Okay, so lots of questions with very fewer asked here. Bear with me. I’m in Ohio, zone 6b if it’s helpful. Recently purchased a new home and want to get my yard in shape. We have 4 dogs, so unfortunately pee spots are going to be an issue. The yard is very sloped and bumpy and full of weeds and grab grass.
Where do I begin? I’m not looking for the most curated lawn, but I want something that doesn’t feel like I’m on a wooden roller coaster when I mow and looks nice.
We are about a year out from a new fence line, I would be fine putting money into leveling out the yard. In the middle of the yard we do have a septic tank.
Here is some photos of what I’m working with.
by Impossible_Snow_9143
2 Comments
Following!
Same spot….new home, in Ohio in 6B with a dog, bumpy and full of weeds. I’m no expert, but this is what I am working on right now:
1.) Took a sample of soil from yard and mailed it to Brookside Labs in New Bremen, OH for a soil test ($15 for it + shipping). Measured out my entire grass area to calculate the square footage.
2.) Purchased a 25lb of **Resilience II Turf Type Tall Fescue** grass seed online from Twin City Seed Company ($110). **Do not waste your money** on any seed from a big box store or any seed that is coated. I spent well over $200 at Home Depot this spring on seed. I ended up with some grass but plenty of bare, thin, or dead spots plus tons of weeds. I learned my lesson.
3.) Hand pulling or literally digging out as much crab grass as I can. Use a flexible rake to rake up dead grass spots. Any real bare areas, I’m using a small handheld 3 pronged tool to loosen up the soil.
4.) Picking up screened topsoil, masonry sand, & peat moss from local landscaping/mulch company this weekend. Going to mow lawn down to about 2 inches and bag the clippings. Mowing short makes leveling easier and gives time for new seed to catch up to existing grass.
5.) Mix up topsoil & sand (2/3 soil, 1/3 sand). Spread it over lawn to level. I purchased this [lawn leveling rake](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CT8J9DHS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) from Amazon back in the spring that works great to spread it evenly and fill up the low spots. I can’t imagine trying to do it without this.
6.) I have about 12,000 sq feet of grass so I bought the Echo RB60 broadcast spreader (had a promo with my Home Depot credit card to get $30 off of $150 so I got it for $125). Spread the seed, focusing on the bare/thin spots. Skipping any spots where grass is really green and healthy. Mid September is the best time in our area to plant new seed. Grass is back to growing and gives it time before the first frost to get established before going dormant over winter. Looking at the area in your pics, you could likely hand seed it and water it manually.
7.) Purchased Mesotrione concentrate from Amazon. Will spray over lawn. It will not kill or affect the seed I’m putting down, but will keep weeds/crabgrass from germinating and hopefully kill any that I didn’t hand pull.
8.) Covering seed/lawn in peat moss to help seed retain moisture and also add some organic matter to soil. Going to water entire lawn 3x per day for 2 weeks, drop it down to 1x a day for another week or until new grass is same height of existing. I have 2 outdoor spigots (1 in front, 1 in back), 4 50ft hoses, 4 sets of sprinklers, 2 hose splitters, 2 water timers to do so. That way it will automatically water the whole lawn without any manual interaction from me.
9.) I’m going to wait about a week or so after seeding to put down some starter fertilizer (again using broadcast spreader). I’m waiting until the new grass starts to pop out. Doing it earlier will feed your existing grass and boost it’s growth, making it hard for new seed to get established. Towards the end of October, I am going to put down a fall fertilizer before the grass goes dormant. I will base the makeup of this fertilizer off of the lab results of my soil test.
Yes, it’s a lot of money considering the cost of topsoil, seed, & equipment. Everything I’ve purchased, I’ve learned that I need because I’ve tried it without it before. Hope this helps & good luck!