any lawn experts here?
- Thread starter ILOVETHIS
- Start date
There are a number of reputable lawn care companies that charge you around $150/ year. These fees covers things like fertilization (at the right time), over-seeding, minimal weeding and really important.....knowledge.
In a world where we have large green lawn front and backyards, and legislation that prevents us from using pesticides and herbicides, you need help from someone you knows what they're doing. I thought the environmental by-laws were going to kill my lawn but it's in good shape. Now compare private lawns with city properities that look like weed farms because they can't douse the grass with herbicide, and can't afford the labour costs for up keep.
You can learn it all your self or pay for it....I don't regret the money we pay our lawn care company.
In a world where we have large green lawn front and backyards, and legislation that prevents us from using pesticides and herbicides, you need help from someone you knows what they're doing. I thought the environmental by-laws were going to kill my lawn but it's in good shape. Now compare private lawns with city properities that look like weed farms because they can't douse the grass with herbicide, and can't afford the labour costs for up keep.
You can learn it all your self or pay for it....I don't regret the money we pay our lawn care company.
Turf Builder and water are the only tools you need. That, along with regular cutting, and get a manual weed puller and your lawn will be just fine.
I asked my roomie/SO, who went to school for this stuff, and this was the answer;
It will still grow without adding more topsoil, it will just grow faster and better if mixed with topsoil.
(If you just mix it with the topsoil, you don't need much, and it won't make it uneven.)
It will still grow without adding more topsoil, it will just grow faster and better if mixed with topsoil.
(If you just mix it with the topsoil, you don't need much, and it won't make it uneven.)
Once you get as many seeds as you can to touch the soil you should be OK. This might be achieved by simply walking over the areas to press the seeds lower towards the soil and off course dethatching and cutting the grass low before aerating. The topsoil is usually to keep the seeds moist and provide nutrients once they germinate and possibly will help protect the seeds from birds.
Scotts has an EZ seed product that includes a mulch in it to help keep the seeds moist. I guess there is fertilizer in there too. Might be bit more expensive and cover less ground than just a bag of CIL for example but Scotts seeds are usually good plus you can maybe stretch this product by using some of this and just adding some more grass seeds to it for good measure.
There is also a thing called a slit seeder but never seen it used.This is the ideal thing to ensure grass seeds are sown properly. If you are renting your aerator maybe the same company may have these.
Scotts has an EZ seed product that includes a mulch in it to help keep the seeds moist. I guess there is fertilizer in there too. Might be bit more expensive and cover less ground than just a bag of CIL for example but Scotts seeds are usually good plus you can maybe stretch this product by using some of this and just adding some more grass seeds to it for good measure.
There is also a thing called a slit seeder but never seen it used.This is the ideal thing to ensure grass seeds are sown properly. If you are renting your aerator maybe the same company may have these.
The modern green grass lawn made its mass appearance only after WW II. It is a terrible waste of resources including good clean water.
Can't argue with that!Pave it, paint it green, end of problem
There's also those fake lawns you can purchase -- which is a great idea!
I assume the OP has too many weeds, and/or thin grass areas that overseeding will help.
Just got this info from Dr. Green who did my place:
1. Cut your lawn just prior to aeration and seeding.
2. Don't water your lawn prior to aeration, it's easier for the aerator to take out soil plugs when it's dry.
3. After aeration, overseed the entire lawn, adding extra seeds in areas that are way too thin and you can see dirt.
4. Water daily for a couple of weeks for about 20 to 30 minutes for the seeds to germinate.
5. Do not cut your lawn for a couple of weeds after seeding.
6. Top dressing is not required unless you have large bare spots and want to seed the spots, then place top soil, seed, rake and compact. Water daily for a couple of weeks.
7. Note that each seed can make between 5 to 15 or so grass blades, there's a fallacy that one seed makes one grass blade.
8. When the seeds grow, thicker grass will suffocate the weeds and they will eventually die. A healthy lawn kills weeds.
Hope this helps.
Just got this info from Dr. Green who did my place:
1. Cut your lawn just prior to aeration and seeding.
2. Don't water your lawn prior to aeration, it's easier for the aerator to take out soil plugs when it's dry.
3. After aeration, overseed the entire lawn, adding extra seeds in areas that are way too thin and you can see dirt.
4. Water daily for a couple of weeks for about 20 to 30 minutes for the seeds to germinate.
5. Do not cut your lawn for a couple of weeds after seeding.
6. Top dressing is not required unless you have large bare spots and want to seed the spots, then place top soil, seed, rake and compact. Water daily for a couple of weeks.
7. Note that each seed can make between 5 to 15 or so grass blades, there's a fallacy that one seed makes one grass blade.
8. When the seeds grow, thicker grass will suffocate the weeds and they will eventually die. A healthy lawn kills weeds.
Hope this helps.
