Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
I'm in the same boat, actually I'm on the BB/Bridgewater border. Screw the grass lets go ride bikes!
True story, My mother-in-law begged me to allow her to mow the back yard yesterday.
Lawn Maintenance
- Thread starter ericgautier
- Start date
I'm in the same boat, actually I'm on the BB/Bridgewater border. Screw the grass lets go ride bikes!
True story, My mother-in-law begged me to allow her to mow the back yard yesterday.
Glenlivet12
Well-Known Member
We just moved into our house in May. Everyone in the neighborhood has green grass but most are just weeds like mine. A few have actual grass and it looks much nicer but no one really seems to care either way. I just sent some soil samples off to the Rutgers soil testing lab to see what the yard might need. For $20 they give you a breakdown of soil composition and nutrients as well as a fertilizing/nutrient adding schedule to follow. You can also contact their local offices in your municipality to talk to someone for recommendations and help interpreting the results. This seemed like a good idea since i'm essentially starting from scratch and would like to put a small garden in the yard for next year. Hoping to get the results this week.
I have both options the gut to the right of my house follows the Scotts schedule plus organic and has very nice lawn... the guy to the left of me has a service and also has a very nice lawn.the guy across from me has a service and a so so lawn...both my side guys water every day the across gut waters sometimes...ymmv
Getting your soil tested is a good idea. This way you won't waste money on putting out materials you don't need, like the homeowner who puts out lime every spring and has no clue what his soil ph is.
If you have a healthy lawn you don't have to water. The grass will go dormant and green up when rains return. If you want a green lawn thoughout the summer then water is necessary. I don't water my lawn, when its hot and dry it turns brown and I don't have to cut it. It always greens up again when rains return. If you have kids who play on the lawn when it hot dry and browned out, it will get destroyed if you don't water it and keep it growing.
ericgautier
Member
This might be just the ticket for me as well.
We used Scotts and True Green for 3 or 4 years with great results. HOWEVER, the wife is really into the organic and going green (ish) movement and we dropped True Green in favor of the Organic Dutchman Lawn Care.
To be honest, this is the worst my lawn has looked in years. Much more weeds, mold and dead-ish spots. When I asked the guy who does the applications why so many weeds and mold, he told me it would take time to "condition" the soil and once the soil is "good" the grass will choke out the weeds.
I'll give it another year and then I'm back to the chemicals on the front yard.😀
To be honest, this is the worst my lawn has looked in years. Much more weeds, mold and dead-ish spots. When I asked the guy who does the applications why so many weeds and mold, he told me it would take time to "condition" the soil and once the soil is "good" the grass will choke out the weeds.
I'll give it another year and then I'm back to the chemicals on the front yard.😀
BladeCx2
New Member
I've always had good luck with Gardens Alive WOW product and their grass seed. I didn't apply WOW this summer and had very little dandelion and crab grass migrate from my neighbor's lawn.
I have a mulching/bagging mower, and I try to mulch the clippings into the lawn to help feed it. I only bag the clippings if the lawn is to high from lack of cutting because of weather or me being lazy. I hardly ever water and the lawn stays green.
Did somebody say, lets ride bikes. 🙂
I have a mulching/bagging mower, and I try to mulch the clippings into the lawn to help feed it. I only bag the clippings if the lawn is to high from lack of cutting because of weather or me being lazy. I hardly ever water and the lawn stays green.
Did somebody say, lets ride bikes. 🙂
Glenlivet12
Well-Known Member
I just got the results of my soil test back. I figured i'd post up to show anyone who's interested what the Rutgers soil testing gives you. I'm pretty impressed, its really thorough. Looks like i have a lot of work to do...
Wobbegong
Well-Known Member
180 lbs per thousand. Holy smokes that's a lot of lime!
Glenlivet12
Well-Known Member
Yeah no shit! I've got a lot of yard too. I might try it out on the front yard first before tackling the back.
Glenlivet12
Well-Known Member
Yeah, gunna need a tiller. Im going to call the local office and talk to the person there. Im hoping thats a stock depth. I may just try and throw it on top and see if it soaks in. My soil is clay and rock, we don't dig we excavate. Its probably too dense for the lime to really soak in though.
This recommendation is for one application to establish a new lawn on bare soil. If you have an existing lawn that you are trying to renovate then you would make several lime applications during the year.
Bill, the recommendations soil labs(like RU) give are for optimum growing conditions. I wouldn't go nuts trying to put out 150lbs of lime/1000 in order to get your soil ph to the perfect range. I work on a golf course and have seen some very healthy turf being grown in acidic soils like yours. I'm not sure how many sq.ft. your lawn is but I would make 2 lime apps (spring/fall) for several years to gradually raise your ph. How heavy a rate you go with will depend upon your energy level😉
If the lime you buy is real dusty you may want to get a drop spreader, a rotary one will get you real dusty.
Matt_
I Get Jokes
Thanks for the clarification. That sounds a lot more promising!
I've been putting off doing anything serious with my lawn because, well, my crabgrass is green, I have 3 kids in daycare, and if i'm going to spend money id rather buy bike or jeep parts!
With that said.... i'm wondering if it would be worthwhile doing a soil analysis now and trying to "rejuvenate" the minerals over the next year or two. Then when one or two of my kids are out of daycare and I can better afford it, my soil will be "ready" for some fresh seed, watering, etc. Thoughts? :hmmm:
Edit: Bill sorry for the threadjack!
Wobbegong
Well-Known Member
I have a core aerator that is pulled behind a tractor. I'll put it in the back of the truck when I come down for our next NJ session.... :getsome:
I hear you, there are a lot of other things I would rather be doing then mess with my lawn.
Soil analysis is a good start to you know what you are working with. The most important things are knowing your soil ph and making sure you are fertilizing.
If you have some grass and some weeds then you can work to renovate what you have. Use a fertilizer with crabgrass pre-emergent in the spring and cut in seed during the early fall season(sept)and fertilize. If you have clover, dandelions and other broadleaf weeds you can use a weed and feed in late May or early June to control these weeds.
Following a program like this every year won't get you a weed free lawn but you will definitley be winning the battle against weeds.
Glenlivet12
Well-Known Member
Thanks Iggy, i was hoping you'd chime in. My back yard is a little over 100x100 the front is probably 100x30ish. I've got energy and ignorance on my side, i'm going balls to the wall this year! We'll see how I feel about it all next year. I'm right down the street from the Belle Mead coop so i'll try and get them to deliver some lime soon. Do you think i should apply some weed killer a few weeks before the lime?
Hey its not my thread! I happened to be going through the same thing Eric is going through and just got these results today so i figured i'd share. Its been my experience that not many people know about this testing. Its cheap enough, i only paid $20, and they tell you when and how to apply only the stuff you need. Plus they let me choose two "crops" so i have info for both grass and a vegetable garden when we decide to do that. I think it was worth it even if i don't do everything they recommend right away.
I'll try and report back after talking with someone from the Rutgers cooperative extension.