Im an assistant superintendent (greenskeeper) at a private golf club. This video was done very well a lot of very good information especially for a backyard green! Some advice from me: id recommend keeping the size in increments of 500sqft to make math easy for applications. most labels will give the rates per 1000sqft. Top dressing with sand is your friend! helps to prevent scalping, smooths the surface, firms the green up, prevents disease and creates a better soil profile. We top dress our 21 greens at least every 2 weeks lightly and water the sand in. i agree with going Toro or JD for walk mowers. Old Jacobson is good but stay away from the new stuff. One of the most important things to be aware of is water. Overwatering is worse than under watering. easy to give it more water more difficult to take it away.
How much should a used grrens mower be,,i am a lawnmower mechanic so i can fix anything,,i am in process of making a nice putting green on my property,,i helped on a golf course 50 years ago reseeding grrens and saw first hand how sand can make it much easier to keep a nice plush green//i dont have a roller but i do have many 55 gallon drums and a few used round water tanks
My first job was building a golf course, I only worked on the fairways. Never built a green. I now have the property to build some holes! This information is priceless to me. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻
This is EXACTLY the presentation I was looking for. Cheep-n-easy to high quality, and all the expectation, limitation and reasoning at each step… all in a very concise package. Well done my friend! Thank you.
I'm so glad I found your video. This is great, all encompassing information answering so many questions. I've gone from having a crazy thought, to "let's do this!"
@@JasonSeiberlich Haha! Good point! Another reason why it's ok to start small and go for it. I found one video that basically wanted you to start with a Bobcat and then lay the drainage underneath (for your backyard putting green!). I don't want USGA, I just want something decent and inexpensive. That's why your video is the place to start.
Yea I strongly disagree with doing that. Mine was not nice last year, but cut at an eighth of an inch and my son and I spent hours on it. Doesn't have to be perfect to be fun.
I've worked on 11 golf course construction projects in the 80's. I have built 1 at a former home and it turned out great! I am going g to give a strong word if advice to anyone that wants to do this themselves. Be sure you have proper subsurface drainage underneath your greens (French drain) very important if the drainage poor in your area... Will it work without it yes but it gets tricky with the short mowing heights and managing fungus that can develop... I bored 6' hole away from my green to dump into to remove the excess water under the green. There are other videos out there that can explain further... Ausome video by the way...
Perfectly made video. Everything you need and nothing you don't You really crammed so much useful information in a small amount of time. I am just getting started on my green and this video has given me the confidence to carry on. Thank you!
This was a great video . THANK YOU ! .I'm currently in the first phase and just put my rotary mower low and cut a decent area w a cup and flag . I topdress with sand and have been trying to level the area over time . This video definitely helped give me the vision for the next steps . So again thank you very well done and informational
Great video thanks. This dispelled my thoughts around a DIY TOC Sawgrass level putting green but at least I found out within 6 minutes that it’s beyond the time/means I currently have. Thanks.
Great video! I’m so excited to start my journey into my own backyard green. I recently picked up a John Deere 220b greens mower at our local school auction for $60 🤑.
I had a patch of bent grass about maybe ten by fifteen feet growing in my yard and I was going to put round up on it and then plant some tall fescue, but instead I started cutting it real short and now I can keep it at about 1/4 " by very carefully using my weed wacker. Going to invest in a reel mower soon. This video will help me improve my putting green immensely...Funny how I was just wondering about the worm castings and then you mentioned them in your video...I've been getting rid of them with my blower, but I think a rake would be better, and the worm castings are great fertilizer....Keep the videos coming.
Jason, I am building a putting green next week (using bent grass) and I have several questions for ya 1- Once the bent grass is establish, can I use pre emergent next spring (Prodiamine) like my KBG lawn? 2- If there is any weeds that comes up during this construction, what type of herbicide are safe to apply for the bent grass? 3- At what HOC do I start mowing the new grass? Any help would be appreciated man. Love your videos, and keep it coming!
Thank you. Weed control I use the spectracide product with the yellow cap. But quick Google should get you potentially more herbicide options safe for bent. If you haven't already, I have a putting green playlist on my channel that goes over equipment, location, seeding and establishment in quite a bit of detail.
Great job with this video, you covered all the fundamentals of building and maintaining , also the amount of work that goes into a putting green. I’d definitely recommend people try this if they have a means of doing it and a passion for golf! Also I really like that shirt!!! 👌🏼
Great video! I am in the middle of installing a putting green as well. I bought a used Toro Greensmaster last fall and started mowing a small soccer field at about a 1/2" (fairway height). This year, I killed a section of lawn and am going to plant bentgrass after I level it with a sand and soil mixture. I am buying my seed from a local country club. I asked them if they could spare a few pounds and they said sure.
This answered so many of my questions...! I live in Michigan. I am considering a small area about 14x14 to get started and then expand out from there. I'm also considering just top dressing the area this year to smooth things out for next year.
Honestly a small 15x15 seems like a great size if you're going to practice anything from 160yds in with 8 iron to wedges. It''ll force you to aim for a small enough spot you'd have a reasonable chance at 1 putting while forcing you to have enough back spin to stick the landing. :D
What a fantastic resource! Your style of teaching is great and great b roll / editing. Watching again. Very well done on the video and the work at your house!!!
Very helpful video. I have been wanting a putting green for a few years now. I have about 2500 sq ft of lawn that I worked on last year to create a premium area to chip from and it has really helped my short game. Not to mention it looks great so there is that. But a putting green with a sand trap would be the cats ass. Thanks man appreciate the advice.
