New Lawn Advice

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Shann

Joined
Sep 2, 2004
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I had a big barn taken down, and the foundation dug up over the summer. The guy I used just smoothed things up and put a layer of sand over the dirt to level off everything but did not lay down topsoil. The soil under the sand layer is clay. I now need to put in a lawn. I raked over and smoothed out the high spots and tractor ruts so basically, I need advise on how to get grass to grow. Should I get the soil tested or just put some fertilizer on it? Do I need a power seeder or can I just borrow a broadcast spreader? Can I just hose it down or do I really need a sprinkler? Do I need to spread straw over it after I seed, and should I hurry to get it done or is the early fall the best time to do it?
 
Shann, buddy, you can either eradicate and start from seed or patch with sod. From the sound of of it, I would recommend the former. Condition the soil. Condition the soil. I love finely manicured turf grass. It is one of my true passions.
 
dont know too much about growing grass in vermont lol.
if its an aesthetically important area i would hire a turfgrass professional.
if its out of the way where nobody sees then i would buy cheap grass seed from a garden center. spread it with a broadcast spreader, cover lightly with straw and run the sprinkler on it for an hour every other day. see what happens.
 
You can take a soil sample to your county extension service (USDA) for testing and recommendation of soil treatment, fertilizer and grass type for your soil in your area. This service used to be free. And Hank Kimball is a good guy to know!
 
For a good lawn, you are going to need topsoil. Spreading the seed isn't a big deal; it'll fill in quickly once it starts to grow. Grass seed is cheap compared to labor, so put it on thick. Plan two seedlings about three weeks apart. Water, water, water... twice a day for the first six or eight weeks.
 
You'll need to add organic, either mulch or loam. Sand and clay mixed together make concrete unless there is plenty of organic material to break it up. Trust me, I have years of first-hand experience with that. That layer of clay is going to cause you all kinds of problems if you don't break it up. Aside from that, I suspect your climate is different enough from mine that my professional experience will be of little value.
 
Shann said:
Could pave it over and paint it green but that would cost a lot more!
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Green concrete. :thumbup:

Lockheed in Palmdale, PRK tried to grow grass in between the buildings. After a year or so they gave up and paved it over with concrete.
The concrete cracked and grass grew in the cracks. :D
 
It may be different there but here the way to convert bare earth into a beautiful lawn is to run a mower over it regularly. You will have a lovely lawn within 12 months. Buying seed is for the impatient. (It works for tarmac too but takes a bit longer.)
 
I agree with the folks advising you to add in organic materials - aged horse manure is great, peat moss and compost isn't bad.
whatever you do, put a 4" thick layer over the entire area, then rent a big rototiller (5' wide mounted to the back of a tractor would be good) and turn the soil at least twice, test the soil and if it's still bad, then add another layer of organic material and do it again. Follow up with a harrow or cultipacker to smooth out the surface.
after all that, plant wheat mixed with grass seed -- the wheat sprouts quick and greens things up, reduces erosion, etc... but will not compete with perennial grasses.
If you do not have to have a pretty green lawn right away, plant clover this fall and grass next fall. Clover is a great way to condition poor soils and is fairly hardy.
 
yablanowitz said:
You'll need to add organic, either mulch or loam. Sand and clay mixed together make concrete unless there is plenty of organic material to break it up. Trust me, I have years of first-hand experience with that. That layer of clay is going to cause you all kinds of problems if you don't break it up. Aside from that, I suspect your climate is different enough from mine that my professional experience will be of little value.
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Agree. In NM we have lots of clay and lots of sand. The clay is difficult cause it can be very difficult penetrate and has no nutrients.
 
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