Hugh B Tool Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Read Hooks posts. They are spot on. Buy a GOOD Garden/Lawn book. Sunset Western is my particular favorite. Make sure it has a temperate zone chart in it. Many variables and not knowing the problem of their lawns, Joe Homeowner can throw a lot of money and time trying to fix certain signs of different problems when they can get it right the first time by actually finding the problem. Wasting time and money is not fun or wise. Thatch and then use iron to green and nitro(liquid is the best) to help it grow it up and top dress and overseed. Though my usual response to people when asked is for them to get their soil sampled and tested. Not really that expensive and you now know what you are fighting against when this is done. We keep 193 acres green and growing strong year round and our customers can be picky SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS !!!ers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tford Posted May 22, 2007 Author Share Posted May 22, 2007 Thanks for all of the help guys, sorry I was away most of the weekend and couldn't check in. BJ is right about everything he laid out for me. It is a fairly dry climate where I'm at. Hasn't been much rain but I feel that I've supplemented that with regular waterings. The sun beats down directly on the lawn for the majority of the day. Very little shade except after about 5 pm. I can rent almost everything I need free-of-charge from a buddy of mine whose dad owns an equipment rental shop and like BJ said, twins will be on the way in about a month so I would rather keep the costs to a minimum. Thanks for all of the suggestions so far. As of now, I've just used spot-herbicide of kill of the weeds and things are looking a little better. I should be out there power-raking this weeknd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 You have unlimited access to power equipment, and you're gonna go out and "power rake"?? Don't waste your time. Aerate. Overseed. FERTILIZE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Earlier in this thread someone said they prefer a 50/50 mix of bluegrass and rye. I'm about to cultivate and reseed my backyard. Could you tell me why this is the best choice. I live in the Northeast, if that makes any difference. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewer Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Check your soil PH as well. You may need to add lime for a good looking lawn. In our area, the soil is extremely acidic, and if you're trying to grow grass, and you don't add lots of lime, you're just kind of pissing in the wind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Earlier in this thread someone said they prefer a 50/50 mix of bluegrass and rye. I'm about to cultivate and reseed my backyard. Could you tell me why this is the best choice. I live in the Northeast, if that makes any difference. thanks 1. Cost. Bluegrass is expensive. 2. Coverage. Rye will germinate first, getting you established faster, preventing erosion. This is especially important in new lawns. Blue can take over 2 weeks to germinate. 3. Having a lawn of only one type of grass means when conditions are peak for that kind of grass, your lawn looks great. When conditions are not good for that species, your lawn looks terrible. Fungus, soil conditions, insects, and weather impact different species in different ways. Bluegrass usually becomes more dominant, and will crowd out most of the rye. But for new or sparse lawns, I like the 50/50 blend. Always had good success with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Check your soil PH as well. You may need to add lime for a good looking lawn. In our area, the soil is extremely acidic, and if you're trying to grow grass, and you don't add lots of lime, you're just kind of pissing in the wind. someone mentioned it earlier, but a soil test isn't a bad idea if nothing you are doing is working. I go into my wholesaler, pick up a sample bag, take some core samples and send it off to Purdue. In 10 days I get a soil analysis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tford Posted May 23, 2007 Author Share Posted May 23, 2007 You have unlimited access to power equipment, and you're gonna go out and "power rake"?? Don't waste your time. Aerate. Overseed. FERTILIZE!! Why wouldn't I want to get rid of some of the dead grass by raking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Unless there is just tons of it, aerating and fertilizing will do the trick. And it will save you back-breaking work that'll burn you out from wanting to continue with your lawn . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tford Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 Thanks all. Your help is much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Hey Captain- How about a tall fescue lawn? Isn't fescue a good cool season grass, and based on tford's geography might work well? I use it here on my lawn and have a great lawn all season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scourge Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Some of you guys are a wealth of fahking knowledge. Great lawn tips fellas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugar Magnolia Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 We live in a similair area. Dry, desert climate, lacking of natural nutrients, and a very short summer season. We have frosts 12 months a year and it has historically snowed here 12 months a year. We have a two week season of no frosts. But, in the summer we can have the temp go down below 32 and have a high of over 90 degrees the same day. I have struggled with my lawn. I can't tell you if this works yet but things I am changing is this season is to water just twice a week but deep watering and we just top dressed with compost to help break the thatch. We tried to take the thatch out but the grass roots were so shallow it just tore the lawn out. We areate twice a year, use slow release fertilizer in spring, mid summer and fall, and put a product called endo root down to add natural microbes to the soil. It has looked a little better but is really suseptible to lawn disease mid summer. Can't help much , but maybe try the top dressing of compost. We are giving our lawn one more year and then it's xeriscape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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