Okay, lawn experts...

[Ralph Wiggum]

We recently purchased our first home, and along with it, our first lawn. When we made the offer on the house, the lawn was pretty plush, but of course, when our close date rolled around in late June, the back yard looked like a desert.

I attributed it to the dry weather figuring it would be fine in the spring, but now I am not so sure. With the recent rains, most of our neighbors yards have shown a little green, yet ours is still pretty much a wasteland. I'm also concerned because I can see white granules (fertilizer???), yet I've never laid any down, so it has been there a while. I figured the downpours of this last week would have dissolved it, but the granules still remain.

So, do you think it's shot or will it rebound next year? Should I wait it out and seed in the spring if need be, or seed it this fall? Any other advice?

Here's a few pictures to see what I mean.

The barren wasteland:

The fertilizer(?) granules:

[Powerstroke]

I would say that this is the definition of dead. Lawns will go dormant, but some do not recover and will die. I believe yours has taken a turn for the worst. I have a friend who also lives in crystal and his lawn looked similar to yours about a month ago, but his has since recovered with all the rains in the last 2weeks. I would say you should start thinking about a plan for renovation. Some green will come back, but it will be from seeds, not the plants that are dead.

[Ralph Wiggum]

That is what I was afraid of. So, what should I do???

[sparcebag]

Leave it sell the mower and invest in some catfish equip.

I'd start new it looks like no new soil can be added unless you remove walk,Kill,Till,seed,feed. Those granules are they crunchy?? they look like an older type of moisture retainment granule,(I drew a oldage blank here)cant think of the name,if they crunch and turn to powdery stuff its it.

[Ralph Wiggum]

The granules are hard as a rock.

[Shack]

Ralph,

I would not worry! I does look dead, but one could restructure in a short time. It is easier said than done, but have soil tested for PH level. Rake the heck out of it and dispose of the dead grass. Check the thatch layer. If you are on clay or have a heavy thatch pack, aeration could be in you future. I know others may say other wise, but I like to seed after I aerate. If you are willing to water regularly, one could seed in next coupe of weeks. If not, after you rake up dead grass and find out a little info on your soil, planting/seeding next spring could be a second option. Third option (my father perfected this), is wait and see what happens and do nothing.

Good luck!

[LwnmwnMan2]

You're going to have to redo that yard, plain and simple, and more than just throw seed over the top.

That fertilizer that you see, it doesn't seem like fertilizer. Pretty much whatever would have been put down, easily should have broken down by now.

When did you purchase the property???

I suppose that it COULD be fertilizer that hadn't broken down yet, but usually the granules are round, and those look quite jagged.

There's a couple of ways to go about it. You could hire someone to scrape the old turf off, or rent a sod cutter and peel it off yourself.

As mentioned earlier, it's not really going to work putting dirt over the top, unless you want to bail on that sidewalk, which may not be a bad idea either.

Tear out the sidewalk, put dirt in, put a new walkway with pavers or stepping stones would look SHARP.

I realize that with the new home purchase you may not have a lot of money, but the stepping stones wouldn't be TOO expensive.

It would be labor intensive, but would be a real sharp way to dress up something that's pretty much toast and something you could tackle yourself if you have a pickup.

[hotrod1]

I would personaly leave the dead grass, aerate the lawn, and slit seed 2 directions after you aerify (which will bust up the plugs from aerifying). The dead grass could be used as a mulch over your seed to hold some moisture.

[Shack]

A little granulated lime or Gypsum could help stabilize soil.

My grand father swears by a method of detaching or controlling thatch amounts, that everyone can relate to and have it on hand. Add on can of beer to a hose end sprayed and squirt your lawn. I think he did this to control thatch, but swears it works. He lives in Fridley and to this day has never dethatched his lawn. I never have tried this, but his lawn is one of those picture perfect lawn of the northern burbs.

