Here are some pictures

Where are you located?

I don't think you can presume to know what your neighbors are doing to keep their lawns from going dead. I suspect many are irrigating just enough and/or at night when you don't see them do it. I don't know what's cheaper, irrigating enough to keep your lawn from dying, or having to reseed your lawn every fall which requires mulitiple times daily waterings, seed, and effort.

Assuming you have cool season grass, people who want minimal maintenance often chose "low mow" lawns, ie. fine fescue blend. They mow much less, water less, let their lawns go dormant in the summer but providing periodic irrigation to keep it from going dead, and only fertilize once or twice a year in the fall. It'll look green and healthy every spring and fall.

In my mind, a dormant lawn still has some green in it. A dead lawn is devoid of any green and just looks straw color.

I am in Indiana. Sorry- I should have said that earlier.

Why is water so expensive? How much square footage is your lawn?

Unless it's an extremely large property you shouldn't have to spend a ton of money on water....have you looked up the "Deep and Infrequent" method for watering on this forum?

As far as your other questions: you can kill crabgrass now with some Round Up and next Spring apply a pre-emergent.

You can also re-seed now. Again, there are multiple threads here about doing this.

I recommend the ones by owlnsr and j4c11 on Fall renovation.

Obviously, you don't have to go through all of their methods, there are simpler, and cheaper, ways to do it. You might not get the same results, but that's not as important to you. You just want a lawn, right?

IMO, you could simply:

1. kill the weeds

2. mow at your mowers lowest setting and get as much of the dead material up so you have exposed soil

3. buy some grass seed that is appropriate for your property (full sun, full shade, a mix, etc.)

4. Apply the seed and lightly rake it with the back of a rake so it has contact with the soil

5. apply some starter fertilizer

6. Here's your favorite part: Water it. Just keep it moist for 2 weeks or so so the seed can germinate. That probably means watering for maybe 10 minutes 3 times a day for a couple of weeks. If you get rain, then don't water that day.

You'll have to spend some money; obviously there's no magic answer. But I don't think you need to break the bank to have something that looks nice.

Of course, this is all my opinion, and others will tell you differently. In the end, I think you should decide what your budget is and that will determine how far with this you can go.

I've got 9000 sq. ft. and the cost of Round Up, seed, and fertilizer was probably $250 a few years ago.

Check this out.

Noisy neighborhood....

@Joe BigBlue:

Go Blue! I am a Wolverine myself. Can you tell me what you think looking at the pictures.. especially the first two pictures. Is the grass dead? Here is some context for water bills in my area. It costs: $6 water + $15 for sewer for 1000 gal. Just for the house (no irrigation system turned on) we use about 3000 gal and get about $70 a month bill. Using sprinkler system- which I used for just a couple of days back in May- the bill was more like $140. So using irrigation system all month- watering say 1 hour a week- the bill I suspect will be more like $250-$300.. which is insane.. this is our first house, so no prior experience of paying for water. I learned that it may have been better to keep incurring this cost to keep the grass alive :(

Are you recommending I mow at the lowest setting and bag the dead stuff? I feel there is really nothing to mow. Also from the pictures, the green stuff- is that Bermuda or crabgras

@j4c11

Thank you- that was really helpful. By looking at my pictures, especially the first and second picture- do you think the grass is dead? This is where I am not able to figure out if I need to just over-seed or I have to re-establish new lawn.

Also in your experience, do you think irrigation system uses more water than simply using a conventional hose like you have got?

Water is too expensive hence I did not water the lawn all summer- so I am wondering if I just start watering now- whether dead grass will come alive.

My water bills goes up in the summer also, to about $200 per month. During the winter it is about $70 per month. I just budget that in and water deeply and infrequently during the summer months, but I do have to admit I cringe when the water bill comes.

Can you post a picture of the crabgrass? Sometimes new home owners get the wrong name for their weeds. Your weeds might be something else and more or less tenacious than crabgrass.

At the rates you mentioned you're saying you would use 10,000 gallons per month if you watered 1 hours per week. That's 2,500 gallons per hour. To put that into perspective, a fire hose flows 4,800 gallons per hour. You would have to have 2-inch piping and hose to get 2,500 gallons per hour. All I'm saying is something is a little odd with your calculations. I trust that it is expensive, though.

Do you have full sun in the front and/or back? There are some prairie type grasses that do better with no water than lawn grasses but only in the full sun.

Bunny-

What is your square footage?

4 hours of water a month and you get a $300 bill???

That seems ridiculous unless of course you have a massive amount of property that's all lawn.

It sounds like you want a miracle: a low-cost brand new lawn that is comprised of plants that stay green in the summer without ever being watered. I don't think anyone here help you with that.

