Question the lawn care gurus

DuckDogDr

I have had an abundance of stickers grow in my yard this year and is aggravating to say the least. My yard is patchy at best and also tired of the dirt getting brought in the house .
DuckDog is good about going to the wood line to do his business so don’t really have that issue. 

I’ve tried over-seeding with the Scott’s Fescue mix and have no growth. 

I get my bonus check this Friday and I’m ready to rip  up everything and start with fresh sod.

Yard is about 1 acre in size . Gets 75% sunlight.. I want the stereotype pretty deep green yard, but also something I can walk barefoot in … not a fan of zoysia.

 

alaskanassasin

Just a guess but if there isn’t anything growing there now it’s probably too shady

RRP

Hmmm, sort of like my lawn issues, but I probably have more of a shaded yard, plus horrible HARD Illinois clay to deal with.

I have spent too much money over the 42:years living here trying to get the yard you want, but I have failed!

bottom line…you want green grass? Buy one of those new subdivisions built in former corn fields OR if you want shade from a mature wooded lot then just grin and bear it!

But  NO amount of fertilizer, grass seed, etc will solve your issue! 

Ozzie_Isaac

Aeration and good fertilizer.  There are places that will test your soil and recommend the fertalizer mix for you.  Not all lawns need the same stuff.

I found detaching, aeration, over seeding, and regular fertalizer fixed my lawns, back when I had them.

saluki2007

@bubbajack

ColbyLang

@DuckDogDr, I feel like you’re either in S Arkansas or NE Texas area. Most common lawn in the south is good ole St. Augustine. If you’re gonna scrape clean and re sod, make sure whoever applies it for you preps your lot properly after removing your problematic grasses. Just because they scrape the top layer, doesn’t mean they got it all. We re-sodded 5 years ago. 25 pallets worth. Complete irrigation system. De thatch gonna happen this year I think too. I use Bonus S in a light application in the spring, turn off the irrigation once the first frost hits. 

RRP

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Aeration and good fertilizer.  There are places that will test your soil and recommend the fertalizer mix for you.  Not all lawns need the same stuff.

da…ya think in 42 years I haven’t already done all that, several times now?

I even spent $17k  20 years ago for a fancy/in ground irrigation system!

 It is either SHADE or grass…the equation gets pretty simple back here.BUT we chose a heavily wooded lot so as the saying goes…IQUITMYBITCHEN!

DuckDogDr

@ColbyLang I’m in west central Alabama 

danhoo

Dwarf fescue will grow in 50 percent sun

Gulfcoastguy

Just park a bass boat over the bare spot. 

Legume

Never. Gets. Old.

Ozzie_Isaac

RRP said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Aeration and good fertilizer.  There are places that will test your soil and recommend the fertalizer mix for you.  Not all lawns need the same stuff.

da…ya think in 42 years I haven’t already done all that, several times now?

I even spent $17k  20 years ago for a fancy/in ground irrigation system!

 It is either SHADE or grass…the equation gets pretty simple back here.BUT we chose a heavily wooded lot so as the saying goes…IQUITMYBITCHEN!

I am not sure what you are talking about.  I was talking to @DuckDogDr

I have no shade and no grass.  So your equation might need some help 😜

Mark_B_Good

Ozzie_Isaac said:

RRP said:

Ozzie_Isaac said:

Aeration and good fertilizer.  There are places that will test your soil and recommend the fertalizer mix for you.  Not all lawns need the same stuff.

da…ya think in 42 years I haven’t already done all that, several times now?

I even spent $17k  20 years ago for a fancy/in ground irrigation system!

 It is either SHADE or grass…the equation gets pretty simple back here.BUT we chose a heavily wooded lot so as the saying goes…IQUITMYBITCHEN!

I am not sure what you are talking about.  I was talking to @DuckDogDr

I have no shade and no grass.  So your equation might need some help 😜

Poor drainage will also do it! And lots of traffic.

fishlessman

75 percent sun down there is alot of sun, grass should grow.  agway on the east coast is pretty good for questions and setting you up with soil tests, the right grass for your particular area etc.   im not so into grass, mines a mix of grass, clover, and mint. its under water right now. planted mint about 17 years ago, it grows in anything, it grows in a foot of water in the lake, smells better than grass when mowed. i hate the smell of freshly mowed grass

Eggdicted_Dawgfan

@DuckDogDr if you have stickers you most likely have plenty of sun.  Can you post some pictures of your area of concern. Also, is there any grass now? If so, maybe a closeup could help identify. I assume you do not have irrigation? I suck at cooking but I can grow some decent grass. 

rekameohs

DuckDogDr said:

I’ve tried over-seeding with the Scott’s Fescue mix and have no growth. 

I get my bonus check this Friday and I’m ready to rip  up everything and start with fresh sod.

Yard is about 1 acre in size . Gets 75% sunlight.. I want the stereotype pretty deep green yard, but also something I can walk barefoot in … not a fan of zoysia.

 

Did you seed in the fall or this spring?  Fescue will usually germinate in the spring, but then die in the summer, as it doesn't have the root system to survive in the heat.   Best to seed in the fall, along with wheat straw and regular (light) watering to keep the seed moist.

I have been putting in TifTuf Bermuda (from SuperSod.com).  It greens up early in the spring and doesn't need much water (once established).   It does need 6+ hours of sunlight.

dbCooper

#1 rule if you want a nice lawn... don't have dog(s).

On a more serious note, use the extension office of the Land Grant University in your state.  They should have a wealth of information relevant to your area.  And you've already paid for it.  They may also offer free/low cost soil testing.

TechsasJim

I am in SE Texas and here the grass for 90% is St Augustine.    We have a "Garden Guy" on the radio every weekend for 8hrs and he designed a proper fertilization schedule for us.    No " big box store" fertilizers or weed protection, rather more boutique (they're still the same price).    As mentioned above, annual aeration and consistent fertilization + irrigation are key.   

