Right next to the asphalt driveway or any concrete surfaces, you will find the excess stone aggregate that gets puts down first before the concrete or asphalt is laid down - lazy construction workers, or cheap builder who doesn’t want to pay for disposal of debris. I posted on some other CZcams channel (Ron Henry) about the various things I encountered in my lawn’s “topsoil” layer. Styrofoam and cardboard coffee cups, styrofoam plates, roof shingles, carpeting and carpet padding, bricks, man made stone that is used to veneer house facades, aluminum trim capping, etc. But the worst thing is a chunk of concrete at least two feet in diameter that is close to a concrete foundation wall; my speculation on that is that there was a blow out on the concrete forms when they were pouring the foundation, and that blob of concrete was left in place. I’m kind of glad that my lot wasn’t the site they let the concrete trucks use for cleanouts, because the lots where that happened will have lots of buried concrete blobs.
@@LAWNLIFE house I’m living in burnt down to the foundation and was rebuilt, it seems like they just left all the burnt stuff from old house and construction then seeded over it. I’ve had to till the entire yard & sift just to get out all the nails/broken tile etc...
another reason can be a miss-match between the grass type and the area in question. landscapes can change over time and the grass type that once grew well may no longer be ideal for that spot. for example, the fine fescue that once thrived in a nice, shady lot may not be able to compete in full sun after a tree is taken down. or warm season grasses may struggle as trees mature and provide more shade. Its not always about water :)
I agree 100%! I can add one more tip, that is to put a bigger nozzle on a head that never seems to get enough water in that area, or if it’s set to a 360 degree pattern, while other heads in that zone are 180 degrees or less. Then you don’t have to run that zone longer to get more water down in the dry area, because at the same time you’re putting more than you need down with the other heads.
I had to move 3 heads that were 1, 2 and 3 feet inside my property line....whoever installed them had a bad day...irrigation head location and poor set up is the number one issue i deal with on peoples lawns..just 30 minutes work and they think i'm a genius :) nice video again man
I have the same problem, only my heads were placed too far inside the line because the neighbor mistakenly gave us the wrong info when we bought the house. My installer used that wrong info and then set my heads a foot inside of what he thought was the "line," only the line he used was a foot inside of where the line really is. So now I've got a whole line of heads that are 2 feet inside the actual line. It's my fault for not doing a survey or something and just relying on the neighbor's well intentioned but wrong input. Is it relatively easy for me to dig these up and reposition them? Right now to get full coverage they are arcing well across the line into the other yard to fully water my own grass. My installer also used some SST heads in a section that are totally missing areas. I'm not getting anywhere close to the full width I'm supposed to get on the 9 SST heads he used even though I've opened up the adjustment screws to the max setting. I feel like I need an extender or something to lift the nozzles up higher.
Spot on, these issues are pretty common and neighbors keep watering and watering with no good results and excessive watering leads to other issues when these two problems are more common than they realize.
Anyway i can come check out your lawn in person. I reel mow my lawn and get every person that walks by to tell me i have an amazing lawn. And i have done everything possible to it and everything you recommend. I want to see your lawn to see if my lawn is good or still could be improved by a complete kill and restart this fall
Here in Middle Tennessee one issue we have is just big rocks in the ground. When I tilled this yard 20 years ago I pulled multiple big rocks out of the yard. I still had 3 areas where grass wouldn't grow so I put landscape beds there. Last year I planted some rose bushes and shrubs and dug up 4 huge rocks.
Those huge rocks will stop stuff from growing dead in it's tracks. Especially when it starts to get really hot out! Thanks for watching and commenting on your experience Randy!
For those without inground sprinkler systems, Grubs under the turf can also cause brown spots. In my experience, the grass will pull out in chunks. To remedy, apply grub product (e.g., Grubex) early next spring and hope for the best.
Good information. Only caveat to the screw driver test is make sure you don't stab your irrigation. Normal sprinklers with heads are buried pretty deep, but some flower beds and strips out on the street have soaker lines that are pretty close to the surface. Otherwise, great info thank you!
I had a small spot (roughly 5'x5') that wouldn't grow grass in an otherwise pristine blue Grass lawn in Michigan. After a few years, finally figured out that the gas service line was leaking!
I removed so many rocks on the front lawn and verges and what a difference it made . But there are still some browning and the garden fork would not go deep so need to go digging this fall too
@@LAWNLIFE The depth and compaction. The aggregate can pile on the edges during construction and become part of the soil layer. If the rock intermixes with the soil, it’s less of an issue than if it’s compacted. There are places on my lawn’s edge where I can’t insert the sprinkler spike because the road’s base is compacted and close to the surface.
