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Beautiful lawns

35K views 401 replies 74 participants last post by  OWM 
#1 ·
I would like your tips on growing a beautiful lawn. If your lawn is ugly, then do not post unless you are a lawn professional that keeps beautiful lawns for others but has a case of the cobbler's-children-have-no-shoes . . .

I have always had an ugly lawn. Since my parents also have an ugly lawn, I think maybe it is genetic and inherited.

My lawn is mainly crabgrass and clover. If I examine it very carefully, I can find some fescue, some bermuda, and some centipede. There are also numerous species that I cannot identify. After looking at images of weeds online, however, I have discovered that I have just about all of them.

I used to have too much shade. I have cleared some trees to give the lawn more sun. My clover and crabgrass really appreciated that and are responding well. I am not sure this is a good thing.

One day:

I dream of a beautiful fescue lawn out front, like I see at million dollar plus houses in Atlanta. Being realistic, I know that I will never be able to care for more than a small area in front of the house in fescue. The rest of the areas around the house will be centipede, since I think that will be easier to care for.

First, however, I have to learn. Good information is hard to come by, and "mow in this pattern and this height" advice has brought me nothing but embarrassment and humiliation whenever anybody sees my yard.

After many years, I have decided I want good grass. :help:

Update: It appears that I may have a lot more Goose Grass than Crabgrass, but it is difficult to tell from the pictures.
 
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#3 ·
Chemicals.

Kill what you don't want and feed what you do want. The lawn chemical services really do make the yard look better. They kill specific grasses and weeds so the remaining grass can thrive. Chemical soil amendments also (aka fertilizer). You can do some of this yourself but if you want it to happen quickly (like over the next year) use a service. This year water has not been a problem but a consistent watering schedule.

Cutting heights and frequency will be dictated by the type of grass you end up with.
 
#4 ·
I used to care for atheltic fields and ornamental lawns in college. It comes down to what you do in the off season to get that beautiful lawn in the summer. We mainly dealt with Bermuda, becuase once the freeze hits the grass goes dormant till next year. Around mid april you are going to want to spray a pre-emergent on your grass, or have someone come do it for you. This gets rid of the crabgrass and other grasses you don't want. Once the grass starts turning green you are going to want to fertilize, I'll have to check back and see what we used.

Most people over water their lawns. It doesn't take that much to keep a lawn green. Maybe a .25-.5 inch over the course of a week if its properly fertilized.

Also how you cut your lawn affects the growth. You want to cut your grass differently every time. I usually do vertical, horizontal, then diaganols. Your grass will get used to laying a certain way so you want to cut it differently so its getting cut instead of laying down. Sharp blades that are properly balanced are also a must.

That being said my yard looks like crap this year. No money or time to put towards it since we are trying to get out of debt. I keep it cut and trimmed, but I have about 3 different grasses and 5 different weeds growing in it.
 
#5 ·
I have worked as a landscaper and have some education in horticulture. Our clients in Ohio included Henry and Dick Hoover of the Hoover Vacuum company, the owners of Superior Brands meats and several others who demanded those plush green lawns you want. If you are going to do this yourself, its a lot of work and money. For new areas, first get your soil sampled, it will tell you what you need fertilizer and chemical wise to get your soil in the condition you need to get the results you want. Like most things, the better preparation you do the better results you get. Once you get the soil where it needs to be decide if you are going sod or seed. Having done both several times, once again preparation is the key. Make sure you sod/seed the correct time of year to get maximum results for your $$. If you seed, do not scrimp on the CLEAN straw you cover the seed with! Raking the soil before sodding or seeding is important, getting the grade right and removing all stones or clods bigger than a marble was always our target when seeding a yard or area. A watering schedule and watering at the right time of the day is very important. To recover an existing yard, once again the soil test is important to getting good results. Aerate your existing yard before applying the chemicals and fertilizers needed the first time, this helps ensure good nutrient saturation. Seeding at the right time of year will get the best results. A watering schedule is important, even with a wet summer like we are having, a couple days of hot dry weather after several days of hard rain can cause browning if you dont water. Make sure you mower is set for the correct height for the type of grass you have, keep your mower blade sharp (we sharpened or replaced blades every two weeks) and keep the underside of the mower deck clean of old dead grass build up and this will help keep weeds out of your yard (we pressure washed our decks every Friday afternoon). When you fertilize, seed and water properly you will probably have to cut it twice a week or double mow it to get good results in the later spring and early summer. We used to cut without a bag, blow the yards off with large wheeled blowers then cut again with bags on the mowers, this would get really nice results. Change the direction of the cut regularly when you mow the lawn. Once you establish your lawn where you want it, feed it the right fertilizers at the right time of year, maintain your watering schedule and aerate or thatch every few years at the right time. Keeping leaves off of it in the fall is also important as wet decaying leaves can kill or brown the grass for the following year. Writing this brought back many memories of long days in the sun pushing a mower (we did not use lawn tractors) trimming and edging by hand (no weedeaters either) and blowing and picking up dump truck loads of leaves in the fall! Best shape of my life and the gratification of keeping up some of the nicest lawns in town! Henry Hoovers yard was about 2 acres of grass. Five of us would cut, trim, edge and treat in about half a day add a couple hours if it was a double cut. Do your homework on grasses, soil sampling, liming and weed control. There is a ton of good info out there. Proper preparation is the key for a low maintenance, weed free lawn down the road.
 