You don't need to spend a fortune on the lawn... But it's definitely going to cost money to keep it healthy and green during the summer, If you aren't willing to spend that money, you can let it go dormant (it will wake up in the fall) ... but dormant lawns still need water. Like someone else posted, it cheaper to water the lawn in the summer to help it survive than it is to renovate or overseed the lawn every fall.

Since I get the impression that you don't want to put a lot of input or effort into the lawn, you might consider this:

(a) Overseed your lawn with Kentucky Bluegrass and Micro Clover. The Kentucky Bluegrass is resilient, and when it goes dormant, 9/10 it will return to normal in the fall and it will also spread around to thicken up the yard. The Micro Clover will help the Bluegrass by shading root system and feeding it (since it basically pulls nitrogen from the air and puts it into the soil). It will also stay green throughout the year and it will help shade out/crowd out weeds.

(b) Since you aren't going for a baseball field quality lawn, just go to the hardware store or big box store and pickup whatever Kentucky Bluegrass seed that you see there. Don't get a mix of fescue or rye... just a bag that is 100% Kentucky Bluegrass. Pennington has a "Smart Seed" Kentucky Bluegrass blend at most Lowes/Home Depot, etc. that's is decent. You can probably find Micro Clover at a local nursery or on Amazon. Use a starter fertilizer; whatever is the cheapest. Follow the label instructions for planting the seed and the fertilizer.

(c). Keep the soil moist for at least 40 days (light watering maybe 3 times a day) but you should really keep it moist until the grass reaches 3 inches in height. When it's 3 inches, stop the watering and let the lawn dry out for the day, then mow it down to 2 inches. Give it a healthy feeding of a balanced lawn fertilizer. Reduce watering to once a day, but for 15 minutes (in the morning). Let the lawn grow to about 5 inches in height, then let the lawn dry out for a day and then mow it that evening at the highest setting on your mower. (Usually this is about 3.5 niches - 4 inches).

(d). At this point, your Bluegrass/Clover yard will be well on its way. You can probably reduce the watering to once per week at this point until it's time to blow out the sprinkler system of the season. Once the grass stops growing as winter arrives, fertilize it again--- this is called a winterizer application. This is the most important feeding of the year and is the one feeding that will provide the most return on investment. The grass will absorb the nitrogen and use it for root development and energy storage. This fertilization will will pay dividends come the spring.

Maintenance:

Never bag the clippings when mowing. Never mow more than 1/3 of the total height (so you might need to mow 2 times per week in the spring). Never mow the lawn when it's dormant or drought stressed. Never mow the grass when the foliage is wet.

Always mow the lawn at the highest setting on your mower. Always feed the lawn in September with a balanced fertilizer (and another feeding in October is recommended). Always provide the lawn a winterizing feeding every late fall/winter after it stops growing.

Water the lawn deeply (1 inch) at least 1 time in late June, 2 times in July, 1 time in early August to help it survive; water it like that every week in the summer if you want it to thrive.

Bunny said: "Can you tell me what you think looking at the pictures.. especially the first two pictures. Is the grass dead?"

Just run a rake through it; if it's dead it'll come right out.

@dchall_san_antonio, @Joe BigBlue

I have posted pictures above that has green patches that you see, I believe that's crabgrass or Bermuda grass. I looked at the pictures on Google and found out what crabgrass looks like- in many places it was maturing and it had this seed. Some places it also has this little seed things at the top.

About the water calculation, even I am surprised by the water consumption of the sprinkler system we have. The size of the lawn is not much actually- may be around 5000 sq ft but once when we turned on the sprinkler system for like 3-4 times for 20 mins the water usage for that month was like 8000 gal. So I turned it off and never used it again- since then the water usage is about 3000 gal (with no water to the lawn). I am thinking I will just get a hose and one of that timer sprinkler and use that instead of using the irrigation system.

@owlnsr

Thank you, that's helpful. A few questions about the plan you suggest:

1. I have full sun in the front yard, will the blend you are suggesting is suitable for full sun?

2) How do you suggest I over-seed? Do I have to rent one of those over-seed equipment from Home Depot? Since there is dried/ dead/ dormant brown stuff on the ground (you can see in the pictures I have posted in my first post), how will seed make contact with the ground?

4) In some areas, I have dormant grass and then in the middle of it big yellow patches, of likely dead grass- how do I seed in these patches?

5) And lastly, if you look at the pictures I have posted, do you think it's dead grass- especially the first 2 pictures?

Thank you once again.

I see some crabgrass in the first 2 pictures, mostly pic 2 on the top.

Random Bunny,

Kentucky Bluegrass loves the sun, and the micro clover will, too. Kentucky Bluegrass will go dormant without water in the heat, but I think you will find that the clover will help that situation to some degree. Just know that if you see the KBG go dormant next summer, don't freak out because it should come back in the fall.

If you want to tips on overseeding, you can follow my thread. I outlined the steps that I took for my front yard overseeding.