Regardless one should still have at least 4-6 in of good soil profile on top of the gravel base, and should have adequate drainage also around the driveway or patio, it's an age old thing getting construction personnel to work with the lawn or turfgrass pros , a good compromise is to have some type of border around driveways to transition to turf
I had to dig up a ~200 lb chunk of concrete in my front yard. It was like I had discovered an iceberg under what started as a 1ft square section of dead grass.
Nice going, J. Yeah I've been pulling my hair out correcting my aging irrigation system. But it's a great learning experience and sense of accomplishment learning pvc/funny pipe. You should definitely dig up that dead spot this fall and see what the heck is down below.
I'm with you with the old system. I'm going to be redoing mine soon hopefully. It's a total mess. I am going to definitely dig up that spot if I don't do my renovation. I'm leaning towards doing one though! We'll see what the wife says...
I build driveways on a gravel base that extends about a foot to either side of the finished driveway. I generally build with pavers, so there is a concrete wedge next to the driveway. That stuff will always be hotter and impact the grass.
Wherever grass is not growing around my house I stick a shovel in the ground and I find actually growing cinderblocks and concrete stone blocks they naturally grow my yard somehow. They come out throw some compost and some fresh topsoil mix into whatever is there and boom into a thick
Another problem could be compacted soil in that area. Water not getting down past surface. Then use a surfactant and best is non fragrance non antibacterial dish washing detergent and hose end sprayer
A good lawn or turf depends on it!!! All automatic usually doesn't do it all, it gives consistent even coverage, but it's rare that the soil conditions are even and consistent
I had spots that grass did poorly on and would yellow out. If squirrels dug there, they would destroy the grass. The problem was the areas were compacted due to pooling water. How I fixed it: 1. Lawn aeration, paid a company $50 2. Watering BEFORE lawn aeration because if the ground is hard, you don't get deep aeration. 3. Use a manual aerator to hit those spots with even more aeration. 4. Water after manual aeration and let it soak in. The grass roots were growing sideways because they couldn't penetrate the ground and you could kick the grass out of the ground. This is why the squirrels were damaging the grass so easily. If you have a compacted lawn and the grass dies, the weeds move in because there is no competition. July 2021 is the anniversary of my battle against compaction and weeds. I am winning. I am dominating. Killed a lot of the creeping charlie, clover, dandelions to the point where I cant find it. Perennial Rye, Fescue and Kentucky blue shade mix. I think I mixed the weed killer too strong and it killed a bit of the finer grasses letting the Kentucky blue creep further. Sitting on the front porch, I get comments galore. It ain't gonna fix itself and it ain't gonna happen overnight.
my neighborhood has sprinkler heads that arent on property lines and actually have neighbors side on my property and some of mine go across also. sucks if the neighbors dont care about the lawn
Another reason i found was a gas leak in the line leading from the street to my house. Called the gas company and they came out and tested the ground to find the leak, then they replaced the line.
Another two reasons why the grass Looks like it’s dead is bc of the soil or if you salt your driveway in the winter the salt kills the grass in the spring when the snow and ice melts. Those are the common problems I have with my lawn.
@@timrdude you just buy the blue nozzles on sprinkler warehouse pgp blue nozzles and turn the zone on unscrew the nozzle let the water pressure pop the nozzle out and put a blue one in there
My house faces south..every year along the driveway and street my lawn would look like that...this year I got a soaker hose and ran it along the street and driveway...neighbors didn’t...there lawns along the edge looks bad...mine..looks great and we are in a drought in the twin cities area.
Another explanation to why your sprinkler heads are not installed closer to the property line is the initial build your house may have been the first. The lot next to yours was either still undeveloped lot or in the middle of construction activity and the installer knew to keep a safe distance from your neighbor lots traffic. Also they had to get water on your sod for the open house event, or the closing date in a rush...etc etc. Another reason you will find dead spots that your screw driver test may not provide results may be explained by a tree once stood there. Stump grinding can lowered the trunk remains below grade, but now it is now decomposed and the ph is off-same theory on the gravel flanking your driveway install. In my large lot, I find many of those as well as construction waste areas. The concrete truck had to wash out the shoot and that dead spot has far too much concentration of lime etc for grass to thrive. Germinates but never thrives and survives. Year after year? Run a soil test to learn what if any correction can be done. Screw driver test BRILLIANT LL!
