Spring Yard Care

[Pipe Line]

Look at Toe dropping the grass knowledge. Sure as hell beats the artificial turf peeps.

What kind of sun exposure is it opee? What about mulching it and throwing in some tough bushes? Maybe some big pots to grow annuals in? Let's turn this eyesore into a little nook of beauty!

I actually have a spot right in front of the big front window that is covered in smaller landscaping rocks that I'll probably put a fresh batch of rock on and maybe some landscaping boulders to look better. Was talking to my brother in law about that over the weekend and he had that idea, has a similar setup at his house and it looks good.


Sun exposure wise, so the front yard faces mostly Southeast, southern part gets quite a bit of sun so have to water more but I never have issues there. A little piece along the southern part of the house that goes into the backyard that never gets any rain, but bakes in the sun because of the way the house was built with a slight over hang on the top level so I'll sod that ASAP when fescue is available. Backyard faces Southwest, gets a ton of sun so I water pretty frequently in the dog days of summer, some spots are tough to get though quick enough. That's why I'm going to work with my father in law on his sprinkler system set up so I can hit the tough spots more consistently.


Overall the yard looks good once spring turns into summer, it's just one area between the shed and fence where my wife's dog has done some work on it over the last 2 months or so chasing rabbits that I need to get fixed here soon. I plan on Husker Football parties again and I need my shit looking right

 

[Toe]

You might end up with “patches” of different color grass over the next couple years but it will even out over time.

True, and green with patches of a little different green looks better than green with patches of yellowish-brown. 🙂

 

[DuckSker]

Let me throw this hypothetical at ya for a thought. My best friend has a lawn service and has a giant utility aerator. When he starts that in about a month or so, ima have him aerate, and then I’m gonna use my spreader and throw some seed around. However, there are patches that need a little more TLC than that so I was gonna throw some sod squares from the same place I bought them last year, which turned out good, I just a little lazy with the water in the summer. So in my mind, I could be wrong, but there’s a solid base with the seed, and then patches where it needs it, then all comes together to look rich and full. Thoughts?

That’ll work. Seed as soon as he’s done aerating. Have him put some fertilizer down too while the holes are still in ur yard!

 

[Dell Husker]

Just put some grass seed down last night and some starter fertilizer. A little late in the year but hoping to catch a couple rains this week

 

[Pipe Line]

My father in law helped me put in what is basically an underground sprinkler system without the commercial digging and giant costs over the weekend, so that's ready to roll. Basically PVC pipe and commercial grade pop up sprinkler heads that you attach your hose to and the water pressure pops the heads up to water. My best friend has his own mowing company so he'll be aerating anytime now, then I'll put some seed down and start *sodding* certain spots in the yard.

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

If you're having problems with bare spots, consider overseeding with Kentucky Bluegrass. Unlike fescues, which grow in bunches, KBG will spread on its own to fill in bare patches. The stuff I use is a blend of tall fescue, KBG, and a bit of chewings fescue for shade tolerance. Still needs to be watered in the summer, though.

Definitely oversees with bluegrass. It’s self repairing.

You might end up with “patches” of different color grass over the next couple years but it will even out over time.

Throw me in this group too.

Then use a high iron fertilizer and you can get a deep dark lawn. I usually will feed my lawn with



And




One is an organic so you have to put a shit ton down, but it will help build up your soil too. Then I will use the Scotts to get a shorter term boost.

Spring once soil reaches 55 degrees I put down starter fert and a pre emergent.
Then a couple weeks before memorial day I will spray weeds and throw fert down (usually scotts) I repeat these throughout the summer a couple of weeks before the major holidays.
Then around Halloween I put more starter fert down and aerate the lawn. Overseed in the fall too if needed.

I also will mow 4" 2 time per week and I will mulch it up every cut except my 1st and last one. Only reason for bagging those is to get leaves and other crap off the lawn.

 

[jaihawk]

Throw me in this group too.

Then use a high iron fertilizer and you can get a deep dark lawn. I usually will feed my lawn with

View attachment 9074

And

View attachment 9075


One is an organic so you have to put a shit ton down, but it will help build up your soil too. Then I will use the Scotts to get a shorter term boost.

