Saving my Lawn with a fresh start (grass advice)
Steve Lonison
8 years ago
Hey all, my name is Steve and I hail from Northern NJ. I am currently trying figure out how I can resurrect my Lawn to be something I can be proud of. I also have a baby girl on the way so I'd like to have a lawn she can roll around in with getting hurt by hard dirt and rocks. Also, just an FYI, I have a husky who uses a portion of the yard as his restroom.
Attached are some pictures of the yard I took from the second floor of my house to get some downward shots of the back, side yard, and even the front where a tree was uprooted.
While walking my dog, I came across a yard which had a very luscious full thick Lawn and I was wondering if you could identify for me what the type of grass is. It's the close-up picture. That's kind of what I'm looking for. I am happy to put forth a large amount of effort to grow and maintain the lawn so have at it. I'm also looking for one which will be green year round, not turn yellow and brown out seasonally.
Let me know what help you can give me.
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
User
8 years agoSteve Lonison
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Need help re-starting my old lawn
Comments (6)It appears that you want to overseed. You can literally find hundreds of pages on overseeding if you type the term into Google. You can also find a ton of conversations on this forum if you just search back a bit. In fact, there has been a lot of talk about it as of late. Here is my take, but take it for what it is worth since I am by far not one of the resident gurus around here. However, since I have been reading the board and other sites religiously for the past year, while nursing my own lawn back to respectability, I have a somewhat good handle on it. - I have a feeling that most people would recommend starting from scratch. Here is why...If you are going to overseed, you need to start by killing the weeds. Judging from the pictures, you probably won't have much left anyway after that. It doesn't really look like your lawn is salvageable. - If you do decide to salvage it, one problem you will have is matching up the grass type. Since it is old and pre-dates you living there, odds are you will have to guess. - Once you see some of the photos of other people's lawns on this forum, my guess is that you will be itching to start anew with some premium seed. - Lastly, if you are going to nurse this one back to health, my guess is that you will end up spending more money on weed killing chemicals and spreading MORE of them (more harmful for your family) than if you just killed the whole thing and started from scratch. A thick, new lawn requires much fewer chemicals than a patchy lawn that is in the process of being nursed back to health. Of course, you can always try my route and nurse it back to health. I have been doing that for the last year. I have had my battles with grubs, weeds, bare patches and mismatched seed...but I am winning the battle. The best part is that I am slowly moving towards going organic.....Judging from the look of your lawn, if you really want to avoid a total renovation, it is going to take a few years, with the fall months devoted to overseeding and overseeding again, and with the spring months dedicated to applying preemergent and weed control. My best guess: - It will take you 1 year to have an awesome lawn if you start from scratch in the fall. - It will take you 3 years if you try to work with what you have....See MoreNeed Some Help Saving My Lawn
Comments (6)That is a beautiful picture of a swale! I needed that for another post a few days ago. What seems to have happened is you lost most of the KBG (Kentucky bluegrass) back at the beginning except for down the middle of the swale. It has managed to come back and is creeping up the sides. Eventually it will completely take over. Here is the deal with KBG, the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps. Next year you will have a gorgeous lawn everywhere that the KBG has extended its reach - and that will be pretty far. If you overseed in the fall, you will start the sleep/creep/leap cycle over again for the new seed, but if you don't, then you must rely on the KBG you have creeping to fill the entire yard. That can easily happen if you water deeply/infrequently and mow relatively high, and fertilize as much as you can afford. SBM (common acronym for soybean meal) is excellent. Use as much as you can afford as often as you can afford it (this IS your only hobby, right??). There are people just a little north of you who use several hundred pounds of SBM per 1,000 square feet per year (this IS their only hobby). The organic matter that really matters in the soil is the microbes. Your basic soil sounds pretty hostile but by watering deeply and fertilizing routinely, the deep roots will provide homes and food for the microbes. Grass is one of those plants that sheds its roots all the time. As old roots get replaced, they have to decompose. That decomposition is what the microbes do. Thus by growing roots you are increasing the organic matter in the soil. If you do aerate, watch for those rocks. When you hit one the aerator will buck up in the air. After you aerate, water very deeply. I would go for 3 hours per zone or until you get runoff, which ever comes first. Have you read the Organic Lawn Care FAQ? It is on the Organic Gardening forum here or elsewhere on lawn forums around the web....See MoreAdvice please for starting home lawn program