Traps aren't bad either, dig a hole, herringbone drainage, 8-12" layer of sand, good to go! Just make sure you rake it all the time and don't let grass clippings or leaves or any organic matter build up in your sand, then it creates loam aka growing medium! Every time it rains make sure you get that sand back up on the walls, gotta watch out, you will start with a nice even 10" layer across the entire trap and 4 rains later you will have 2" around the edges and 20" in the center!
Awesome info. I seem to be on the right track with fertilizing and managing soil. Need to get to leveling. Really dig that manual mcClane, wish i could find one around here in western NY.
@@JasonSeiberlich Lucky. I have an American reel mower thats set up to a 1/2" but there is a golf course near by thats been closed for years i plan on going down and talking to them about equipment for sale.
Thank you for making this video. Should I remove the old grass before spreading bent seed? The area I'm planning has very little existing grass now. I was hoping I could scalp what's there, drop a few inches of topsoil/sand to level, then seed.
You can scalp and leave it. Killing it off is probably the best option, but not necessary. If you're going to seed into it, I would say get a good grade with just dirt, get seed to germinate and establish, and then use the sand to topdress. You can use both, but sand is more touchy for getting seed to germinate.
Just wanted to let you know that i started my backyard green when i saw this video a month ago and it's starting to look real good. Thank you again 👍⛳️
I have this too! It's no problem to make this! When you want it for low cost, you also have to do a lot of rolling an top dressing. Fescue is the key! And needs a lot of time and patience. It makes a lot of fun😅✌⛳
Very good video.Ive been at it for five years with no success. I just dug out some of the Kentucky blue in spots should have left it nobody complains about what the putting green looks like.
Hi Jason that red and yellow manual reel mower where can i get one I've been searching and no luck.. Can you give me the model # and possibly a place to purchase
Great video, going to start this soon. Question I have is, irritating. I have irrigation already, do I want the head to be in the green area or on the outside of the greens?
Thanks for the video. Starting to build a putting green from scratch. I have a putting green mower. Can you list the steps you’d take in terms of cut, aerate, dethatch, seed, sand, etc?
I just scalped and mowed and then did sand. I think, in a perfect world, you'd go scalp, dethatch, aerate, sand, seed basically all in the same day and that's where you'd start.
I want tomow short.Jason sayss you have to topdress slot. How much sand do you have to put down per square foot.Im worried if I put down too much sand it will kill the grass.
It will help to have the grass short first to limit laying the blades over and burying them. Just go little by little (less than a yard per 1000), let the grass recover and fill back in (assuming spreading grass type), and then do it again.
Thank you. If it is something you want to pursue at some point, it's easier than you might think. Definitely a fair bit of work, but not as much as I expected.
I know this is an old video but I’m young with not a ton of money and was wondering how you were able to find that mclane mower so cheap? Also, I believe we have fescue in my yard and was wondering what would be the problem with going as short as 3/16 inch short
Spending far too much time on Facebook marketplace. Ive gotten pretty lucky with three greensmowers as well. Spend enough time there's a chance a deal pops up. The fescue will not survive that short.
Depends on your grass type existing. I already had existing turf I could mow this short. If not, I would start with seeding bent or putting down bermuda sod. Right now I'm noticing the areas that were seeded with penncross are doing much better than the existing turf. So maybe seed as soon as you look to start taking it seriously low (below a quarter inch).
@@JasonSeiberlich Thank you! I’m taking it seriously as I’m an avid golfer. Going to buy a reel mower and seed tomorrow. I just want to make sure I’m following your steps correctly because your green looks fantastic!
Bentgrass is going to be your best bet if you want to go true greens height. Amazon has some cheaper options, otherwise it gets very expensive very quickly
If you just want something cut shorter but don't plan on getting to 3/16 of an inch or lower you can get away with rye and bluegrass probably as well. But bent is going to be the main golf course grass in the north.
Great video and breakdown. I too started approximately July of last year (Southern Ontario) and went with a penncross bentgrass. Had some success and had it to a point of "usable" (1/4") prior to the fall but accidently over fertilized and burned out a fair portion of it. I think I've got it back to usable again, but good to know it takes a few years for it to fully mature and that I haven't missed any critical steps. Any advice for when the switch fertilizer types? Or better yet, what to use at what points in maturity? Also, when have you been choosing to apply more top dressing?
I've top dressed whenever it was starting to bother me lol. Usually try to let it fill back in to some degree and then hit it again. With respect to fertilizer, I've run the same program the whole time as my whole backyard. Apps usually around a half pound of nitrogen, and then some interim applications at small rates of fertilizer and/or soil amendments.
@@scottmacmillan5622 oh lol, well if you decide to get Instagram in the future would be awesome to see your putting green. I have penncross creeping bentgrass as well
Short answer, when needed. Long answer, I've watered the green I believe 7 times this season during a time I've watered my main yard twice. I also hand watered (syringed) the two days it was sunny and in the 90s. So, basically I've watered once or twice a week during times when it's not raining at all.
There are I believe a few herbicides that bentgrass is not a fan of. The simplest and most readily available of which is quinclorac. At minimum in my experience it at least damages it and stunts growth/spread.
@@JasonSeiberlich thanks for the reply. Can I insert thin metal sheet around the putting border so that root doesn’t travel underground and merges with the KBG grass.
I think on professional golf course greens they typically bury some sort of electrical line below the surface to stop the growth. Maybe you could try that 😝
Thanks a million for sharing! We aren’t far from you and I’m looking to do the same thing this Spring. Would love to pick your brain further, if questions come up this spring.