Spring once soil reaches 55 degrees I put down starter fert and a pre emergent.
Then a couple weeks before memorial day I will spray weeds and throw fert down (usually scotts) I repeat these throughout the summer a couple of weeks before the major holidays.
Then around Halloween I put more starter fert down and aerate the lawn. Overseed in the fall too if needed.

I also will mow 4" 2 time per week and I will mulch it up every cut except my 1st and last one. Only reason for bagging those is to get leaves and other crap off the lawn.

Milorganite is awesome stuff, but you do need a ton of it, so it can get costly. I usually go through about 10 bags on my yard. Also, it smells like shit, so just be prepared for that. It's fully organic, so you don't have to worry about burning your yard by applying too much. That said, I only use it in July/August when we've hit a really hot and dry spell. The winterizer that I put down is phenomenal and has my yard emerald green early in the season. I buy a 5 step program from Nebraska Landscape Solutions. It's the commercial grade stuff, so it's way better than the stuff you get at Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[Toe]

Only reason for bagging those is to get leaves and other crap off the lawn.

Also good to bag if you've got weeds that have put up seed heads - don't just let them fall back to the ground.

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Also good to bag if you've got weeds that have put up seed heads - don't just let them fall back to the ground.

True... I just usually don't have a weed problem, but should've mentioned that

 

[kenyanfeline]

Throw me in this group too.

Then use a high iron fertilizer and you can get a deep dark lawn. I usually will feed my lawn with

View attachment 9074

And

View attachment 9075


One is an organic so you have to put a shit ton down, but it will help build up your soil too. Then I will use the Scotts to get a shorter term boost.

Spring once soil reaches 55 degrees I put down starter fert and a pre emergent.
Then a couple weeks before memorial day I will spray weeds and throw fert down (usually scotts) I repeat these throughout the summer a couple of weeks before the major holidays.
Then around Halloween I put more starter fert down and aerate the lawn. Overseed in the fall too if needed.

I also will mow 4" 2 time per week and I will mulch it up every cut except my 1st and last one. Only reason for bagging those is to get leaves and other crap off the lawn.

Milorganite is awesome stuff, but you do need a ton of it, so it can get costly. I usually go through about 10 bags on my yard. Also, it smells like shit, so just be prepared for that. It's fully organic, so you don't have to worry about burning your yard by applying too much. That said, I only use it in July/August when we've hit a really hot and dry spell. The winterizer that I put down is phenomenal and has my yard emerald green early in the season. I buy a 5 step program from Nebraska Landscape Solutions. It's the commercial grade stuff, so it's way better than the stuff you get at Home Depot or Lowes.

Milorganite is the single most effective pure fertilizer on the market. I swear by it. If you use it for multiple years, your grass will be the first to green up in the spring, the last to turn brown in the fall, and will be the darkest green of all of your neighbors in the summer.

It is pricy and you have to mow a lot because the grass grows like crazy.

Menards now sells an “off brand” called “Ecorganite.” I got it this year and it appears to be the exact same thing.

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Milorganite is the single most effective pure fertilizer on the market. I swear by it. If you use it for multiple years, your grass will be the first to green up in the spring, the last to turn brown in the fall, and will be the darkest green of all of your neighbors in the summer.

It is pricy and you have to mow a lot because the grass grows like crazy.

Menards now sells an “off brand” called “Ecorganite.” I got it this year and it appears to be the exact same thing.

It is my favorite to use given that dark green you get and the fact it helps improve the soil to do what you said.

 

[kenyanfeline]

It is my favorite to use given that dark green you get and the fact it helps improve the soil to do what you said.

Once you get to the point where your lawn is super thick and green, you barely need to apply preemergent and herbicides.

Milorganite will eventually make your lawn so thick there is simply no room for crabgrass to grow.

 

[Dell Husker]

Can’t catch a rain and terrible water pressure at my house to run two sprinklers. Gonna be a long next couple weeks trying to get this spring seed going

 

[kenyanfeline]

Can’t catch a rain and terrible water pressure at my house to run two sprinklers. Gonna be a long next couple weeks trying to get this spring seed going

Invest in some peat moss. It will help hold the moisture. Saves water, adds nutrients. Cheaper in the long run than having to seed again.