I would definitely recommend that you use a core aerator to help expose the soil surface and provide a nice environment for the seeds to grow in.

Also, I do not recommend that you use a hose-end sprinkler. That is going to potentially cost you more money if you forget to turn it off. It will also require you to get out there and move it! You have an irrigation system---use it. You will want to take advantage of the programmable timer so that you can setup a light watering every day for the germination period.

The amount of water that your irrigation system is using (as you outlined above) cannot be correct. You may have a leak in your system or something... hard to say. I would call a irrigation company and ask them to come perform an inspection of your system.

@owlnsr

What ratio shall I use for KBG to Microclover? I read somewhere to use 95:5, so 95% KBG and 5% microclover. Does that make sense?

Also I do use a lawn care service that does 6 applications in the year. With KBG and microclover in the front yard- would these applications create any problem?

Thanks

IMHO, clover mixed into a lawn should only be used in very very low maintenance lawns. By that, I'm talking no or low fertilizing. No pesticides. Tolerance for other weeds. A lawn service that also does weed applications will surely wipe out the clover.

My experience with microclover is that it's not very micro. It looks like regular clover for the most part. Not worth the premium over regular clover.

Oh. So I am looking for a low maintenance lawn- but I assumed that, for it to be low maintenance for me, somebody else has to maintain it- hence I have a lawn service that does 6 applications a year. So do you mean I have to stop using them?

Also, I was hoping to only use clover-grass mix in the front yard- which is quite small compared to backyard...

6 applications? Is that fertilizer or does that include pesticide? Using a broadleaf herbicide is going to kill or injure the clover. What is the point in the clover if you do 4-6 fertilizer apps a year. And KBG is quite thirsty. Both will die in summer if not watered at least to some extent. For all you know, the dead parts of your lawn could be KBG and the only thing green is tall fescue or grassy weeds.

Micro Clover will help retain moisture in your lawn, if you are going for low maintenance. It will also provide an ongoing source of nitrogen for the soil. If you are going to use a lawn care company, then don't use microclover. A lawn care service will kill the Micro Clover when they treat for weeds. Basically, any type of lawn herbicide will kill it. (You will not be able to use "weed and feed" products, either. ) btw- if you are concerned about money, then I find it amazing that you would consider a lawn care company. If you are going to use a company, then you don't necessarily need to follow any advice here. Just do what they say.p because you are paying them.

If you do decide to try out microclover, I would seed the KBG first and wait until it has germinated and grown before seeding the Clover. The KBG will take a while 14-21 days to germinate, and then it will go through a period of "sprout and pout" before it starts to really grow. Once you see it really growing, seed the Micro Clover. If you seed the microclover at the same time, chances are that the KBG will have a harder time establishing.

Basically, your goal here will be to establish and maintain the KBG and Microclover. The long term plan is to let them spread around and crowd out the competition (other weeds). You would also control for other weeds using pre-emergents in the spring and fall. It won't be an overnight process... and it won't be a showcase lawn. But low maintenance lawns never are.

Is Kentucky bluegrass really the best option for drought tolerance? You seem to be very worried about water use. Maybe tall fescue would be worth trying although you may have to occasionally reseed. If you really want Kentucky bluegrass make sure your buying a new improved blend (midnight?) With improved drought tolerance.

I did the aeration with 2 passes and over-seeding last night and did water this morning for 45 min. I plan to water once a week for 45 min considering that temps are already around low- to- mid 70s. Hope this will be sufficient.

No.......don't water for 45 minutes at once......when you are trying to get seed to germinate you just want to keep the soil moderately moist, not drown it out.

Let's say you have 100 sq. ft. of lawn you over seeded; water that for maybe 10 minutes three times a day or so.....maybe less if it's staying moist, maybe more if it's hot and sunny and drying out. Do not let the seed dry out or it's dead.

Do that for at least 2 weeks until the grass is germinated.

Oh no- I overseeded entire lawn- the front which is abut 500 sq ft and back and sides which is about 4000 sq ft... the back and side lawn is in decent shape already, so seed may just go inside the holes- its the front where I have issues- I have posted pictures above. Are you saying that I need to water everything for 10 mins 2-3 times a day- front and back? or just the front?

Sorry I feel such a newbie- i hope i haven't killed the seed :-(

You haven't killed the seed. But the idea is to keep it perpetually moist until it grows. So, if you're using sprinklers it doesn't need 45 minutes at once.....maybe just 10 minutes is enough.

Most important is don't let it dry out....that's why you can't just water it once a week.

One very important thing I didn't see anyone else mention: in my area (MA), if you have an irrigation system, you can get the town to put in a second water meter specifically for the sprinklers and then they don't charge you for sewer for that meter. It's certainly worth a call to the town to find out if that's an option.

THAT IS an excellent point and suggestion!