I had all that crap in my lawn after the build, but I did a lot of work over the years to remove it. Now, the problem is either insects or fungus coming in from the common area or the neighbors’ lawn.
Fungus may be from over watering your own lawn if you dont already know that , deep infrequent waterings are much better that frequent shallow watering
I live in Minnesota as well. I disagree with the fall comment. It can be done in the spring as well. I did a spring renovation in my back yard without a sprinkler system installed.
I think you will need to redo your irigation all together. The Heads shold hit each other in order to not have the pattern issue and give even coverage.
That's the plan. It's a total mess. I'm still deciding on doing a renovation this year and if I do, I will fixing all of the irrigation then. Thanks for the heads up.
After relandscaping and putting in a new retaining wall and front patio, my coverage area is completely thrown off in that location. What used to be head to head in that spot completely soaks my patio. I had to tighten those screws on 2 heads but now they don't come close to each other. I think I need to add another head in between them to cover the short. The line actually runs right along the new retaining wall so I'm thinking I can probably tap into it right where I want the new head to be.
I have areas that go dormant as soon as the weather gets hot. I definitely need to do the screwdriver test. How much unobstructed depth would you need for a good root system?
I'm in Florida and always have a couple of spots in my backyard. I tried planting new grass in the early spring but the areas just died in the summer. We get lots of rain. Could it be not enough nutrients in the soil?
Hi Jesse Coming up to the summer. What do you recommend the water rate for a lawn? 1.5 inches of water per week? I have TTF in zone 5B. I have the ability to cover the entire 7,500 sq ft however really curious as to watering deep for one day or spread it out over 3? Thanks. I really enjoy your channel.
I run an apartment complex and have alot of grass to water and B4 I ran it the sprinklers were ruined, we are watering by hand, doing need to water every inch every day?! Or can I alternate every other day!! Thank you
A watering can does wonders for a lawn, let it sit full in the sun a couple hours. Worms will amend your soil over time. Rabbits and birds leave great enhancerments too. Gradually that will sink your stones or other debris further down especially with the frost.
I have two big trees across on my sidewalk I did the screw driver test with a 12 inch screwdriver and didn’t feel any roots. Do you think the roots are still sucking up the water and making my grass brown they seem to be my problem spots on my lawn?
Well that explains alot. I am in Southern Oregon and have planted turf type tall fescue. There is a strip about 15' wide and 70' long. No matter how much water or amendments I throw at it, it is always mostly brown. I will try the screwdriver test. If it does not pass can I use a liquid aeration product? Thanks great video!
@@LAWNLIFE The entire strip tested about 2" deep everywhere I checked. The subsoil is high clay content. Is there a way to soften that? It gets permeable if I drown it but then that creates other problems. Thanks
@@raymondmcdonald7085 - if you have clay and only two inches of topsoil, you might just want to excavate to remove a good depth of the clay and bring in some more topsoil. Your results will be faster and more likely to fix the issue.
@@stevebabiak6997 Ugh, I thought that is what you might say. The area used to be part of a pasture that tall fescue once grew in. I brought in 2" of topsoil. I guess that wasn't enough. 😒
@@raymondmcdonald7085 - you could try tilling in some organic matter, but tilling clay is difficult - I know from having done it a few years ago. And then the soil still isn’t really as good as a good quality topsoil, the tilled clay is just a shade better than it was before.
That's why they recommend head to head coverage, then you don't have to adjust the screw too far down. If the screw is far enough down it will also start to affect the output or flow.
Absolutely. I wish I had head to head coverage, but unfortunately whoever installed this irrigation system did not know what they were doing. I feel like most of the systems I run across don't have proper head to head coverage. Did not realize that it could affect the output, thanks for making this known.
My friends lawn has a weird issue. 6 smallish areas without compaction or debris under the turf, irrigation hits the area well and yellow even before the big heat. Fertilized same as elsewhere. Any ideas?
Only option then during dry season would be either hand water or get a timer with hose and sprinkler, set it up and watch how long it takes for the water to puddle, puddles are bad in full sun , acts as a magnifying glass and will burn the grass, set the timer or hand water till the soil is almost saturated, let it soak in, redo in cycles
Volume of water and (somewhat) even coverage is more important than how long you run the sprinklers. You can measure different spots with empty tuna cana. Deep and infrequent watering is better for root development The general rule is 1 inch per week (rain or irrigation), but there are lots of variables that can change that. For example: if your lawn isn't newly planted then letting it go dormant in the summer with less water sould be okay
Exactly. I would've done it, but it's the middle of summer and the new grass seed wouldn't make it. I would just have a pile of dirt there for 2.5 momths
For some reason they installed only one in my irrigation system. ONE! So weird, but I can say the area that it's in is very green compared to some other spots. I've never had any issues with it either. Small sample size but that's all the experience I've had with them.