Comments (10)1. Contact your local office of the Pennsylvania State University USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done. 2. If your soil is compacted, core aerate. 3. If needed, according to the soil test, spread lime. 4. Right now do not worry about the crabgrass which is an annual and will be dying soon anyway. 5. Do not worry about the White Dutch Clover which is adding needed Nitrogen to your soil. WDC is a good thing to have in an organic lawn. 6. Rototilling is a lot of hard work and may not be necessary. Spread Compost over the lawn, not too thickly, now and let the soil bacteria work it in for you. Those "weeds" that concern you will by dying for the winter soon anyway and this will give you, and your grass, a chance to fill in where those "weeds" grew. 7. Keep your lawn mowed. High, to a point, is better since that gives more leaf blade a chance to utilize more sunlight to manufacture necessary nutrients to feed the grass crown which will then send out more grass blades to absorb more sunlight. 8. Water, as needed. Every where you go people will tell you that your lawn will need 1 inch of water per week. that depends on the weather. Hot, dry, and windy weather will mean a lawn needs more water than that and cool, cloudy, calm weather can mean a lawn needs less water. 9. Overseeding is most often not necessary since a lawn properly cared for will grow and fill in faster than new seeds can germinate and grow. About the only people that will tell you that you do need to overseed are those with grass seed to sell. Mulch mow. The grass clippings can be a source of nutrients for your lawn, up to 1/2 the annual nutrient requirments of your lawn. Lawn clippings do not contribute to thatch buildup in the lawn, that is from improper fertilizing, applying too much weed killer, and applying poisons that kill the Soil Food Web so there is nothing to digest the dead plant matter. Here is a link that might be useful: PSUCES...See MoreNeed Feb. Lawn/Grass Advice!: Albuquerque
Comments (1)Don't aerate yet and don't remove the thatch...here in Albuquerque, we call that thatch "compost in the makin'". It will protect the tender shoots through the winter/early spring and the inevitable late spring freeze. Advice varies re whether to remove it later, but I just lay a nice layer of compost on top in the spring and let it add to the soil...our soil is so crummy, you need all the orgainic matter you can get....See MoreUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoSteve Lonison
8 years agoUser
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agonewtolawncare Scranton 6a
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoIf you wanted to get a cheaper Turf Type Tall Fescue from Lowe's, this is what it will look like (of course the mix changes from year to year, last year's Pennington's was mostly Rebel, right now its Greystone or something similar):
After pics taken exactly 2 months after seed down , small backyard reno,some bare spots without germinationfor 2016 repair, but overall I was pleased. Last shot was the "before" as I was using roundup to kill everything there:
The "before" garden of weeds, ~1 week before seed down:
User
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoHere's mine, this is a TTTF(Speedway) and Hybrid KBG(Spitfire) mix at 50/50, should give you an idea of what to expect:
Steve Lonison
8 years agoUser
8 years ago
Related Stories
LANDSCAPE DESIGNGet Along With Less Lawn — Ideas to Save Water and Effort
Ditch the mower and lower your water bill while creating a feast for the eyes with diverse plantings and gathering places
Full Story
MOST POPULARMeet a Lawn Alternative That Works Wonders
Carex can replace turfgrass in any spot, is low maintenance and adjusts easily. Add its good looks and you’ve got a ground cover winner
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGN15 Great Ideas for a Lawn-Free Yard
End the turf war for good with hardscaping, native grasses and ground covers that save water and are easier to maintain
Full Story
VINTAGE STYLEMy Houzz: A Fresh Start in a Welcoming 1950s Home
Family and friends help a Melbourne homeowner create a comfortable space that beautifully reflects her personality
Full Story
HOUZZ TOURSHouzz Tour: A Texas Home Gets a Healthy, Fresh Start
Mold eradication was just the beginning for this Austin family's home on a creek bed — toxins of all kinds now don't make it past the door
Full Story
FARM YOUR YARDAdvice on Canyon Farming From L.A.'s Vegetable Whisperer
See how a screened garden house and raised beds help an edible garden in a Los Angeles canyon thrive
Full Story
FARM YOUR YARD6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food
It takes time and practice, but growing edibles in the suburbs or city is possible with smart prep and patience
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESHow to Plant a New Lawn From Sod
Take the quick-start route to turf with sod; these installation guidelines will help ensure a healthy and long-lasting lawn
Full Story
LIFEEdit Your Photo Collection and Display It Best — a Designer's Advice
Learn why formal shots may make better album fodder, unexpected display spaces are sometimes spot-on and much more
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESHow to Plant a New Lawn From Seed
Choose from more grass varieties and save money over sod by starting your lawn from seed
Full Story
newtolawncare Scranton 6a