It's Time To [Rachio] Thrive! :thrive: - Announcements - Rachio Community
Home | Support | Status Page
[It’s Time To [Rachio] Thrive!
You have selected 0 posts.
7.8k views 89 likes 2 links 26 users
16](https://community.rachio.com/u/chris "chris")
15](https://community.rachio.com/u/laura.bauman "laura.bauman")
11](https://community.rachio.com/u/tmcgahey "tmcgahey")
7](https://community.rachio.com/u/FauxTony "FauxTony")
5](https://community.rachio.com/u/franz "franz")
read 11 min
Top replies
2 / 88
Feb 2020
post by laura.bauman on Feb 27, 2020
1
Happy Thursday Rachio fam!
As you may have seen already, we have an exciting announcement! Introducing the newest member of the Rachio lineup, Rachio Thrive ! We’ve been working so hard on this project and are very excited to finally bring it to you.
The first product in the Thrive family is a natural, kid and pet safe fertilizer replacement called Lawn Champion that works in tandem with your Rachio controller to help your lawn grow stronger, thicker roots. And as we all know, longer, stronger roots mean less watering!
To learn more about Thrive, head to rachio.com/thrive (and while you’re there, check out our new and improved website, too!). More products, features, and exciting projects to come throughout this season.
\ anim-love-your-yard.gif1500×1500 3.08 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/6/637f1b4690db7f00e73362938af19225f5599e8f.gif "anim-love-your-yard.gif")
We’re STOKED to bring you this exciting new product line and cannot wait to hear what you think about it. Here’s to an awesome and innovative 2020!
Lo + the Rachio team
7.8k views 89 likes 2 links 26 users
16](https://community.rachio.com/u/chris "chris")
15](https://community.rachio.com/u/laura.bauman "laura.bauman")
11](https://community.rachio.com/u/tmcgahey "tmcgahey")
7](https://community.rachio.com/u/FauxTony "FauxTony")
5](https://community.rachio.com/u/franz "franz")
read 11 min
Top replies
Pinned globally on Feb 27, 2020
Pinned globally on Feb 27, 2020
post by franz on Feb 27, 2020
franz Co-Founder/CTO @ Rachio
post by Gene on Feb 27, 2020
Rachio, behind the scenes:
post by franz on Feb 27, 2020
franz Co-Founder/CTO @ Rachio
1
@Gene I like your confidence in our team!
Sometimes it feels more like…
post by laura.bauman on Feb 27, 2020
Gene](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
@Gene not wrong
post by laura.bauman on Feb 27, 2020
franz](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
@franz also not wrong
post by tmcgahey on Feb 27, 2020
Wow, I like the mapping on the website, and you have it integrating with the soil composition!!! Nice job guys! Sadly, when I mapped out, I realized that I have just over 10,000sq ft of grass. No wonder I always end up needing to go back and grab more seed when I overseed my lawn!
I know it is somewhat proprietary, but what goes into this Thrive concoction? I know there are a could “local” fertilizers that can be bought here in Arizona that are specific formulations for our soils and conditions. Also, what does the code do? I assume if you purchase a kit, you get a code…does that open up special watering parameters for the fertilization?
post by ChrisW on Feb 27, 2020
My soil composition is mostly hard clay, but the Thrive results page believes my soil is “sandy loam”.
Will this affect what products are sent to me? If so, is there a way to override the soil choice?
post by mckynzee on Feb 27, 2020
Hey friends!
@tmcgahey - that’s a big a** lawn!! How cool. We do support up to 12k sqft lawns, so you should be able to still purchase.
I definitely can answer some questions about the concoction. Thrive is made up of a microalgae solution that is jam-packed with nutrients that feed the natural microbiome in your soil while also improving its composition. To get real sciencey, it’s particularly useful for increasing the beneficial microbes that attach to your plant roots as an extension, creating a symbiotic relationship between the two AND changes your soil to make it more clumpy, improving water and nutrient retention. It’s pretty cool tech, used exclusively in agriculture for the past ten years, so we are excited to bring it to our users.
