6 days to get my lawn in (1 Viewer)

Mark Brewer · Mar 24, 2003

Because the small city we live in has water restrictions during the summer I have to have it planted by April 1.
If I don't I can't get a watering permit and can only water according to restrictions and may have to stop when the restrictions become severe.

My lawn is only 85 sq feet real tiny....

Any recommendations for prepping the ground which is just dirt???

I will seeding...

Dheiner · Mar 24, 2003

ortho.com

Jeff Kleist · Mar 24, 2003

Astroturf, and you never have to mow it

Mark Brewer · Mar 24, 2003

John

Thanks for the link
I found out exactly what I was looking for.
The cement truck comes tommorrow.

My wife is so excited to have a lawn finally...
YEY and who is going to mow it and take of it...
ME!!!
Just like the dog..

Ron-P · Mar 25, 2003

Lay sod, skip the seeding. It's a bit more expensive, but much easier and you have instant green.

Peace Out~

Chris Rosene · Mar 25, 2003

I second the sod idea. Seed attracts all kinds of weeds, birds, etc. Sod also requires far less watering.

KyleS · Mar 25, 2003

Last summer I re-lanscaped my entire lawn, put in a retaining wall, & also underground sprinklers. When it was time to decide between seeding and Sod I called around town. Sod was definetely cheaper if you had more then say 1500sq ft but other then that they were pretty darn close. I had right under 1000sq feet of lawn and it was only $50 more to use Sod then seed which gave me an instant lawn. I would check if you have a local Home Depot or Lowes near you they often bring palets of Sod in on the weekends to sell and you can pick up what you need for very little(call them first of course).

Best of luck on your new lawn that YOU get to take care of.

I can tell you that my wife loves our new lawn though.

KyleS

Justin Lane · Mar 25, 2003

For a lawn your size Mark, I would just go the sod route. The price is probably less then you expect.

If doing sod, make sure you have everything down to bare dirt, and the rough up the dirt with a rake to allow the sod's roots easy access. Make sure you rake up as many larger rocks as possible at this point as well. I also recommend filling in any low spots with soil if doing sod, because they can very noticeable on a ready grown yard.

If doing seed, take a similar approach in getting it down to bare soil. Spread your seed by hand (since your yard is small) or better yet with a seeder/spreader found at most home improvement stores. I would also recommend throwing down some hay to keep the seeds and place and give them a bit of nutrients. You could also look into one of the hydroseeding outfits in your area, but since your yard is so small this probably won't be a cost effective option.

Either route, proper watering is the key. If you have any desires for a sprinkler system the best time to put one in place is right now before your grass is layed.

J

Ron-P · Mar 25, 2003

Also, when placing sod, wet the dirt and the sod both, place and then use a water wagon to roll the sod removing all air gaps between the sod and soil.

Peace Out~

brentl · Mar 25, 2003

"My lawn is only 85 sq feet real tiny"

Now that's funny

Brent L
Make sure you buy a Honda for that beast

Justin Lane · Mar 26, 2003

Also, when placing sod, wet the dirt and the sod both, place and then use a water wagon to roll the sod removing all air gaps between the sod and soil.

That is a good recommendation as well. I used to work landscaping (foreman for a small landscaping company) and did more sod in my time then I would like to remember. Once the sod was in place I would also make sure I physically walked (on) all of the seams so the adjoining piece of sod was a seamless transistion.

Another important aspect of laying sod, is the stagger. This minimizes the seams in your yard lining up, making them less visible. Depending on your yard size, start with a small piece of sod, maybe a 8-12" in height, and then increase the adjacent piece by the same amount in height until you have a full piece of sod. Repeat the process again until your entire first row of sod is complete. Once the stagger is in place, begin using full pieces of sod, making sure all seams are nice and tight.

Let us know what you decide to do Mark, and feel free to ask anymore questions you may have.

