Let's Talk about growing a good Lawn

[evan01]

Take your mower over the plugs to cut them up breaks them  down easier. Lower the blade too.

[Ernest Jones]

Don't cut your lawn too short either. I leave mine at 2.5 inches. Helps prevent weeds and makes your grass stronger.

[iacas]

Don't cut your lawn too short either. I leave mine at 2.5 inches. Helps prevent weeds and makes your grass stronger.

Yeah, you have to cut your grass more frequently, but it's healthier.

[joekelly]

Your geographical location has some impact too on the kind of grass which grows best.  Moss suggests too little sunlight and if that is the case, hardly any grass type will grow well.  All grass types need maximum sunlight.  Roundup will kill any green plant via leaf contact so use care spraying, and not on windy day.  I have replaced bad grass by using sod cutter over entire lawn, wait till dry, remove all top dead grass and roots. Then rototill soil, apply lime, etc and seed of good type.  Can use sod, more expensive but faster. If going with seed yes, need frequent watering till well established.  I have used straw to cover seedbed , works ok. Do not let seedlings dry out. After seeds up, during warm and sunny weather , 2 weeks of attention should do it. Don't cut for one month.

[14ledo81]

[QUOTE name="Ernest Jones" url="/t/74102/lets-talk-about-growing-a-good-lawn#post_981801"] Yep.[/QUOTE] I'm going to get organized and tackle this project.  Daunting and it will cut into my golf, but I'm determined to have a decent lawn before the end of the summer!!  Thanks for all of the advice.  Keep it coming if you have more.

Don't forget before, during, and after pics.

[Ernest Jones]

Don't forget before, during, and after pics.

Yes! That would be cool.

[albatross]

Don't cut your lawn too short either. I leave mine at 2.5 inches. Helps prevent weeds and makes your grass stronger.

Yeah, you have to cut your grass more frequently, but it's healthier.

This is a mistake I made in the past for sure.  I'm going to make sure I mow it correctly, too.  Thanks.

Good idea about the pics also.

[albatross]

I've hit a bit of a roadblock. My wife runs a daycare out of our home and is freaking out about not being able to have the kids outside for awhile.  She wants a new lawn too, but can't keep kids inside all summer.  So obviously I spray the Round Up, give it a couple days and then kids can return on lawn.  The big question is, after I plug and seed the lawn, how long will I have to keep the kids off of it?  Can they do some major damage to the growth of the new lawn?  I was excited to get going on this, but I have to work it out with my wife now.  I understand her concerns, but if I only have to keep them off of it for a couple of weeks, I want to get it going.  Thanks.

[Ernest Jones]

If your wife is being a problem, just get some extra lime. ;-) :whistle:

[jamo]

I've hit a bit of a roadblock. My wife runs a daycare out of our home and is freaking out about not being able to have the kids outside for awhile.  She wants a new lawn too, but can't keep kids inside all summer.  So obviously I spray the Round Up, give it a couple days and then kids can return on lawn.  The big question is, after I plug and seed the lawn, how long will I have to keep the kids off of it?  Can they do some major damage to the growth of the new lawn?  I was excited to get going on this, but I have to work it out with my wife now.  I understand her concerns, but if I only have to keep them off of it for a couple of weeks, I want to get it going.  Thanks.

You could always do half now, half later.

[iacas]

You could always do half now, half later.

True. If the back yard isn't super visible or anything, you can do that half later in the year - very early fall. Don't wait too long in the fall though.

[albatross]

So how long would they have to stay off it? Dont want to rent equipment twice though

[joekelly]

What's with the 'plugs'?  And the seed.  Plugs usually used on turf in the south, as some grasses don't have good seed so small vegetative propagules used. For fastest possible and continued use in back yard, go with the sod cutter on day one. Undercut the entire lawn. Can still play on it.  Let it dry out, 2 days if no rain. Next problem in disposal so if big yard maybe giant dumpster needed. Prep soil bed, and water well. Next day lay the sod and water well. No kids 2 days, keep on the water. I suppose the kids are small but if teens, no hope. .

[iacas]

Sodding your whole lawn is quite expensive, no?

[Ernest Jones]

Sodding your whole lawn is quite expensive, no?

It's also a total crap shoot. I've seen lots of sodded lawns that failed despite being properly maintained. I would never go that route myself but I suppose it is an option if you have more money than time. If you get a company to do it they may offer some kind of guarantee but that's gonna really start to cost ya.

[albatross]

So I shouldn't even attempt this project if I can't keep them off of the lawn for more than a couple weeks after planting?  I'm going to go get the soil test kit this morning.

[Valleygolfer]

Sodding your whole lawn is quite expensive, no?

Sodded grass would still need the soil under it prepared correctly still for it to take. The lime and aeration wise.

[MS256]

So I shouldn't even attempt this project if I can't keep them off of the lawn for more than a couple weeks after planting?  I'm going to go get the soil test kit this morning.

Can you put up some ropes and keep the kids in a certain section of the yard? You could aerify and lime all of it at once but plant the grass in sections.

In most places I have lived I could count on needing around 2 tons of lime per acre.