"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message ...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

do you think aerating it would help as well?

I've never heard of aerating sod. It should have had loose soil underneath,
with plenty of room for air particles, so I wouldn't.

Is there a need to fertilize sod? I have never dealt with it before thanks.

Fertilize sod, once it's established, just like any other grass. Don't
fertilize until it's established, though, because the fertilizer doesn't
actually help the roots as much as it makes the tops grow. Just water deeply
and infrequently.

As for me, I don't use commercial fertilizers at all. I use a mulching mower
to return nutrients to the lawn, and every once in a while, apply a layer of
compost. Not so much to cover the tops of the grass, but enough to give it a
little extra food. It eventually works its way down into the soil. Also, if
you mow high, you should have less weeds, because the grass will block out
the light.

I know a lot of people on this newsgroup are against growing a lawn, but I
have kids, too. I want a safe place for them to play, so I grow grass.

Thanks,
Not sure when they laid sod or how they did it bit it even has large gabs .. they didn't do a very good job but should I expect for free. The military does everything cheap. do you think aerating it would help as well?
Tiffany B.

Is there a need to fertilize sod? I have never dealt with it before thanks.

"tmtresh" wrote in message ...
The back, with sod: Just give it some time. The roots are all in the top
layer. Give it some time to grow into your soil. Also, did they water before
laying the sod? If they didn't, or you don't know, give it a deep watering
(also allowing time for it to penetrate.) Make sure you get the water deep
enough to go into your soil, rather than just in the sod.

The front: Definitely remove the rocks. Add some compost on top. rake it in
a little. Broadcast the seed, cover with straw, keep it moist for about 2
weeks, and you should see some results.

Thanks,
Not sure when they laid sod or how they did it bit it even has large gabs .. they didn't do a very good job but should I expect for free. The military does everything cheap. do you think aerating it would help as well?
Tiffany B.

Is there a need to fertilize sod? I have never dealt with it before thanks.

"tmtresh" wrote in message ...
The back, with sod: Just give it some time. The roots are all in the top
layer. Give it some time to grow into your soil. Also, did they water before
laying the sod? If they didn't, or you don't know, give it a deep watering
(also allowing time for it to penetrate.) Make sure you get the water deep
enough to go into your soil, rather than just in the sod.

The front: Definitely remove the rocks. Add some compost on top. rake it in
a little. Broadcast the seed, cover with straw, keep it moist for about 2
weeks, and you should see some results.

Tiffany Bastian wrote:

Dwight we live in military housing so I have limits as to what I can
do, it is newly renovated and they left the lawn to us. I do have a
child and will be doing daycare from my home. I have sectioned off two
large areas I wll use as flower beds. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Tiffany B.

Where in New England Are You?

Massachusetts, east central about 30 miles from Boston, 20 miles from
Worcester, 20 miles from NH. Zone 6 or maybe 5 some years.

As you may have gathered from my post, I have a thing against lawns. I
consider them a useless waste of time and space. My lawn is about an
acre and it gets mowed four times a year whether it needs it or not. I
don't water, fertilize or weed. I drive and park on it. It would consume
me if I let it, but as you can see, I don't let it. (I try not to let
it. My wife has some input on the subject, frequently different from
mine.) There is a buffer between the lawn and the road, so unless you
look up close, it's generally nice and green. Up close it's somewhat
ragged, but it's still green. Since I don't mow in the summer, it stays
green. I don't recommend this regimen for anyone with an ordinary lawn
mower. It won't hack the tall stuff. I have a 6 foot flail mower to keep
it down.

However, if you have a bunch of kids running about, that changes the
equation drastically. With kids around, the lawn gets used, so all my
objections are irrelevant.

As soon as mud season is over, you can start. For a lawn, it's
sufficient to take out the surface rocks and anything sticking up. The
grass will hide a lot of stuff. This can be done for the most part with
a metal rake, a shovel and a wheelbarrow. If you have a really large
area you might want to rent a small tractor with a york rake or box
scraper, but you probably have 6-8 weeks to get it done, so most of it
can be done by hand up to a couple of acres. Do a little bit at a time
until you get back in shape after the winter. After that, seed, rake and
water, water and water. You will have to keep the area moist (no
standing water, but no dust either) for about 2-4 weeks until the grass
is established. A straw mulch helps to keep down evaporation from the
soil. It will decompose in place so you don't have to remove it later.
Let it grow fairly long before you start mowing it, and set the mower
high for the first few mowings.

Good luck, and don't let the curmudgeons get you down. There's a bit of
that in all of us anyway.

"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message ...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

do you think aerating it would help as well?

I've never heard of aerating sod. It should have had loose soil underneath,
with plenty of room for air particles, so I wouldn't.

Is there a need to fertilize sod? I have never dealt with it before thanks.

Fertilize sod, once it's established, just like any other grass. Don't
fertilize until it's established, though, because the fertilizer doesn't
actually help the roots as much as it makes the tops grow. Just water deeply
and infrequently.

As for me, I don't use commercial fertilizers at all. I use a mulching mower
to return nutrients to the lawn, and every once in a while, apply a layer of
compost. Not so much to cover the tops of the grass, but enough to give it a
little extra food. It eventually works its way down into the soil. Also, if
you mow high, you should have less weeds, because the grass will block out
the light.