Please Help! So I do everything right, I dethatched and areated in the fall, I use Milorganite, Fugas control (granular and spray), grub and insect killer, mow my lawn every 2-3 days with a brand new blade, and water 2-3 days a week and I still have what looks like full blades of yellow grass mixed in with green. It's getting so frustrating that I spend all this time and money and can't get my lawn looking 100% green. I want to go down to under an inch but not if I can't get the lawn the way it supposed to look. I have pictures and need help. Is there a way I can email you to check them out?? Thank you!!
Easy solution 1:50 get an Orbit water timer that waters every 2 hrs. and cover the freshly seeded area with burlap for about 8 days. Remove the burlap as soon as grass starts peaking through the burlap. If you wait too long to remove the burlap you run the risk of ripping the grass out by the roots. czcams.com/video/K-e-NmpAdZ8/video.html
Sprinkler adjustments are KEY!!
Would be great to see a demo on removing turf from damaged areas, removing rocks etc underneath then repairing the spot.
easier said than done!
Most cases the turf on top of debris have very shallow roots and will just crumble when disturbed, best to start with fresh soil, seed
I did the screw driver test in my yard in troubled dry spots, the amount of vinyl siding I pulled out was ridiculous.
It's ridiculous how much some landscaping crews don't care. Siding is a new one for me. Glad you got it outta there! Thanks for watching!
Right next to the asphalt driveway or any concrete surfaces, you will find the excess stone aggregate that gets puts down first before the concrete or asphalt is laid down - lazy construction workers, or cheap builder who doesn’t want to pay for disposal of debris.
I posted on some other CZcams channel (Ron Henry) about the various things I encountered in my lawn’s “topsoil” layer. Styrofoam and cardboard coffee cups, styrofoam plates, roof shingles, carpeting and carpet padding, bricks, man made stone that is used to veneer house facades, aluminum trim capping, etc. But the worst thing is a chunk of concrete at least two feet in diameter that is close to a concrete foundation wall; my speculation on that is that there was a blow out on the concrete forms when they were pouring the foundation, and that blob of concrete was left in place. I’m kind of glad that my lot wasn’t the site they let the concrete trucks use for cleanouts, because the lots where that happened will have lots of buried concrete blobs.
Concrete also.
@@LAWNLIFE house I’m living in burnt down to the foundation and was rebuilt, it seems like they just left all the burnt stuff from old house and construction then seeded over it. I’ve had to till the entire yard & sift just to get out all the nails/broken tile etc...
another reason can be a miss-match between the grass type and the area in question. landscapes can change over time and the grass type that once grew well may no longer be ideal for that spot. for example, the fine fescue that once thrived in a nice, shady lot may not be able to compete in full sun after a tree is taken down. or warm season grasses may struggle as trees mature and provide more shade. Its not always about water :)
I agree 100%! I can add one more tip, that is to put a bigger nozzle on a head that never seems to get enough water in that area, or if it’s set to a 360 degree pattern, while other heads in that zone are 180 degrees or less. Then you don’t have to run that zone longer to get more water down in the dry area, because at the same time you’re putting more than you need down with the other heads.
I had to move 3 heads that were 1, 2 and 3 feet inside my property line....whoever installed them had a bad day...irrigation head location and poor set up is the number one issue i deal with on peoples lawns..just 30 minutes work and they think i'm a genius :)
nice video again man
I have the same problem, only my heads were placed too far inside the line because the neighbor mistakenly gave us the wrong info when we bought the house. My installer used that wrong info and then set my heads a foot inside of what he thought was the "line," only the line he used was a foot inside of where the line really is. So now I've got a whole line of heads that are 2 feet inside the actual line. It's my fault for not doing a survey or something and just relying on the neighbor's well intentioned but wrong input.
Is it relatively easy for me to dig these up and reposition them? Right now to get full coverage they are arcing well across the line into the other yard to fully water my own grass.
My installer also used some SST heads in a section that are totally missing areas. I'm not getting anywhere close to the full width I'm supposed to get on the 9 SST heads he used even though I've opened up the adjustment screws to the max setting. I feel like I need an extender or something to lift the nozzles up higher.
