skip to main content

where do I even start with this hot mess of a yard?

9 years ago

Hi! New to the forums, been a lurker for years!

We bought a new home in September that was a bank owned property...the prior owners according to neighbors and judging by the state of the yard and garden beds did absolutely nothing to the land besides mowing.

I hired a company for fertilization for the spring summer and fa, but after doing a walk today i got a true look at how bad the grass might actually be...I think.

Lots of weeds and crab grass that was never addressed, creeping Charlie thruout the lawn, moss, etc. what can I do to remedy this and end up with a pretty and lush green lawn? M

I was reading about reseeding (I should mention I know nothing about lawn care), and thought that slit seeding may be a good option, short of killing everything and starting over.

I have no idea what kind of soil I have, except for that it looks like rich, well draining soil- but again, I wouldn't know the difference between good soil and sand

We have a lot of deer, will the eat the grass seed?

I am unsure what parts of the house see direct sunlight, since it's been winter in Ohio and the life has been sucked out of everything.

The backyard is mostly trees, so I don't really see grass growing in this area, however there is a nice sized open area that can see some nice grass growth, once the moss is gone

The pics I am posting aren't the best- I can post more later. In the pics the grass looks pretty green, but up close it just looks....blah

My question is- assuming my lawn needs a complete overhaul, what are my options besides laying down new sod? Is there any hope in my current lawn- or should I start from scratch? And... What would starting from scratch actually entail?

Sorry this post is all over the place! immpretty overwhelmed with what's to come and can't wait to learn from all of you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

dchall_san_antonio
9 years ago
You call that deer? This is deer...
I need to train them to eat fire ants.
Anyway...looks like a renovation is in order. What do you want? Do you want the nicest lawn on the block or do you just want it fairly weed free? The difference in maintenance is not that much, but to have the nicest lawn you'll need to spend a little extra on seed and soil testing.

There are three options for grass type. Those are fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, and a mix of both. Fescue is a bunch type grass meaning it will not spread quickly enough to effectively cover an area. The solution to that is buy more seed. When the grass plants die from abuse or disease or insects, they are dead. New seed is the only way to reestablish it. With Kentucky bluegrass it is a sod forming type of grass. It will spread fairly quickly to fill in any bare spots. Fescue remains green all year while KBG will likely go dormant in the winter and turn brown. It will come back at full strength in the spring. If you want the nicest lawn and you decide on KBG, you can go an extra mile and cause it to remain green through almost all of the winter. Your neighbors who also want the greenest lawn will hate you...if that's what you want. Here is a picture of a KBG lawn in eastern PA taken December 1, 2010.

Here's the same lawn in April of 2011 after winter but firmly in spring.

These are pictures of morpheuspa's lawn. He'll be along any minute now to help you. He spent extra to get a mix of Elite KBG seed. He also spends $25 per year on soil testing and a little more on micronutrients to amend his soil chemistry. Otherwise the lawn is organic, watered once a week, and mulch mowed once a week. Generally he fertilizes 3x per year, but some years he dabbles with experiments.

Here's a summary of a renovaton:
1. Spray with RoundUp
2. Spray again with RoundUp a week later
3. Rake up all the dead stuff
4. Scatter seed
5. Roll seed down to ensure good contact with the soil
6. Water 3x per day for 3 weeks just enough to keep the top surface of the soil moist
7. When the grass is up to 4 inches, start to mow and back off on the frequency of watering.
There might be some details you want more info on, but that's a summary. You don't need to aerate, rototill, smother or cover the seed with top dressing, or do a lot of soil amendments. New seed has enough nutrients inside the seed to maintain the new grass plants for several weeks. Once you have roots in the ground, then you can deal with fertilizing. ...unless you want to use organics, and then you can fertilize any time you want.

Now what are your new questions?
User
9 years ago
>>KBG will likely go dormant in the winter and turn brown.