Ybabpmuts

My yard is half weeds and I could care less. I don't even get using grass, it's not normal to cover the yard with grass. I would be happier with something much more colorful ... like fruity pebbles or really short and narrow nerds ropes. Then I could see the rabbits easier, and on days when I'm feeling really silly, I can hide a tiny where's waldo doll out there and have my wife try and find it. That gives me almost a full day to myself. If I did that with my current kinda green grass, I'd be lucky to get a half hour to myself. This proves that surgery colorful treats, make far better lawns than plain old grass. 

Legume

@StumpBaby how much less could you care?

Ybabpmuts

I care less and less about a lotta things. Today I have covid and I care less about my sammich, cause I can't even taste it. This morning I told my poppa that .. an he said ..Stump  if you ever really wanted to try a sh#t sammich, now wood be the time. I couldn't figure out if'n it was cause he hadda go ... or cause I couldn't taste anything nohow. He had that pained look on his face and his pants seemed to be hangin just a little bit lower than usual, so it was hard to tell. Some things I care more about now too, like I care more about making sure that .. If I see poppa with a pained look on his face like that again, there's no bread in the house, even after covid.

bubbajack

Just about any Agricultural college near your geographical region will tell you how to grow grass. Soil sample with proper nutrients, Proper type of grass to plant and a broad leaf treatment is a must. Can be a lot more complicated if ? Many different aspects to it.

alaskanassasin

fwiw I used to install sod for $1 a square foot about 10 years ago, prep and all.  If you can take a picture like mentioned above.  Make huge pinestraw beds around the trees, at least as wide as the branches reach out above.

alaskanassasin

Sunk! Aaaooo

RyanStl

Ybabpmuts said:

My yard is half weeds and I could care less. I don't even get using grass, it's not normal to cover the yard with grass. I would be happier with something much more colorful ... like fruity pebbles or really short and narrow nerds ropes. Then I could see the rabbits easier, and on days when I'm feeling really silly, I can hide a tiny where's waldo doll out there and have my wife try and find it. That gives me almost a full day to myself. If I did that with my current kinda green grass, I'd be lucky to get a half hour to myself. This proves that surgery colorful treats, make far better lawns than plain old grass. 

Can I have what you have? Oh hold on, just saw your second post.

FATC1TY

You could get bermuda to grow nicely in your see if you get atleast 5-6 hours of direct sunlight at any point. Cut it short and keep it cut and it’s really nice under the foot. Zeon zoysia is really soft under bare feet too. 

I don’t do much other than mow mow and mow in the summer with bermuda, that’s the key to get it looking good like this. 

lentsboy007

My dad and grandmother both have full Zoysia yards. I’ve planted plugs in mine and can’t wait until it takes over . Their yards are super soft, thick, and lush.  Green in warm months , yes it turns yellow in cold months but it stays thick and soft. I’ve walked barefoot in it many a time . Also is weed resistant , the Zoysia chokes the weeds out . 

FATC1TY

lentsboy007 said:

My dad and grandmother both have full Zoysia yards. I’ve planted plugs in mine and can’t wait until it takes over . Their yards are super soft, thick, and lush.  Green in warm months , yes it turns yellow in cold months but it stays thick and soft. I’ve walked barefoot in it many a time . Also is weed resistant , the Zoysia chokes the weeds out . 

It’s not weed resistant if you don’t care for it or have it in an idea growing environment. You’ll still need pre-emergent. 

Don’t want people thinking zoysia won’t get weeds because that’s not true. Zoysia also requires cultural practices to avoid fungus too. 

GregW

FATC1TY said:

lentsboy007 said:

My dad and grandmother both have full Zoysia yards. I’ve planted plugs in mine and can’t wait until it takes over . Their yards are super soft, thick, and lush.  Green in warm months , yes it turns yellow in cold months but it stays thick and soft. I’ve walked barefoot in it many a time . Also is weed resistant , the Zoysia chokes the weeds out . 

It’s not weed resistant if you don’t care for it or have it in an idea growing environment. You’ll still need pre-emergent. 

Don’t want people thinking zoysia won’t get weeds because that’s not true. Zoysia also requires cultural practices to avoid fungus too. 

What you say about Zoysia may be true about it not choking out weeds in your particular area/variety, but I can say that there was a home that burned and was not rebuilt for 10 years in my area, it had a Zoysia lawn. The yard remained essentially weed free during this time period. There are so many different varieties and growing conditions that affect performance.

TEXASBGE2018

@FATC1TY is right. Bermuda would work great if you can cut it multiple times a week and maintain it at about 1/2" with a reel mower preferably. Once established you would have very little issues with weeds. This will take a year or 2 though. If you plan on using a standard zero turn or riding mower as long as you can cut it short(under 1") and you do it often (2-3 days a week) that would be my choice. Tiftuf would be my preferred Bermuda. Also you would have to kill off or removed all your existing grass and plant sod. Bermuda seed doesn't work like people think. 

lentsboy007

FATC1TY said:

lentsboy007 said:

My dad and grandmother both have full Zoysia yards. I’ve planted plugs in mine and can’t wait until it takes over . Their yards are super soft, thick, and lush.  Green in warm months , yes it turns yellow in cold months but it stays thick and soft. I’ve walked barefoot in it many a time . Also is weed resistant , the Zoysia chokes the weeds out . 

It’s not weed resistant if you don’t care for it or have it in an idea growing environment. You’ll still need pre-emergent. 

Don’t want people thinking zoysia won’t get weeds because that’s not true. Zoysia also requires cultural practices to avoid fungus too. 

Yeah that’s why I said weed resistant and not weed proof .