Remodeling my Lawn

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Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:43 pm

So my yard is full of small divets and bumps, along with various weeds. I know I could probably just roll/tamp it for a couple days and it would go smooth, but I'd still be stuck with the weeds. Instead I'm going to tear up my old sod and bring in top soil, roll, reseed with only the best grass for my climate. I want my feet to feel like they are getting laid every time I walk through my yard.


So the question is, what type of grass should I plant, how do I keep the weeds away and what kind of lawnmower should I get to keeping looking perfect?
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Bad17 » Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:45 pm

How big is your yard
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby jarbo03 » Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:54 pm

I'd spray it with roundup once a week for 2 or 3 weeks, thwn verticut to smooth and loosen soil. Rest a couple weeks, verticut and seed, keep as wet as possible without water puddling.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby BrewGUN » Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:57 pm

Interesting, I was just about to post about restarting my lawn. Im sorta in the same boat. We are in the process of filling in the really deep ditch by our road in the front yard. Like 8-9 dump truck loads of fill. My yard is tore up from the truck and mini excavator, so i wanna redo it since its half weeds anyways.

What kind/brand is good for fresh starts, fast growth and good looks. Mostly sandy, area has sun in the morning, shade in afternoon.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:06 pm

BrewGUN wrote:Interesting, I was just about to post about restarting my lawn. Im sorta in the same boat. We are in the process of filling in the really deep ditch by our road in the front yard. Like 8-9 dump truck loads of fill. My yard is tore up from the truck and mini excavator, so i wanna redo it since its half weeds anyways.

What kind/brand is good for fresh starts, fast growth and good looks. Mostly sandy, area has sun in the morning, shade in afternoon.


You will need the same type as me as far as climate goes. I am half thinking of going with turf but I haven't found the "sex for my feet" blend yet.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, "If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven." Such is the rule of honor.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby BrewGUN » Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:12 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:
BrewGUN wrote:Interesting, I was just about to post about restarting my lawn. Im sorta in the same boat. We are in the process of filling in the really deep ditch by our road in the front yard. Like 8-9 dump truck loads of fill. My yard is tore up from the truck and mini excavator, so i wanna redo it since its half weeds anyways.

What kind/brand is good for fresh starts, fast growth and good looks. Mostly sandy, area has sun in the morning, shade in afternoon.


You will need the same type as me as far as climate goes. I am half thinking of going with turf but I haven't found the "sex for my feet" blend yet.

I forgot to mention, my the whole front lawn will get the rototill treatment, fertilizer and smooth raking. Im looking at going two ways, lot of the regular hardware special seed (saw some this weekend that looked really good) or a blend of these two:
http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Green-Fa ... 0MRN5ZXWHM
http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Green-10 ... roduct_top
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby jarbo03 » Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:23 pm

Amoubt of traffic can make a big difference also. For high teaffic I like a tall turf fescue. Lower traffic I like some of the ryes, sun and shade I like creeping red fescue.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:26 pm

jarbo03 wrote:Amoubt of traffic can make a big difference also. For high teaffic I like a tall turf fescue. Lower traffic I like some of the ryes, sun and shade I like creeping red fescue.


Fescue is probably the best grass in the world, if not universe. Biggest problem may be climate. Its also going to have to stand up to both poop and urine from the dogs.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby assateague » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:40 pm

I like my grass as dead as possible. Green grass means frequent mowing.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby RonE » Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:02 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:So my yard is full of small divets and bumps, along with various weeds. I know I could probably just roll/tamp it for a couple days and it would go smooth, but I'd still be stuck with the weeds. Instead I'm going to tear up my old sod and bring in top soil, roll, reseed with only the best grass for my climate. I want my feet to feel like they are getting laid every time I walk through my yard.


So the question is, what type of grass should I plant, how do I keep the weeds away and what kind of lawnmower should I get to keeping looking perfect?


For the best advice about your area, go to the local Agricultural Extension Office. They are usually run by the State University and are very helpful. If your state has a master gardener program, often they will come out to your house to give you advice. The extension office should have printed information as to grass type, shade or no shade, amount of care and amount of water for different varieties. All of these services are free.

Our extension office will test your soil for free (takes about 10 days) and tell you how much water to use and how to monitor the water using cat food or tuna fish cans if you have a sprinkler system.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 5:55 am

assateague wrote:I like my grass as dead as possible. Green grass means frequent mowing.

Hell yeah. My yard is fried crispy and I haven't had to cut it for two weeks. Dealing with grass is the last thing I wana do when I get off work.
Eric and brew, just go out there and roast your yards with some roundup. If you want to lightly grade it then obviously wait til the grass dies and then spray it with roundup again bc you're gona open the ground back up for weeds. Seed it in fescue idk what your temps are like but if its kinda got wait til it cools down a little. Then next spring you may have to do some additional seeding did to winter kill. I'd definitely go with fescue. We can grow it down here but in the summer the heat and disease get to it. Keeping cool season turf grass alive through the summer in the south is pricey. literally costs over 100k a year to keep up 20 creeping bent-grass greens.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 5:57 am

Oh and don't buy any of that fancy Home Depot extended control roundup bc it will probably kill your grass seed. Just go to the local Ag store and get some regular old glyphosate.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 6:37 am

FlintRiverFowler wrote:
assateague wrote:I like my grass as dead as possible. Green grass means frequent mowing.