Yup I did all the landscaping around my new construction home and the amount of construction trash I found was unbelievable.
It makes you want to punch a contractor or two in the face 😂
Spot on, these issues are pretty common and neighbors keep watering and watering with no good results and excessive watering leads to other issues when these two problems are more common than they realize.
Anyway i can come check out your lawn in person. I reel mow my lawn and get every person that walks by to tell me i have an amazing lawn. And i have done everything possible to it and everything you recommend. I want to see your lawn to see if my lawn is good or still could be improved by a complete kill and restart this fall
Here in Middle Tennessee one issue we have is just big rocks in the ground. When I tilled this yard 20 years ago I pulled multiple big rocks out of the yard. I still had 3 areas where grass wouldn't grow so I put landscape beds there. Last year I planted some rose bushes and shrubs and dug up 4 huge rocks.
Those huge rocks will stop stuff from growing dead in it's tracks. Especially when it starts to get really hot out! Thanks for watching and commenting on your experience Randy!
For those without inground sprinkler systems, Grubs under the turf can also cause brown spots. In my experience, the grass will pull out in chunks. To remedy, apply grub product (e.g., Grubex) early next spring and hope for the best.
Get the merit and apply in about mid June. Knocks the crap out of those suckers. I have not found a box store product that works like I need.
Great tips bro. Video quality and editing is on point. Love how you do your intros. Keep it up.
It’s crazy how a little gravel under the surface can cause so many problems. Great tips that’ll help out a lot of people this summer.
Thanks for always watching Ron. And yes, mine is definitely gravel and it needs to be removed. Same thing happens every year!
Good information. Only caveat to the screw driver test is make sure you don't stab your irrigation. Normal sprinklers with heads are buried pretty deep, but some flower beds and strips out on the street have soaker lines that are pretty close to the surface. Otherwise, great info thank you!
I had a small spot (roughly 5'x5') that wouldn't grow grass in an otherwise pristine blue Grass lawn in Michigan. After a few years, finally figured out that the gas service line was leaking!
Wow, that could have had a far worse outcome, like an explosion destroying the house.
I might have 2" of good soil depth across my entire lawn. Rock everywhere
Agree if your building you have to watch what builder is plowing into the yard, rocks etc. easier to bury it than fill a dumpster or remove etc.
Thank you for posting this helpful video
I removed so many rocks on the front lawn and verges and what a difference it made . But there are still some browning and the garden fork would not go deep so need to go digging this fall too
Nicely done bro. Mystery solved for many people with these issues!
Thanks for watching Keith!
Agreed…also, head over shoot misses won’t manifest themselves if there’s regular rain, so that just makes it even more complicated in times of drought
This is a great video. I have a few spray pattern problems.
Slop of the driveway, road salt dripping off melting snow....heat from the black top too....
Careful. The gravel you find next to asphalt roads is part of the road’s aggregate base. It’s at least a foot wider than the road.
If this is the case why is it only in this one spot? I'm genuinely curious. I don't have this issue anywhere else on the edges of the driveway.
@@LAWNLIFE The depth and compaction. The
aggregate can pile on the edges during construction and become part of the soil layer. If the rock intermixes with the soil, it’s less of an issue than if it’s compacted. There are places on my lawn’s edge where I can’t insert the sprinkler spike because the road’s base is compacted and close to the surface.
Regardless one should still have at least 4-6 in of good soil profile on top of the gravel base, and should have adequate drainage also around the driveway or patio, it's an age old thing getting construction personnel to work with the lawn or turfgrass pros , a good compromise is to have some type of border around driveways to transition to turf
I had to dig up a ~200 lb chunk of concrete in my front yard. It was like I had discovered an iceberg under what started as a 1ft square section of dead grass.
I love your advice great job. Keep the videos coming.
Thanks for stopping by and watching Mark. I'll do my best to drop as many videos as I can!
Great timely video.. big hello from the uk! 😊
Nice going, J. Yeah I've been pulling my hair out correcting my aging irrigation system. But it's a great learning experience and sense of accomplishment learning pvc/funny pipe. You should definitely dig up that dead spot this fall and see what the heck is down below.
I'm with you with the old system. I'm going to be redoing mine soon hopefully. It's a total mess.
I am going to definitely dig up that spot if I don't do my renovation. I'm leaning towards doing one though! We'll see what the wife says...
Pressure drop at the time the system is scheduled to run can also be a significant problem in areas where there is secondary/irrigation water.
Thanks for helping out Michael!
