My front lawn was hydroseeded 18 years ago when the house was new, now
it is just really old, dry, full of weeds and dead spots that just
refuse to grow anything on them. How much does it generally cost per
square foot to have somebody dig up the old lawn and either reseed it
or put down pre-grown sod grass? Any other options? Lawn already has
sprinklers installed so not sure how that affects digging the old one
up. I am in So. Calif. Thanks

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:27:39 -0800, frenchy wrote:

My front lawn was hydroseeded 18 years ago when the house was new, now
it is just really old, dry, full of weeds and dead spots that just
refuse to grow anything on them. How much does it generally cost per
square foot to have somebody dig up the old lawn and either reseed it or
put down pre-grown sod grass? Any other options?

Hi,

I'm not sure about the cost. I wouldn't dig it, unless it isn't level.

I would get some rabbit food, I'm serious. Spread some seed in the dead
areas and broadcast some rabbit food over it. Don't use much as it'll
expand when wet. Use enough to cover the grass seed after it expands,
approx 1 pellet per sq inch. The alfalfa in the feed will feed both the
lawn and the ground. Actually it will feed the worms and microbes in the
ground. It also helps hold the moisture in.

After a few weeks use a grass weed killer, I have had great results with
Spectracide, to get rid of the weeds. You can also use the weed killer
first then wait a week or two to do the rabbit feed (read label).

Now I actually broadcast a thin coat of rabbit feed over the entire lawn.
I started doing this to lawn brown spots in a rental house we were in. It
worked great and several weeks after we moved out, with no rain or
watering, the areas where the feed was spread held the green long after
the rest of the lawn started turning brown.

Good Luck,
Steve

You can get about 10 sq feet of sod at Home Depot for $2.89. Depending on
how big of an area you have you might find the sod more economical. Plus
you don't have to worry about any one walking on the seedlings.



"SteveSch" wrote in message
news
On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:27:39 -0800, frenchy wrote:

My front lawn was hydroseeded 18 years ago when the house was new, now
it is just really old, dry, full of weeds and dead spots that just
refuse to grow anything on them. How much does it generally cost per
square foot to have somebody dig up the old lawn and either reseed it or
put down pre-grown sod grass? Any other options?

Hi,

I'm not sure about the cost. I wouldn't dig it, unless it isn't level.

I would get some rabbit food, I'm serious. Spread some seed in the dead
areas and broadcast some rabbit food over it. Don't use much as it'll
expand when wet. Use enough to cover the grass seed after it expands,
approx 1 pellet per sq inch. The alfalfa in the feed will feed both the
lawn and the ground. Actually it will feed the worms and microbes in the
ground. It also helps hold the moisture in.

After a few weeks use a grass weed killer, I have had great results with
Spectracide, to get rid of the weeds. You can also use the weed killer
first then wait a week or two to do the rabbit feed (read label).

Now I actually broadcast a thin coat of rabbit feed over the entire lawn.
I started doing this to lawn brown spots in a rental house we were in. It
worked great and several weeks after we moved out, with no rain or
watering, the areas where the feed was spread held the green long after
the rest of the lawn started turning brown.

Good Luck,
Steve

On Feb 9, 7:09 am, "kenv" wrote:
You can get about 10 sq feet of sod at Home Depot for $2.89. Depending on
how big of an area you have you might find the sod more economical. Plus
you don't have to worry about any one walking on the seedlings.

"SteveSch" wrote in message

news


On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:27:39 -0800, frenchy wrote:

My front lawn was hydroseeded 18 years ago when the house was new, now
it is just really old, dry, full of weeds and dead spots that just
refuse to grow anything on them. How much does it generally cost per
square foot to have somebody dig up the old lawn and either reseed it or
put down pre-grown sod grass? Any other options?

Hi,

I'm not sure about the cost. I wouldn't dig it, unless it isn't level.

I would get some rabbit food, I'm serious. Spread some seed in the dead
areas and broadcast some rabbit food over it. Don't use much as it'll
expand when wet. Use enough to cover the grass seed after it expands,
approx 1 pellet per sq inch. The alfalfa in the feed will feed both the
lawn and the ground. Actually it will feed the worms and microbes in the
ground. It also helps hold the moisture in.

After a few weeks use a grass weed killer, I have had great results with
Spectracide, to get rid of the weeds. You can also use the weed killer
first then wait a week or two to do the rabbit feed (read label).

Now I actually broadcast a thin coat of rabbit feed over the entire lawn.
I started doing this to lawn brown spots in a rental house we were in. It
worked great and several weeks after we moved out, with no rain or
watering, the areas where the feed was spread held the green long after
the rest of the lawn started turning brown.

Good Luck,
Steve- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Another alternative is to convert your lawn to a native plant garden.
Many people are doing that in the Southern California area in order to
reduce costs, reduce the use of harmful chemicals and improve the
local ecology. Native plants require little or no irrigation and
minimal maintenance. They also attract more birds that thrive on the
native flora of California. You can find out more about lawn
conversion to native plants on the Ergonica website at
www.ergonica.com/Weed_Tips.htm or you can Google lawn conversion
native plants.

You can also visit some native plant nurseries in Southern California
for more information. These nurseries can also be identified by your
favorite search engine.

Think green!

well you better start now before it gets hot

If you want to do it on the cheap then
buy a dethatcher attachment for your lawn mower
run it a couple times if you have a tractor run it
more then a couple times

then spread weed and feed this will kill your weeds

get a 5 gallon pump sprayer and spot spray big weeds

let the lawn sit about 10 days and dethatch again
then

goto servicestar / agway and get a couple big bags of seed

cover the entire yard and dont walk on it much just keep it wet
for about 2 weeks


then in about july you want to weed and feed again but very lightly
then in the fall put down lime

every year you will have to spread Weed and feed fertalizer to kill the
weeds and promote grass growth

also watering

if you water just a little that will make the weeds grow and the grass
wont get enough water to grow

You wont believe how much you have to water to get the soil moist
down to 2-3 inches It may take 4 hours overnight but it is a lot of water

so its best to buy grass that can grow in direct sunlight in hot climates
and then dont cut it too often because that will require more water
and the stalks of the grass as they grow high will shade the roots
of the grass keeping them cool and in need of less water


other then that you can hire someone and expect to pay a couple thousand
depending on what they want to do. but in the end next fall you wont have a
better lawn even if you resod.

every year you will have to spread Weed and feed fertalizer to kill the
weeds and promote grass growth

also watering

Once your new lawn is established, you may not have to water it at
all, depending on where you live. In central PA, I haven't watered my
lawn, or fertilized it, or put weed-killer on it, for at least 20
years.

Mow it high with a mulching mower.

if you water just a little that will make the weeds grow and the grass
wont get enough water to grow

Right. If you must water, water deep and infrequently, not vice
versa.

vince norris