This is my new favorite lawn channel for sure. I just started my own similar project but I have a decent amount of tree shade. Did you have any problems with growing bent grass under your trees? Also do you think you could have maintained a decent putting surface with just the manual mclane?
There's quite a bit of filtered sun that comes through. I've had no problem growing grass there. Full shade would be a problem. Probably depends on what you mean by decent. I don't think you'd be able to achieve a "true" putting green with the mclane, but at 3/8 it rolled halfway decent when I was mowing with that. You can check out the putting green year in review video when I only had the mclane at the end of the year.
I also have a home putting green I don't have a greens cutter but I've been using my real mower and slammed it down to the bottom I have all bent grass I put some slopes in mind some shelves it's 50 by 50 here comes a pic
Yeah it slopes down and has two shelf lines to drop off like seven holes in it I have to mow that thing every day just about .. I roll it with a big roller all manually.. It gets brutal 🏋️. But I have some videos of it It's on my channel . I just started one while back kind of new to this. But it's all coming together
It already had taken over. It's actually the reason I started the green. So, I don't worry about it. Otherwise quinclorac, mesotrione, and fluazifop will all do some damage to/kill bentgrass.
@@JasonSeiberlich I came to the comments looking for this question. I’m on step one with a Great States reel mower but I’m hesitant to seed bent grass for fear of it spreading in my yard and neighbors. I don’t know if Bermuda is any better. I’m in Kentucky so on the border of cool/warm regions. Most - if not all - greens in Ky are bent grass.
Bent will require some greater care in the summer months to not die but will have a longer growing season than the bermuda. So, pick your poison. I'd definitely wait to seed or do anything until you were greensmower in hand and ready to send it fully.
Facebook marketplace "greensmower" or "greensmaster". Just keep searching until a good enough deal comes up on something. Honestly don't think I'd recommend the push type mowers anymore. Just wait on a decent greensmower deal.
so, been trying to find a nice manual reel mower, like your mcclane. cannot find one in any good condition where i am, and definitely not a mcclane. the search continues.
I have an old pool area so lots of sand. do i want to smooth this sand wet and pack, or do i need a topsoil ontop? or is this like pencross good on a packed sand starting from scratch
Can I use blackjack seeded Bermuda for a green. I was under the impression that that was the type of green for a putting green, bought two bags, but now I'm seeing people saying creeping bent grass.
Bermuda is the type of grass for higher temperature environments. However, seeded varieties of bermuda are what are considered "common" and will likely not survive down to anything below a quarter inch. If you want to do a bermuda green you would be looking for sod or sprigs of a dwarf variety.
@@JasonSeiberlich thanks for replying. I was just watching your preparing and seeding video. I'm going to get some bent grass seed. I am in Cape May (Villas to be exact) and I already have sandy soil, so that's good. Cape May is zone 8a. Where are you located and what's your grow zone?
Nice job man!! Mine is about 1k sq ft, and I love the simplicity. All the math and applications are easy, sometimes I can get a little heavy handed though. 😂
Jason, where are you located so I can have some idea of the yearly climate you deal with compared to where I am, which is in the deep south. Also, what do you do, if anything, about ant piles, rodents, etc. as a deterrent? Thanks for the great video.
I'm in southern Wisconsin. In the south you'll want to use bermuda. I use a level rake before mowing to knock down any worm castings or other little mounds mother nature provided.
@@JasonSeiberlich Do you have armadillos to deal with? They are a pain down south. They love it when you cut your grass. The next day I have several perfect little holes dug. At least I don't get snow like you do. What care should be provided during winter months? Thanks again.
No armadillos. Would depend if you're in a place where it stays hot enough for Bermuda to not go dormant. If it keeps growing just keep managing it the same. If it goes dormant just leave it alone until it comes back.
Yes. If mother nature doesn't help me, I'll water at least once per week. More during summer. I'm always going to be a huge supporter of just trying with a little circle with a manual reel. Don't top dress or do anything else. Just see if you can sustain a once every day or 2 mowing schedule on the little section you pick. $40-$100 investment in the experiment and you can always sell the mower if you decide it's not for you.
Good job buddy! Keep it simple, keep it fun. Sometimes we tend to over complicate things. Knowledge and expectations are important with a project like this. Question: what aeration tool do you recommend?
Honestly I have no idea. Masonry has worked fine for me. Believe there are particle size requirements and other aspects to meet USGA spec. What those are exactly? No idea.
That's so awesome man cheers... I've worked at 5 different good country club courses in the STL area on the groundscrew,, helped build greens to all maintenance thereafter.. Mowed millions of greens lol everyday.I mow laser beam lineslol..(also I might of missed it in your video but did you talk about right to left left to right back and forth and long ways cuts to lift up the grass blades so they don't lay down and get trained?) I've always wished I could walk out to my back yard to a good green and a driving range lol... ps I love Toro too. Speaking of..... How's your irrigation situation Toro, Rainbird, hose? You got me thinking.. Hmmm, should I, so I dare lol
I didn't mention it but I rotate vertical, horizontal, and the angles. I have a mp rotator head on a spike that covers the whole green that I use when I need to water. Go for it, especially if you have the experience, you know what to do. It's easy to manage 1 little one.
Jason thank you for the information. Just getting started on a green in my backyard. Would you be willing to provide me a list of the mowers to be looking for. So far I only been able to fine the cheap reel mowers or used 2,000. 00 used Greens mowers not ready to drop that kind of money on a mower yet. would like to find a starting mower 200-500 range. A lost to search for would help greatly.
Realistically for a true green you're looking for anything from Toro, John Deere, or Jacobsen. If you're persistent enough for long enough and depending on the market you should be able find one for 500-800. Otherwise you can get started with powered mclane, tru cut, or california trimmer. Those will not go low enough for a true greens height but will get close.