#11 ·
Get fescue off the brain. It is too water intensive and takes too much maintenance (chemical, cutting and constant checking)..go for zoysia if you just HAVE to have the green long lush or centipede if you want short thick and great on barefeet with minimal maintenance.

First is prep correctly (as stated above), then amend the soil BEFORE you put anything over it. Sod pays in the short and long run and can be done in sections (as you have the money and time and can be bought cheaper in bulk from the grower directly).
 
#12 ·
How much money do you want to spend, both initially and for maintenance once it is established? How big is your front yard? Opposed to an irrigation system? It will make life much easier in the beginning and forever after.
Like others said, forget fescue, it can be done, but VERY maintenance intensive, thirsty, and require overseeding every year to keep it looking nice.
 
#13 ·
I aerate every year, dethatch when needed, and overseed with Bermuda every year. Pre-emergent with crabgrass preventer goes down in early Spring, then spot treat the patches that get missed. I have plenty of sun and my yard loves it. Google "Bermuda bible" for a good fertilizing and watering regimen.

Overseed with winter rye grass in the fall you want to keep it green all year. That's about it for me. I'm not a professional landscaper, but I do enjoy keeping a healthy looking yard.
 
#14 ·
I hate Bermuda, although it looks ok if professionally maintained.

Ok, I want fescue in a small area in front. Everything else will be centipede.

Irrigation is probably not in the budget for now - maybe later. I tried to make a homemade one buying the parts from Lowes or Home Depot a few years back, and, well, let's just say it stunk. Three feet is what the heads say? Yep, it threw the water out exactly three feet, but from there back to the head the grass was dry as a bone! #-o

I am not against using a lawn service. I just do not know what they would do if they come out and look at my clover and crabgrass and start laughing.
:lol:
Also, there is a part of me that thinks that I ought to be able to figure out what it is they put down and put it down myself. I have a lawn tractor and a broadcast spreader and a plug aerator. All that, and my lawn is STILL UGLY. Mainly, because of neglect, but a big part of it is that I am ignorant.

Budget - obviously as little as possible, but I realize I am going to have to spend money.

I spoke to a guy who owns a lawn service north of Atlanta. He will not come to my house (too far). Unfortunately for me, he also will not tell me expressly how to do what he does myself at home. He insisted that I could do everything he does, but when it came time for details, he became way too vague to be useful.

So, details.

For fescue and centipede, I guess I am too late this year to kill the crabgrass and clover with pre-emergent.

SO, what should I be doing right now, if anything. It is July.

I realize that in September I should seed the fescue area and perhaps starter fertilizer.

What, if anything should I be doing from now until September in both the fescue and centipede areas other than water and mowing?
 
#15 ·
#16 ·
Malum Prohibitum said:
gsusnake said:
Have you called your county Extension Office yet?why not?
I do not know why not. It looks like they test soil samples and water? http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/cowet ... vices.html
Do you know if either of those are a problem?

