My lawn is a mess. Help me!

[Anonymous]

With a toddler at home, we have really let the small yard we have go. Now that she's mobile and wants to be outside non stop I'm hating out yard. So many weeds, empty spots, and weird things growing. I want a lush yard!! It's shady in the back, can I still have a nice yard? Should I hire someone? What's thr DIY like for lawn renovation?

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Anonymous]

How nice do you want it and how quickly do you need it? Sounds like you're in a tough spot this spring/summer for a renovation (ie, working with what you've got). You can maybe get some gras going in the bare spots but weeds have probably already germinated and will be an issue this summer. If you dethatch, rake in topsoil, overseed and water diligently, you will probably have a modestly full, but weedy yard by June.

Alternatively, you can kill it all ASAP. Rake it out. Later on an inch or two of topsoil and then roll out new sod. That will get you a nice lush yard, but obviously it's more costly. However if your yard is small enough it may not be that bad ... a weekend of hard work and a couple hundred bucks (for a townhouse size yard).

"Renovating" an existing yard is a multi year process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: If you dethatch, rake in topsoil, overseed and water diligently, you will probably have a modestly full, but weedy yard by June.

I've done this and been pleased. Two months after reseeding, I start fertilizing. I have some friends who use corn meal fertilizer and soybean meal fertilizer, but I confess that I use nasty toxic Scott's brand fertilizer though I try to use as little as possible.

[Anonymous]

If you want to consider sod, Homewyse has a zip-code based calculator that provides an estimate range. See http://www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_sod.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If you dethatch, rake in topsoil, overseed and water diligently, you will probably have a modestly full, but weedy yard by June.

I've done this and been pleased. Two months after reseeding, I start fertilizing. I have some friends who use corn meal fertilizer and soybean meal fertilizer, but I confess that I use nasty toxic Scott's brand fertilizer though I try to use as little as possible.

When you fertilize in the spring/summer, are you helping the weeds as much as the grass though?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: If you dethatch, rake in topsoil, overseed and water diligently, you will probably have a modestly full, but weedy yard by June.

I've done this and been pleased. Two months after reseeding, I start fertilizing. I have some friends who use corn meal fertilizer and soybean meal fertilizer, but I confess that I use nasty toxic Scott's brand fertilizer though I try to use as little as possible.

When you fertilize in the spring/summer, are you helping the weeds as much as the grass though?

Yes. But you have to use something. Use a "slow release fertilizer" it will say this on the bag. Keep the area MOIST. NOT SOAKED. NO PUDDLES. People who seed and then leave the sprinkler on full blast, flooding the area? Stop it. The key thing is that the seed must NEVER dry out before it germinates. Sprinkle a fine coating of top soil and straw over the area to hold in moisture. But keep it MOIST, not flooded. Set the hose on SPRAY. You will have to come outside several times during any ho sunny days to keep it MOIST. Once you see it sprouting, continue keeping the area MOIST. This process takes between 2-3 weeks. You can do it, sheeple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How nice do you want it and how quickly do you need it? Sounds like you're in a tough spot this spring/summer for a renovation (ie, working with what you've got). You can maybe get some gras going in the bare spots but weeds have probably already germinated and will be an issue this summer. If you dethatch, rake in topsoil, overseed and water diligently, you will probably have a modestly full, but weedy yard by June.

Alternatively, you can kill it all ASAP. Rake it out. Later on an inch or two of topsoil and then roll out new sod. That will get you a nice lush yard, but obviously it's more costly. However if your yard is small enough it may not be that bad ... a weekend of hard work and a couple hundred bucks (for a townhouse size yard).

"Renovating" an existing yard is a multi year process.

We're in year 9 and this is the FIRST year I front and back yard look like a magnificent green carpet. We are DIY people, refusing to hire a lawn service as all our neighbors do. We have very few weeds and absolutely no crab grass!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How nice do you want it and how quickly do you need it? Sounds like you're in a tough spot this spring/summer for a renovation (ie, working with what you've got). You can maybe get some gras going in the bare spots but weeds have probably already germinated and will be an issue this summer. If you dethatch, rake in topsoil, overseed and water diligently, you will probably have a modestly full, but weedy yard by June.

Alternatively, you can kill it all ASAP. Rake it out. Later on an inch or two of topsoil and then roll out new sod. That will get you a nice lush yard, but obviously it's more costly. However if your yard is small enough it may not be that bad ... a weekend of hard work and a couple hundred bucks (for a townhouse size yard).

"Renovating" an existing yard is a multi year process.

We're in year 9 and this is the FIRST year I front and back yard look like a magnificent green carpet. We are DIY people, refusing to hire a lawn service as all our neighbors do. We have very few weeds and absolutely no crab grass!!!

Can you share what you did?

[Anonymous]

Please share the secret to your success PP!

[Anonymous]

The empty spots and weeds are most likely caused by bunnies. They eat dandilions and thoughtfully plant it in your hard via their poop! You need to fence in your yard and/or figure out a way to chase those varmints out. Cats work wonders, but I realize some would scoff at that. Also, when you mow, bag your clippings so as not to spread the dandelion seed everywhere. Fertilize, etc.

[Anonymous]

^^yard, not hard, lol

[Anonymous]

No bunnies in my yard. I've got fox, deer, raccoon, and possum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please share the secret to your success PP!

Do you spray to keep weeds out? I have a few dandelions and i am thinking of combo spading and spot spraying. Will it work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please share the secret to your success PP!

Do you spray to keep weeds out? I have a few dandelions and i am thinking of combo spading and spot spraying. Will it work?

Np, after 8 years my front yard looks really good. I neglected the front yard for the first 6 years. All I did was core aerate, add lime the past 2 years overseed with Lesco starter fertilizer early spring and fall, use Scott's preventive weed fertilizer by early April and fertilize again Memorial Day weekend and winterized in November.