Good to hear once I get it fixed that it may be fine. Something in the reel drive. Hopefully it's just bearings or something like that. Currently at dealer.
Facebook marketplace is going to be your best bet. Depending on your market it could be anywhere from $500-1500. Maybe you get lucky and find one under $500 but it will likely need a little work. Another consideration is maintenance can be the cost of what you paid for it.
Im an assistant superintendent (greenskeeper) at a private golf club. This video was done very well a lot of very good information especially for a backyard green! Some advice from me: id recommend keeping the size in increments of 500sqft to make math easy for applications. most labels will give the rates per 1000sqft. Top dressing with sand is your friend! helps to prevent scalping, smooths the surface, firms the green up, prevents disease and creates a better soil profile. We top dress our 21 greens at least every 2 weeks lightly and water the sand in. i agree with going Toro or JD for walk mowers. Old Jacobson is good but stay away from the new stuff. One of the most important things to be aware of is water. Overwatering is worse than under watering. easy to give it more water more difficult to take it away.
Appreciate the kind words and additional insight. Pretty much learning as I go and can always use more info/insight. Thank you.
How much should a used grrens mower be,,i am a lawnmower mechanic so i can fix anything,,i am in process of making a nice putting green on my property,,i helped on a golf course 50 years ago reseeding grrens and saw first hand how sand can make it much easier to keep a nice plush green//i dont have a roller but i do have many 55 gallon drums and a few used round water tanks
Seems as though prices are up on them lately but like 500-1500.
Do you have any idea for DIY Tee Markers ???
roughly what year cutoff for Jacobson? Looking at a ~2002 e-walk 62290
My first job was building a golf course, I only worked on the fairways. Never built a green. I now have the property to build some holes! This information is priceless to me. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻
That's awesome. Best of luck and glad it was helpful
This is EXACTLY the presentation I was looking for. Cheep-n-easy to high quality, and all the expectation, limitation and reasoning at each step… all in a very concise package. Well done my friend! Thank you.
I'm so glad I found your video. This is great, all encompassing information answering so many questions. I've gone from having a crazy thought, to "let's do this!"
Heck yea man get after it. Worst case you fail and go back to normal lawn.
@@JasonSeiberlich Haha! Good point!
Another reason why it's ok to start small and go for it. I found one video that basically wanted you to start with a Bobcat and then lay the drainage underneath (for your backyard putting green!). I don't want USGA, I just want something decent and inexpensive.
That's why your video is the place to start.
Yea I strongly disagree with doing that. Mine was not nice last year, but cut at an eighth of an inch and my son and I spent hours on it. Doesn't have to be perfect to be fun.
Lots of good info in here for aspiring homeowner greenskeepers!
Thank you!!
I miss being young and wanting a $20 toy not a couple thousand dollar short game backyard. Great tips and very helpful, sir! appreciate it
🤣
Boys never get tired of toys, they just get more expensive
I've worked on 11 golf course construction projects in the 80's. I have built 1 at a former home and it turned out great! I am going g to give a strong word if advice to anyone that wants to do this themselves. Be sure you have proper subsurface drainage underneath your greens (French drain) very important if the drainage poor in your area... Will it work without it yes but it gets tricky with the short mowing heights and managing fungus that can develop... I bored 6' hole away from my green to dump into to remove the excess water under the green. There are other videos out there that can explain further... Ausome video by the way...
Perfectly made video. Everything you need and nothing you don't You really crammed so much useful information in a small amount of time. I am just getting started on my green and this video has given me the confidence to carry on. Thank you!
That is very kind. Thank you. Best of luck and happy to answer any questions you have as you go.
This was a great video . THANK YOU ! .I'm currently in the first phase and just put my rotary mower low and cut a decent area w a cup and flag . I topdress with sand and have been trying to level the area over time . This video definitely helped give me the vision for the next steps . So again thank you very well done and informational
Thank you Jason this is exactly what I was looking for!
I don’t golf. I don’t know why I’m watching. But I’m inspired, and want to build my own putting green now.
Haha thanks for watching and go for it. Even outside of using it it's a fun challenge and looks cool.
Dude! I am so hyped to start my backyard chip & putt green now. Thanks for this video!
Heck yea man. Best of luck and enjoy.
Great video man! Good info and some good old fashioned humor in there too. Nicely done my friend 🤙
Thank you thank you!!
Great video. Exciting. Inspirational. I don’t think I have it in me yet though. Maybe someday. Gotta get a nice flat area prepped first
Best video on the topic I’ve seen.
Hey thank you.
Great info Jason. You break it down nicely on what it takes and what to expect.
Thank you!
Thanks! This is awesome!! I want my yard to look like this !!
Not as hard as you think. I have a whole playlist dedicated to planning and managing a green at home.
This was a great tutorial. Don't know if I'll take this on, but you are a fantastic vid maker! Thanks for at the very least, an entertaining vid.
Thank you. Appreciate that.
Great video thanks. This dispelled my thoughts around a DIY TOC Sawgrass level putting green but at least I found out within 6 minutes that it’s beyond the time/means I currently have. Thanks.
Great video! I’m so excited to start my journey into my own backyard green. I recently picked up a John Deere 220b greens mower at our local school auction for $60 🤑.
That's unreal. Best of luck.
I’m in my first full season with a 2600 ft 2 bent grass green. I have a Toro GM1000. It’s work but I enjoy it.
Excellent.
