Help with yard

[Cowgirl]

First thing you need to do is get a soil test. Go to Cooperative Extension and ask them for the soil test bag. They also have a little probe you can use if you don't have one. Take a bucket and walk around your yard and get a sample from all different areas of your yard. Mix the soil in a bucket, and then fill the bag with the mixed soil. It's $12 per test, and well worth it. You really want to know what you're dealing with before you go fertilizing and liming all willy-nilly. It probably is safe to assume you'll need some lime. Lime takes awhile to work, so you probably won't see the benefits of liming until the fall or quite possibly next year. You can also spread gypsum to help break up the clay. You'll want to get a move on if you want to seed it this spring. I wouldn't worry with a sprinkler system, just get a good long garden hose and a sprinkler.

[kom526]

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[huntr1]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

I wouldn't worry with a sprinkler system, just get a good long garden hose and a sprinkler.

At Home Depot and Southern States you can get an impact sprinkler on a tripod. You can raise the sprinkler head about 5-6' above ground. You can then cover a HUGE area with the sprinkler. The one at Southern States is a good bit more money, but has individually adjustable legs like a camera tripod, whereas the one at Home Depot they are all connected together. I have the HD sprinkler, my neighbor has the SS one. Both work well. Hands down the best sprinklers I have bought (and I've tried just about all of them).

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by Vince

You have grass now?!

It's getting there. The front is almost completely covered. The flat of the backyard is 95% covered. The hill where I drive up to the barn is at about 75%, which amazes me. The Perfect Seed is what did it. I love it. I am now working on the area up by the barn. Due to the near total shade, that area is going to be difficult to get grass on, but the Perfect Seed is working there little by little. Once I get grass there, I am moving on to the flat area by the swingset.

[Vince]

Originally Posted by huntr1

It's getting there. The front is almost completely covered. The flat of the backyard is 95% covered. The hill where I drive up to the barn is at about 75%, which amazes me. The Perfect Seed is what did it. I love it. I am now working on the area up by the barn. Due to the near total shade, that area is going to be difficult to get grass on, but the Perfect Seed is working there little by little. Once I get grass there, I am moving on to the flat area by the swingset.

Have to try it. Got the area on the right side of the garage that needs seeding. Never put anything in there after the garage excavation.

[Bigt3725]

I have used them for 2 years for our business. He is very professional and knows his business very well. His prices were very afforable and nice guy all around. His number is 240-417-7094. website is tulipgrovelandscaping.com .

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by Vince

Have to try it. Got the area on the right side of the garage that needs seeding. Never put anything in there after the garage excavation.

I bought a lunchbag size bag of this seed in Summer '06. It sat in the laundry room for months. Until fall, when the wife got tired of seeing it. She took it out to the hill and did NO prep work and spread the seed. No watering, no straw, no scratching the ground first, no nothing. It took. We bought more last fall and I put more on the hill. I am amazed at the coverage with the little bit of care I gave it. That hill is very hard to get stuff to grow on due to the large amount of water run off when it rains. Usually everything just washes down the hill.

[barncat]

Originally Posted by huntr1

I bought a lunchbag size bag of this seed in Summer '06. It sat in the laundry room for months. Until fall, when the wife got tired of seeing it. She took it out to the hill and did NO prep work and spread the seed. No watering, no straw, no scratching the ground first, no nothing. It took. We bought more last fall and I put more on the hill. I am amazed at the coverage with the little bit of care I gave it. That hill is very hard to get stuff to grow on due to the large amount of water run off when it rains. Usually everything just washes down the hill.

How much is the Perfect Seed from Walmart? I looked at grass seed there this weekend and didn't see it, but I was also looking only at the 20# + bags. We have almost 2 acres that needs a lot of attention. .80 of an acre was cleared and has some grass growing and the majority of the other acre was seeded and is growing some, but will need an overseeding, fertilizer, and lime. I'm going to pick up lime this weekend and get that down and hopefully seed and fertilize within the next month. I was looking at the Rebel brand at Lowe's, it's $90 for a 50# bag that covers up to 25,000 sf so I will need a few bags, but if the Perfect Seed is cheaper and comes with a recommendation, I'm willing to try it. I also have a hill in the back to deal with, it has just the beginning of sparse grass coming in, but I don't want what I already have to wash away so I need to get some more seed down.

Thankfully I bought the handly little seed spreader for my lawn mower so it will be super easy to get everything down this spring. It really sucked walking that stupid push thing last year.

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by barncat

How much is the Perfect Seed from Walmart? I looked at grass seed there this weekend and didn't see it, but I was also looking only at the 20# + bags. We have almost 2 acres that needs a lot of attention. .80 of an acre was cleared and has some grass growing and the majority of the other acre was seeded and is growing some, but will need an overseeding, fertilizer, and lime. I'm going to pick up lime this weekend and get that down and hopefully seed and fertilize within the next month. I was looking at the Rebel brand at Lowe's, it's $90 for a 50# bag that covers up to 25,000 sf so I will need a few bags, but if the Perfect Seed is cheaper and comes with a recommendation, I'm willing to try it. I also have a hill in the back to deal with, it has just the beginning of sparse grass coming in, but I don't want what I already have to wash away so I need to get some more seed down.

Thankfully I bought the handly little seed spreader for my lawn mower so it will be super easy to get everything down this spring. It really sucked walking that stupid push thing last year.

I have a pull behind broadcast spreader too. I'd also recommend getting an aerator to pull behind the mower. I have the plug type. I am seriously thinking about getting the star type aerator with built in seed hopper as well. That way the seed will fall into the slots made by the aerator. I borrowed a non-spreader aerator of that type when we first moved into the house and then spread seed. The only places it came up was where the spreader cut the slots. The plug type is good for aerating the soil (which you'll need to do in the fall) but not as good for helping with seeding since the holes are 6" or so apart.

I don't know the price of the seed, but I believe it was a bit cheaper than the other brands.

[kom526]

Originally Posted by barncat

How much is the Perfect Seed from Walmart? I looked at grass seed there this weekend and didn't see it, but I was also looking only at the 20# + bags. We have almost 2 acres that needs a lot of attention. .80 of an acre was cleared and has some grass growing and the majority of the other acre was seeded and is growing some, but will need an overseeding, fertilizer, and lime. I'm going to pick up lime this weekend and get that down and hopefully seed and fertilize within the next month. I was looking at the Rebel brand at Lowe's, it's $90 for a 50# bag that covers up to 25,000 sf so I will need a few bags, but if the Perfect Seed is cheaper and comes with a recommendation, I'm willing to try it. I also have a hill in the back to deal with, it has just the beginning of sparse grass coming in, but I don't want what I already have to wash away so I need to get some more seed down.

Thankfully I bought the handly little seed spreader for my lawn mower so it will be super easy to get everything down this spring. It really sucked walking that stupid push thing last year.

You should do your over seeding and lime in the late fall to early winter.
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