Need a lawn expert

[Ozarker]

For about the past 40 years of so I really didn't give a rats a$$ about grass. If it didn't grow, that was good because I didn't have to cut it. But I guess I'm changing my ways and now would like to have a nice looking lawn.

Here is a picture of half my front lawn. Ignore the dog. I couldn't get him to move and I was rapidly running out of sunlight. I have areas of grass and areas of something else that tries to pretend to be grass.

In the next post, I have a close up of the alleged grass.

 

[Ozarker]

Here is a close up of the alleged grass in my lawn. Don't know what it is but it certainly isn't grass.

I over seeded this year with Fescue but that seems to have had no effect at all.

So here is my question. Should I kill it all off this fall with something like Roundup and seed it before winter? Should I burn it off this fall and seed it before winter? Or is there something else I should do to get a good lawn next year?

 

[Chuck52]

Ozarker,

Looks like fine grass to me. I have lots of bare area around some new additions to try to get covered with something. I think most of my lawn that didn't get deleted is in some kind of fine fescue. I wouldn't recommend that, because even with a new mower and sharp blades, the fine stuff is hard to cut evenly. I was just looking at the MU horticulture pages, <A target="_blank" HREF=http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/index.htm>http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/index.htm</A> and read something about buffalo grass. Supposed to be drought tolerant and low growing.

Chuck

 

[Ozarker]

Like minds.........

I was looking at Buffalo Grass today as well but the only place I found it so far charges $40 for a 3lb bag to cover 1000 sq feet. That would be a pretty expensive lawn. I have about 50,000 sq feet of lawn, front and back.

 

[gobbler]

I've got that same weed in my lawn up here in NE Missouri and it's taking over. It seems that the hotter and drier it gets, the better it grows. I tried some 2-4D and it knocked it down but didn't eliminate it.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Ozark,

Try in two phases to see what works for you.. Like the back and then the front. Around here fall is a good time... Do the round up..... Scrath the surface real good with an areator or whatever (just drag it around so the top soil is loose) and plant some good quality seed mix.

I always used more seed than the normal person used because I feel that after all the prep work is done (which is the most time and labor consuming) the seeding is the easiest part.

I put down the seed and then spread some 12-12-12 and then roll it to push it into the soil or if a small yard just drag a streached out log chain by hand. The chain seems to get a little bit of soil over the seed...

Then pray for rain......

Or, less drastic......

You can try trimec... It kills broadleaf but not hurt the present grass. Just do it under 80 degrees and then scratch up the surface with an areator and re-seed....

Everyone has a different method. Mine works for me...... Tom

 

[Ozarker]

Is trimec a brand?

Earlier in the spring I put Ortho's Weed B Gone for broad leaf weeds and it seemed to do a little good on the broadleaf weeds but not those little weeds that I took a picture of. I over seeded after that but I guess the birds ate all my seed. It was certainly party time for the birds for a couple of days.

Perhaps part of the problem is that I didn't aerate or roll... but I haven't bought any of that equipment yet. Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and spend the money.

 

[dummy]

No expert here, but that weed looks an awful lot like what I call chickweed. The drier it gets, the better it grows. My nursery guy told me the only way I would eliminate it is to till the yard and start from scratch!! So, that's what I'm planning for this fall. Did you try lawnsite.com or emailing turfman?

 

[Ozarker]

That sounds like a lot of work.....................

No, I haven't e-mailed anyone or talked to anyone else. Figured I would start with the collective knowledge here first.

 

[Argee]

You need to plant something that will shade out what appears to be chickweed. You need to block its ability to get sun. It's very shade tolerant. Scratch up the surface and plant a crop of buckwheat (fast growing and will block the sun to the chickweed). When the buckwheat starts to flower, till it under and repeat. Once the second crop is in flower, till it under and plant your seed(a combination of a good perennial and a fast growing annual). Once you've planted the seed, roll it as to give it good ground contact. This of course will take you into next spring. Once you have established a new lawn in the spring, fertilize with Scotts weed and feed on a dewy morning so the granuals will stick to any broadleef weeds you have coming up. When the fertilizer kicks in, overseed with perennial seed for your region. This will give you a lawn that is thick and lush.

 

[Turfman]

I can't really tell from the photo, but it looks like a broad leaf weed. Some are very hard to get rid of, if you ever do. A fall application of a GOOD broad leaf weed killer should knock it down. The spring, and not as effective, window is over. I like to apply a fertilizer to the area in late fall, just shortly before frost, to get it growing well, and then hit it with the weed killer. The good thing about a broad leaf is that you can knock it out without killing the grasses. What is the lawn grass? I deal with mainly cool season grasses, fine fescue, rye and Kentucky blue, so if it's something else, I'll have to look it up.

Trimec is a common name for a three-part herbicide that is safe for lawns. Many formulations are available and contain 2,4-d, Dicamba and MPPC (unsure on the MPPC). Anyway, 2,4-D is not very effective on chickweed. But Dicamba is, watch were you apply Dicamba as it will get into the roots of trees and shrubs and kill them.

This link may help you ID the problem: http://scarab.msu.montana.edu/extension/weeds014.htm

The problem with many of these weeds is that they leave a seed bank in the soil, so this may be an on-going problem. If you are not over-seeding you can apply Dimension or Barricade early next year to prevent the seeds from sending up new weeds. Vigilance with the Trimec in the early spring, when they are actively growing, but still juvenile and again in the late fall, after the first frost, will help.

Let me know if I can help you further.

Turfman

 

[Ozarker]

Thanks. How far away from the trees should I be If I use Dicamba? I have a few news trees I planted over the past couple of years.

I'm in Missouri and the grass I do have is Fescue. Couldn't tell you if it is fine or cool season or whatever.