I had a patch of bent grass about maybe ten by fifteen feet growing in my yard and I was going to put round up on it and then plant some tall fescue, but instead I started cutting it real short and now I can keep it at about 1/4 " by very carefully using my weed wacker. Going to invest in a reel mower soon. This video will help me improve my putting green immensely...Funny how I was just wondering about the worm castings and then you mentioned them in your video...I've been getting rid of them with my blower, but I think a rake would be better, and the worm castings are great fertilizer....Keep the videos coming.
That's awesome. Also incredibly.l impressive you're able to do it with a string trimmer.
@@JasonSeiberlich I've had a grass cutting business for twenty years....I should be pretty good with a weed eater by now...lol.
Nice video love the enthusiasm. Been wanting a green for years I think it's time.
Thank you. Get after it. Way I figured going in is the worst thing that happens is I fail and I just go back to having a "regular" yard again.
Jason, I am building a putting green next week (using bent grass) and I have several questions for ya
1- Once the bent grass is establish, can I use pre emergent next spring (Prodiamine) like my KBG lawn?
2- If there is any weeds that comes up during this construction, what type of herbicide are safe to apply for the bent grass?
3- At what HOC do I start mowing the new grass?
Any help would be appreciated man. Love your videos, and keep it coming!
Thank you. Weed control I use the spectracide product with the yellow cap. But quick Google should get you potentially more herbicide options safe for bent.
If you haven't already, I have a putting green playlist on my channel that goes over equipment, location, seeding and establishment in quite a bit of detail.
@@JasonSeiberlich Thanks Jason!
Great job with this video, you covered all the fundamentals of building and maintaining , also the amount of work that goes into a putting green. I’d definitely recommend people try this if they have a means of doing it and a passion for golf! Also I really like that shirt!!! 👌🏼
Thank you. I do too, actually.
Great video! I am in the middle of installing a putting green as well. I bought a used Toro Greensmaster last fall and started mowing a small soccer field at about a 1/2" (fairway height). This year, I killed a section of lawn and am going to plant bentgrass after I level it with a sand and soil mixture. I am buying my seed from a local country club. I asked them if they could spare a few pounds and they said sure.
Ooo that's a great idea on reaching out to golf course. Reel mowing that big of an area is nutty. Good for you on that.
This answered so many of my questions...! I live in Michigan. I am considering a small area about 14x14 to get started and then expand out from there. I'm also considering just top dressing the area this year to smooth things out for next year.
Glad to hear. The smaller the easier. That may be a little on the small side though, maybe shoot for 20x20 if you have the space to start.
Honestly a small 15x15 seems like a great size if you're going to practice anything from 160yds in with 8 iron to wedges. It''ll force you to aim for a small enough spot you'd have a reasonable chance at 1 putting while forcing you to have enough back spin to stick the landing. :D
So I feel you I had the grass might as well make it worth it!
Lemons to lemonade
Liking that Mclane manual reel there 👍🏼
I did too. It has since moved on to a new owner.
What a fantastic resource! Your style of teaching is great and great b roll / editing. Watching again. Very well done on the video and the work at your house!!!
Very kind of you. Thank you so much.
@@JasonSeiberlich my first baby boy is 6months now ... I figure by next summer we will have our practice area (and him) up and running !!!
Nice. Best of luck.
nice breakdown looks cool
Thank you.
What kind/type of grass was it originally had when you cut it to 1/2"? Great-Great video!!! Thanks!
Honestly not entirely sure. Cool season salad. Fine fescue, bent probably, rye, kbg, fescue, poa A and T.
Thanks!
Awesome video and using as motivation for my project!
Love it. Good luck.
Very helpful video. I have been wanting a putting green for a few years now. I have about 2500 sq ft of lawn that I worked on last year to create a premium area to chip from and it has really helped my short game. Not to mention it looks great so there is that. But a putting green with a sand trap would be the cats ass. Thanks man appreciate the advice.
That's awesome. I'm currently in the process of expanding my green and going through what I think is the best way to get there.
Traps aren't bad either, dig a hole, herringbone drainage, 8-12" layer of sand, good to go! Just make sure you rake it all the time and don't let grass clippings or leaves or any organic matter build up in your sand, then it creates loam aka growing medium! Every time it rains make sure you get that sand back up on the walls, gotta watch out, you will start with a nice even 10" layer across the entire trap and 4 rains later you will have 2" around the edges and 20" in the center!
What a great video!
Thank you.
Nice work! We are putting in a backyard green and releasing videos too. Your channel gave us some great insight!
All spot on to reel mowing.
Thank you.
Great video, thanks for posting.
Oh im doing it. great video
Best of luck
I don’t even golf but now want a putting green.
This was very well put together Jason! Great info!
Well thank you very much. Really appreciate that.
Awesome info. I seem to be on the right track with fertilizing and managing soil. Need to get to leveling. Really dig that manual mcClane, wish i could find one around here in western NY.
Thank you. I've only ever seen 2 for sale in my area and was fortunate enough to get one of them.
@@JasonSeiberlich Lucky. I have an American reel mower thats set up to a 1/2" but there is a golf course near by thats been closed for years i plan on going down and talking to them about equipment for sale.
Thank you for making this video. Should I remove the old grass before spreading bent seed? The area I'm planning has very little existing grass now. I was hoping I could scalp what's there, drop a few inches of topsoil/sand to level, then seed.
You can scalp and leave it. Killing it off is probably the best option, but not necessary. If you're going to seed into it, I would say get a good grade with just dirt, get seed to germinate and establish, and then use the sand to topdress. You can use both, but sand is more touchy for getting seed to germinate.
