I need a long-term lawn plan

16 years ago

I'm installing sod later this week which is a blend of 30% each of tttf (Millenium, 2nd Millenium, FineLawn Elite) and 10% kbg (Princeton-105). Why sod right now? Since there's a sod farm near me this seems to be the most cost effective way to cover my mud-pit of a dog yard pronto (I moved into a new house at the end of October and the grass installed by the contractor is gone).

Question 1: I'm looking for advice for establishing a serviceable dog yard in the long term. I've been reading the forum archives and see some great suggestions for over-seeding -- such as Dutch white clover -- but am also wondering if I should do other things like introduce a little more kbg this fall for additional healing ability.

Question 2: I've taken note of the watering schedule posted here -- are there any adjustments for sod establishment this time of year? Should I still water if I have snow cover?

Hopefully helpful info:

Central, Virginia, Zone 7a

Soil is loamy and relatively well-drained with a fairly neutral pH.

Area: ~1,200 sf (balance of fenced dog yard is dense pasture fescue and will likely remain that way.)

Yard gets full sun mostly from south and west but eventually will have small patches of light shade.

Three large dogs that have brief spurts of activity but mostly sit around (they get a good amount of exercise in a pasture outside of the dog yard).

Water supply is limited (low volume well).

Area is small enough to mow with push reel mower (I have a Scotts 20" that I can set to mow at 3" max). I suspect the fine-blade fescues might be a challenge to mow with this reel mower but it's the dog yard and an unkempt appearance is okay.

Thanks -- I've learned a lot from you folks already!

Kardis

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Comments (4)

quirkyquercus
16 years ago
I'm not sure I totally understand the situation, maybe a photo can help us visualize. But suffice it to say 1200 s.f. with large dogs romping in it and peeing all over it will not last very long.
Or was this supposed to be just a garden area and then the dogs romp in the pasture? I don't get it.
Another thing to think about with pets is that tall fescue and KBG need regular fertilization. you don't really want to have to put out a lot of fertilizer all that often if pets are going to be there. Wouldn't want them to ingest it or get it in their fur.
soccer_dad
16 years ago
I don't predict success with your sod. If you had a couple of years to get zoysia established before the dogs you might be ok. I'd recommend cedar mulch instead for that 1200sf.
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MyPage_GardenWeb_com
16 years ago
Sorry, my original description wasn't very clear as to configuration. I'm on agricultural property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. The dogs actually have two fenced areas. One area is about 7 acres of pasture, pond and woods. This larger area is where they really get their exercise.

I also have a smaller fenced area for them that's a total of about 2,500 sf. I turn them out in this area early morning/late evening and when I don't want them in the pond. Roughly half of this smaller area is well-established pasture/crop fescue and it's holding up well under their traffic. There is a large gravel pad (20' x 20') where the dogs come and go from the house, and a 3-foot strip of pine bark inside the fence perimeter where they run the fence (plantings are outside of fence). The remainder is topsoil (where it was graded during construction) and I will be installing sod over this today.

I've had other well-kept lawns with four or five dogs before so I'm not yet convinced that I can't have some lawn here. However, I'm used to kbg and not tttf. My major concern is the lawn's healing capability. That's why I'm wondering about clover or introducing more kbg next fall. Maybe I shouldn't even be thinking about this right now.

And you're right, quirkyquercus, I try not to use chemical fertilizer in the dog yard but there are other options, yes? Using cornmeal is new to me -- would that work for tttf or am I better off with something like milorganite?

My digital camera went kaput over the holidays but I can draw and post a plan view if that would be helpful.

Thanks again,
Kardis
QQ_QQ_QQ
16 years ago
OK that clears it up.
With such a small area, I would sod it too if I wanted the varieties carried by the local sod dealers. I'm not real experienced with KBG. I've been growing it in a part of my lawn since October '06. After the first year it would noticeably self repair. The following year I planted it in my 3600 sf backyard along with tall fescue and it was torn up in no time flat. It looked like swiss cheese from urine burns all over it from dogs. You can't beat the color of KBG it is a really nice grass to have though. It will repair some but it's not an aggressive spreader like Zoysia which I wouldn't recommend for your location. Growing season way too short.

As for the fertilizer question, I use synthetic fertilizer and not all that well versed in organics so can't help ya there. I am not in an agricultural area and do not have access to the grains to do it.

As for mixing in clover, you definitely don't want to do that. That's like buying a brand new mercedes S class and putting some fuzzy dice and neon license plate frame and tassles around the window. Then taking out the seats and burning them then putting in aluminum bleachers to sit on.
Clover is an invasive weed. It is not eco-friendly to use it. So is KBG and TTTF but the difference is clover will wreck your lawn in addition to wreck the earth.

I need a long-term lawn plan

Comments (4)

quirkyquercus

soccer_dad

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