Thanks for that, Digit! I will now be posting pics again—even if they only look like ugly links! I have SO many things blooming in my yard already I’ve been WANTING to post some pics! But have more I need to download/upload (never have figured out which is which!) into the computer first—that I hadn’t bothered since I “couldn’t” post them anyway! Will do it in the next couple days! I don’t have a google+ page! And I don’t intend to ever have one! If I sign up for google+ my WebAlbums will be TOTALLY messed up—as I discovered when I tried to help somebody, last fall, try to figure out how to use Picasa and WebAlbums! It’s a total mess in WebAlbums in “+”, and as near as I can tell, once you sign up for it it’s TOO LATE, and the “new and improved” version (NOT!) is all you have access to anymore. As a matter of fact, if some of your pics really did “disappear,” I wonder if that had something to do with it! I haven’t “updated” Picasa for a couple years either (I just keep telling it NO when it pleads with me to update it!) ‘cause I’m afraid that’ll somehow get me into the google+ version—and I won’t be able to opt out of it again! I REALLY don’t understand why these companies keep trying to “improve” something that’s already working really, really well! (google maps REALLY screwed up their “maps” too, IMO! But I still have a link to Olde Google Maps—that still works! If they ever discontinue the olde maps, I don’t have a CLUE what I’ll use for maps! Bing, IMO, is at least as bad as the “new” google maps! HELLO out there! STOP “fixing” things that don’t need fixing!!!) (And my avatar on FB, which I haven’t signed into for a year!, is an airplane! And that’s the only place I have an avatar at all!!!) I don’t know why you didn’t “need to” change your setting to “enable” PMing, but maybe that’s something else they’ve changed recently—like putting in the ability to enter your zone (tho I’m gonna leave mine in as my “last name!”) When I went to that page I had to change the settings to get them right to enable PMing. Maybe now it’s the default when GW folks get into the houzz site. But there is SOMETHING that needs to be “fixed” for David, because there’s no “message box” visible on His Page, and until that’s there, nobody can PM him. I’m sure it’ll all get straightened out! We are, gradually, getting back to “our old GW!” Never would have believed that when I showed up here the first day and went—SAY WHAT????? I’m really impressed with the admins and all they’ve done! As for me! Maybe I’ll take some more pics tomorrow! Skybird

My apologies to both Houzz and gardengal48 for questioning the origin of the now infamous Note. I do think that gardengal has, should she ever tire of horticulture, a career in advertising awaiting. As for my having some sort of personal animosity toward Miracid or a bad experience with the product, neither is true. In fact, its use as as a one time foliar feed such as gardengal advocates is the exact exception for using it that I cited myself. I will repeat: Miracle Gro/ Miracid is an expensive and unsuitable fertilizer for rhododendrons and azaleas. It produces a quick shot of nutrients and does nothing to feed in the manner appropriate for ericaecious plants. Relying on it to maintain soil acidity rather than dealing with the soil itself is, imho, bound to cause eventual trouble even though plants give the illusion of health. Relying on various formulations of chemicals rather than healthy soil and sound practices of such things as soil testing and mulching to grow anything is more akin to hydroponics than to gardening.

Champ - I check mine every 2 weeks. Toro recommends using newspaper to check the sharpness. However, I use typical computer paper as suggested by several golf maintenance guys. If it doesn't cut it, I'll backlap it. I typically backlap 2-3 times a year - at most. I usually take it in for a grind every year or whenever backlapping doesn't cut it (no pun intended). I always pick up debris with my rotary and bag it before I use my reel. The worst part comes after I topdress the lawn. That is what causes me to get a grind - backlapping does nothing at that point. Champ/Sherm - I get seed heads every now and then, but that is the nature of the beast. They pop up quickly. My grass is said to be sterile since it is a hybrid, so I collect the clippings when they are up to reduce the thatch build up - plus, it makes the lawn look ugly when they are laying all over. turflife419 - I need to put down some PGR next week. I'll be out of the country for two weeks - so it will look like a jungle when I get back. It will probably be two weeks of constant mowing to ease the grass down to where I want it. The PGR will hopefully help if we don't get too much rain (like recently). I don't trust anyone else to mow my lawn or use my equipment for that matter. I'm in the process of getting it to 0.325" before I leave so I have some sort of a head start. dchall - I use milorganite twice a year. I've tried the alfalfa pellets before, but then the dogs end up eating it (and sometimes they eat the milorganite or just roll around in it). I'm sure if I used corn gluten meal, soybean meal, or sugar, they will be snacking that up. I have 3 dogs - one lab and two mixes. They are pretty good about peeing once outside (per trip), so I just use pin flags to mark the location and heavily water the area. Every now and then, one will do it behind my back. I don't think they like it when I stand there staring at them until they finish.

4/22/2017 Update It's been more than a month since I started. Mid-March this is what I did to kick start my lawn rehabilitation project: dethatched aerated pulled a few weeds out overseeded with a rye/fescue mix put down 1/4-1/3" of top dressing put down alfalfa meal Front Lawn Color is improving. The lawn is greening up at different rates, almost following the strips of sod that were laid down when the lawn was put down last year. Still patchy in in areas, certainly more than the backyard. Lawn lacks that thick, healthy look. Not sure if the seed I bought was good, if I have not waited long enough or if the birds ate it all. Plenty of rain the last 30 days. Lawn seems to be draining better and is not as boggy. Very few weeds, I pulled maybe 2-3 in this area. White flecks in the pictures are cherry blossom petals. This is probably the best part of the front lawn. Really greened-up well and is very thick and healthy looking. You can see how different strips of original sod are greening at different rates. Backyard Color has improved here too, better than front yard. Still patchy in an area that is typically shady. Seed seemed to take better here and I see lots of new grass sprouting up. Drainage seems to have improved but that's only after 1 month of observation. More weeds in this area, pulled perhaps 10-15 by hand. Questions Aside from cutting and weeding, anything I should be doing at this time? The patchy areas - reseed those or just be more patient?