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Old 13-08-2007, 02:41 AM posted to rec.gardens
Sheldon[_1_] Sheldon[_1_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Sep 2006
Posts: 713
Default Planting grass where evergreen tree used to be

On Aug 12, 5:34?pm, "
wrote:
A recent storm knocked down one my evergreen trees which probably had
a diameter of at least twenty feet, so nothing was growing underneath
it. I plan to plant grass there, and since evergreen trees are acidic
I was wondering if I should lime the area first. I plan to purchase
some topsoil, and should I lime the area before I put the new topsoil
on.


I would lime before and after the new topsoil... you may want to
consider rototilling that area too. Use the granular lime, it's a few
pennies more but it's far less messy. And unless you're absolutely
positive of the where the topsoil you're about to purchase came from
I'd highly recommend buying topsoil in 40 pound bags from Lowes or
Home Depot, it's real topsoil, it's clean, certified chemical free,
and when I bought ten bags last week it cost $1.38 each... for a 20
foot diameter plot you probably only need like 20 bags.. will cost you
like $30 with tax... I bet much less than just the delivery fee for a
load of mystery dirt from some local Super Fund excavation.

The area gets sun all day. I live in Pittsburgh, and what type of
grass would be good to plant? I know there is the "Penn State Mix",
and that is what I think I will plant when the local township dug up
my yard last year to put a now drainage line in, they replant the area
with the Penn State Mix.


The local mix is probably the best choice... you're probably looking
to grow a good low maintenence lawn, not a golf green. The local mix
will probably best match the rest of your lawn, it would look silly
with a 20 foot circle of pure Kentucky blue, like the Martians from
War Of the Worlds landed there.