Wow thank you so much for this video
Just wanted to let you know that i started my backyard green when i saw this video a month ago and it's starting to look real good. Thank you again 👍⛳️
That's awesome. Super happy to hear that.
Cheers bro. Super helpful vid.
If we have long winters with tons of snow is this still possible to make it really good over time
Yes. Absolutely.
🌞Great info right here! Hope to make a putting green in my future.⛳👍
It's both less work and more fun than I initially anticipated. Highly recommend.
Hi. Can you recommend what cheep manual reel mower will cut the shortest height? Thanks
None of them. Some get to an half inch.
do you have a link for the mclane manual reel mower?
Now I have to do this! Thanks Jason! :D
You are welcome. Best of luck.
Great video . Well done.. this is my dream.. it’s going to happen
I have this too! It's no problem to make this! When you want it for low cost, you also have to do a lot of rolling an top dressing. Fescue is the key! And needs a lot of time and patience. It makes a lot of fun😅✌⛳
Awesome. Like chewings or red fescue I assume?
Very good video.Ive been at it for five years with no success. I just dug out some of the Kentucky blue in spots should have left it nobody complains about what the putting green looks like.
Thank you. What are you replacing the kbg with?
Hi Jason that red and yellow manual reel mower where can i get one I've been searching and no luck.. Can you give me the model # and possibly a place to purchase
I do not play golf and was just curious as to how a golf course cuts a green so short. After seeing this, I had to stop and say amazing video!
Thank you.
I liked when you used to host food shows on the food network. Good Eats was my favorite.
Can't say I've ever been called Alton Brown before. Not mad about it.
Great video, going to start this soon. Question I have is, irritating. I have irrigation already, do I want the head to be in the green area or on the outside of the greens?
Think you would be really annoyed with one in the green area. So thread it in the middle of the heads somewhere.
Also if you can get it in the middle of a zone you can control individually that would be helpful as the watering requirements are a little different.
This video helped me so much. Great video. 🤌
Awesome. Best of luck
Great video thanks mate
Thank you.
Just found you from George's channel, everything looks great!
Ayy thank you so much and welcome.
Thanks for the video. Starting to build a putting green from scratch. I have a putting green mower. Can you list the steps you’d take in terms of cut, aerate, dethatch, seed, sand, etc?
I just scalped and mowed and then did sand. I think, in a perfect world, you'd go scalp, dethatch, aerate, sand, seed basically all in the same day and that's where you'd start.
@@JasonSeiberlich thank you, my lawn is really stressed right now. This should help. Appreciate it!
Very helpful
Awesome video . Do you think you could modify your Home Depot manual reel to get to .25 inch ??
Thank you. You could in theory, but it would cut like shit. Need probably minimum of 10 blades at that height to be effective.
When you seeded, did you cut out any existing turf or did you overseed?
Just overseeded. Used the height of cut to eliminate any of the grasses i didn't want.
I want tomow short.Jason sayss you have to topdress slot. How much sand do you have to put down per square foot.Im worried if I put down too much sand it will kill the grass.
It will help to have the grass short first to limit laying the blades over and burying them. Just go little by little (less than a yard per 1000), let the grass recover and fill back in (assuming spreading grass type), and then do it again.
ua-cam.com/video/pu61Qw2onoQ/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/iUUdntjE6gw/v-deo.html
Above are the first and 4th times I top dressed my green.
@@JasonSeiberlich Thanks for the video Jason now I have a good idea of how much to put down
Excellent tutorial! Way too much work for me, but I like it!
Thank you. If it is something you want to pursue at some point, it's easier than you might think. Definitely a fair bit of work, but not as much as I expected.
Great info! Do you not use a roller to flatten it further?
Nope. Mower does that for me. Although I am going to walk back how frequently I mow and roll on the days in between. But that's not necessary.
I know this is an old video but I’m young with not a ton of money and was wondering how you were able to find that mclane mower so cheap? Also, I believe we have fescue in my yard and was wondering what would be the problem with going as short as 3/16 inch short
Spending far too much time on Facebook marketplace. Ive gotten pretty lucky with three greensmowers as well. Spend enough time there's a chance a deal pops up.
The fescue will not survive that short.
Thanks!!!
Great video! When do you start seeding and adding sand? Want to make sure I don’t miss a step and I do this right, lol!
Depends on your grass type existing. I already had existing turf I could mow this short. If not, I would start with seeding bent or putting down bermuda sod. Right now I'm noticing the areas that were seeded with penncross are doing much better than the existing turf. So maybe seed as soon as you look to start taking it seriously low (below a quarter inch).
@@JasonSeiberlich Thank you! I’m taking it seriously as I’m an avid golfer. Going to buy a reel mower and seed tomorrow. I just want to make sure I’m following your steps correctly because your green looks fantastic!
Hi!! Awesome video! I want to make a green in my backyard. Any idea what type of grass is best for a cold climate in Canada? Thanks!
Bentgrass is going to be your best bet if you want to go true greens height. Amazon has some cheaper options, otherwise it gets very expensive very quickly
If you just want something cut shorter but don't plan on getting to 3/16 of an inch or lower you can get away with rye and bluegrass probably as well. But bent is going to be the main golf course grass in the north.
Pull that flagstick to one side and you should be able to pull the cup right out with it! That’s how my boss taught me back in high school haha
Great video and breakdown. I too started approximately July of last year (Southern Ontario) and went with a penncross bentgrass. Had some success and had it to a point of "usable" (1/4") prior to the fall but accidently over fertilized and burned out a fair portion of it. I think I've got it back to usable again, but good to know it takes a few years for it to fully mature and that I haven't missed any critical steps. Any advice for when the switch fertilizer types? Or better yet, what to use at what points in maturity? Also, when have you been choosing to apply more top dressing?