Great tips. That screwdriver/probe test is clutch and glad to see that #1.
I build driveways on a gravel base that extends about a foot to either side of the finished driveway. I generally build with pavers, so there is a concrete wedge next to the driveway. That stuff will always be hotter and impact the grass.
Wherever grass is not growing around my house I stick a shovel in the ground and I find actually growing cinderblocks and concrete stone blocks they naturally grow my yard somehow. They come out throw some compost and some fresh topsoil mix into whatever is there and boom into a thick
Another problem could be compacted soil in that area. Water not getting down past surface. Then use a surfactant and best is non fragrance non antibacterial dish washing detergent and hose end sprayer
Thanks, that helped me with a couple of spots on my lawn. I'll dig up this fall.
Awesome. I'm glad you got it figured out! Thanks for watching Scott!
At my old house, I found a slotted man hole cover when digging in the yard. Fun stuff.
Wow. Some of the stuff people have found is just getting crazier.
Construction debris and trash buried in yards really pisses me off 😤. It’s sad that it has become the norm in construction 🤦🏻♂️.
Construction sites are America’s other landfill. You wouldn’t believe the shit I’ve seen buried without a second thought.
Totally on point. I usually hand water the dry spots and that works for me. Hydretain also work but I do need to hand water dry spots periodically.
Absolutely. If you watch the video I posted before this one, I talk all about that 😉. Thanks for watching Tom!
A good lawn or turf depends on it!!! All automatic usually doesn't do it all, it gives consistent even coverage, but it's rare that the soil conditions are even and consistent
In Florida where i am its mostly sand in my backyard maybe an inch in some places in some spots. Looks like i will have to buy some soil and seed
I had spots that grass did poorly on and would yellow out. If squirrels dug there, they would destroy the grass. The problem was the areas were compacted due to pooling water. How I fixed it:
1. Lawn aeration, paid a company $50
2. Watering BEFORE lawn aeration because if the ground is hard, you don't get deep aeration.
3. Use a manual aerator to hit those spots with even more aeration.
4. Water after manual aeration and let it soak in.
The grass roots were growing sideways because they couldn't penetrate the ground and you could kick the grass out of the ground. This is why the squirrels were damaging the grass so easily. If you have a compacted lawn and the grass dies, the weeds move in because there is no competition.
July 2021 is the anniversary of my battle against compaction and weeds. I am winning. I am dominating. Killed a lot of the creeping charlie, clover, dandelions to the point where I cant find it. Perennial Rye, Fescue and Kentucky blue shade mix. I think I mixed the weed killer too strong and it killed a bit of the finer grasses letting the Kentucky blue creep further.
Sitting on the front porch, I get comments galore. It ain't gonna fix itself and it ain't gonna happen overnight.
Once I dug up a flat stone used as a path that got covered by grass over time.
my neighborhood has sprinkler heads that arent on property lines and actually have neighbors side on my property and some of mine go across also. sucks if the neighbors dont care about the lawn
Great tips
Another reason i found was a gas leak in the line leading from the street to my house. Called the gas company and they came out and tested the ground to find the leak, then they replaced the line.
Another two reasons why the grass Looks like it’s dead is bc of the soil or if you salt your driveway in the winter the salt kills the grass in the spring when the snow and ice melts. Those are the common problems I have with my lawn.
On your irrigation head I recommend the hunter blue nozzles for the pgp. The red nozzle aren’t the best at a fan pattern
How hard is it to replace a red with a blue?
@@timrdude you just buy the blue nozzles on sprinkler warehouse pgp blue nozzles and turn the zone on unscrew the nozzle let the water pressure pop the nozzle out and put a blue one in there
My house faces south..every year along the driveway and street my lawn would look like that...this year I got a soaker hose and ran it along the street and driveway...neighbors didn’t...there lawns along the edge looks bad...mine..looks great and we are in a drought in the twin cities area.
Awesome video!
First Aussie 😁. Great tips mate. 😎👍👍
Thanks for always watching Trevor!
Thanks, I need to adjust my sprinkler.
Another explanation to why your sprinkler heads are not installed closer to the property line is the initial build your house may have been the first. The lot next to yours was either still undeveloped lot or in the middle of construction activity and the installer knew to keep a safe distance from your neighbor lots traffic. Also they had to get water on your sod for the open house event, or the closing date in a rush...etc etc. Another reason you will find dead spots that your screw driver test may not provide results may be explained by a tree once stood there. Stump grinding can lowered the trunk remains below grade, but now it is now decomposed and the ph is off-same theory on the gravel flanking your driveway install. In my large lot, I find many of those as well as construction waste areas. The concrete truck had to wash out the shoot and that dead spot has far too much concentration of lime etc for grass to thrive. Germinates but never thrives and survives. Year after year? Run a soil test to learn what if any correction can be done. Screw driver test BRILLIANT LL!