[Shack]

The one ray of hope I do see is the nice green patch under tree. The lawn is dead, not dormant. I think what ever was spread on it, helped burn it out in combination with no water. Obviously one does not want to speed money if one does not have to. Also ones priority level of his yard is key on how far one will go. Like I stated in my other post, my father never cared for lawn's or lawn work. The front yard of my parents house would look like Ralph's yard late in the season every year. Come spring it would come back a little to look nice enough to pass when one would drive by. Last year, I dethatched the heck out of it (bagged and pulled a sweeper after), aerated it (plug style), over seeded, went back and showed him how to fertilize it proper and performed some weed control. 2 hard working days tops. This year is looks great, no golf coarse, but one of the nicer yards in area's. My mom just got sick of having the dead gray yard and the comments from neighbors. It was a nice gift and still looks great. I know my old man is getting old, because this is the first spring he has fertilized his yards in the 33 years he has lived there.

Sure one could rip out and go balls to the walls. I just tore up a yard and spread 20 yards of BD on an area tonight, that I thought it was salvage able. It was easier for home owner to start from new again, or is it. This customer has a lot of work in front of him. Ah, who am I to argue with him. He paid his bill and gave a good tip.

[hotrod1]

Having a soil test done would let him know if Lime or Gypsum (i assume you meant Gypsum) is needed to balance the soil ph.

[Shack]

Thanks, I am a horrible speller

I corrected it.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Quote:

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Having a soil test done would let him know if Lime or Gypsum (i assume you meant Gypsum) is needed to balance the soil ph.

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That's what should be done first, so you know what sort of base you're starting with.

Plus with a couple of soil samples, you can see what kind of dirt you're dealing with.

Chances are, that the dirt is poor, which could mean even poorer water retention / faster drying out.

[Shack]

I agree with LM2! I would start their. It could be toxic waste for soil, one never knows.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Where does one go about getting a soil test?

[Shack]

That is the trick, I am sure LM2 might know. The only place I know of is the U of M. They test the pile of Black Dirt I haul from. I would do a google search and see if anyone local does or contact the U of M.

This is why I said "easier said than done" in my first post

[Ralph Wiggum]

So, if I get a soil test done, is it okay to do my work in early September? I'd hate to do the work and not get good results.

[Shack]

I would say that is the later end of the stick! It would work, as long as grass gets to sprout before freeze.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Quote:

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Where does one go about getting a soil test?

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I'll be honest, it'll probably take a week or two at least to get the results back, and by then, if all goes well, you're going to be pushing into mid-September.

Getting a tad bit on the later side to do a major overhaul with seed.

As far as where to go.... I did a google on Hennipin County Extension Office, which gave me an address in E.P., but then it also brought me up the extension services' own HSOforum, where I did a search on THAT HSOforum for lawn soil sample, which gives you the exact way to go about it and the address to send it to.

Follow that, or maybe I can get the guys to put a sticky at the top of the lawn and garden forum with the web address?? I'll see......

[Shack]

Soil testing!

I did a search and came up with the u of m or a place in LM2's town. Stacy! I checked out website and did not see any thing that would violate FM policy. The link is above.

If they can not help you, I would think they could tell you were to go or some were closer to home.

Good luck!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think I'll send to the U of M.

[LABS4ME]

We've had great luck seeding client's lawns all the way through the end of September. I even had one done the middle of October last year, and even with the lack of snow, cold temps and subsequent drought it turned out to be a dandy of a lawn. We use a company named 'Windscapes' to do all of our over seeding and installation of new lawns. It is called Terra-seeding. It is a totally different process than any other seed application and is very affordable. It works incredibly well. They office in the same bldg. as we do and I can vouch for how well it works. A seeded lawn will also be more drought tolerant than a sodded lawn.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Shack]

LM2,

If posting URL Link violated any rule, you can delete it. I do not know if this will help you in future, but it is in your back yard.

Good luck!

Could be cheaper than U of M and faster aswell.

[18 inch Crappie]

Till it and mix in some black dirt and lay sod. It does not look that big maybe 350sq yards that is only 5 pallets of sod and $300. Plus about $200 for 15 yards of black dirt and $100 to rent a tiller for the day. Pull up the walkway (looks like square pads) and relay it after you till the yard.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Jeez, I started work on it tonight. I used to be able to do this all day...I guess that means I'm getting old . I'll let you all know how it turns out.