My Yard is Pathetic

[snpower]

Looking for advice/ideas here. I live in central virginia; in my neighborhood the soil isn't great and pretty rocky. On top of that, lots of trees although many are on the border of the yard.

Basically, the front yard seems about shot. It wasn't great when I moved in 5 years ago and it's worse now despite the fact that for two years I paid for a lawn service to aerate, fertilize, etc. I've hit it with lime every spring myself.

This fall, I was planning on a core aeration, followed by a heavy overseed of a fescue and Kentucky 31 mix. My concern is that I've never done this before and I don't know if new grass will grow with all of the clover (see picture) in the yard. Do I need to kill the clover off first? Would it be best to maybe add a layer of compost on top once the overseeding is done? What else can I possibly do, short of paying $$$...

 

[hosspuller]

you haven't mentioned a soil test. Without a soil test you're just throwing money on the ground. The soil test will tell you what the ground is lacking to support the grass.

2,4 D is deadly to clover but the clover adds N2 to the ground.

 

[om21braz]

you haven't mentioned a soil test. Without a soil test you're just throwing money on the ground. The soil test will tell you what the ground is lacking to support the grass.

+1 That is your best first step to a better yard.

 

[snpower]

Ph 7
nitro low
Phosphorous low
Potassium medium/high

Used a test kit from Lowe's; thanks.

 

[Western]

You need to get a soil sample done by your local or state Agriculture dept, usually less than $20. On the paper work they'll ask you what you want to plant, test your soil and make recommendations for fertilizer requirements.

There are other places to get a sample tested too. The instructions are pretty clear and you need o follow them, so you get good results. I usually dig up several areas with a post hole digger, take out the grass, dirt anything that isn't dirt, then mix it all in a clean 5 gal bucket and take your sample from that.

Check this site out.
http://www.pecva.org/anx/index.cfm/...-in-Support-of-Nutrient-Management-Plan-WP-4D

 

[Fixemall]

I would run a dethatcher set low to rip it up, followed by a core aerator or slit seeder, next over seed and apply seed starter and water. Top dress and Refertilize in spring and you should be good. I have grown lawns in some poor conditions using the above method.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Looking for advice/ideas here. I live in central virginia

snpower,

I live just North of Ladysmith (between Fredburg and Richmond). Howdy Neighbor.

My yard is field grass and it has never been watered or pampered. I did use some scotts turnbuilder with weed control to knock down the dandelions (marginally effective).

Shockingly, this yard is FAR SUPERIOR to the lawn at my big house in the city I just got tenants for. My fancy city house yard has had all the treatments and it still dies out to nothing but weeds every summer.

My advice is to plant native field grasses (I know I sould smart alecky, but I'm just looking at my results).

I also own 2 acres of grass near Lake Anna that I have rented out, and the field grass there has never died out and needs mowing all summer and grows well into November.

Just my 2 cents.

Be well, Happy Tractoring.
David

 

[Egon]

I would run a dethatcher set low to rip it up, followed by a core aerator or slit seeder, next over seed and apply seed starter and water. Top dress and Refertilize in spring and you should be good. I have grown lawns in some poor conditions using the above method.

That sounds like a plan.:thumbsup::thumbsup:


Note: If there are trees bordering the lawn depending on their species it may make it difficult to get the lawn you wish.

 

[tmajor]

snpower,
My advice is to plant native field grasses

I sometimes feel the same.
When I was a kid, if wanted to reseed, we went to the barn floor and gathered a bucket of seeds from the hay and threw them on the ground. That lawn is still decent.

My front lawn, which I totally re-did a few years ago, is now covered in ground ivy (creeping charlie), crab grass, etc. It's had soil tests, fertilizer, lime, pre-emergents, etc..

My daughter's lawn has been another ongoing project, with few results. In her case, I believe the top soil, which was brought in, was a lot of clay, too thin and bunches of rock underneath. Even though her lawn has had treatments, more seed, etc., I'd guess 1/2 of it is now, crab grass.

Hay seed is cheap! Lawn seed isn't.

 

[MMagis]

Are you sure that’s clover? It doesn’t look like any clover I’m familiar with. To get decent grass, whatever it is has to go. It looks like it’s taking over. 2,4D should take care of it. I’d do that while waiting for the soil test results.