I would be curious to hear more about that local fertilizer they sell in AZ. I will say I would guess Lawn Champion is not comprised of similar ingredients, but it should serve similar purposes just through different methods.
You do receive an activation code at purchase, and it is integrated in the app. The app guides you through properly watering the product in, but it currently does not impact your watering directly… currently.
@ChrisW - great question. We are making some assumptions there, but that assumption being incorrect won’t impact your offering.
Let me know if that makes sense.
McK
post by tmcgahey on Feb 27, 2020
Our local stuff isn’t anything too special (I don’t think), other than rather high Nitrogen and Potassium levels which our soils need. It’s a 21-7-14 (3-1-2) blend.
Sounds like Thrive hits on other points. Are there levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, or potassium in this? Just wondering if this would truly take over normal fertilizing…
post by Anthony on Feb 27, 2020
Wow Christmas has arrived early this year April can’t get here any faster so I can get my sprinkler system going and try the all new product.
I like the new website update and the zone mapping look awesome I’m looking forward for more new features to come let’s go Rachio so ready for this season
post by franz on Feb 27, 2020
franz Co-Founder/CTO @ Rachio
post by mckynzee on Feb 28, 2020
tmcgahey](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Yes- I think it’s fair to say Thrive hits on other points. For a number of reasons, Thrive does not have the traditional N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) makeup. This is my shortened answer as to why-
We know from its use in regenerative agriculture and field studies on lawns that the microalgae in Lawn Champion will, for nearly all lawns, make them more stress and drought-resistant and need less water over time, by improving soil texture and root density. We know that the improved mycorhizal fungi biome improves the absorption of nitrogen and other macronutrients, so that you will not need to supplement as much. We know that simple regenerative lawn practices such as grasscycling are ways to naturally minimize the depletion of nitrogen, and we’re fairly confident that if your lawn is accustomed to regular applications of traditional fertilizer that there are plenty of residual nutrients in your soil for at least a year without them. We can’t promise that you will never need to add nitrogen to your soil in the future, but the thought behind this new type of lawn nutrition is that it will use whatever nitrogen is there or whatever nitrogen you add more effectively.
Does that help? This stuff is getting into the weeds (pun intended), we are still learning the best way to explain the science behind all of it, but we think it’s pretty cool so we are excited to talk to you all about it.
post by j.rieff on Feb 29, 2020
I have been on an organic program for over 15 years. How is this system different? Is this a system that “attaches” to the sprinkler system and is delivered as part of the watering cycle? Unfortunately, my lawn slightly exceeds your program size right now. After using your mapping function, it was calculated to be about 31K Sq. ft. Looks promising.
post by wafflesngravy on Mar 2, 2020
This is free? When I try to check it out it says it’s free, I add it to my cart, but then my cart says it’s empty when I click on the cart. Tried 2 different browsers, from a computer and my phone. I’m confuzzled.
post by laura.bauman on Mar 2, 2020
Uhoh! Unfortunately not free we’ve identified a small bug on the site and are working on a fix. Will give you an update as soon as we have one. Sorry about that!
post by wafflesngravy on Mar 2, 2020
Thats ok, 0.0 seemed odd lol. I’ll check it out again later.
post by Joelack99 on Mar 3, 2020
mckynzee](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Really interesting. Living on the shore of a large lake I worry about runoff as nitrogen levels in the lake and downstream continue to rise. This would seem to be a very responsible step in he right direction, no? Separate question: Does Rachio have or support a fertilizer injection attachment, and will Thrive work with this type of system?
post by laura.bauman on Mar 4, 2020
wafflesngravy](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hey @wafflesngravy - sorry for the delay. Should be fixed
post by laura.bauman on Mar 4, 2020
Joelack99](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hey @Joelack99! This is definitely a step in the right direction at this time, we don’t formally support or provide a fertilizer injection attachment. You’ll use the provided hose to apply with water from the spigot.
