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Posted by on April 17, 2007, 1:49 pm
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> > I have a small backyard (18' by 30') and the lawn is several kinds of
> > grass and has been overrun by crabgrass and clover. There are also
> > hard bald patches where I can't get grass to grow. It's mostly sun and
> > the soil is fairly clayish. New York City area.
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> > The local Garden World place suggested ripping it up with a tiller and
> > putting down lime, starter fertilizer, and seeding. I should then
> > cover it with some soil so the birds don't eat all the seed. I can
> > rent a light or medium duty tiller at the local Home Depot and I'll
> > likely do it this Saturday.
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> > I've read that the existing lawn should be killed with Roundup or
> > another broadleaf herbicide, but I let my cats go into the yard and
> > don't want to put down anything that will harm them. They eat the
> > grass.
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> > So my plan is to till it and try to remove as much of the existing
> > foliage as possible. It's really only around 400 sq feet of lawn so it
> > shouldn't be too backbreaking to get the stuff into bags once I rip it
> > up.
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> > Actually my plan is to do it twice. The first time I get out the old
> > stuff, then put down the fertilizer and lime and such, and then till
> > it again to get it all mixed up well. Then seed.
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> > Am I just wasting my time to try this without using Roundup? Should I
> > be mixing in peat moss?
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> > Any comments greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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> I live in a completely different part oif the country than you
> (Florida) but have just gone thru the
> same procedure that you are planning...twice.
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> The first time (a year ago i did it without putting any roundup on the
> lawn) I tilled the lawn and
> laid down sod on top of our good soil here. withing a few months the
> weeds were choking out the grass
> and I had to do it all over again.
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> This time I put roundup on the lawn and killed off all the weeds and
> existing grass. I just finished
> tilling it and have raked off all of the dead weed and roots and
> stuff. All I have is nice black dirt waiting
> for the sod which will be delivered tomorrow.
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> Keep the cats inside for awhile while the roundup does its thing,- Hide quoted
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> - Show quoted text -
I'd also suggest going the Roundup route. Roundup breaks down
quickly, so you can seed as soon as the existing grass and weeds are
dead, which is about a week to 10 days. I'd just keep the cats off
it till it's been tilled.
I'd also suggest putting this off till Fall, which is by far the best
time to do this. You will have less competition from weeds, won't
have to worry about crabgrass, and with declining temps and Fall rain,
nature is on your side. If you do it now, you need to be able to
keep it well watered, including during the coming summer, when the new
grass won't have deep roots. If you do this in Sept, the grass has a
lot more time to establish in cool season Fall/Spring, which is what
it wants to do.
You can do it now, but be prepared to deliver a lot of water and to
deal with weeds.
Mixing in peat moss or similar organic matter is always a good thing.
It's just a trade off as to what you have available and how much it
costs vs what soil you have and how much it needs to be improved.
I would not cover the seed with soil, unless you have some method to
do that very evenly and lightly. Just raking the seed in lightly
should do the trick. Make sure you use the right type and best
quality seed.
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