Growing new grass

Parent Cafe
1

<p>OK…I’m appealing to my authorities on everything. I just replanted grass for the THIRD year in a row in some spots in my yard. For the past two years, the grass grew beautifully, was lush and lively and I was thrilled. Then come July, it all turned brown and died…and no it did not just go dormant as it never turned green again. Oh…yes…it was either raining or I watered.</p>

<p>This year I used a hardy seed that our landscaper friend gave us. He told me to plant it this week…which I did. I will water if it doesn’t rain. We are in northern CT so planting sooner would not have been possible…cold!</p>

<p>Any suggestions on how to keep this years plantings from dying! </p>

<p>Oh…and yes…I fertilized too.</p>

2

<p>How deep is your soil (1" and then clay is not going to cut it)?</p>

<p>Are you planting the right type of grass for your area (if you buy grass seed locally, you probably are)?</p>

<p>Get a soil test from your local county extension office and find out what your soil is missing, if anything.</p>

<p>Plant grass seed in the fall. That gives it two growing seasons before summer.</p>

<p>Don’t water too much. You want the grass to grow deep roots.</p>

3

<p>Seed. Soil test.How compacted is your soil?
Is it soil or hardpan?
I removed all my lawn about five years ago.
Its a pita. I agree about planting in fall.
You could grow a cover crop like clover to add nitrogen and matter to enrich the soil.
<a href=“http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/a-regional-guide-to-cover-crops-to-banish-the-bare[/url]”>http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/a-regional-guide-to-cover-crops-to-banish-the-bare&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Do you have an insect infestation in that area of your garden? Cranefly grubs will eat the roots.</p>

5

<p>We’ve had this problem too. We had an professional come out and this is the sequence he suggested (we had been reseeding and fertilizing only). First, THRESH the lawn. For small areas you can use one of those heavy metal rakes, a hand thresher, or for large areas, rent a machine that does this. This will lift up all the compacted clippings and matted dead grass. Then AERATE the soil. Again, there are hand implements for small areas, machines that can be rented for large. Then over-seed the ENTIRE lawn, not just the problematic parts. Water, only in the early morning or later in the day. For fertilizer, he suggested “Fish & Poop” which is organic.</p>

<p>If you don’t want to do this yourself the lawn people will do it-the guy we spoke to would have charged about $750 for our average-size lawn. We’re renting the stuff and doing it ourselves.</p>

6

<p>We had a spot that was always turning brown no matter what kind of grass seeds or sod we used and how well we treated the soil (which was fairly deep). Then one day we decided to dig a bit deeper and found a huge, flat chunk of concrete buried more than a foot deep - most likely a leftover from the demolition of the original house on the property that got bulldozed into the ground when our house was built. Removed it, and the grass grew happily ever after.</p>

<p>Agree with what has been said: at least 5 inches of quality soil, the right seed mix, and no hungry grubs.</p>

7

<p>Watch out for increased weeds after aeration, although that may not be much of a problem if it is mostly clay or sand.</p>

<p>[How</a> to Prepare Soil for Grass Seed | Nature?s Finest Seed](<a href=“http://www.naturesfinestseed.com/resources/grass-seed-guides/how-to-prepare-soil]How”>http://www.naturesfinestseed.com/resources/grass-seed-guides/how-to-prepare-soil)</p>

8

<p>On the advice of the landscaper…I used a hoe to chop up the soil. I went several inches deep after a rainfall. No concrete or rocks. Then I raked it all smoothly…and planted the seed which is a local seed that is supposed to be hardy. </p>

<p>Hmmm…grubs. That could be the issue. It might. E too late, but what doi do to get rid of those? </p>

<p>My lawn is well over an acre…I think it would cost me a ton to have it reseeded by someone else. I’m just doing the patches where there is nothing. It’s not on the side where mist of the lawn is (that part looks fine)…it’s the other side of my driveway…a thinner patch between our neighbors and us.</p>

<p>If this planting doesn’t work I’ll do an early fall planting and hope for the best! Maybe I should just get stones!</p>

9

<p>thumper, here is a radical thought - kill the patch if it gives you so many headaches! Plant something that will cover the ground and survive your winters. I have zero grass in my front yard, just Japanese maples, conifers, heaths and heathers.</p>

<p>For all of you into DIY lawn care - here is a wonderful device that let me de-thatch the entire 5,000 sf lawn in less than 1 hour:</p>

<p>[Amazon.com:</a> GreenWorks 27022 10 Amp 14" Corded Dethatcher: Patio, Lawn & Garden](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/GreenWorks-27022-Amp-Corded-Dethatcher/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368202285&sr=8-1&keywords=electric+dethatcher]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/GreenWorks-27022-Amp-Corded-Dethatcher/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368202285&sr=8-1&keywords=electric+dethatcher)</p>

<p>And here is a pretty good info about craneflies and their control:</p>

<p>[European</a> Crane Fly Damage and Control in Grass, Lawns & Turf](<a href=“http://www.livingwithbugs.com/cranefly.html]European”>European Crane Fly Damage and Control in Grass, Lawns & Turf)</p>

<p>You might have to use some insecticide, unfortunately, in the first year to let your new grass take roots.</p>

10

<p>I am increasing the size of a planting bed…but my grass area is really large…and I like it. It would take a lot of plantings to cover it in other plants. We have a 2 acre lot…the rear is wooded, but the front is not. </p>

<p>I’m going to figure out the insecticide thing this weekend…folks have pets and I don’t want a ything that will hurt them if they meander into our yard.</p>

11

<p>Does the browned patch peel off the ground easily? When we had grubs, our turf peeled off from the ground with no efforts before turning brown.</p>

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<p>There is a lot of info in here, too:</p>

<p>[crane</a> flies | UMass Amherst Turf Program](<a href=“Turf: UMass Extension Turf Program | Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at UMass Amherst”>Turf: UMass Extension Turf Program | Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at UMass Amherst)</p>

<p>[Craneflies-</a> New Invasives for Connecticut? | Uconnladybug’s Blog](<a href=“http://uconnladybug.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2012/01/17/craneflies-new-invasives-for-connecticut/]Craneflies-”>Craneflies- New Invasives for Connecticut? | Uconnladybug's Blog)</p>

13

<p>Iglooo…no it doesn’t peel off. There simply is dirt where there used to be grass.</p>

<p>You know…my grass seems to spread to all kinds of areas where I do NOT want it (it creeps int my planting beds with ease). Why can’t it just spread to where there is now dirt?</p>

<p>When we visited Arizona, I loved the desert landscaped yards! No grass!</p>

14

<p>If you applied any crabgrass controller in the last 4 months you will not be able to grow grass in that area.</p>

<p>Is the area small enough to sod:)</p>

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<p>No crabgrass controller! If I put THAT on, I would have no lawn at all :)</p>

<p>Yes, area is far too large to sod. I just want green. I don’t even care if it’s weedy grass…as long as its not dirt.</p>

16

<p>“Hmmm…grubs. That could be the issue. It might. E too late, but what doi do to get rid of those?”</p>

<p>We had those for years and it wasn’t until I got a lawn service and they applied pesticide was I able to have a decent lawn and my lawn is still getting treated. </p>

<p>Are the bare patches in sunny spots? I only had them on the parts of my lawn not shaded by any trees.</p>

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<p>Ours are in a half shady spot. The full sun parts of my lawn look fine.</p>

18

<p>^likely not grubs, then.</p>