Hell yeah. My yard is fried crispy and I haven't had to cut it for two weeks. Dealing with grass is the last thing I wana do when I get off work.
Eric and brew, just go out there and roast your yards with some roundup. If you want to lightly grade it then obviously wait til the grass dies and then spray it with roundup again bc you're gona open the ground back up for weeds. Seed it in fescue idk what your temps are like but if its kinda got wait til it cools down a little. Then next spring you may have to do some additional seeding did to winter kill. I'd definitely go with fescue. We can grow it down here but in the summer the heat and disease get to it. Keeping cool season turf grass alive through the summer in the south is pricey. literally costs over 100k a year to keep up 20 creeping bent-grass greens.


What's the best water composition to water new grass? We have filtered water loaded with flouride from the local filtration plant.

How do I keep the weeds out once I replant?
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, "If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven." Such is the rule of honor.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 6:43 am

Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:
assateague wrote:I like my grass as dead as possible. Green grass means frequent mowing.

Hell yeah. My yard is fried crispy and I haven't had to cut it for two weeks. Dealing with grass is the last thing I wana do when I get off work.
Eric and brew, just go out there and roast your yards with some roundup. If you want to lightly grade it then obviously wait til the grass dies and then spray it with roundup again bc you're gona open the ground back up for weeds. Seed it in fescue idk what your temps are like but if its kinda got wait til it cools down a little. Then next spring you may have to do some additional seeding did to winter kill. I'd definitely go with fescue. We can grow it down here but in the summer the heat and disease get to it. Keeping cool season turf grass alive through the summer in the south is pricey. literally costs over 100k a year to keep up 20 creeping bent-grass greens.


What's the best water composition to water new grass? We have filtered water loaded with flouride from the local filtration plant.

How do I keep the weeds out once I replant?

The fluoride is fine. The neighborhood that my golf course is in has its own water treatment plant and that's where our irrigation water comes from. Tons of fluoride in that water.
Best way to keep weeds out is to be preventative. Find yourself a good pre-emerge to put down in the spring. But I would only do that after the grass has established if you have to do some re-seeding after the winter.
What are your current temps? Day and night. You might be able to go ahead with it now if its cool enough. I know you won't have much of a grow in period after August. Down here we can plant fescue in September/October and have a full stand grown in by the time it gets too cold to grow it.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:43 am

Just talked to my local ag store owner. He told me to go with a grass called zoysia. He said it will die off in the early fall and wont grow back until late spring, but for 2 months I will have beautiful grass. He told me 2 bags would be enough and gave me a deal. Only $126 a bag so it was a steal.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 11:57 am

Eric Haynes wrote:Just talked to my local ag store owner. He told me to go with a grass called zoysia. He said it will die off in the early fall and wont grow back until late spring, but for 2 months I will have beautiful grass. He told me 2 bags would be enough and gave me a deal. Only $126 a bag so it was a steal.

Gonna be a battle getting that to establish from seed this late in the summer.... Listen to the guy at the Ag store or the guy with two degrees and ten years experience in turf grass.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:01 pm

FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:Just talked to my local ag store owner. He told me to go with a grass called zoysia. He said it will die off in the early fall and wont grow back until late spring, but for 2 months I will have beautiful grass. He told me 2 bags would be enough and gave me a deal. Only $126 a bag so it was a steal.

Gonna be a battle getting that to establish from seed this late in the summer.... Listen to the guy at the Ag store or the guy with two degrees and ten years experience in turf grass.


Just figured he would know since it's the local area and he worked in Lowe's Lawn and Garden section for 8 years. I got a couple cases of the liquid Miracle Grow for my hose and a few boxes of the plant food spikes. He told me those work excellent too.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, "If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven." Such is the rule of honor.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:13 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:Just talked to my local ag store owner. He told me to go with a grass called zoysia. He said it will die off in the early fall and wont grow back until late spring, but for 2 months I will have beautiful grass. He told me 2 bags would be enough and gave me a deal. Only $126 a bag so it was a steal.

Gonna be a battle getting that to establish from seed this late in the summer.... Listen to the guy at the Ag store or the guy with two degrees and ten years experience in turf grass.


Just figured he would know since it's the local area and he worked in Lowe's Lawn and Garden section for 8 years. I got a couple cases of the liquid Miracle Grow for my hose and a few boxes of the plant food spikes. He told me those work excellent too.

