Lawncare advice

[Olberding14]

My wife and I recently purchased a new house in Iowa. The lot size is roughly half an acre, so there is lots of grass that we have to work with. Unfortunately, it is in pretty rough shape. There are several different types of weeds growing all over the place. The most significant weed is crab grass and there are some dandelions and "creeping charlies" all over the place. We also have some mushrooms growing in various parts of the yard as well. I spent a few hours a couple weeks ago hand picking most of the weeds, and when we returned from a vacation a few days ago we are right back to where we started. We have a 16 month old baby girl who loves to play outside so I do not want to use an chemicals in our lawn and want to keep it organic. What would be some advice on where to begin with bringing this yard back to a more healthy, and less weedy, state?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Well be careful here because the fungi indicate not only healthy but also moisture. Destroy their hyphae roots and it gets drier fast becaise they are deep. What you have is the fragile but successful interelationships of more than several plants. So you need to examine that classic arguement of purebreed yard vs natural. So what is your real aim. Lay down on our virtual couch here and lets talk it out.

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Welcome to the forum @Olberding14

 

[Olberding14]

Well be careful here because the fungi indicate not only healthy but also moisture. Destroy their hyphae roots and it gets drier fast becaise they are deep. What you have is the fragile but successful interelationships of more than several plants. So you need to examine that classic arguement of purebreed yard vs natural. So what is your real aim. Lay down on our virtual couch here and lets talk it out.

Well be careful here because the fungi indicate not only healthy but also moisture. Destroy their hyphae roots and it gets drier fast becaise they are deep. What you have is the fragile but successful interelationships of more than several plants. So you need to examine that classic arguement of purebreed yard vs natural. So what is your real aim. Lay down on our virtual couch here and lets talk it out.

I appreciate the response. I guess I am wanting a natural lawn where I feel like I have control or manageable weeds. I understand that weeds are a natural thing, and that they are not a bad thing in a lawn but right now I feel like they are just taking over the lawn. I would like to figure out a way to naturally reduce the amount of them and/or control them for this year and what I can do in the fall to help prevent them for next year.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Spot spray planning is the answer. This allows you to target by grass. I use image and trimec. Because I have shade tall fescue and sun burmuda here in Alabama where onion and nutsedge like the sun and violets and other oversexxed broadleafs like the shade. Your weeds will vary.