Lawn care

[KrisZ]

Fertilizer, weed killer and water that’s all I ever needed. I do seed it from time to time. That’s about it.

I noticed that having the grass mowed even and trimmed nicely has a bigger effect on the overall appearance than just lush, green grass alone.

Many of my neighbors don’t have a great grass, but they use a mowing service and they keep it nicely trimmed and cut, their lawns still look very presentable.

 

[jeepman3071]

There is a lot that goes into having a good lawn, more than just dumping tons of fertilizer and watering a lot. You have to start with decent soil, have a good type of grass for the temperature and sun in your climate, good soil aeration, and cut it at the correct height. Dumping lots of fertilizer will work temporarily, and many companies like TruGreen have benefitted from that mindset, but you can certainly over fertilize, and if you don't believe me just test the well water in some of those neighborhoods with perfect lawns.

 

[Ronsant]

My next door neighbor had the same idea. We don’t talk anymore.

Maybe I should mention that I have no neighbors on 3 sides?
I can see where someone might not be happy if clover seeds waft over onto their lawn.
the clover really does help the lawn look full, and like I said, is more resistant to dog urine, if that is an issue.

 

[Donald]

If you do a pre-emergent get one with either Barricade or Dimension. Or their chemical names. Put it down when forsythia are in bloom. Soil temp of above 50F.

I think you get a better value from companies like Lesco and Anderson for lawn care fertilizer and weed control than Scotts or most other brands at Home Depot.

If you put down a pre-emergent you will need to seed in the fall. That is if you want to seed. And you cannot aerate the lawn after a pre-emergent. If you do it will negate the benefit of the pre-emergent.

Most lawns need lime. Makes the fertilizer work better. You can get a cheap pH testing kit.

 

[greenjp]

Hello everybody,
Back with the 6 weeks in report. I amend my previous description of the grass as merely OK, I think it's actually quite good overall. I cannot confirm nor deny the use of a preemergent/weed & feed in very early April; not too many weeds. Still have random things here and there of course that I pull or spray but overall looks good. Prior owner obviously put down some sort of fast growing patching seed in some places. The back corner by the firewood rack and my neighbor's fence is very shady, has some moss and patchy grass. Not going to kill myself trying to get a manicured look in the difficult areas. I mow fairly high every 5-7 days. Pics below.
Just received the soil test kit which I'll be doing here shortly. Will do some combination of their recommendation and what the University of Maryland suggests. Maybe something over the summer and then almost certainly aerate, overseed, and fertilize in the fall.

jeff

 

[alarmguy]

Hello everybody,
My family is moving into a new-to-us home in 4 weeks. About quarter to a third of an acre. In Maryland, DC suburbs. Grass is OK, not great. I haven’t had a lawn to take care of in 20 years and then it was just mowing the grass at my parent’s house. Need some advice on the initial actions I should be taking and when. I’m figuring on the following:
get soil analyzed, fertilize per recommendation.
rent a core aerator and give it a once over
pre-emergent herbicide - uh technically these are not permitted in this area. I gather there are not any effective alternatives? They are still readily available though…
Post emergent, again technically only organic type products are permitted.
I assume there would be subsequent fertilizing, overseeing, etc but am pretty clueless about timing and sequencing. Appreciate any advice!

jeff

ASAP get down a fertilizer/pre/emergence combo or if you have to and combo not available seperates.
Doesnt really matter the brand but for pre-emergence I typically will get Scotts or any product from this company and Bayer
https://bioadvanced.com/5-in-1-weed-and-feed.html?typesimple&#552=1090
After that is down, follow up with ANY brand lawn starter fertilizer. Lawn starter fertilizer is one of the only left in the country that still has phosphorus in it. Essential for root development or is you have creeping grass such as Bermuda/Zoysia ect.

( I see I am late to the party *LOL*)

 

[alarmguy]

Best organic fertilizer is Milorganite. The stuff is fantastic and will really green and help thicken the lawn. It is packed full of micronutrients that will make lawns healthy. I would apply it at one-half the recommended rate or else you could be mowing every other day. By the way, it is a low nitrogen fertilizer, but it is effective!

I fertilize heavy during the year and once in a while when in the mood will pick this stuff up. Its not always available in nice new clean bags *LOL*
One misconception is that it is "low in nitrogen" It is not. The reason being is the bags contain 40 LBS of mater, so nitrogen shows a low percentage of the total contents of the bag but if that same nitrogen was in a 12 lb bag of your common lawn food it would show a much greater percent of the bag. The good news is it has phosphate in it and the nitrogen is a natural slow release nitrogen.

I dont use it often, once in a great while in any given year, I like to see fast results and its too slow for me, to the point I wonder sometimes if I am getting what I pay for. Im sure I am, I just like fast results for my effort most times.

 

[buster]

Do you use a bag when mowing or just mulch it up with the mower? Can you suffocate the lawn by not bagging it?

 

[BigCahuna]

I cut my grass about every two to three weeks. The more rain we get the more it grows. One year I made a big mistake and put some fertilizer down. If you want to mow your yard twice a week, use fertilizer. The back of my house's grass or should I say weeds, grow at different rates and I maybe cut it every month. The rate in which my grass grows is fine with me, I'm not into having the best lawn on the block, or needing to work like a landscaper. It gets old after a while.,,,

 

[bobdoo]

Do you use a bag when mowing or just mulch it up with the mower? Can you suffocate the lawn by not bagging it?

I have mulched almost every mow, for 30 years. My lawn is doing great. You *do* have to cut a bit higher, so the clippings have somewhere to nestle into... I do 3-3.5 inches.

 

[bobdoo]

I tried milorganite a few years ago. It had NO effect on my lawn over the first 3 months of growth.

Note that it is the microbes that eat sewage. The do state to use a MASK, and to not use it in GARDENS.

I won't use it again.

 

[buster]

I have mulched almost every mow, for 30 years. My lawn is doing great. You *do* have to cut a bit higher, so the clippings have somewhere to nestle into... I do 3-3.5 inches.

Thank you

I think last year I was cutting it too short. I raised the mower to its max height last mow.

 

[Aredeeem]

I tried milorganite a few years ago. It had NO effect on my lawn over the first 3 months of growth.

Note that it is the microbes that eat sewage. The do state to use a MASK, and to not use it in GARDENS.

I won't use it again.

I dunno. I use milorganite 2 times a year. Small yard, just hold my breath. Done in 5 minutes.