1 month later
post by daninsc on Apr 9, 2020
I go through and there is no way for me to order thrive. Please help me with this.
post by franz on Apr 9, 2020
franz Co-Founder/CTO @ Rachio
Website purchase is back online. There was a deployment issue. Sorry for the inconvenience and thanks for your patience and business!
post by wrz0170 on Apr 10, 2020
Hi! I’m intrigued by Thrive and what it has to offer. My big concern is fighting the dreaded weeds. In my case, I fight dandelions and crab grass throughout the season. I did put down some Scott’s pre emergent this year to mitigate. Sadly, I also have neighbors that are not as picky so I have to control their invasion on both sides.
So my question is how does one integrate weed control with Thrive? Strategies other than the traditional “weed and feed”?
Thanks!
William
post by ccbackus on Apr 11, 2020
I’m interested in this, but a bit skeptical.
I can only water on Wednesday and Saturdays. Period, no exceptions.
I have my schedule setup this way, but Rachio often sends me emails to say, “we’ve updated your watering schedule due to the change in weather.” It suggests that it will run every 9 days instead of 7 for example. Since I have it fixed for Wed and Sat, it overrides this feature and runs as appropriate.
So if I purchase the Thrive package, is it going to recommend, “Apply this on Thursday night and Rachio will run the sprinklers on Friday!”
While giving Rachio full control to the schedule would be wonderful, it’s just not an option unless we can get a waiver from the City of Fort Worth.
So to summarize my question, how does it work with a fixed watering schedule?
post by laura.bauman on Apr 13, 2020
wrz0170](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hey @wrz0170!
Great question! While Thrive doesn’t currently come with a weed control option ( ), there is no harm in using Thrive now that you’ve already used a pre-emergent. We definitely encourage managing weeds in combination with using Rachio Thrive. However, we don’t recommend applying weed control and thrive on the same day.
post by laura.bauman on Apr 13, 2020
ccbackus](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hey @ccbackus!
Great question as well! Thrive will work just fine with a fixed watering schedule, though it does thrive (pun intended) with a Flex schedule.
post by ccbackus on Apr 13, 2020
That makes sense.
I’d be interested in seeing a quick video walkthrough to show what the user experience is with the app when it’s enhanced with Thrive.
I may also reach out to the City of Fort Worth to see if they’ve considered any kind of waiver program for SMART Controller users. I actually got my Rachio for FREE from them. I attended a class with about 25 others, and did a couple follow up surveys, and that was it. They could also track my water use prior to and after installing the controller, so they know it’s saving water. However, it might make it complicated for code compliance to know who’s exempt…
post by BuckInNC on Apr 14, 2020
So, do I need to continue to use an additional, traditional, product as well? Or does Thrive provide all of the base nutrients, NPK, etc., that I will need? Better put; is this in addition to or in place of?
Thanks a lot.
post by MSG_Edmondson on Apr 17, 2020
So, I ordered my Thrive and received it yesterday. Activated it in the app today, and it doesn’t say when to apply the first bottle. It only says apply within 4 weeks and Lawn Championship recommended application is in 28 days… Does that mean I need to wait 28 days to apply bottle 1? If so, any reason why it’s 28 days?
\ Screenshot_20200417-165737_Rachio.jpg1080×2280 367 KB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/1/1b9f486664b95ba4b11ad02cf1831403c617c9d3.jpeg "Screenshot_20200417-165737_Rachio.jpg")
post by chris on Apr 18, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
1
BuckInNC](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hi @BuckInNC,
Thrive doesn’t contain any NPK and isn’t a fertilizer. Instead, it enhances the uptake of the NPK already in your soil in two ways.
One, Thrive (Lawn Champion) is a microalge proven to greatly grow the number and increase the diversity of bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi in soil. This improved and diverse microbiome goes to work for your grass, bringing it nutrients that it may not have had access to before.
Two, when combined with our Flex schedules, your lawn grows deeper, more robust grass roots that work in concert with the enhanced microbiome to take in more of those locked up nutrients.
