Those are great Dave!! I really like looking at your pics.

I just mowed my bent this past weekend with my new/used Jacobsen Greensking 7-blade 32" reel mower. That thing is a beast to handle. I've got to figure out how to slow down the pace on it. I cut it down from about 3" to 7/16". I had to go over it twice because it was so long but man did it give a good cut. I gave it a heavy dose of corn meal when I was done because I'm seeing some snow mold damage. There are a lot of areas where it was too long to be cut so short and they're yellowed but mostly it looks good. I'm suspecting those yellow areas will green up nicely now that the weathers getting better.

Do you have any suggestions on healing those areas that are yellowed? I just put down CGM the end of last month and that's starting to go to work. I think it might be too soon to start with the SBM.

Another question: do you think I'll be okay mowing it once a week at 7/16" or should I try to mow more often? I'm pretty sure if I mow once a week it will negate the 1/3 rule but I'm not sure of how big an impact that will have with our type of turf. I think I read in one of your old post that you mow at about 5/8" once a week. Is that right?

Greenjeans

the yellow areas will green up. I apply SBM whenever i feel the turf needs it. The turf will utilize it when the conditions are right.

you just need to mow more frequently to get it under control. Collecting the clippings helps too..other wise the mower is cutting and recutting the clippings.I often double cut(sometimes triple) if required. the second cut needs to be 90 degrees to the previous cut...which has the added bonus of the criss crossing stripes.

as far as the 1/3 rule is concerned...in a perfect world that is what you want, but in reality for me it seldom happens that way...especially in may/june.

the grass needs to be mowed when it needs it...you just have to keep an eye on it.
i constantly experiment with different cutting heights.

Try backing off the throttle to slow the mowing speed...as long as the reel spins fast enough to cut the grass, slower speed gives a far better cut.
it looks like the weather might be warming up here next week, i'm itching to get out there!!!!

Yeah, I had to bag it on the first pass. I wanted to put those clippings back into the soil but the mower just wouldn't take it. The second pass (at a 90*) I mulched it and the mower cut much better.

As far as cutting it more often; I wanted to but couldn't. I had a fence installed during that warm spell last January and they left bits of gravel all over the place. I had to get it cleaned up before I could bring out the new mower. Honestly, being the first time I'd ever used a powered reel mower, I was really paranoid about breaking it. I just knew I was gonna bend the reel or something! But this thing is one tough mower man!

And the speed control I was thinking was like a lot of riding mowers; where you have to keep the throttle wide open when the blades are turning. I had sent an email to the guy I bought the mower from and he replied the same thing to back off on the throttle. It makes sense!

I'll tell you something else that's really cool; this mower doesn't cut weeds. I had a few that were nestled in the turf and couldn't see but after mowing they stood up like a sore thumb. Made it easy to walk around and yank 'em by there new tender roots. I guess they germinated before the CGM went to work.

Do you suppose CGM will stunt the creeping of my bent? I'm not 100% on exactly how the creeping works. I know it's stolons that are spreading out but don't they have tiny feeder roots that may be affected by the CGM? I've got a couple of thin areas and small bald spots that I'm hoping will fill in this season without the need for more seed.

Greenjeans