I had all that crap in my lawn after the build, but I did a lot of work over the years to remove it. Now, the problem is either insects or fungus coming in from the common area or the neighbors’ lawn.
Fungus may be from over watering your own lawn if you dont already know that , deep infrequent waterings are much better that frequent shallow watering
I live in Minnesota as well. I disagree with the fall comment. It can be done in the spring as well. I did a spring renovation in my back yard without a sprinkler system installed.
I think you will need to redo your irigation all together. The Heads shold hit each other in order to not have the pattern issue and give even coverage.
That's the plan. It's a total mess. I'm still deciding on doing a renovation this year and if I do, I will fixing all of the irrigation then. Thanks for the heads up.
Head to head coverage
After relandscaping and putting in a new retaining wall and front patio, my coverage area is completely thrown off in that location. What used to be head to head in that spot completely soaks my patio. I had to tighten those screws on 2 heads but now they don't come close to each other. I think I need to add another head in between them to cover the short. The line actually runs right along the new retaining wall so I'm thinking I can probably tap into it right where I want the new head to be.
Soon as you said Minnesota I subscribed!! I'm south of the twin cities!
Should also check for insect damage and fungus.
Every year?
@@FXMAN66 yea
Great video and content mate.
I have areas that go dormant as soon as the weather gets hot. I definitely need to do the screwdriver test. How much unobstructed depth would you need for a good root system?
Some building codes require four inches of topsoil. I think at least six inches is a better target. The more the merrier your grass will be.
I'm in Florida and always have a couple of spots in my backyard. I tried planting new grass in the early spring but the areas just died in the summer. We get lots of rain. Could it be not enough nutrients in the soil?
Hi Jesse Coming up to the summer. What do you recommend the water rate for a lawn? 1.5 inches of water per week? I have TTF in zone 5B. I have the ability to cover the entire 7,500 sq ft however really curious as to watering deep for one day or spread it out over 3? Thanks. I really enjoy your channel.
Quality info
I run an apartment complex and have alot of grass to water and B4 I ran it the sprinklers were ruined, we are watering by hand, doing need to water every inch every day?! Or can I alternate every other day!! Thank you
Helpful video, thanks!
I knew right away on the edge of the driveway prob left over construction debris, and heat reflection,
Good video, thank you
A watering can does wonders for a lawn, let it sit full in the sun a couple hours. Worms will amend your soil over time. Rabbits and birds leave great enhancerments too. Gradually that will sink your stones or other debris further down especially with the frost.
WHAT?!?!?
Looks exactly like my lawn. Except the brown is pretty much everywhere.....the whole area.
I have the continuous problem best my planner boxes.
I have two big trees across on my sidewalk I did the screw driver test with a 12 inch screwdriver and didn’t feel any roots. Do you think the roots are still sucking up the water and making my grass brown they seem to be my problem spots on my lawn?
Great video !! Just subbed
I want to grow Bermuda but how would I separate it from my neighbors centipede and it not taking over his property
solid tips 👊🏼👍🏼
What's the name of the tree at time 2:20 in video on the other side of the road.
Good advice👍
Thanks man! Thanks for watching!
Well that explains alot. I am in Southern Oregon and have planted turf type tall fescue. There is a strip about 15' wide and 70' long. No matter how much water or amendments I throw at it, it is always mostly brown. I will try the screwdriver test. If it does not pass can I use a liquid aeration product? Thanks great video!
If it doesn't pass, you need to dig out whatever is underneath the ground that is stopping the screwdriver
@@LAWNLIFE The entire strip tested about 2" deep everywhere I checked. The subsoil is high clay content. Is there a way to soften that? It gets permeable if I drown it but then that creates other problems. Thanks
@@raymondmcdonald7085 - if you have clay and only two inches of topsoil, you might just want to excavate to remove a good depth of the clay and bring in some more topsoil. Your results will be faster and more likely to fix the issue.
@@stevebabiak6997 Ugh, I thought that is what you might say. The area used to be part of a pasture that tall fescue once grew in. I brought in 2" of topsoil. I guess that wasn't enough. 😒
@@raymondmcdonald7085 - you could try tilling in some organic matter, but tilling clay is difficult - I know from having done it a few years ago. And then the soil still isn’t really as good as a good quality topsoil, the tilled clay is just a shade better than it was before.