I've top dressed whenever it was starting to bother me lol. Usually try to let it fill back in to some degree and then hit it again. With respect to fertilizer, I've run the same program the whole time as my whole backyard. Apps usually around a half pound of nitrogen, and then some interim applications at small rates of fertilizer and/or soil amendments.
You’re just south of me, feel free to share some photos on Instagram with Jason and myself. Would really enjoy seeing what you have going on!
@@BackwoodsLawnCare Unfortunately I don't have Instagram, but would be happy to share progress photos otherwise.
@@scottmacmillan5622 oh lol, well if you decide to get Instagram in the future would be awesome to see your putting green. I have penncross creeping bentgrass as well
I'm inspired....how often do you water?
Short answer, when needed. Long answer, I've watered the green I believe 7 times this season during a time I've watered my main yard twice. I also hand watered (syringed) the two days it was sunny and in the 90s. So, basically I've watered once or twice a week during times when it's not raining at all.
Hi Jason. Good video. One question. How I can stop bent grass creeping into KBG grass. I have KBG around bent grass.
There are I believe a few herbicides that bentgrass is not a fan of. The simplest and most readily available of which is quinclorac. At minimum in my experience it at least damages it and stunts growth/spread.
@@JasonSeiberlich thanks for the reply. Can I insert thin metal sheet around the putting border so that root doesn’t travel underground and merges with the KBG grass.
Some bent travels a bit by rhizome but most is via stolon on the surface so something buried not going to help that much.
I think on professional golf course greens they typically bury some sort of electrical line below the surface to stop the growth. Maybe you could try that 😝
Thanks a million for sharing! We aren’t far from you and I’m looking to do the same thing this Spring. Would love to pick your brain further, if questions come up this spring.
That's awesome. Feel free to reach out. I also plan on breaking out the steps and going into a bit more detail this season as well.
@@JasonSeiberlich thanks!
This is my new favorite lawn channel for sure. I just started my own similar project but I have a decent amount of tree shade. Did you have any problems with growing bent grass under your trees? Also do you think you could have maintained a decent putting surface with just the manual mclane?
There's quite a bit of filtered sun that comes through. I've had no problem growing grass there. Full shade would be a problem. Probably depends on what you mean by decent. I don't think you'd be able to achieve a "true" putting green with the mclane, but at 3/8 it rolled halfway decent when I was mowing with that. You can check out the putting green year in review video when I only had the mclane at the end of the year.
ua-cam.com/video/2BYDJnlLuPk/v-deo.html
I also have a home putting green I don't have a greens cutter but I've been using my real mower and slammed it down to the bottom I have all bent grass I put some slopes in mind some shelves it's 50 by 50 here comes a pic
Nice. 50x50 is a good size.
Yeah it slopes down and has two shelf lines to drop off like seven holes in it I have to mow that thing every day just about .. I roll it with a big roller all manually.. It gets brutal 🏋️. But I have some videos of it It's on my channel . I just started one while back kind of new to this. But it's all coming together
How do you keep the bent grass from spreading outside the putting surface and taking over the other grass in your yard?
It already had taken over. It's actually the reason I started the green. So, I don't worry about it. Otherwise quinclorac, mesotrione, and fluazifop will all do some damage to/kill bentgrass.
But it is a potential problem and it does look awful mixed in with the rest of the yard.
@@JasonSeiberlich I came to the comments looking for this question. I’m on step one with a Great States reel mower but I’m hesitant to seed bent grass for fear of it spreading in my yard and neighbors. I don’t know if Bermuda is any better. I’m in Kentucky so on the border of cool/warm regions. Most - if not all - greens in Ky are bent grass.
Bent will require some greater care in the summer months to not die but will have a longer growing season than the bermuda. So, pick your poison. I'd definitely wait to seed or do anything until you were greensmower in hand and ready to send it fully.
Where can I find a mower like yours that cuts to 3/16 ?
Facebook marketplace "greensmower" or "greensmaster". Just keep searching until a good enough deal comes up on something. Honestly don't think I'd recommend the push type mowers anymore. Just wait on a decent greensmower deal.
@@JasonSeiberlichthank you!
Great video. What State is this? That likely makes a difference. You did not mention water. Is it daily once a day?
Wisconsin. I water when it's necessary. Anywhere from not at all in spring and fall to every other day when it's hot and dry.
so, been trying to find a nice manual reel mower, like your mcclane. cannot find one in any good condition where i am, and definitely not a mcclane. the search continues.
They're super rare from what I've seen.
I have an old pool area so lots of sand. do i want to smooth this sand wet and pack, or do i need a topsoil ontop? or is this like pencross good on a packed sand starting from scratch
Do not put soil over sand. May be worth trying to pack the sand a touch.
Might be a dumb question but, did you border off the root zone so that the bentgrass doesn't keep spreading through the lawn? Or is that not an issue?
Not a dumb question. Is an issue. Just already had the problem so wasn't worried about it.
@@JasonSeiberlich Maybe I'll go artificial, lol.
Can I use blackjack seeded Bermuda for a green. I was under the impression that that was the type of green for a putting green, bought two bags, but now I'm seeing people saying creeping bent grass.
Bermuda is the type of grass for higher temperature environments. However, seeded varieties of bermuda are what are considered "common" and will likely not survive down to anything below a quarter inch. If you want to do a bermuda green you would be looking for sod or sprigs of a dwarf variety.