Mine begs to differ. Surrounding tri-mix lawns are brown. Mine is kinda sorta greenish this year, after weeks of sub-15° temperatures and heavy snow pack. It looks nothing like the daffodil photo above, and won't by the time the daffodils bloom, either.

Really, David covered everything above. You don't need an elite seed for a perfectly nice lawn, however. The previous one was Scott's seed and it looked nice. Just not this nice.

Deer...deer will eat most green things, but fortunately they won't touch your seed. No worries there. Even the sprouts are safe as they're too small to warrant much attention. By the time the deer start to graze on it, it's tall enough to work with that as long as they aren't completely starving and stripping the stuff to the ground.

The place to start here is fertilization with a nice organic--Milorganite, soybean meal, something high-nitrogen, around May first (I'm assuming you have a northern lawn). If you're interested in tuning the soil (a good idea as most soils have problems that should be corrected, but you don't necessarily have to do it yearly if you aren't a stickler), take the samples as soon as you can and send them off.
Related Discussions
I need to start over, so how and when do I start?
Q
Comments (33)
"BTW - history completely contradicts your belief in soil testing. Almost nobody gets soil tests now and they weren't even available to homeowners until recently. Like a lot of modern technology, it can be a useful tool. However, people got along just fine without them in the not to distant past." What does that even mean? History contradicts your belief in soil testing? How does history contradict a belief in soil testing? That sentence is an example of making up something that sounds intelligent but has no basis in fact. Soil testing is an extremely important part of all the crops growing in this country. If we had a better understanding of soil science earlier in the 20th century then the dust bowl probably wouldn't have happened, or at least it wouldn't have been so bad. Turfgrass, like any crop, has its ideal soil conditions. The closer you can get to the ideal, the healthier the grass. How would you know if you need lime? Let's say you need lime, which one would you use? What about a phosphorus deficiency. Most fertilizers have little P, so are you supposed to guess if you have deficiencies? Andy's plan is the right way to do it. Sure you can do a renovation by omitting steps, but if you want the best results you will do it the right way. Rushing it will usually result in doing it again next fall.
...See More
I don't even know where to start...
Q
Comments (7)
Maybe just clear the grass away from the fence for now. Also widen the flower bed and add a new border while you're doing it. You might want to wait until the dormant season to peel away the pots that have plants in them rooted through the drain holes because disturbing the roots very much while it's hot may kill the plant. Depends on how strong a grower it is. Wishing you all the best in your endeavors!
...See More
OMG! Where do I start?????
Q
Comments (16)
Thank you SO very much for these ideas!! Here's the part I always have problems with----- "Don't drift off and abandon the project for an extended period. It will be hard to get going on it again." I can do really well for a day or two and then stop.....and this break isn't for a few hours but more like several weeks!!! I like the idea of lists and the feeling of accomplishment, so will start there and cross off as I go. One of the reasons for complaining of not having anyone to carry out the trash was because my husband worked out of state, so unable to see him except for 2-4 days per month, leaving me here to tend to the house, trash, little dog, etc. He has now found local work and starts tomorrow..YAY! At least now he can take out trash and move the heavy furniture. Also complained of dust and having to wear a mask (due to allergies, etc.). I was jumping ahead to the basement when I mentioned this because of mold and mildew AND dust, dirt, etc. Will definitely need a mask for that or wheezing will begin. Have decided the basement is something that will have to wait, even though now that prized possessions are being stored there, most likely they will always smell like damp icky mold from now on...ugh! Maybe that will make the job easier when the time comes...? I hope not everything is ruined (family photos, mother's dolls, German board games still wrapped in cellophane, etc.). Scary to say the least! Today I plan to work in the kitchen before picking DH up at the airport. I started emptying the foreign substances that were growing in the fridge yesterday, but didn't get around to doing the dishes yet. No Flylady, my sink is not sparkling yet, but will be soon! Worried about mopping the floor in there as my back usually doesn't cooperate for very long. Yes, I must keep moving! Too many hours at the computer and not enough footwork is making this worse than ever (not counting the extra weight I'm carrying around). Anyway, I'm armed with a brand new roll of heavy duty black trash bags (our area just delivered 6 months worth a couple of days ago! WOOT!), various cleaning products and motivation from this board and all who posted responses. Thanks again! Wish me luck!
...See More
I am One Hot Mess
Q
Comments (14)
Sorry! I was posting while others posted. I wish I was at home so I could implement the changes you guys have suggested. My3dogs - I love your arrangement. I have seen it on other threads and it is so beautiful. Pier One had some berries that would have paired beautifully with the lanterns. I'll have to go buy some and see how they work. I wasn't really planning on this arrangement just being for fall. I love the color orange (in moderation), and really need some color in my LR. That pillar was going bye-bye, but i do have some raffia that I could wrap around it and maybe find something for the pillar to sit on. rob333 - I have some glass pebbles somewhere...hmm...where are those things? I was planning to cut the lanterns (if I decided to keep them!) and then add something to the bottom to help them stand up straight. I also have some moss laying around here somewhere. I must find something to go underneath. We are a young couple starting off, so I'm gradually adding as I go. However, I have always collected family pieces knowing that someday I would have a home I could display them in. I am wracking my brain though, trying to figure out WHAT could go underneath there that I already have. I'm not a basket kind of girl, but maybe a basket and load it up with pillars of varying heights and some sort of filler in it as well? I do have pillars of more "harvest" colors that I will switch out for the white. I was lucky enough to work for a product design firm fresh out of collage, and I benefited from returned merchandise and/or damaged packaging.
...See More
BirkdaleSteve
9 years ago
Look at all of that future deer jerky in David's yard! My stomach is growling already....