I know a lot of people on this newsgroup are against growing a lawn, but I
have kids, too. I want a safe place for them to play, so I grow grass.

Tiffany Bastian wrote:

Dwight we live in military housing so I have limits as to what I can
do, it is newly renovated and they left the lawn to us. I do have a
child and will be doing daycare from my home. I have sectioned off two
large areas I wll use as flower beds. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Tiffany B.

Where in New England Are You?

Massachusetts, east central about 30 miles from Boston, 20 miles from
Worcester, 20 miles from NH. Zone 6 or maybe 5 some years.

As you may have gathered from my post, I have a thing against lawns. I
consider them a useless waste of time and space. My lawn is about an
acre and it gets mowed four times a year whether it needs it or not. I
don't water, fertilize or weed. I drive and park on it. It would consume
me if I let it, but as you can see, I don't let it. (I try not to let
it. My wife has some input on the subject, frequently different from
mine.) There is a buffer between the lawn and the road, so unless you
look up close, it's generally nice and green. Up close it's somewhat
ragged, but it's still green. Since I don't mow in the summer, it stays
green. I don't recommend this regimen for anyone with an ordinary lawn
mower. It won't hack the tall stuff. I have a 6 foot flail mower to keep
it down.

However, if you have a bunch of kids running about, that changes the
equation drastically. With kids around, the lawn gets used, so all my
objections are irrelevant.

As soon as mud season is over, you can start. For a lawn, it's
sufficient to take out the surface rocks and anything sticking up. The
grass will hide a lot of stuff. This can be done for the most part with
a metal rake, a shovel and a wheelbarrow. If you have a really large
area you might want to rent a small tractor with a york rake or box
scraper, but you probably have 6-8 weeks to get it done, so most of it
can be done by hand up to a couple of acres. Do a little bit at a time
until you get back in shape after the winter. After that, seed, rake and
water, water and water. You will have to keep the area moist (no
standing water, but no dust either) for about 2-4 weeks until the grass
is established. A straw mulch helps to keep down evaporation from the
soil. It will decompose in place so you don't have to remove it later.
Let it grow fairly long before you start mowing it, and set the mower
high for the first few mowings.

Good luck, and don't let the curmudgeons get you down. There's a bit of
that in all of us anyway.

Bee,
I am in Groton what is a cooperateive Extension Office?
Thanks
Tiffany B
"Beecrofter" wrote in message
om...
"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message
...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

Bee,
I am in Groton what is a cooperateive Extension Office?
Thanks
Tiffany B
"Beecrofter" wrote in message
om...
"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message
...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

Bee,
I am in Groton what is a cooperateive Extension Office?
Thanks
Tiffany B
"Beecrofter" wrote in message
om...
"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message
...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

Bee,
I am in Groton what is a cooperateive Extension Office?
Thanks
Tiffany B
"Beecrofter" wrote in message
om...
"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message
...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

Bee,
I am in Groton what is a cooperateive Extension Office?
Thanks
Tiffany B
"Beecrofter" wrote in message
om...
"Tiffany Bastian" wrote in message
...
Hello Everyone,
I am new and from Connecticut, We just moved here a month ago. Into a
new home we have no lawn or anything because the house was just
renovated. We have some seriou seeding to do soon, we are trying ot
figure out where we will garden etc... it is a lot of fun, we have such
a large blank canvas. I am curious what you all know about lawns too, We
have a some what rocky construction site are for a front yard. I know we
need to get most the rocks out before we seed but any other good ideas?
Also, we are trying to figure out what plants grow good in this climate
since we just moved here.
Thanks for all your help!
Tiffany B
--

If you tell me where you are in CT I will give you the phone number
for the closest cooperative extension office to you.

Tiffany Bastian wrote:
Dwight we live in military housing so I have limits as to what I can do,
it is newly renovated and they left the lawn to us. I do have a child
and will be doing daycare from my home. I have sectioned off two large
areas I wll use as flower beds. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Tiffany B.

Military housing was rather strict as I recall as far as what you can
get away with in "your" yard... Also, remember that when you move (and
you WILL) the yard is one of the areas that are inspected and must pass
before you are off the hook (if it don't, and you follow your orders -
you will have the significant bill automatically deducted from your
paycheck)... Hate to burst your bubble, but keep the future in mind

P.S. I retired after 20 years in the Air Force - maybe other services
aren't quite as strict, but I very much doubt it..


--
Mikey Luvs Ya!!
http://personalpages.tds.net/~kyakmike/

Tiffany Bastian wrote:
Dwight we live in military housing so I have limits as to what I can do,
it is newly renovated and they left the lawn to us. I do have a child
and will be doing daycare from my home. I have sectioned off two large
areas I wll use as flower beds. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Tiffany B.

Military housing was rather strict as I recall as far as what you can
get away with in "your" yard... Also, remember that when you move (and
you WILL) the yard is one of the areas that are inspected and must pass
before you are off the hook (if it don't, and you follow your orders -
you will have the significant bill automatically deducted from your
paycheck)... Hate to burst your bubble, but keep the future in mind

P.S. I retired after 20 years in the Air Force - maybe other services
aren't quite as strict, but I very much doubt it..


--
Mikey Luvs Ya!!
http://personalpages.tds.net/~kyakmike/