While we can’t promise that you’ll never need to add more NPK to your lawn in the future, our guess is you have a good amount to unlock right now. Nitrogen is usually the most volatile macronutrient and the one you may need to replenish at some point—although there are a number of regenerative ways to replenish N (like grasscycling and not overwatering) and limit the need for synthetics . We’re also currently looking at some plant-based options to offer our customers as an N supplement.
But to illustrate my point above, I thought I’d show you some data from both big ag and my backyard .
Here’s a soil test from my backyard in which I haven’t applied fertilizer in roughy 24 months.
\ Screen Shot 2020-04-11 at 2.14.02 PM.png1770×1680 662 KB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/9/92ee6b76e85e62fc6d1a93ef3764bade39c8a5ef.png "Screen Shot 2020-04-11 at 2.14.02 PM.png")
Notice that my NPK is low, relative to what is assumed to be optimal for my lawn. I understand this is the correct optimization model if you don’t have a healthy microbiome and proper watering to take advantage of smaller amounts of NPK —the other side of the coin.
This is a picture from mid August last year of the lawn the above soil sample is taken from. I’m in Colorado and started the Thrive program in April.
\ IMG_20190819_184802.jpg2138×2851 3.86 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/b/b7083a026b39bd8fbc5b424f21212ee33165c776.jpeg "IMG_20190819_184802.jpg")
And this is a picture of a 7” soil plug from this lawn (a little bit earlier in the season). You’ll notice roots at the bottom. Combing the microalge and our Flex schedule, I grew roots to more that 7.5” (KBG). And that root depth persisted through winter and remains at the level today as my lawn is coming out of dormancy.
\ IMG_20190717_080516.jpg3024×4032 1.97 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/e/e02c7e367ea7c84482455001e1319b78f53607c3.jpeg "IMG_20190717_080516.jpg")
Hopefully this is helpful to show how our ecosystem works together—enhancing the microbiome w/ our microalgae and your grass roots with our Flex schedules to make better use of the NPK you already have.
Also, from our microalgae grower, here’s similar data from the ag sector where N is less available and more needed by the plant.
\ Screen Shot 2020-04-18 at 1.11.57 PM.jpg3178×1946 922 KB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/3/3d0dd0c9d7225136c01a6700caf7af55efbf67fa.jpeg "Screen Shot 2020-04-18 at 1.11.57 PM.jpg")
post by laura.bauman on Apr 18, 2020
Hey @MSG_Edmondson - can you let me know generally where you’re located (state is fine) so I can help give more insight?
post by MSG_Edmondson on Apr 18, 2020
1
@laura.bauman I’m in Upper Marlboro Maryland
post by laura.bauman on Apr 18, 2020
Thanks @MSG_Edmondson! The app notification is telling you that your first application window starts in 28 days. Another way of putting it, you have 28 days until you should apply Lawn Champion for the first time. You will have 10 days from that date to apply on time. Does this help?
post by MSG_Edmondson on Apr 18, 2020
@laura.bauman Thanks. That helps. I was just eager to get started… didn’t expect to have to wait a month!
post by laura.bauman on Apr 18, 2020
@MSG_Edmondson Haha glad to hear you’re excited
8 days later
post by FauxTony on Apr 27, 2020
Just ordered, excited to give this a try. Curious, when it comes to application, how important is it to apply evenly?
I know with traditional spreaders for fertilizer, uniform application is really important.
post by laura.bauman on Apr 28, 2020
Woohoo!! Exciting to hear @FauxTony Uniformity is definitely important. We recommend applying by “painting” over your lawn with it.
post by tmcgahey on Apr 28, 2020
Well, I just ordered 11,000sq ft worth of Thrive. Time to test this out!
post by Lawnmaster on Apr 28, 2020
Should I cut my grass before applying “Thrive”? And should there be any rain in the forecast up to 48 hours?