J

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MikeAlletto · Mar 26, 2003

This is kind of a related question. In my new house they put sod down. Its been in place for about 2 months now I think. There are some parts that still have not taken yet. I was in the backyard and I stepped down and felt something solid. I was able to lift up the sod still and pulled out a brick and in another spot a big rock. Obviously those pieces just haven't been able to grow in but there are other spots also. How long does it take sod to take? I also have a good piece of area that water pools in and does not drain correctly. The grass there basically looks like dead and swampland. Whats the best way to fix that? I've been trying to get the builder to come out and fix it for a few weeks now but they aren't responding and I'm getting tired of looking down and seeing a mudpack.

Scott Merryfield · Mar 26, 2003

My wife is so excited to have a lawn finally...
YEY and who is going to mow it and take of it...
ME!!!

If you only have 85 square feet of lawn, it will probably take you more time to start the mower than to actually cut the grass.

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mark alan · Mar 26, 2003

85 square feet. Jeez, my movie screen is almost that big.

Justin Lane · Mar 26, 2003

This is kind of a related question. In my new house they put sod down. Its been in place for about 2 months now I think. There are some parts that still have not taken yet. I was in the backyard and I stepped down and felt something solid. I was able to lift up the sod still and pulled out a brick and in another spot a big rock. Obviously those pieces just haven't been able to grow in but there are other spots also. How long does it take sod to take? I also have a good piece of area that water pools in and does not drain correctly. The grass there basically looks like dead and swampland. Whats the best way to fix that? I've been trying to get the builder to come out and fix it for a few weeks now but they aren't responding and I'm getting tired of looking down and seeing a mudpack.

As far as Sod taking, I would give it at least a year to really take hold. After a week or so the roots begin growing again after the shock of being cut from the ground, but are by no means anchored in place.

It really sounds like your builder did a shoddy job on your sod. When I do sod, I specifically make sure all rocks of any substantial size are gone from the land (down to about a half inch inch wide). Also, if there is an obvious low spot, top soil is a must. This is even more important if it appears water collects in that area as well. Aside from pulling the sod up and adding top soil, there is really no easy solution, as this appears to be the low spot in your yard. If you need soil anyway, you could always put in a berm at the low spot, and beautify your yard while doing away with the mud (depending on the location of the low spot of course, from an aesthetic stand point).

J

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MikeAlletto · Mar 26, 2003

Yeah I'm not to happy with the state of some parts of my backyard. I've watched landscapers put in sod before. I know they raked it all but I don't know how they missed the big rock and brick piece. I'm sure there are other pieces. I've got a guy coming out tonight to talk to me about a sprinkler system estimate, I may ask him about that part of my lawn at the same time.

What is in the problem spot doesn't even look like sod anymore. When you walk up to it you can see down to the dirt and it just looks like a bunch of dead growth lightly covering it. Its St. Augustine grass so I'm kinda hopeing that when the rest starts growing it kinda creeps into this area and helps it grow, but so far I'm not hopeful. Once summer comes that part will dry out quickly and I'll be able to get a better look at it if they haven't fixed it by then. I'm about to go down to the sales office and find out why no one has bothered to call me about getting some things warrenty fixed like they are supposed to.

Ron-P · Mar 26, 2003

When choosing sod or seed, if possible get a blend with 10% Blue grass mixed in. Blue grass grows horizontally. It works great for any holes, dog spots and what nots. Just FYI.

Peace Out~

Lee L · Mar 26, 2003

Never knew that about the blue grass, Ron. How does it look overall? I have 2 dogs and they kill the grass all summer long.

Mark Brewer · Mar 26, 2003

It looks like we are going to go the seed route...
Going to mix a little bit of sand and Peet moss in with the top soil per recommendations of friends who are local. Going to get an old fashioned mower for the law, seeings that it is so small...

_____

Brett_H · Mar 26, 2003

When choosing sod or seed, if possible get a blend with 10% Blue grass mixed in. Blue grass grows horizontally. It works great for any holes, dog spots and what nots. Just FYI.

"This is a hybrid. This is a cross, ah, Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent, and Northern California Sensemilia. The amazing stuff about this is, that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff. Here, I've got pounds of this."

(The folks in this thread would be proud..)

-Brett.

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