What about disease? You didn’t mention that.
That's why they recommend head to head coverage, then you don't have to adjust the screw too far down. If the screw is far enough down it will also start to affect the output or flow.
Absolutely. I wish I had head to head coverage, but unfortunately whoever installed this irrigation system did not know what they were doing. I feel like most of the systems I run across don't have proper head to head coverage. Did not realize that it could affect the output, thanks for making this known.
My friends lawn has a weird issue. 6 smallish areas without compaction or debris under the turf, irrigation hits the area well and yellow even before the big heat. Fertilized same as elsewhere. Any ideas?
Can you send me photos along with grass type and location? lawnlifewithjesse@gmail.com
Could thatch cause this issue as well?
I wouldn't think so. Thatch doesn't make your grass go dormant.
What do you consider a longer screw driver? I have some as long as 10" long.
YEAHHHH BABY!!!
you didnt take in to consideration that we might not have sprinkler at all so then the ? would be what to do after the screw driver test......
Only option then during dry season would be either hand water or get a timer with hose and sprinkler, set it up and watch how long it takes for the water to puddle, puddles are bad in full sun , acts as a magnifying glass and will burn the grass, set the timer or hand water till the soil is almost saturated, let it soak in, redo in cycles
How often should I water my grass every week and for how long ?
Volume of water and (somewhat) even coverage is more important than how long you run the sprinklers. You can measure different spots with empty tuna cana.
Deep and infrequent watering is better for root development
The general rule is 1 inch per week (rain or irrigation), but there are lots of variables that can change that. For example: if your lawn isn't newly planted then letting it go dormant in the summer with less water sould be okay
A little more often in the summer months. Put a sturdy coffee cup where you're watering, time it when it's about 3/4" in the cup.
Hey brother . What's the name of your mower.
Oh snap! This is my video for sure lol
😂
@@LAWNLIFE So if you do have rocks? Dig up that area try & get the rocks out add topsoil.
Exactly. I would've done it, but it's the middle of summer and the new grass seed wouldn't make it. I would just have a pile of dirt there for 2.5 momths
@@LAWNLIFE Same here lol
What do you think of MP rotator nozzle ? Considering upgrading mine.
For some reason they installed only one in my irrigation system. ONE! So weird, but I can say the area that it's in is very green compared to some other spots. I've never had any issues with it either. Small sample size but that's all the experience I've had with them.
@@LAWNLIFE Thanks.
Please Help! So I do everything right, I dethatched and areated in the fall, I use Milorganite, Fugas control (granular and spray), grub and insect killer, mow my lawn every 2-3 days with a brand new blade, and water 2-3 days a week and I still have what looks like full blades of yellow grass mixed in with green. It's getting so frustrating that I spend all this time and money and can't get my lawn looking 100% green. I want to go down to under an inch but not if I can't get the lawn the way it supposed to look. I have pictures and need help. Is there a way I can email you to check them out?? Thank you!!
Yes email me lawnlifewithjesse@gmail.com
got some crispy audio dude, you usin a xlr shotgun mic?
Yessir. Audio Technica! Thanks for watching man!
Do you know what size is the screw that holds the nozzles i lost one i have the same.sprinkler as yours
sprinklersupplystore.com/products/120300-hunter-adjustment-screw?variant=43671398857&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlMaGBhD3ARIsAPvWd6gWa3Z4ULrVoLbAun1nzDTKsLRuWdV7dlOd2_VdK1RJurc31wxYPYgaAtRJEALw_wcB
@@LAWNLIFE thanks!
1:12 How long is the screw driver to do the test ?
6 inches or so.. you just want to make sure there's nothing under the soil surface (rocks, wood, bricks, anything!)
Easy solution 1:50 get an Orbit water timer that waters every 2 hrs. and cover the freshly seeded area with burlap for about 8 days. Remove the burlap as soon as grass starts peaking through the burlap. If you wait too long to remove the burlap you run the risk of ripping the grass out by the roots. czcams.com/video/K-e-NmpAdZ8/video.html
Every head should hit another head, so another head should cover any dry spots next to that head.
Yes it should, but I feel like every irrigation system I've ever seen did not follow that rule on the install.
I’m blaming my neighbor, he cut down two trees and the chewing fescue really doesn’t like the extra sun it’s getting
Because you refuse to fix them