Thanks,
Mike
post by Revtoe35 on Apr 29, 2020
I’m very interested in trying Thrive. I just want to ensure it is compatible with another yard product I use. It’s a liquid aeration product called exigrow by Truspring. Can you take a look and let me know if it’s compatible.
https://www.moopti.com/trugrow
post by chris on Apr 29, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
1
Lawnmaster](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hi @Lawnmaster - it’s up to you on the mowing side and I’d say use your best judgement based on your grass length and the ability to get the product into the soil. The key is really making sure that the microalgae makes its way down into the soil at a depth relative to your root length—probably a good couple or so inches. We’ve set up a quick run feature that you can use to water it in once you’ve marked applied.
Rain shouldn’t matter, especially if you’re talking after application. If your soil is super dry to start, you may want to do a quick run on your zones for a minute or two to saturate your soil a bit before applying. Hope this is helpful.
post by chris on Apr 29, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Revtoe35](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hi @Revtoe35 - unfortunately we can’t speak to their compatibility as we don’t know much about truSpring. Thrive is a microalgae that is a superfood for microbes. As they eat, quickly multiply and move around the soil, they naturally aerate and aggregate it. We tell customers that you don’t need to do additional aeration if you use our product because of that. I can’t say whether we are a substitute for truSpring though.
Here’s some data that shows the affect of the product on soil:
\ Screen Shot 2020-04-29 at 8.22.20 PM.jpg2050×1558 606 KB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/8/81d21a651fcdc5df83c748158907dd9634150142.jpeg "Screen Shot 2020-04-29 at 8.22.20 PM.jpg")
And here’s a picture of a soil plug I pulled from my lawn today (I’m in CO). You can see soil aggregation there and also dense 7" roots w/ KB!
\ IMG_20200429_165037.jpg2138×2851 2.04 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/4/43bc663656fe0d85c892adcd664b8d0fcff359e3.jpeg "IMG_20200429_165037.jpg")
post by ColoradoSteve on May 2, 2020
I’m in Colorado also (Littleton) with clay soil. What type of soil is your yard?
This really looks interesting.
post by FauxTony on May 2, 2020
3
laura.bauman](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
So I applied my first bottle. Some honest feedback incoming.
One bottle took nearly an entire hour to apply. I have a 5500 square foot yard and it was essentially enough to liberally apply 3x to my entire yard. Is that by design?
I’m very excited to see what it can do to my yard.
\ 20200502_1215094032×3024 2.59 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/5/5564276495a1f9662d474c4b0b0afb1799e87d47.jpeg "20200502_121509")
Also, I’d say if there is a way you can engineer a way to inject this through the irrigation system, I’d be extatic
post by franz on May 2, 2020
franz Co-Founder/CTO @ Rachio
@FauxTony Thank you for the feedback. I know the team @mckynzee/ @chris are looking at opportunities around the application time and flow rate.
We very much appreciate you as a customer and are continuing to make a great product experience for everyone.
post by chris on May 2, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
ColoradoSteve](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Mine is a clay loam.
post by chris on May 2, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
FauxTony](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hi @FauxTony
One bottle is meant to cover the entire 5500, so you will want to go through the entire 24 oz bottle in one application. Some of our first batches of microalgae were a little overly concentrated. This won’t harm your yard in anyway. You actually end up with more product, and therefore more food for your microbiome! But it takes longer to get through.
To help with bottles that are overly concentrated, or if you just want to spray any of them at a faster pace, you can use the regulator at the bottom of the tube. If you pop it off, you can spray on 3X faster
Also, if you swirl it every so often when you are applying, you’ll keep the organic matter better suspended and mixed.
post by FauxTony on May 2, 2020
Thanks for the responses! I’ll definitely give that a go the next time around.
post by tmcgahey on May 3, 2020
Looks like I’ll have a long day ahead of me…my 11,000sq ft kit is in route!
post by FauxTony on May 3, 2020
Better bring a few cold with you and take off the limiter that @chris mentioned earlier
post by chris on May 3, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
1
tmcgahey](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hey Troy! We definitely recommend taking the regulator off on the 64 oz bottles.
