Hey now Gary, let's not be too negative. Sod is probably not going to work out for you since it can be pricey, but not sure what units you are using when you say 20X30, feet or meters? If it's feet, then that's not too big, and the cost might be less than you think, especially if you do the labor of laying it. You need to call some sod farms to get a ballpark price, that's your job. If you decide to seed, then the dogs are going to have to stay off the area for at least 6 weeks, 8 would be better. Maybe split the yard with a temporary fence and do half now, the other half in late summer. Ideally the seed bed should be free of weeds, and graded. You can do this yourself, to a degree, but a professional with a box blade is going to do a much better job (this would also be the case if you sod). For seed, I would either go with a Kentucky bluegrass blend that uses traffic tolerant cultivars that do well in your area i.e. ones with longer growing seasons like Rush, Four Seasons, etc. The other option would be to use Poa Supina. This is a European grass found in the Alps that has a long growing season, spreads aggressively, tolerates shade, does very well in traffic, and in some instances does better if there is traffic. The seed is pricey (35 bucks a pound), and you will need 2-3 lbs per 1000 square feet. Which ever grass you choose, you will have to water in extended periods of no rain, and you will have to fertilize.

Hello everyone. How is everyone? I have been away from the garden web a long time. Been too busy this year to even think much about my yard. That being said...... I was getting a good chuckle as I read all the posts. You guys are just the greatest on earth and I appreciate you so much!!! But...... Dawn the stickers are not on MY property at all....they are miles and miles away out east of town on my niece's place.She has them in a ditch out by the road. She has been going NUTS over them all summer so as I was speaking on the phone with her last week I just posted the question. Her stickers are not the tiny seed like stick tights but the larger grass burr type. But not goat heads. And they do not make huge plants just small plants which grow profusely along the ground. I told her just what you are saying she should do....use pre-emergent and weed killers until they are gone. Now as to my mystery tree.....it has never produced any kind of "stickers" and when it blooms the blooms are a grape-like cluster of white blooms which hang from one stem....like grapes. That photo of stickers you posted Dawn, do look like some wild plants which tend to come up in our dirt pile out behind my DH's barn. But they are easily pulled up so don't pose much of a problem as long we don't allow any of the trash which comes up there to spread. After looking at the photo and knowing my mystery plant so well after all these years I am sorry to say but my mystery is not solved yet.....ugh.....hahaha. But I don't really mind....it is funny to have a weird plant with no identity and it just gets cut down to the ground each fall. He is still with us for now...but soon he will be gone again. I will miss it if one day it gives up and doesn't come back in the spring....it has been with us for so long. haha Thanks for all the good info...as I said you guys are just wonderful and I so appreciate you. Anyone plan to garden in this cool spell we are about to get? NOT ME! haha Thanks! G.M.

On the poison ivy, it's very easy to identify in the growing stage. You can see pictures on Google. All parts of the plant is poisonous as all times, so once you learn to identify the leaves, study the aerial roots and stems and avoid the plant during winter as well. It's very easy to get rid of. Cut any climbing vines and spray the rest with roundup. It will come back so let it get 2-3' ht and spray it again. Repeat this process until it is gone. If one comes in contact with it accidentally, a soapy shower will wash off the toxin. Be careful not to touch the dirty clothes again. I've been exposed and gone 20 or 25 minutes (I think) before washing it off and escaped injury. (It was awhile back so the sooner, the better.)

Setting aside the reconstruction into a cohesive plan, here's some demolition thoughts from my own experience. Yes, get a sharp shovel and grub out the grasses. They are not bad but they're nothing all that special and if you don't like where they are, just get rid of them. When removing any overgrown shrubbery, always have a plan for the bare soil: how are you going to ensure it doesn't return to weeds and look even worse. The pond -- does it have fish in it? If so, try posting on a local fb or social media page to give them away. Likewise, people might want the bridge and statuary and pond pump, if it is still there. Once all that is gone, drain the pond (siphon action works well). There will be a heavy-duty liner under there, rip it out entirely -- you need to get down to bare earth. As you demolish the perimeter, set the stacked stones and landscape blocks aside somewhere out of the way, you might be able to re-use them (and if you don't, give them away like you did the fish). The gravel you can push into the bottom of the pond before filling it with dirt. Both of these projects -- removing grasses and removing pond -- could be done over weekends this winter.