Need a Lawn Care Guru..
Elan Ram
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (18)
Related Discussions
Lawn care regimen is in need of some guidance
Comments (2)As long as those soil samples have been kept dry they should be okay. Contact your local office of the University of Missouri Cooperative Extension Service and they can advise you better. I think you will find the UMCES people of more help than a commercial lab. When mowing, if the grass clippings tend to clump you are trying to mow too fast, especially if you are mulch mowing, and/or cutting too much grass at one time. Cut more often, if possible, and maybe raise the mower deck and cut less grass off. Some simple soil test you can do that may be of some help. 1) Soil test for organic material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter can be bad as well. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. kimmq is kimmsr...See MoreNeed help with my lawn care!
Comments (3)The best way is to slice seed the lawn. Good news is you can start from scratch. I would aerate, over-seed or slice seed, apply some compost, and spray some liquid fertilizer like Neptune's Harvest. Cover the area with straw (not too much, enought to cover the exposed soil) so it can retain moisture, and wait for the grass to grow. Water daily so the top soil is moist, and when the grass seed germinates water daily. Mow when the grass reaches at least 4" tall. That will be probably the end of May. Good luck...See MoreHELP NEEDED: Lawn Care Plan for 2016
Comments (2)Yikes! Hope you're ready for this, but most of that is going to give you poor results and/or spend money you don't need to spend. Assuming you have 8,000 square feet of yard, you'll need an 18-wheeler to deliver 24 cubic yards of soil for each soil event. I assume you don't think your soil is any good so you're going to add your own. There are many problems with adding more soil, and normally it isn't needed. What you need is a good soil test ($25 at Logan Labs - best soil test in the country) and very likely at least a minimal organic fertilizer treatment. One reason you're not happy with the soil is a lack of microbial population. Adding organic fertilizer like soybean meal, alfalfa pellets (rabbit chow), Milorganite, corn meal, or corn gluten meal will be the fastest way to restore the soil to health. Instead of aerating to soften the soil, spray it with any clear shampoo (like baby shampoo) at a rate of 3 ounces per 1,000 square feet. Shampoo is a surfactant that allows moisture to flow down much deeper which has numerous beneficial effects. The result of that is much softer soil when it is moist. One treatment can last for years. I sprayed mine in 2012 and it still feels soft after a rain. When you want to fertilize, use a fertilizer. When you want to kill weeds, spot spray with something like Weed b Gon or Weed b Gon Chickweed, Clover, and Oxalis killer. The mixed weed n feed products don't do either one of them very well. July is really a bad time to stress the grass with heat, fertilizer, and an herbicide. Spring time is almost the worst time of year to seed new grass. The reason is that crabgrass seed is germinating in the spring. Second reason is that spring seeded grass does not have time to develop heat resistant roots by summer. The result is a yard full of crabgrass by the end of July. It is much better to tolerate the weeds until late August (for Indianapolis) and then seed. Also seeding into deep holes is a waste of seed. Mother Nature seeds grass on the surface of the soil and presses it down with animal activity. My back yard is a perfect example. The yard inside the fence with two dogs is knee high with grasses and other weeds. Outside the fence, the grass is barely an inch high. Animal activity at the surface is what stimulates new seed. Why do you think you need to dethatch once or twice? Most people never dethatch unless they are over watering and fertilizing lightly every week. Despite what you see on the TV commercials, grass is on autopilot until late May. Then you can fertilize. If you want to use a preemergent herbicide to control crabgrass and other summer weeds, do that as soon as you see forsythia blooming in your neighborhood. Mulch mow your weeds at the mower's highest setting until late July. Then start prepping the garden for new grass. The process is a little more complicated than you are planning. It involves spraying Round Up, twice, to get rid of weed seeds. Then seed, roll it down, and water. We can help you with every step. Thanks for writing in early and not waiting until May after you had already done some of the steps you proposed. It think you'll be less frustrated if you have some patience to wait until August for a renovation....See MoreLawn care assistance needed ?
Comments (0)Hello Everyone - I'm hoping someone can provide some suggestions or advice about lawn care. I'm on Long Island (zone 7) and as we start spring, my front lawn is complete mess. I have broadleaf weeds and a ton of onion grass. I have been physically pulling the onion grass by hand and have a lot of divots. It's in desperate need of spot seeding. I have also sprayed the Broadleaf weeds with a Bayer product, but nothing has happened yet, I'm not even sure that stuff is effective. My question - I need to put down my crab grass per-emergence, I use Lebanon ProScape 16-0-8 w/Barricade, but once I do this, I don't think I can seed for at least six weeks. What's the proper thing to do ?? I'm really curious what the professionals do in this situation? Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thank you....See MoreElan Ram
2 years agogirlnamedgalez8a
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoElan Ram
2 years agoElan Ram
2 years agoElan Ram
2 years agoElan Ram
2 years agoElan Ram
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoElan Ram
2 years agoElan Ram
2 years ago
Related Stories
GARDENING 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 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 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 StoryLANDSCAPE 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 StoryGARDENING GUIDESHow to Take Care of Your Newly Planted Garden
Set up new gardens for success in the critical first year after planting with expert tips from landscape pros on Houzz
Full StoryHOUSEKEEPINGDecluttering Guru: What to Do With 8 Harder-to-Donate Items
These items need not end up in the trash. Here’s where to take or sell your unwanted stuff
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 StoryBEFORE AND AFTERSSee 6 Yards Transformed by Losing Their Lawns
Wondering whether a turf lawn is the best use of your outdoor space? These homeowners did, and they found creative alternatives
Full StoryGREAT HOME PROJECTSHow to Replace Your Lawn With a Garden
New project for a new year: Lose the turfgrass for energy savings, wildlife friendliness and lower maintenance
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNCalifornia Says Goodbye to the Sprawling Ornamental Lawn
New state rules will effectively limit turfgrass to 25 percent of the landscape in most new and renovated yards
Full Story
nel5397