And make sure the sediment is off the bottom of the bottle.
post by ColoradoSteve on May 4, 2020
chris](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Thanks Chris - I ordered mine this weekend. It will be interesting to see how the yard does this year. I did skip the regular aeration this spring so this is perfect timing.
Kind of pricey, but if it works, it will be worth it.
post by tmcgahey on May 6, 2020
Guess I’m going to be a busy man! 11,000sq ft worth of fertilizer!
\ 20200506_194520.jpg4000×3000 3.64 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/8/83f0ade425266f6577b378e9adab9450c6b34fb0.jpeg "20200506_194520.jpg")
I do have a question though…this is made for the grass, but a lot of thr documentation talks about plants. Can this also be used to help soils around the bases of shrubs and trees?
post by Revtoe35 on May 7, 2020
Thrive arrived yesterday and did my first application this morning. Here are my initial thoughts: Very impressed with the product when it arrived but application was not good for me. I followed the instructions. After going over my yard 4 times and realizing not much product was being applied, I removed the plug from the applicator tube. Still very slow progress. After 2 hours I had 1.5 inches of product still in the bottle. I was a little frustrated so I put the remainder of the product in an ortho application bottle and finished in about 5 minutes. I will try the next application when it’s time. Perhaps there was a defect in this applicator or bottle. If it takes 2 hours for 5000 sq ft, I don’t think I will stick with it. Would love to hear more feedback on others application time. I shook the bottle extremely well. Continue to shake during application and removed the application tube several times to ensure it was pulling product.
Seems strange I received the same amount as the user above with 11000 sq ft. I have about 5500 sq ft.
\ FC082589-CDD5-46C6-B7A5-A28A9D599A2E.jpeg3264×2448 1.82 MB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/b/b4d0a0bc679d2bc7290e2eb6291eeb3dfcc4efe1.jpeg "FC082589-CDD5-46C6-B7A5-A28A9D599A2E.jpeg")
post by tmcgahey on May 7, 2020
That is odd…
post by Kubisuro on May 7, 2020
Different concentrations?
post by laura.bauman on May 7, 2020
Unsure how it happened, but already pinged @Revtoe35 to get more info Thanks friends!
post by laura.bauman on May 7, 2020
1
Thrive is specially created for use on turf and grassy areas but is safe and effective on other plants as well. We don’t currently recommend directly applying it to trees and shrubs since it will likely take away from the grass’s nutrition.
post by chris on May 7, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
tmcgahey](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Hey Troy!
Building on what Lo is saying here, your annual Thrive kit is a specially portioned version of our microalgae that breaks up lawn applications for the entire year (spring, summer and fall) into correctly sized bottles for your lawn size (unless we send the wrong shipment of course ). Microalgae is good for many types of plants as it’s retoring the soil, and healthy soil is the foundation for healthy plants. So, you can definitely use it on other plants, and we can assist with instructions to do so, but keep in mind you’ll have less for your lawn.
post by tmcgahey on May 7, 2020
So I bought an 11,000sq ft kit, and @revtoe35 bought a 5,000sq ft kit, and we have what looks like the same kit…how can I confirm I have thr right kit before I apply?
As for the plants, if this works well on my lawn (which I don’t expect it NOT to) I would probably buy another kit to use for plants and trees.
post by laura.bauman on May 7, 2020
@tmcgahey, I can confirm that your kit is correct. We’re looking at @revot35’s kit to confirm that what he received for his lawn size is correct.
post by Revtoe35 on May 7, 2020
Here is what my shipping notice stated:
This shipment includes the following items:
THRV5-7000
Thrive 7000 Sq Ft. Subscription - 5 Bottles (Ships every 12 months)
1
post by tmcgahey on May 7, 2020
chris](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Chris and team,
How is the Thrive being tracked in Rachio? Is it actually going to change anything? I have 2 Rachio’s on my property, and ordered my kit based on all my grass (split across the 2 units). Seems I can only enter the code once. Code is entered with the Rachio that has about 90% of my grass, so not the biggest deal if it can’t pair with the other Rachio.
post by chris on May 8, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Hey Troy,
The short answer is that we ask you to let us know when you apply the product in the app and then we adjust the crop coefficient based on a number of reduction factors, taking into account seasonality. An active microbiome creates physiological changes in the lawn, including increasing soil porosity and increasing the grass’s transpiration efficiency. Effectively, this reduces the crop coefficient (relative proportion of daily reference ET that the plant transpires) during the application.
