How to "fix" my yard

[JD4610]

How to \"fix\" my yard

Four years ago when we built our house, I put in a driveway base which was made of 1-3" crushed limestone. Two years ago, for various reasons, we relocated the driveway to a slightly different location.

After that was done, we plowed and replanted the area with a rye/bluegrass/fescue mix. The area that was planted included not only the former driveway area, but also about another 1.5 acres of the surrounding yard. The seed took well and grew fine the rest of the season.

Last year, some areas where the old driveway was didn't seem to do very well and by the end of the year some small patches had pretty much died off. This year, the outline of the old drive is clearly visible due to the dead and dying grass while the surrounding area looks great.

I can only guess that the limestone had leached into the ground and despite the careful removal of all of the stone, the soil is still affected.

My question is, does this seem plausible given the relatively short time (approx. 2 yrs.) the limestone was in the old location?

If so, what do I have to do to counteract the effects of the limestone to make it suitable for growing grass again?

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Jay

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: How to \"fix\" my yard

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Four years ago when we built our house, I put in a driveway base which was made of 1-3" crushed limestone. Two years ago, for various reasons, we relocated the driveway to a slightly different location.

After that was done, we plowed and replanted the area with a rye/bluegrass/fescue mix. The area that was planted included not only the former driveway area, but also about another 1.5 acres of the surrounding yard. The seed took well and grew fine the rest of the season.

Last year, some areas where the old driveway was didn't seem to do very well and by the end of the year some small patches had pretty much died off. This year, the outline of the old drive is clearly visible due to the dead and dying grass while the surrounding area looks great.

I can only guess that the limestone had leached into the ground and despite the careful removal of all of the stone, the soil is still affected.

My question is, does this seem plausible given the relatively short time (approx. 2 yrs.) the limestone was in the old location?

If so, what do I have to do to counteract the effects of the limestone to make it suitable for growing grass again?

Thanks for any help you can offer,

Jay )</font>

I doubt seriously that the lime(stone) "leaching into the soil" is the actual cause/effect here. Test soil PH where the drive was. The only effect lime(stone) would have is to raise the soil ph level. Unless it raised it dramatically, there is PROBABLY another explaination.

Around here, we NEED lime in our soils.

I would look at possible "soil compaction" as a cause of your problem. Digging out for the drive, then taking the drive out, and re-installing dirt for a lawn, you (or who ever did it) might possibly have compacted the soil/sub-soil base to create a totally different soil structure than what surrounds the area.

Also, did you remove all the rock?

 

[JD4610]

Re: How to \"fix\" my yard

Yes, we removed all of the rock, even going so far as to hand pick quite a bit of it.

When I moved the drive over, I excavated down about 8-10 inches to remove the topsoil and make the finished drive surface at the level I wanted it. I then used that topsoil to fill in the old drive, which I had also excavated the same amount. I then plowed (moldboard) and disced the front and side yard and planted all of the seed at the same time. I would think that doing this would make at least the top 8 inches or so of soil relatively consistent over the area. The drive was only moved over about 30 feet and the entire area had been farmed for the better part of 100 years, so I would think that the soil would be fairly consistent, at least in the immediate area.

Could it be that the truck traffic during construction would have compacted the soil at a deep level and the grass is somehow now affected?

I'm definitely still learning and obviously not a farmer, but I do know that compaction is not a good thing. But, how close to the surface does the compaction have to be before it affects a "crop" like grass?

As far as a PH tester, I don't have one but will pick one up this weekend. I sent some soil samples out for testing for another part of the property but haven't gotten the results back yet. I can understand that things may not grow well if the soil is "off," but I'm just not understanding what is causing this problem in one particular area.

Thanks again for the help.

Jay

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

Re: How to \"fix\" my yard

After making my original reply, I started to think in the same general direction you obviously went..... Soil compaction from trucks/cars on the old driveway.... That'll do it!

After I graduated (Purdue Univ.) from AG school, I started "mapping" compaction on dads farm. (I HAD to show him where his $$$$$$$$ went) We were still doing conventional "tillage farming" then. (A few years later, we went to no-till) We chisel plowed everything, yet there were "tracks" left deep in the soil structure from the heavy tractors, combines, fertilizer spreaders, ect... Using aerial photo's, we could see patterns in the field where we had (over MANY years) driven during tillage, planting, and harvesting crops. All that when we were using (on a yearly basis) all the modern farm equipment designed to ELIMINATE compaction.

Soil structure is a "living, breathing thing". Once disturbed, it can take nature YEARS to return it to anything like its former condition.

I would lean heavily towards your problem being one of sub-soil compaction....

But what do I know............. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JD4610]

Re: How to \"fix\" my yard

I really can't see how it could be much else at this point. The grass is doing fine everywhere else.

I'll try to find a ripper that is small enough for my tractor and give it a try. The worst that could happen is that I'll tear up my dead grass. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Thanks again for the advice, it's much appreciated.

Jay