Dealing with half sod, half old grass new lawn
HU-555653410
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (13)
HU-555653410
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agodchall_san_antonio
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Seed v. Sod + types of lawn
Comments (5)I think the first thing you need to know is that dogs and nice lawns don't co-exist, so setting your expectations well will be the first step. Giving the situation you described, I would recommend sod instead of seed. For your area and application, a mix and blend of Turf-Type Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass will be best. The areas with heavy shade will favor the tall fescue, and the areas with full sun will favor both. However, due to the spreading aviliby of the kentucky Bluegrass, any damage caused by the dog or the weather should fill in within a growing season. You need to make sure your yard is leveled and free of stones/rocks, building materials hidding just under the top soil, etc... Before you lay the sod down. You going to need to fertilize and water your new sod the first summer/season. Being in Northen Virginia, you shouldn't have any problems finding Fescue/Bluegrass Sod. Down here in Raleigh, NC, 1 pallet (500 sf. approx.) of Fescue/Bluegrass sod runs for about $150 to $160. It shoud cost more or less the same up there. Anyway, congratulations on the purchase of your property and good luck with the project. Let me know if you have any other questions. Auteck...See MoreCare of a New Sod Lawn
Comments (1)It's time to really back off the watering. How much you need to water is largely dependent on the weather. The warmer and drier it is, the more water your grass will transpire, and the more you need to water. When it cools off, it will need less water to stay green. However, the only time that kind of breaks down is when, like in the fall, you want to boost your grass some for recovery from the summer - then even though, it's transpiring less, you will still water a fair amount. Go out and pull up on your sod. If it's rooted, it shouldn't be possible. I think you should probably work the lawn back to about an hour per week. Start by 1 hour per day, then every other day and so on. When you laid the sod, did you put starter fertilizer? If not, you should apply it right away. And yes, in November timeframe, (before snow, but as it's basically done growing) you will apply fertilizer....See MoreNew Half Round Terraced Planters Finially Done! -pics
Comments (21)As to the contruction of the planters, I bought those perracing pavers at Home Depot (both the larger and new smallewr sizes). They are made to be stacked for projects such as this. Each one has a lip edge that you slide in place over the next one. When the soil is backfilled, it keeps it all in place. You have to make sure you keep them level, especially critical on the first row. Plus you have to put a row inground or partially inground, depending on how high you are going. The roses were sitting here in pots so I wasted no time in planting them. That very first smallest planter has my MARGO KOSTER polyantha and the second has my WING DING polyantha with the tiny band of EYE PAINT in back of it. Those two polyanthas I bought locally. Then I had HAPPY CHAPPY, WILL-O-THE-WISP and CARPET OF COLOR, so I put all three in the last one. Too many for the size of the planter, will be needing to move the middle one (WILL-O-THE-WISP) probably. But I had them all dug up from the working and had to do something. To move roses, water, water, water the day before so that the root ball is moist and dig up. If its hot or the rose is very large, it will drop all its leaves (just keep on watering) but after awhile it will grow new ones....See MoreNew sod/lawn - help needed
Comments (3)There are several things to do. Here are the basics of lawn care as I have gleaned them from 18 years on lawn care forums: Watering Deep and infrequent is the mantra for watering. Deep means 1 inch all at one time. Place some cat food or tuna cans around the yard, and especially in the thin/dead spots. Turn on the sprinkler and time how long it takes to fill all the cans. If the cans in the thin spots never seem to fill while the other cans are overflowing, then you have a sprinkler coverage issue. Once you have that watering time memorized, that will be your watering time from now on. Frequency depends on the daily high air temperature more than any other factor (and there are a bunch). With temps in the 80s, you should be watering once every 2 weeks. Temps in the 70s - once every 3 weeks. Temps lower than 70 should be once every month unless you're frozen. Mowing Mow at the mower's highest setting, especially in warmer times of the year. Fertilizing Make your first application in late May. Second application in early September. I would strongly suggest using an organic fertilizer like soybean meal or alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow). Those come in 20 kilo bags at the feed store. Use them at a rate of 10 kilos per 100 square meters. The last application should be after the grass stops growing but before the frost hits. This last app should be a straight, fast acting nitrogen like uncoated urea. This is the winterizer and will help the grass to come out of winter dormancy next March/April. Weeds Deal with weeds by spot spraying with Weed-b-Gon in mid April and mid September if needed. For those few you have now, pick those out by hand before they become a problem. Spray herbicides go on as a leaf mist, not a soil drench. The lawn is bumpy because the soil was not prepared right. The surface should have been scraped off to take the high spots off and fill the low spots. If you rototilled first, then you have 3 full years of settling to wait out. It will get bumpier and bumpier until then. That's when you deal with the bumps and holes. For the dead spots, it would be best to use the same sod from the same supplier. The varieties of KBG seed are numerous. If you use one of the more modern ones and the contractor used something else, you'll have color variations. Having said that, if you want to improve the color of the lawn, say after living with it for a year, then consider getting some of the improved seed varieties, mix them, and scatter in September of 2020. They will take a year or more to really come in with the darker color of green, so you need some patience....See MoreHU-555653410
3 years agodchall_san_antonio
3 years agoUser
3 years agogardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years agoUser
3 years agodchall_san_antonio
3 years agoUser
3 years agoHU-555653410
3 years ago
Related Stories
TRADITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: Reviving a Half-Finished Farmhouse in New England
This 1790s foreclosure home was flooded and caved in, but the new homeowners stepped right up to the renovation
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESSmall Gem Lawns: More Impact From Less Grass
Instead of letting the lawn sprawl, make it a shapely design element in your yard. You’ll reap benefits both practical and aesthetic
Full StoryGARDENING 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 StoryLANDSCAPE 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 StoryGRASSESHow to Rock a Lawn
Weekend Project: The key to healthy grass begins with the soil. If turf works for you, here’s how to fix it and keep it looking its best
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGN7 Low-Maintenance Lawn Alternatives
Turf isn't the only ground cover in town. Get a lush no-grass lawn with clover, moss and other easy-care plants
Full StoryMOST 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 StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGYour Yard: Are You Ready to Lose the Lawn?
Save time and water with good-looking alternatives to turf grass
Full StoryEARTH DAYThe Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn
Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDES8 Sustainable, Organic Practices for Greener Lawn Care
Ditch the pesticides and fertilizers and adopt eco-friendly practices that will keep your lawn lush and healthy
Full StoryColumbus Area's Luxury Design Build Firm | 17x Best of Houzz Winner!
User