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#1
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
I live in southern New Jersey. My lawn is just awful, bare spots,
crabgrass, uneven ground, hard ground, black and red ants. I've spent the last 2 years trying to improve it by fertilizing, seeding, weed and feed, Scott's lawn soil. It seems the more I try, the worse it gets. The crab grass halter I put down in the spring didn't do anything. I'm thinking of borrowing my father's Rototiller and diggin the whole thing up and overseeding it. Anybody agree? I would think that this is a good time to do it. Please advise. |
#2
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
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#4
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
"Seymour" wrote in message om... I live in southern New Jersey. My lawn is just awful, bare spots, crabgrass, uneven ground, hard ground, black and red ants. I've spent the last 2 years trying to improve it by fertilizing, seeding, weed and feed, Scott's lawn soil. It seems the more I try, the worse it gets. The crab grass halter I put down in the spring didn't do anything. I'm thinking of borrowing my father's Rototiller and diggin the whole thing up and overseeding it. Anybody agree? I would think that this is a good time to do it. Please advise. If it is as bad as you say then perhaps getting rid of the lawn and starting from scratch is the best thing to do. I have seen many lawns returned from a disastrous state without the type of major renovations you are considering though. I would caution you on a couple of things. First you should kill off whatever you have growing there now, so an application or 2 of roundup is in order. If you don't many of your problems will come back to haunt you. Growing a lawn from seed is a tricky business. The weeds will move in quickly and take it over. You won't be able to kill the weeds for fear of also killing the new grass. When seeding a new lawn be prepared for it to look shabby for a while until you can get it under control. Often it looks quite bad for the first year. If you are going to do it you should get at it fairly soon as you want to kill the weeds of yourself and not let the frost get them and the fall is a better time to seed a lawn than the spring. btw. another consideration would be sodding the lawn. This has many advantages as you start with a good-looking, weed-free lawn. Peter H |
#5
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
"Seymour" wrote in message om... I live in southern New Jersey. My lawn is just awful, bare spots, crabgrass, uneven ground, hard ground, I radar in on the "hard ground". Sounds like the whole thing is a torture chamber for plants. I agree with rototilling. As deep as possible. Rake out any stones and roots. Add a lot of peat-moss. It's a great slow-release fertilizer and moisture retainer. Chemical fertilizers may burn the young plants. Wouldn't hurt to hit the weeds with Roundup before you rototill. Wait a few hours after you spray before tilling. Use good quality seed suited to your situation (sunny/shady, wet/dry etc). Use lots of it. Roll lightly to get it level (optional but useful). Cover with straw or other biodegradable mulch. Water regularly. This IS the best time. Start yesterday, day before that if possible. Next spring, sharpen your lawnmower blade really well (dull blades can damage tender grass). DON'T use weed or crabgrass killer next spring. It may not kill the new grass, but it will sure slow it down. Good luck. |
#6
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
Any of you chemical advocates ever do more gardening than your own
yard? Any experience or knowledge of horticulture products other than what you see on TV? I thought so..... On Sun, 7 Sep 2003 19:07:40 -0400, "Dave Gower" wrote: "Seymour" wrote in message . com... I live in southern New Jersey. My lawn is just awful, bare spots, crabgrass, uneven ground, hard ground, I radar in on the "hard ground". Sounds like the whole thing is a torture chamber for plants. I agree with rototilling. As deep as possible. Rake out any stones and roots. Add a lot of peat-moss. It's a great slow-release fertilizer and moisture retainer. Chemical fertilizers may burn the young plants. Wouldn't hurt to hit the weeds with Roundup before you rototill. Wait a few hours after you spray before tilling. Use good quality seed suited to your situation (sunny/shady, wet/dry etc). Use lots of it. Roll lightly to get it level (optional but useful). Cover with straw or other biodegradable mulch. Water regularly. This IS the best time. Start yesterday, day before that if possible. Next spring, sharpen your lawnmower blade really well (dull blades can damage tender grass). DON'T use weed or crabgrass killer next spring. It may not kill the new grass, but it will sure slow it down. Good luck. |
#7
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
Tom Jaszewski wrote:
Any of you chemical advocates ever do more gardening than your own yard? Any experience or knowledge of horticulture products other than what you see on TV? I thought so..... I've forgotten more about lawn-care than you'll ever know, you top posting blowhard. -- GO #40 |
#8
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
In article ,
wrote: Tom Jaszewski wrote: Any of you chemical advocates ever do more gardening than your own yard? Any experience or knowledge of horticulture products other than what you see on TV? I thought so..... I've forgotten more about lawn-care than you'll ever know, you top posting blowhard. Your alzheimers problem is hardly evidence that Tom's PRESENT knowledge is stinko! Even so, it's nice to imagine that touchy advocates of "better gardening through toxicity" require a lot of brain cells to have already vanished as utterly as a clean earth. -paghat the ratgirl -- "Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher. "Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature. -from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers" See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/ |
#9
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
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#10
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
Good luck to you have always read and heared work with what you have don't
tear the whole thing up. Be carful with the weed and feed on new grass also. I use Scotts but I do think I pay for the name "Seymour" wrote in message om... I live in southern New Jersey. My lawn is just awful, bare spots, crabgrass, uneven ground, hard ground, black and red ants. I've spent the last 2 years trying to improve it by fertilizing, seeding, weed and feed, Scott's lawn soil. It seems the more I try, the worse it gets. The crab grass halter I put down in the spring didn't do anything. I'm thinking of borrowing my father's Rototiller and diggin the whole thing up and overseeding it. Anybody agree? I would think that this is a good time to do it. Please advise. |
#11
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
On 08 Sep 2003 00:54:06 GMT, wrote:
(paghat) wrote: -paghat the ratgirl Your crotch smells like limburger cheese. Now Steve, you'll be alright... |
#12
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
Tom Jaszewski wrote:
On 08 Sep 2003 00:54:06 GMT, wrote: (paghat) wrote: -paghat the ratgirl Your crotch smells like limburger cheese. Now Steve, you'll be alright... So long as I stay away from ratgirl-rottencrotch.. ;-P -- GO #40 |
#13
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
Dave Gower wrote: Add a lot of peat-moss. It's a great slow-release fertilizer and moisture retainer. Peat moss may retain moisture, but its value as fertilizer is less than zero. Wouldn't hurt to hit the weeds with Roundup before you rototill. Wait a few hours after you spray before tilling. Completely off base. Must wait at least seven days for Roundup to do its work. Tilling a few hours after application competely nullifies the purpose of Roundup. Where do people like you and Jaszewski get your mytholigical information? |
#14
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
wrote:
Tom Jaszewski wrote: On 08 Sep 2003 00:54:06 GMT, wrote: (paghat) wrote: -paghat the ratgirl Your crotch smells like limburger cheese. Now Steve, you'll be alright... So long as I stay away from ratgirl-rottencrotch.. ;-P top posting blowhard..? ratgirl..? limburger cheese crotch..? ratgirl-rottencrotch..? hmmmm.. And I thought small children only played on lawns but weren't actually able to own and care for said lawns.. paul |
#15
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Lawn; Thinking of starting from scratch
On Sun, 07 Sep 2003 22:40:01 -0400, Bishop Don Magic Juan
insertnamehere.co.uk wrote: Where do people like you and Jaszewski get your mytholigical information? Listen you anonymous putz, my information is based on real world experience. Now go back to your corner! |
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