nwalters80 asked:
I am trying to get my grass in shape. I live in Ohio where the climate varies. I have bluegrass/ryegrass/fine fescue. My turf density is thin and there are small bare spots. The shade is moderate. the thatch is 1/2″-1″ thick. I have chickweeds, clovers, dandelions and I have also found grubs. I know that I will have to thatch, apply fertilizers, weed killers, grub ex and I also want to lay seed in the bare spots. I would like to know (with as much detail as you have time to give) exactly what to use, what should be done, in what order and what can and cannot be done at the same time. Thank you in advance for your help. Nicole
Plasam Television
I am trying to get my grass in shape. I live in Ohio where the climate varies. I have bluegrass/ryegrass/fine fescue. My turf density is thin and there are small bare spots. The shade is moderate. the thatch is 1/2″-1″ thick. I have chickweeds, clovers, dandelions and I have also found grubs. I know that I will have to thatch, apply fertilizers, weed killers, grub ex and I also want to lay seed in the bare spots. I would like to know (with as much detail as you have time to give) exactly what to use, what should be done, in what order and what can and cannot be done at the same time. Thank you in advance for your help. Nicole
Plasam Television
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Along with my answer you can go to scotts.com which has great information for all your questions. If your soil in very compact you may also have the lawn aerated so water and fertilizer can get to the roots. I assume you want to do it yourself instead of getting lawn dr. or some other landscaper do the service. First you should get the lawn detached or aerated ASAP. Once that is done fertilize with something that also has a weed control. There are also other fertilizers that you need to apply in the summer and again in the fall. To patch the bare spots home depot has an item called patch master that is a seed and mulch mix that I have used and works well. You will need to loosen up the soil a few inches deep and then apply the patch master. Keep it wet, you will need to lightly water it twice a day, morning and mid afternoon. You also need to keep the entire lawn watered throughout the year. If it doesn’t rain you will need to water for about an hour in the morning with a normal sprinkler. If you want you can also have a soil test done at which will tell you how good your soil is and if you need to treat it with lime. Hopefully this well help you get started and be patient since a nice lawn will take a couple of years to get nice and full.
First of all, get rid of that thatch. Rake it up using a rake with fine metal prongs. Then add lots of grass seed- way more than you think you need- to the bare spots. Choose a seed that is formulated for shade, and keep it as moist as possible. You’ll probably have to water every evening. Once the little grass shoots are staring to come up, then apply a general fertilizer (not too much, or you’ll burn the grass). In the late fall, or early next spring, apply a fertilizer that has a weedkiller included. Grub killers are designed for lawns that are well-established, so wait until those bare spots fill in to apply that- maybe next spring.
Something else to think about is that if your grass is thin and not growing in well, your soil pH may be too high or low to support the grass comfortably. You could take a soil sample to your county agricultural extention to have it tested, if you think that might be a problem.
Good luck!
I really do not envy you raking out a lawn by hand when it has that much thatch. Hire yourself a lawn scarifier. Its like a lawnmower that rakes out the thatch for you. It is sooo worth the cost. Use it like a lawnmower and do the lawn twice, once lengthways and again widthways. Have plenty of bags ready. Even better, add it to a compost heap.
Alright, i dont totally agree with any of these answers. First of all, the reason u have weed problems is because u have a thin lawn. I think the other people have left out the grub factor in this equation. If you have a major grub problem your lawn will thin greatly. I would suggest hiring somone to apply a pesticide. But first I would get rid of that thatch by aerifying your lawn. Aerifying may be the most important but overlooked processes that can enhance your lawn. Try aerification and if this doesnt fix the problem then move on. Bluegrasses and fescue creeps and should fill in the lawn, and new seed shouldnt be needed. If you have small bare spots you may have gotten disease last summer. If you had disease it will only attack certain grasses and may have hurt one of the types of grasses.