I believe you might be in Koppen climate BWh. In that region, we believe we can get you another ~2.2 skips/45 days. Attached is a graph that shows the growth rates for cool and warm season grass and the microbiome activity (assuming an ample food source for it) over the months. You can see how a microbiome-deficient soil puts your grass at the mercy of what its root ecosystem can do on its own, and getting an assist from and active microbiome allows it to thrive at more extreme temperatures.
With regard to your second question. At this time, a thrive subscription is tied to one Rachio controller. @simonhill (our VP of Product) and I were talking through this this morning and we might be able to get around this dependency soon and can get back to you on that.
post by tmcgahey on May 8, 2020
Thanks @chris! So not having Rachio know that I’m applying Thrive on my 8 zone unit might, at best, save a couple waterings, but nothing else?
Or, is there a chance of creating just another code for me to use on that controller?
post by chris on May 8, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Correct, a couple of waterings every 45 days.
wrt to generating another code, yeah, that’s what we’re thinking. I’ll get back to you soon on that.
post by tmcgahey on May 8, 2020
Looks like I got my second code. I’ll get it applied this weekend and report back!
post by tmcgahey on May 11, 2020
Just sprayed my first round of Thrive on my nearly 11,000sq ft lawn. Not sure why @Revtoe35 application took so long. I was probably 1h30m start to finish, and that was moving to 6 different lawn areas and dragging hoses all over.
While I will say, this is the most complete kit I’ve ever seen. From product, to spray nozzles (multiple), extra hose washers, and even a freaking hose! That being said, I think I would almost prefer a generic applicator (like an Ortho sprayer) with bulk solution. I found it was difficult to manage how much needed to go down for each lawn area I had. I think I was light on the application on the first couple lawn areas, and heavier on the last few. Having a chart that said how many ounces needed per X square footage would help make sure I got the right amount down. Using the Rachio site to calculate each yard size, and filling the cup with the exact needed amount for each yard section would have been helpful for me.
But, I’m excited to see what it does in the coming months!
post by Revtoe35 on May 11, 2020
Good for you! Glad to hear your experience was pretty good. I hope I have better luck next time. I’m looking forward to hearing about your results too.
17 days later
post by dano on May 28, 2020
I recently purchased a Rachio controller and a Thrive subscription. I applied Thrive 10 days ago and I’m looking forward to watching the progress on my lawn. I’m in the process of overseeding patches of my lawn that really need it (things are just now warming up in the PNW).
My question is… typically one would apply a starter or “booster” fertilizer (Like the Simple Lawn Solutions 3-18-18 liquid fertilizer) when the new seed starts to germinate. Should I still do that in this case or is the Thrive application enough? Just wondering if it’s overkill to spray the liquid fertilizer now that Thrive has already been applied.
post by chris on May 28, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Hey @dano - are you using a mulch along with your seed? Also, about how much sqft of patching are you doing?
post by dano on May 28, 2020
It turns out I’m covering about half my yard. I have a lot of bare spots the need sprucing up! I’m not using mulch but I did dethatch and I am aerating as well so that provides some cover. (I’ll probably add a little soil or mulch to the two or three really bare spots.) But then just planning to spread the seed and add a fixed schedule to keep them watered for the next week or two. I’ve already done a small “test spot” and it all worked great… so just applying this to the rest of the lawn that needs it.
