2018 lawn maintenance thread

[qclabrat]

Did a bunch of yard clean up today and saw the crocuses and spring bulbs coming out. Usually I'm putting down the pre-emergent stuff now, but 50% of the lawn is still covered by snow. Concerned the late storms and delayed treatments will lead to a bumper crop of weeds this year.

 

[ChrisRU]

Just cleaning up here. Lawn might not be salvageable this year, but I'll have plenty of wood chips to cover the muddy spots.

 

[pooriggy]

Screw the lawn Walter, that snow looks perfect for skate skiing.
Pre-emerge is all about soil temps, not dates on a calender. I'd say your soil is still too cold for crabgrass germination. You'll be fine, just put pre emerge down after snow melt.

 

[Bike N Gear]

Or, hire someone and go play with bikes.

 

[qclabrat]

Just cleaning up here. Lawn might not be salvageable this year, but I'll have plenty of wood chips to cover the muddy spots.
View attachment 66081

the rock work looks good, don't remember seeing it last year

 

[qclabrat]

Or, hire someone and go play with bikes.

that's what the wife says, but then there goes the disposable bike funds...

 

[Bike N Gear]

that's what the wife says, but then there goes the disposable bike funds...

But what good are bikes if you spend your free time working on the lawn?

 

[rick81721]

that's what the wife says, but then there goes the disposable bike funds...

What funds do you need? Don't you have like 20 bikes? At least one has to be rideable!

 

[qclabrat]

But what good are bikes if you spend your free time working on the lawn?

lawn/garden work is also when I have time to drink beer and smoke Cubans, can't do that on a bike. I'm a multi-tasker...

 

[ChrisRU]

@qclabrat, thanks. The walls came with the house. That picture was taken looking toward the house which is up above the walls. The picture I posted of my lawn was taken from the house looking down. No progress has been made since my original post, if anything I've made things worse. I'll get to it eventually.

 

[Fire Lord Jim]

I have lawn, but not grass. It is a collection of weeds. Think natural... organic... as nature intended. If I put down weed killer I would have just dirt. I mow what I grow, but I spend most of my landscaping effort where it counts: behind the house.

 

[2WHLZ]

I have spent weeks of my life and well over $1k on my back yard and aside from the garden beds I built last year it looks the same as when I started about 4 years ago. I fertilize, add lime, use an aerator, re-seed, re-seed again, re-seed with a seeding machine and drink plenty of beer. This year I'm thinking i should just put down astro turf.

 

[2WHLZ]

* same as in sparse coverage... I hate my lawn

 

[shrpshtr325]

I have spent weeks of my life and well over $1k on my back yard and aside from the garden beds I built last year it looks the same as when I started about 4 years ago. I fertilize, add lime, use an aerator, re-seed, re-seed again, re-seed with a seeding machine and drink plenty of beer. This year I'm thinking i should just put down astro turf.

i feel alot better about my 'green weeds are good enough' strategy now, thanks for that!

 

[pooriggy]

I have spent weeks of my life and well over $1k on my back yard and aside from the garden beds I built last year it looks the same as when I started about 4 years ago

Do you have a lot of trees in your yard?
Cutting seed into exhisting vegetation is tough to get seed to take over and grass to spread. You may want to get a rototiller and turn over soil, regrade, seed, hay mulch and establish a new lawn. Its a lot of work but if done right and you water seed, you will get a new lawn.

 

[Strugglebus]

And maybe a soil test. Do you water through the summer?

 

[qclabrat]

I have spent weeks of my life and well over $1k on my back yard and aside from the garden beds I built last year it looks the same as when I started about 4 years ago. I fertilize, add lime, use an aerator, re-seed, re-seed again, re-seed with a seeding machine and drink plenty of beer. This year I'm thinking i should just put down astro turf.

That's pretty much my budget every year, but I'm including the replacement of bushes and shrubs which didn't make it through the winter, annual flowers, vegetables, mulch, seed and chemicals. This year will be about double as it's been about 6 years since I regraded the back and redesigned the front and needs a refresh. Yeah, I could hire someone, but I like working outside. Bigger jobs I usually find some help in Plainfield.

I did what @pooriggy suggested two years ago and the the lawn looks much better. Mine was very patch and different grass varieties. If your lawn is mostly grass but needs density. Use one of those side cut tillers which drops seeds. You can rent them at HD.

 

[qclabrat]

It's time, drop your pre-emergents this weekend or risk an ugly lawn.
I'm using the concentrate type and will be getting one of those big backpack sprayers this year. Anyone using any others? I'm planning use it 2-3 times this year

 

[Monkey Soup]

$1k a year for fertilizing, lawn care, aeration? You guys are smoking dust, and need to get other hobbies. My lawn guy charges less than half of that, and my lawn looks better then it ever had when I DIY'd it.

 

[shrpshtr325]

$1k a year for fertilizing, lawn care, aeration? You guys are smoking dust, and need to get other hobbies. My lawn guy charges less than half of that, and my lawn looks better then it ever had when I DIY'd it.

hell even half that seems steep to me, long as its green i dont worry too much (even its mostly weeds)