Can anyone help? I have spent a lot of time this spring and summer bringing my lawn back to life after a year of abuse (we had an extension built and the builders used our back lawn as a dumping ground)but I am concerned about the harsher weather in Winter.
Does anyone have any good ideas of the things that I can be doing to prepare my garden for the winter months to ensure that I still get lush green grass back in Spring 2011?

On Sep 13, 7:07*am, floss2205
wrote:
Can anyone help? I have spent a lot of time this spring and summer
bringing my lawn back to life after a year of abuse (we had an extension
built and the builders used our back lawn as a dumping ground)but I am
concerned about the harsher weather in Winter.
Does anyone have any good ideas of the things that I can be doing to
prepare my garden for the winter months to ensure that I still get lush
green grass back in Spring 2011?

--
floss2205

Aerification is definitely a good start, but don't stop there. Late
Fall is the best time of year to apply a Herbicide because the plant
is storing energy for the Winter so it will absorb the chemical
better. You should wait until the grass is dormant and apply a fast
release fertilizer like Urea 46-0-0. In Michigan, usually the best
time is somewhere around Thanksgiving or just before the first big
snow storm. What this will do, because the grass is dormant it will
not promote shoot growth (the grass will not get taller), but it will
increase the root growth. Any time that you can increase the root
grown you can improve your lawn's health.

On Sep 13, 7:07*am, floss2205
wrote:
Can anyone help? I have spent a lot of time this spring and summer
bringing my lawn back to life after a year of abuse (we had an extension
built and the builders used our back lawn as a dumping ground)but I am
concerned about the harsher weather in Winter.
Does anyone have any good ideas of the things that I can be doing to
prepare my garden for the winter months to ensure that I still get lush
green grass back in Spring 2011?

--
floss2205

On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:07:46 +0000, floss2205
wrote:


Can anyone help? I have spent a lot of time this spring and summer
bringing my lawn back to life after a year of abuse (we had an extension
built and the builders used our back lawn as a dumping ground)but I am
concerned about the harsher weather in Winter.
Does anyone have any good ideas of the things that I can be doing to
prepare my garden for the winter months to ensure that I still get lush
green grass back in Spring 2011?

Rake, aerate, top dress, and over seed.

On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:07:46 +0000, floss2205
wrote:

Can anyone help? I have spent a lot of time this spring and summer
bringing my lawn back to life after a year of abuse (we had an extension
built and the builders used our back lawn as a dumping ground)but I am
concerned about the harsher weather in Winter.
Does anyone have any good ideas of the things that I can be doing to
prepare my garden for the winter months to ensure that I still get lush
green grass back in Spring 2011?

Scarify it.
Aerate it.
Put down some winter feed.
Stay off it if it rains or snows.

Steven
--
You're a great friend, but if the zombies chase us I'm tripping you.

www.baldman.org.uk

runnerduane wrote:

: Aerification is definitely a good start, but don't stop there. Late
: Fall is the best time of year to apply a Herbicide because the plant
: is storing energy for the Winter so it will absorb the chemical
: better. You should wait until the grass is dormant and apply a fast
: release fertilizer like Urea 46-0-0. ..

I had a similar question in another thread. Because of pets and
children we have been advised to use Corn Gluten Meal instead of
instead of more traditional weed killers. Is Urea safe enough or should
we stick with CGM?

Also confused about the order. Everyone seems to agree that
raking/aerating comes first. However, the other thread suggests
applying CGM (Nitrogen) before overseeding.

So I still need advice on when and in which order to do the following:

Spread fertilizer
overseed (= compost layer + seed + compost layer)
Corn Gluten Meal (or another safe weed preventer)

This is for Chicago, if the climate matters.

Newbie wrote:

runnerduane wrote:

: Aerification is definitely a good start, but don't stop there. Late
: Fall is the best time of year to apply a Herbicide because the plant
: is storing energy for the Winter so it will absorb the chemical
: better. You should wait until the grass is dormant and apply a fast
: release fertilizer like Urea 46-0-0. ..

I had a similar question in another thread. Because of pets and
children we have been advised to /snip/

A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no
matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and
effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become.
Just mow and water as needed, that's it.

Brooklyn1 wrote:
: A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no
: matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and
: effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become.
: Just mow and water as needed, that's it.

LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the
lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply
decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy.