Also, they may be able to give advice as to when/how to fertilize and treat your lawn. I've never used them for lawn questions but the Houston County office was more than helpful for other agricultural issues. It can't hurt to ask.
 
#17 ·
How small of an area in front? You may be better off, and possibly cheaper in the long run, with sod. Why so big on fescue? Looks, feel? There may be a better grass out there that you'd like and would be a lot easier to care for. Do you realize there are several different types of Zoysia?
Something else to keep in mind when mixing grass types, especailly with Centipede, you can't use all of the same chemicals on the different types of grass. How much shade sun are we talking? Can you post some pics?
 
#20 ·
I have worked for 4 golf courses and here is my recommendation for a beautiful lawn. First, get a soil sample from your lawn and send it to UGA http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soiltest123/Georgia.htm

They will make the recommendation on which fertilizer and how to apply it to your lawn. You will NEVER produce a beautiful lawn, no matter how much fertilizer you put down, unless the ph balance in your soil is right. It takes hard red clay longer to absorb fertilizer and lime. So, patience is the key.

You could also apply lots and lots of pellitized lime using a broadcast spreader. Wait a couple of weeks, then apply weed n' feed to a moist lawn with no expectation of rain within 48 hours. Wait 30 days, then apply more weed n' feed. Look specifically for weed n' feed for SOUTHERN lawns.

I would aerate the lawn in September and seed, then again in March/April.
 
#22 ·
http://www.walterreeves.com/

He's a Georgian, and he even responds to emails(or used to).

Zoysia is tops for a beautiful lawn, but I've never had one. A friend of mine does, but it isn't cheap, apparently. My Bermuda is exhausting, with surge growth from too much rain, or crispy from not enough. I also overseeded with different types of Bermuda, which looks odd at times. I don't have a sprinkler system, so dragging hoses around is no fun.

To help convert the red clay under the Bermuda sod to a decent topsoil, I overseeded with winter rye a few years in a row. This makes for a bright green lawn from mid-Winter to late Spring. It will die off with the heat. At some point, to allow the Bermuda to "green up," the rye will need to be mowed very low, but not scalped(don't want to risk scalping the Bermuda). I would usually just take a cue from the neighbors' Bermuda lawns greening nicely, then cut the rye very low. Rye that is tallish looks great, having more surface area of green showing. The last few years I haven't overseeded with Winter rye, since you can't use a pre-emergent herbicide, and I wanted to prevent henbit and spurge and such. Well, the pre-emergents don't seem to work that well, but what does is directly spraying once they emerge. So, I plan to overseed with Winter rye, again.
 
#23 ·
Sorry for the brief hijack.....I have a St. Augustine lawn (old and established - house built in late 40's). Do you think I could try overseeding with a winter rye? I like the idea of having green grass in the winter months but I don't want to get rid of my St. Augustine - I've gotten really good at maintaining it and have found what chemicals I can and can't use on it (most chemicals will kill it). When would I overseed with the rye? Too late for this year, too early?

Sorry, MP.......back to the original question now. PM's are fine to keep this thread on track.
 
#24 ·
BSCLibertarian said:
Sorry for the brief hijack.....I have a St. Augustine lawn (old and established - house built in late 40's). Do you think I could try overseeding with a winter rye? I like the idea of having green grass in the winter months but I don't want to get rid of my St. Augustine - I've gotten really good at maintaining it and have found what chemicals I can and can't use on it (most chemicals will kill it). When would I overseed with the rye? Too late for this year, too early?.
Shouldn't have any problem planting rye while your St. A is dormant in the winter. If you plan to overseed, do it in mid-September or early October or a little earlier if you think it'll get below 32 earlier this year. Ideally, the lawn should be seeded about one month before the first real freeze.
 
#26 ·
Plant a lot of rye grass, it grows really fast and gets really green. Plus with all the rain lately it'll defiantly flourish. Just get a seed spreader and go all around your yard, it'll grow in a really short amount of time like a week or so, it also dies quickly too but you can just plant more. I used to do this in my yard, but since I live out in the boonies dirt is easier to take care of and no one really sees it often so I stopped.
 
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