority of the benefit of the slit seeder (while also any benefit of aeration). Am I thinking about that correctly? Here's the aerator (good reviews on Amazon and Lowes, FWIW):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K6DZDI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Yup, definitely have weeds and will spray Momentum in a few months.

Is the Lesco spreader that you're talking about like $500? For a walk behind? I've currently got a Scott's walk behind (I'm sure it's a piece of shit compared to that, but $500 for a spreader makes me gag a little).

https://www.lawnandpestcontrolsupply.com/products/lesco-stainless-steel-spreader-80-lb

Found a ProScape dealer about ten miles away so will grab lots and lots of that 19-0-6, 18-24-12, Momentum, and a ton of tall fescue seed.

 

Oh, one more thing - I was planning on getting a towable spreader (something like the link below) - bad idea?

https://www.amazon.com/Agri-Fab-45-...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

If you’re not familiar with sprinkler systems, it may be of better interest/investment to have a sprinkler tech come out. I suspect, it’s going to be the controller or wiring at the connectors or the connectors themselves (corrosion). If you get those two things in order, then, the system should at least fire up. Then, you can work through the zones, looking to see what’s not up to par.

No need for an aerator. There’s no way I’d poke holes in my lawn, exposing the root systems to air. That kills and traumatizes grass. Plus, you’ll have to deal with the plugs laying on the surface. Using your mower to pulverize the plugs destroys mower blades. It’s something you really don’t need to be concerned with. And, an aerator isn’t remotely close to doing something a slit-seeder does. Lastly, you have an irrigation system. Never poke anything into the ground!

Slit-seeding horribly damages grass, as it is. If you have a decent yard (say 70% grass), then, broadcast spreading of the seed is a better option (top-seeding). Just do the 19-0-6, now, which will set you up for top-seeding in August. I have no idea what your yard looks like, so difficult to determine. At ~50% grass, I slit-seed.

That Lesco stainless spreader is a hell of a deal. You can easily make do with the mild steel version of that spreader, which is what I have (just wash it after every use). I’ve used the Earthway 2170, on that same website, and it’s a more affordable option. But, it’s not quite as substantial as the Lesco or Anderson. Still, it’s way better than the spreader you currently have. It’s your call.

As before, the pull-behind is a no bueno. You have zero control of your spread pattern and where you’re spreading. You want a walk-behind, so you can see where you’re broadcasting and how the product is flowing (chunks of product does occasionally plug the feed). It’s imperative you monitor the application process.

You want fresh products, so buy only what you need, when you need it. But, you need an accurate sq/ft measurement of your property, before anything. “FindLotSize” is the app I use. You draw an outline of your grassy area and it’ll give you the measurement. Then, look at the product labels for a spread rate. I usually error on the conservative side, especially with 19-0-6 (Lesco #7 might be a better rate for you getting the hang of this, but, absolutely no more than Lesco #9).

Again, get a nice spreader and 19-0-6, now. If you can’t get your irrigation up and running, call a tech. That’ll have you set until July.

*19-0-6 has a residual, so it lasts for months. This will get you to July, where you can spot-spray into August. Because 19-0-6 has emergents and it’s a residual, it’ll stop the germination of grass seed. Therefore, you can’t seed within 10-12wks of an application. And, you don’t want to apply it for several months after seeding. Give your new grass a chance to get going and give all your seed a chance to germinate.*

 

I spent a solid 2 hours yesterday getting my sprinkler heads dialed in. Didn’t do it when I moved in, just a few angle and screw adjustments. They had all 3.0’s in everything and I bet I changed 80% of them. A couple smaller to either curtain or low and others larger etc. some need the low while others needed the curtain. T’ed into circuit near the garden area and added a couple of the garden ones as they were using a lawn one to do the garden and just wasn’t efficient to water the lawn or plants / shrubs whatever the f they are. I’m pretty picky about stuff being set up correctly, have a bit OCD but I feel if you have something at least make it work the best it can or a bit better with some improvements that make either time or financial sense.

 

@docnut I can say I, and probably most of us appreciate you taking the time and patience to actually explain stuff in this thread. If my lawns all messed up it’s on you though honestly nice to get solid answers on stuff from real world people. I know gas tanks and farming crops but not much about lawn.

 

You’re welcome.

The issue I see is there’s just too much crap available. A person (fescue homeowner) really only needs a nice spreader, a fertilizer/emergent application (1st product) in the spring, a bolstering fertilizer application (2nd product) before summer, a fertilizer/emergent application (1st product) after the heat of summer, and simply mow tall (~4”) with sharp blades. If one is OCD, a good spot-spray setup (3rd product) is nice and easy, to handle rogue weeds. If one needs to seed, a tall fescue mix and bolstering fertilizer application (2nd product) is all that’s needed. Other than timing, it really is simple; a couple pieces of equipment and a few products. But, the industry is just overwhelming with excess, making it more confusing than it needs to be.

When you get your spreader and 19-0-6, let me know and I’ll help you get setup for that.

 

Oh and one thing as well, in the past I’ve calibrated my speaders, years of farming I guess. Amazing how far off box stores spreaders can be.

 

For sure.

These commercial spreaders are calibrated, but, don’t take any chart on a bag as an absolute, especially if there’s an emergent in the mix.

 

thanks for this post guys! have time to do it this year. off to siteone we go. Ski