Get a soil test. Do what it says. But most likely, wait until winter is over, till in a shitload of compost, and put down a bunch of seed, and water.
Vesper said:
Get a soil test. Do what it says. But most likely, wait until winter is over, till in a shitload of compost, and put down a bunch of seed, and water.
When you till… don’t till up the tree roots.
You’re done for the winter, it will be too cold to grow anything until spring. Not an advertisement or solicitation - but you should download the Scott’s My Lawn app. I think you can input your zip code and some information about what it is you want to do and it will make a lawn plan for you with suggested products and when to apply them. You can use the Scott’s products or find your own for a little cheaper, but it is a great guide for starting out.
Your soil looks compacted so you’ll probably want to get it aerated. Then put down seed and a preemergent that’s made for seeding. Be careful, some preemergent will stop all seeds, including grass seeds from growing; others will only target the weed seed. The active ingredient you want is mesotrione - this will stop weed seeds while letting grass seed grow. Aside from that, give lots of water and time. Good advice here on the soil tests, as well as getting things regraded or maybe adding some soil in low places.
@Rowan
I assumed I was done until spring. I was hoping to make plans for spring. Thanks for the mesotrione tip. Where do I get a soil test?
Nico said:
@Rowan
I assumed I was done until spring. I was hoping to make plans for spring. Thanks for the mesotrione tip. Where do I get a soil test?
From your county extension. Just do a quick google search with your county name and soil test.
@Remi
Thanks for the advice.
Hard to tell but looks like a lot of dead crabgrass in pic 1 esp up by house. Those cg seeds for next year need to be stopped which limits early season seeding.
I’d put seed down in January (so you get SOME grass in the spring) but then hold off on applying crabgrass control late - after the grass seed comes up but not too late to stop cg from germinating. Tell the local fert supply store your strategy and they’ll help you with the timing. And hope some comes in. Get a soil test too.
Honestly, work on weeds in the spring/summer and then aerate top soil and seed in September. I know you want to get seed going asap but play the long game.
Use tall turf type fescue. Under that maple will be tough due to surface roots, ngl.
@Darby
I am trying to play the long game, I assumed it would be probably a multi-year project to recover this area. What’s the best way to work on the weeds? Is there a good herbicide that would be effective or focus on hand treatments?
@Nico
Just buy some spectricide concentrate and a pump sprayer for $20. One third of a cup per gallon of water. Shoot each weed as opposed to a blanket application.
If it was me I would try a spring seed to get some grass (not KBG as germination takes too long) and throw down pre-emergent after grass germination and a few mows, maybe June 1. Then work on the weeds weekly. Spectricide will knock out crabgrass. And then Labor Day Weekend, full-blown overseed with the seed you want.
I bought my last house in June and worked toward the fall overseed, reseed in some areas. But if I bought my house at the same time you did, I would try to get something going in the spring. And it would be the only spring overseed I would ever do.
@Toby
I agree with all of this. Spectricide is not too shabby. Near mid-summer, note the dates of use. 4 weeks need to pass before you can seed over Spectricide.
Soil test if not already done to help determine what your soil may need for amendments. I agree if you can find someone who knows the area and what grasses work well I would pick their brain.
Curious, how much would you pay a landscaper/gardener to come and do it for you?
Charlie said:
Curious, how much would you pay a landscaper/gardener to come and do it for you?
I have no idea what that would cost. Just bought this place, and it’s my first home so I’m trying to budget carefully. Lots of other things I’ll need to spend on.
Til the soil, put down soil amendments and fertiliser, buy turf (and water heaps for a few weeks after), pray that tree still allows it to get sun. This will differ as I’m in Brisbane, Australia and we don’t really get a winter and you might.
@Teal
We get a pretty hard winter where I am. It’s about to set in, I’m thinking I’ll need some top soil in the spring for starters.
Nico said:
@Teal
We get a pretty hard winter where I am. It’s about to set in, I’m thinking I’ll need some top soil in the spring for starters.
You’d need to consult someone that understands your seasons and grass types. We are all warm-season grasses over this side of the world.
I don’t think you will ever have decent grass with the tree present.
Vann said:
I don’t think you will ever have decent grass with the tree present.
That was my thought. I had a customer that wanted grass, but hers looked almost exactly like this. She had two trees that gave the front yard almost 100% shade, but when one was cut down over the course of a year that side filled up to maybe 60% grass by the end of the year.
I have been checking this sub out for a couple of weeks and learned about dormant seeding. My thought was that it would be pointless in my case given the soil condition? Am I right or mistaken?