@@JasonSeiberlich thanks for replying. I was just watching your preparing and seeding video. I'm going to get some bent grass seed. I am in Cape May (Villas to be exact) and I already have sandy soil, so that's good. Cape May is zone 8a. Where are you located and what's your grow zone?
I'm in zone 5. Zone 8 you are definitely going to want to do bermuda. Bent will be almost impossible to keep alive without a ton of water.
Nice job man!! Mine is about 1k sq ft, and I love the simplicity. All the math and applications are easy, sometimes I can get a little heavy handed though. 😂
Hey Don, did you go w just your hybrid bermuda cut low?
@@BermudaBrian pretty much! Once I decided that I was gonna make a Bermuda spot in the middle of my St. Aug- I knew I wanted it cut reel low! 💪🏻
Yea man. Small area everything is cheap and easy to stay on top of.
Jason, where are you located so I can have some idea of the yearly climate you deal with compared to where I am, which is in the deep south. Also, what do you do, if anything, about ant piles, rodents, etc. as a deterrent? Thanks for the great video.
I'm in southern Wisconsin. In the south you'll want to use bermuda. I use a level rake before mowing to knock down any worm castings or other little mounds mother nature provided.
@@JasonSeiberlich Do you have armadillos to deal with? They are a pain down south. They love it when you cut your grass. The next day I have several perfect little holes dug. At least I don't get snow like you do. What care should be provided during winter months? Thanks again.
No armadillos. Would depend if you're in a place where it stays hot enough for Bermuda to not go dormant. If it keeps growing just keep managing it the same. If it goes dormant just leave it alone until it comes back.
Awesome video. Really has me considering taking the plunge. Do you water it more than the other portion of your lawn?
Yes. If mother nature doesn't help me, I'll water at least once per week. More during summer. I'm always going to be a huge supporter of just trying with a little circle with a manual reel. Don't top dress or do anything else. Just see if you can sustain a once every day or 2 mowing schedule on the little section you pick. $40-$100 investment in the experiment and you can always sell the mower if you decide it's not for you.
what kind of sand you used for top dressing?
Fines free sand from a local sort of supplier. See video below for a little more detail on sand selection.
ua-cam.com/video/fiz8MlBRDCE/v-deo.html
How often do you arerate and fill with sand?
So far only the one time. Wouldn't do it more than annually.
Hi Do You have any ideas for tee markers ???
Have not looked, but I would start with RR Products.
@@JasonSeiberlich Thank You 😊
Jason, I got about 1000 sq ft putting green and a 3 gallon sprayer, how much T Nex do I put in my sprayer?
What grass type and what mowing height?
@@JasonSeiberlich bent grass, 1/4" or less
@@coycontres8754 label has greens height bent at an eighth of an ounce.
How’d you make the fringe portion?
Different mower different height. Otherwise process is the same.
Would love to see you doing a greens mowing montage.
Good job buddy! Keep it simple, keep it fun. Sometimes we tend to over complicate things. Knowledge and expectations are important with a project like this. Question: what aeration tool do you recommend?
I have the yard butler one. Not sure I'd recommend it, but it gets the job done and it's cheap.
With respect to the surface, what would the difference between masonry and USGA sand?
Honestly I have no idea. Masonry has worked fine for me. Believe there are particle size requirements and other aspects to meet USGA spec. What those are exactly? No idea.
Still looking for where to buy bentgrass... Couldn't find on Amazon
United Seed Company. Multiple varieties in small quantities.
@@JasonSeiberlich I'll see if they ship to Point Roberts WA, or even Canada... LoL
Thanks!
That's so awesome man cheers... I've worked at 5 different good country club courses in the STL area on the groundscrew,, helped build greens to all maintenance thereafter.. Mowed millions of greens lol everyday.I mow laser beam lineslol..(also I might of missed it in your video but did you talk about right to left left to right back and forth and long ways cuts to lift up the grass blades so they don't lay down and get trained?) I've always wished I could walk out to my back yard to a good green and a driving range lol... ps I love Toro too. Speaking of..... How's your irrigation situation Toro, Rainbird, hose? You got me thinking.. Hmmm, should I, so I dare lol
I didn't mention it but I rotate vertical, horizontal, and the angles. I have a mp rotator head on a spike that covers the whole green that I use when I need to water. Go for it, especially if you have the experience, you know what to do. It's easy to manage 1 little one.
Jason thank you for the information. Just getting started on a green in my backyard. Would you be willing to provide me a list of the mowers to be looking for. So far I only been able to fine the cheap reel mowers or used 2,000. 00 used Greens mowers not ready to drop that kind of money on a mower yet. would like to find a starting mower 200-500 range. A lost to search for would help greatly.
Realistically for a true green you're looking for anything from Toro, John Deere, or Jacobsen. If you're persistent enough for long enough and depending on the market you should be able find one for 500-800. Otherwise you can get started with powered mclane, tru cut, or california trimmer. Those will not go low enough for a true greens height but will get close.
I jave a jacobsen and so for no problems yet what kind of reliability issues have you had
Good to hear once I get it fixed that it may be fine. Something in the reel drive. Hopefully it's just bearings or something like that. Currently at dealer.
How much is a used greens mower roughly? And where can I get one ? I am on a budget so may have to save up for one unfortunately
Facebook marketplace is going to be your best bet. Depending on your market it could be anywhere from $500-1500. Maybe you get lucky and find one under $500 but it will likely need a little work. Another consideration is maintenance can be the cost of what you paid for it.
@@JasonSeiberlich want yours a manual push behind? Or was it gas? If so how much is a manual? I can't even seem to find any on McLane website
The push ones are pretty spendy as well and super rare to find.