In article , Newbie
wrote:

Brooklyn1 wrote:
: A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no
: matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and
: effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become.
: Just mow and water as needed, that's it.

LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the
lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply
decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy.

So where is this utopian green neighborhood. Sort of reminds me of the
book "ecotopia" no place I ever saw.

http://www.amazon.com/ECOTOPIA-Noteb...eston/dp/B0012
KWOFQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285607207&sr=1-6

One of my top 50 books BTW.

--
Bill S. Jersey USA zone 5 shade garden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0JfdP36kI
http://www.lascaux.culture.fr/index.php?lng=fr&acc=true

Bill who putters wrote:

: In article , Newbie
: wrote:
:
: Brooklyn1 wrote:
: : A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no
: : matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and
: : effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become.
: : Just mow and water as needed, that's it.
:
: LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the
: lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply
: decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy.
:
: So where is this utopian green neighborhood. Sort of reminds me of the
: book "ecotopia" no place I ever saw.

"Neighborhood" to me means a larger area. I am only talking about four
houses, mine and three neighbors. All have kinds and pets. It is a
blessing to have good neighbors. However, please note that "not doing
something" requires no money or effort.

"Newbie" wrote in message
Bill who putters wrote:
: In article , Newbie
: Brooklyn1 wrote:
: : A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no
: : matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and
: : effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become.
: : Just mow and water as needed, that's it.
:
: LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the
: lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply
: decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy.
:
: So where is this utopian green neighborhood. Sort of reminds me of the
: book "ecotopia" no place I ever saw.

"Neighborhood" to me means a larger area. I am only talking about four
houses, mine and three neighbors. All have kinds and pets. It is a
blessing to have good neighbors. However, please note that "not doing
something" requires no money or effort.

Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. I really can't understand the
obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single
cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6.

On Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:59:34 +1000, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given
wrote:

"Newbie" wrote in message
Bill who putters wrote:
: In article , Newbie
: Brooklyn1 wrote:
: : A small lawn with cavorting pets and children hasn't a chance no
: : matter what you do... you'd just be wasting your money, time, and
: : effort... in fact the more you do the worse your lawn will become.
: : Just mow and water as needed, that's it.
:
: LOL the children and the pets don't really spend that much time on the
: lawn to cause damage. We as well as a few neighbors have simply
: decided together to avoid poisonous chemicals as a matter of policy.
:
: So where is this utopian green neighborhood. Sort of reminds me of the
: book "ecotopia" no place I ever saw.

"Neighborhood" to me means a larger area. I am only talking about four
houses, mine and three neighbors. All have kinds and pets. It is a
blessing to have good neighbors. However, please note that "not doing
something" requires no money or effort.

Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. I really can't understand the
obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single
cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6.

Better than blacktop.

: Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. I really can't understand the
: obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single
: cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6.
:
: Better than blacktop.

I had the same thought. Would it be better to simply ignored the land
cover it all with bricks/tar/concrete?

On Sep 29, 11:48*am, Newbie wrote:
: Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. *I really can't understand the
: obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single
: cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6.
:
: Better than blacktop.

I had the same thought. Would it be better to simply ignored the land
cover it all with bricks/tar/concrete?

Not to mention the fact that it's illegal for some of us to have goats
etc on our property! As for letting the land go wild, I can tell you
that one bout of Lyme Disease is enough (I live in a tick-ridden area-
have not seen deer ticks here yet, but they are out there) and once is
more than enough when you have a kid that likes to play outside.
That's the main reason I mow my lawn, thanks.

Chris

Chris wrote:
On Sep 29, 11:48 am, Newbie wrote:
Good on you and your neighbours Newbie. I really can't understand
the
obssession to weed feed and mow grass that doesn't support a single
cow/horse/goat or even a rabbit or 6.

Better than blacktop.

I had the same thought. Would it be better to simply ignored the land
cover it all with bricks/tar/concrete?

Not to mention the fact that it's illegal for some of us to have goats
etc on our property! As for letting the land go wild, I can tell you
that one bout of Lyme Disease is enough (I live in a tick-ridden area-
have not seen deer ticks here yet, but they are out there) and once is
more than enough when you have a kid that likes to play outside.
That's the main reason I mow my lawn, thanks.

Chris
Many communities allow chickens. Chickens and especially Bantam hens
love ticks. So for a tick free yard think about chickens, also with
chickens will never have to mow the lawn again!

--
Enjoy Life... Dan L (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)