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Get a Head Start on Planning Your Garden Even if It’s Snowing

By Marianne Lipanovich

Reviewing what you grew last year now will pay off when it’s time to head outside

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Tips to Start a Garden — Can-Do Ideas for Beginners

By Alison Hodgson

Green up your landscape even if you're short on time, money and knowledge, with these manageable steps for first-time gardeners

FARM YOUR YARD 6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food

By Abundant City

It takes time and practice, but growing edibles in the suburbs or city is possible with smart prep and patience

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING How to Start a Home Vineyard

By Vanessa Brunner

Dreaming of a winemaker's life? You may be able to have it where you are

REMODELING GUIDES Where to Splurge, Where to Save in Your Remodel

By Laura Gaskill

Learn how to balance your budget and set priorities to get the home features you want with the least compromise

DECORATING GUIDES How to Decorate When You're Starting Out or Starting Over

No need to feel overwhelmed. Our step-by-step decorating guide can help you put together a home look you'll love

EXTERIORS Where Front Yards Collide: Property Lines in Pictures

By Mitchell Parker

Some could be twins; others channel the Odd Couple. You may never look at property boundaries the same way again

MOST POPULAR A Fine Mess: How to Have a Clean-Enough Home Over Summer Break

By Alison Hodgson

Don't have an 'I'd rather be cleaning' bumper sticker? To keep your home bearably tidy when the kids are around more, try these strategies

MOST POPULAR How to Start a Cool-Season Vegetable Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

Late summer and late winter are good times to plan and plant cool-season crops like salad greens, spinach, beets, carrots and peas

GARDENING GUIDES Seeds or Seedlings? How to Get Your Garden Started

By Abundant City

Growing delicious herbs and vegetables starts with knowing your goals and when you want to plant

Sponsored

AAE Bathroom Remodeler

Franklin County's Custom Kitchen & Bath Designs for Everyday Living

More Discussions

Sowed a month ago, but little to no germination

5

Giardia Prevention Help

2

plastic netting implanted in lawn!

2

Plastic netting in lawn starter

2

ultrasonic rat devices

0