Lawn Nightmare Help! I miss my apartment!!

[DirtMechanic]

Thank you for the kind words! Hopefully, by just killing all of the weeds and starting fresh with newly tilled top soil will get me on the right track. I could use any advice you guys could give me honestly.

No tilling. You would be served better by spraying 2 tablespoons of molasses per gallon of water (2 gallons for your 800sf is plenty) every 2 weeks until you choose a path. This carbon will feed the soil biota, which will shortly die, providing mad quantities of organic matter deeper into the soil than you could till anyway. if you want to miss a week, miss it early rather than later, as once per week would be a better, but higher effort approach.

 

[the lawnsman]

no lawn love in this thread. lol
I think a nice lawn done right accents a landscape, and done right need not be pricey or high maintenance.
to the OP, your seeding time in your zone is just about now-800 sq. ft. should be easily done, I'd even consider using a local lawn company to power seed.

a nice turf type tall fescue blend would work where you are.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I use Titan Rx as a high heat resistant tall fescue. It really works but I have to water deep at least bi-weekly in the summer. By that I mean run water 4 hours or more. But I have 2 water meters, and one is for agricultral irrigation only. I spread the Titan Rx and centipede seed out last week. The fescue is already up. I watered some this evening.

 

[the lawnsman]

here's the blend I've had great results with.
I think the OP could use this in his location/zone.
good stuff.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Hey guys- new to the forum.

My fiance and I just bought a house in early Spring, and have come to realize that the backyard is not so much a lawn, but a bed of weeds and vines- not an exaggeration. Quite literally, there is no grass. The entire back yard is made up of vines, weeds, and clovers all tightly knit together. At a distance, it looks green, which is good, but up close, you can tell it isn't grass at all- just weeds. This being my first home with my two dogs, I badly want to get a healthy lawn back there but I don't want to spend thousands of dollars with sod and landscaping.

I've looked up soil solarization as a starting point, but is that the best way to start? Just kill it all, and then seed grass seed in 8 weeks going into the fall?

I could really use help here- I'm not a green thumb (used to live in downtown Chicago...I'm not used to this crap.) I would love a step-by-step.

Sincerely appreciate your help- I'll even Venmo you some cash for the advice! I'm desperate! lol
-Pete

I would just cut it as low as you can and keep it short and most of the vine should die out. My back lawn is full of clover and I enjoy watching the bees and bunnies play in the clover. and if the dog digs in the lawn it won't hurt it.

 

[trail twister]

There are a lot of web sites that will give you ideas on a new lawn. Right now is the time to get started in on getting a beautiful back yard lawn.
Also clover isn't so bad for a lawn, stuff is tough and will quickly fill in a spot if a dog were to dig it up.

I would rent a tiller if you do not own one or plan on doing a veggie garden. till the stuff in the back yard after mowing the stuff short. That will put things in the soil to hold moisture as it breaks down. work the soill up soft and fluffy. Choose the seed you wish for the lawn ask local garden centers what is best for your area.
Apply the seed and lightly rake it into the soil use a roller (you can rent some hand rollers.) to pack the seed into the soil and then water.

If you wish you can cover with straw to help keep the soil MOIST till the seed gerinates. Fall is a great time to grow grass cooler temps take less moisture from the soil so is easier to keep it damp.

Now for some of the tricky stuff.
Get a soil test done, USDA offices normally do them free as do county extention offices.
You can also buy kits off the internet to test the soil your self.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=soil+test+kits&gclid=CjwKCAjw-7LrBRB6EiwAhh1yXyXdyAGwrZLqgy-nrflklSBYiH9UGOcR-hJ_EAaeWXHoX6HsmJll7RoC6WAQAvD_BwE&hvadid=174256569816&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9017024&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16727429872576233988&hvtargid=kwd-282195662&hydadcr=8430_9618919&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_7h47h7p0vg_e

Fertlizer can be tilled in as your getting rid of what is in the yard now. Just get what your soil test says is needed. No need for extra stuff the soil doesn't need.

Then once it growing lightly apply some before the winter snow arrives and once again in th espring after the snow is all gone.

I recommend not doing it again ever same with watering in the summer. Make the plants send their roots deep to find moisture and food for the healthest easy to maintain lawn.

6 Steps to Plant a New Lawn Successfully - Toro Yard Care Blog

Read more about the six steps to plant a new lawn successfully. For more expert advice from Toro on how to plant a great lawn, explore our other great instructional blogs.

yardcare.toro.com

Lawns will go dormant in the hot dry summer months. that is fine as once it cools and rains the grass will green up. so unless you want a putting golf course green type lawn let nature do its thing.

Also learn how to mow your new grass. Mow it long 3.5 to 4 inches, only mow 1/3 of it at a time and let the clippings go back into the soil. do not fall into that bagging the clippings and sending them off to a land fill crap.

Till your lawn gets established take the dogs to a dog park or a hiking trail.

Hope this helps you.

Al

 

[the lawnsman]

to the OP, we hand seeded this area last sept. with the seed I posted earlier.
top dressed lightly with peat moss, top soil, and a light starter fert., no straw required.
slight watering twice daily for moisture gave me a 4 day germination.
a year in now, and it's doing nicely.

this pic was about 2 weeks after seed.

 

[BereniceDoty]

I would love to hear more.

 

[The Zen Master]

no lawn love in this thread. lol
I think a nice lawn done right accents a landscape, and done right need not be pricey or high maintenance.
to the OP, your seeding time in your zone is just about now-800 sq. ft. should be easily done, I'd even consider using a local lawn company to power seed.

a nice turf type tall fescue blend would work where you are.

View attachment 57873

MAN do I wish I had that lawn!