My only question is whether I should worry about adding a booster fertilizer, as is typically recommended, after the seeds germinate and begin to sprout. I don’t want to add the fertilizer if you think it will mess with the Thrive process.
post by chris on May 28, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Ok, got it. Adding some starter fertilizer won’t affect the Thrive process, but if you’re up for it, maybe see how far you can get w/out using the booster fertilizer. Your seeds will start to sprout very close to when your soil’s microbe activity is at its peak (assuming ~2-3 weeks for the seeds to spout) from your 1st Thrive application, making the nutrients already in your soil bioavailable to your new grass.
post by dano on May 28, 2020
Soil temperature 55, microbe activity at its peak, dethatched and aerated and ready to go. I say let’s let it run and see what happens! I’ll skip the fertilizer booster and let you know how it goes. But we’ll probably have to wait a month or so to see real results. Thanks for the response.
post by chris on May 29, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Right on! Looking forward to hearing how it goes, and here to help however I can. Thank you for supporting our company and products!
post by gargarvind on May 29, 2020
I have used. I cant give a feedback on product itself but i would say dont waste money on Thrive.
Applicator system is poor. I have removed regulator, diluted the product and it still does not work.
After spending 1.5 hour in yard, mr arms are hurting from holding the bottle but realized that product did not even get used.
post by chris on May 30, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
@gargarvind - I’ve very sorry to hear that. As I’m guessing you’ve read here, we have had issues with some of the product being over-concentrated (won’t hurt your lawn) and leading to the bad experience you encountered. I’d be happy to personally jump on a call with you or communicate in any medium you like to try and resolve/make right your experience. We acknowledge the issue and are sorry the inefficient use of your time. I know how valuable it is.
post by gargarvind on May 31, 2020
You can call me. kindly tell me where shall i send you my cell phone no since i dont want to leave it on open forum.
Arvind Garg
post by Stewart on May 31, 2020
Click on @chris 's picture and then click Message. This will send him a private message viewable only by him.
post by chris on May 31, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
gargarvind](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
^^ what @Stewart said. Look forward to speaking with you!
9 days later
post by James01 on Jun 9, 2020
Just got my Thrive in the mail today! I’m so excited to try it out and really hope it works as I live in a greenbelt and have multiple streams flowing through my property that end up in a community pond. I felt so bad applying the Scott’s stuff because I knew it was ending up in the pond and hurting the local environment. Looking forward to some positive results!
post by FauxTony on Jun 15, 2020
chris](https://community.rachio.com/t/its-time-to-rachio-thrive/22567 "Load parent post")
Happy to report back that second application was so much quicker to apply with the regulator removed! Thanks for the to @chris! Lawn is looking green and assuming it stays that way through July, I’m sold.
post by chris on Jun 15, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
That’s great news all around and thanks for reporting back! Please keep us posted @FauxTony!
3 months later
post by FauxTony on Sep 7, 2020
Hey gang, it’s been a dry summer here but my lawn is still looking pretty solid. So far I’m a fan!
One quick question though. I just applied my 4th bottle and my app says I am all done for year, but I have a 5th bottle still. Is there another application expected or is there some other reason for the extra?
post by chris on Sep 7, 2020
chris Co-Founder/CEO @ Rachio
Hey Tony, does your Thrive tab show 4/4 applications or 4/5 applications?
post by FauxTony on Sep 8, 2020
Hey Chris, this is what it shows:
\ 20200907_2358191080×2070 202 KB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/1/16bc8037dcfdb1885933b27eef9d70bf1f736dbc.jpeg "20200907_235819")
4 months later
post by LLong on Jan 16, 2021
Oh, well that’s disappointing:
\ image1404×611 135 KB](https://community.rachio.com/uploads/db1097/original/2X/d/de0039ffa66374f2036c7fa83dae5650b1539fed.jpeg "image")
Reply
New & Unread Topics
Topic list, column headers with buttons are sortable.
Want to read more? Browse other topics in Announcements or view latest topics.
Invalid date
Invalid date
Loading complete