If you really want zoysia I recommend sod. And some basic 10-10-10.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:15 pm

FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:Just talked to my local ag store owner. He told me to go with a grass called zoysia. He said it will die off in the early fall and wont grow back until late spring, but for 2 months I will have beautiful grass. He told me 2 bags would be enough and gave me a deal. Only $126 a bag so it was a steal.

Gonna be a battle getting that to establish from seed this late in the summer.... Listen to the guy at the Ag store or the guy with two degrees and ten years experience in turf grass.


Just figured he would know since it's the local area and he worked in Lowe's Lawn and Garden section for 8 years. I got a couple cases of the liquid Miracle Grow for my hose and a few boxes of the plant food spikes. He told me those work excellent too.

If you really want zoysia I recommend sod. And some basic 10-10-10.


Is 10-10-10 like the same thing as the 777 i put on my garden?
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, "If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven." Such is the rule of honor.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:16 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:Just talked to my local ag store owner. He told me to go with a grass called zoysia. He said it will die off in the early fall and wont grow back until late spring, but for 2 months I will have beautiful grass. He told me 2 bags would be enough and gave me a deal. Only $126 a bag so it was a steal.

Gonna be a battle getting that to establish from seed this late in the summer.... Listen to the guy at the Ag store or the guy with two degrees and ten years experience in turf grass.


Just figured he would know since it's the local area and he worked in Lowe's Lawn and Garden section for 8 years. I got a couple cases of the liquid Miracle Grow for my hose and a few boxes of the plant food spikes. He told me those work excellent too.

If you really want zoysia I recommend sod. And some basic 10-10-10.


Is 10-10-10 like the same thing as the 777 i put on my garden?

7-7-7 sounds like an organic fertilizer .
I've never used a plant food spike in turf grass. Broadcast application is the only way to fertilize a turf area.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:19 pm

What if I've already got $260 worth of seed in the back of my truck?
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby assateague » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:44 pm

Zoysia grass turns brown and goes dormant at the drop of a hat. Yes, it looks great when it's green, but that is not for very long each year.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:07 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:What if I've already got $260 worth of seed in the back of my truck?

Seed is much much cheaper than sod. I'd really recommend fescue for a lawn up north. Return the plant food stakes and exchange that shit for some tall fescue. Kick old man hardware in the satchel and tell him it's from flint.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Flightstopper » Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:11 pm

FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:What if I've already got $260 worth of seed in the back of my truck?

Seed is much much cheaper than sod. I'd really recommend fescue for a lawn up north. Return the plant food stakes and exchange that shit for some tall fescue. Backhand pop the old man on the head of his penis and tell him it's from flint.


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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby jarbo03 » Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:25 pm

Zoysia is only green for about 4 months here. I gave you quality advice, flint has also.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:48 pm

FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:What if I've already got $260 worth of seed in the back of my truck?

Seed is much much cheaper than sod. I'd really recommend fescue for a lawn up north. Return the plant food stakes and exchange that shit for some tall fescue. Kick old man hardware in the satchel and tell him it's from flint.


I ended up going back and he told me fescue "wouldn't be worth a fuck" here with the soil Ph levels, but told me a mix would work but its about 2% weed.
Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, "If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven." Such is the rule of honor.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:49 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:
Eric Haynes wrote:What if I've already got $260 worth of seed in the back of my truck?

Seed is much much cheaper than sod. I'd really recommend fescue for a lawn up north. Return the plant food stakes and exchange that shit for some tall fescue. Kick old man hardware in the satchel and tell him it's from flint.


I ended up going back and he told me fescue "wouldn't be worth a fuck" here with the soil Ph levels, but told me a mix would work but its about 2% weed.

Guy sounds like a retard to me
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:51 pm

Go play a round of golf locally and look and see what kind of grass they have. If it ain't fescue, it's gona be rye, blue grass or bent grass. Not zoysia.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby Eric Haynes » Wed Jul 09, 2014 2:02 pm

FlintRiverFowler wrote:Go play a round of golf locally and look and see what kind of grass they have. If it ain't fescue, it's gona be rye, blue grass or bent grass. Not zoysia.

The owner before me planted bent grass on the side of my garage. About a 15x20 patch. That shit is a fucker to mow but its crazy soft.
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Re: Remodeling my Lawn

Postby FlintRiverFowler » Wed Jul 09, 2014 2:05 pm

Eric Haynes wrote:
FlintRiverFowler wrote:Go play a round of golf locally and look and see what kind of grass they have. If it ain't fescue, it's gona be rye, blue grass or bent grass. Not zoysia.

The owner before me planted bent grass on the side of my garage. About a 15x20 patch. That shit is a fucker to mow but its crazy soft.

We have a-1/a-4 bentgrass greens here. It's a motherfucker to grow in the south. Between the heat, humidity and disease. every green has a big ass fan to keep it cool, and two Mexicans with a water hose going around syringing them to keep them cool from about noon to 5 every damn day in the summer.
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