A couple of years ago I posted here with pictures of a horrible lawn.
It now looks great, and I'm sure it will get better.

The advice I got here that helped was:

1. Don't mow it so short.
2. Mulch, don't bag
3. Give it more feedings throughout the season, instead of just a
springtime feeding.
4. Long, deep waterings instead of daily shallow waterings (I bought
one of those little traveling sprinklers).

I mow it now at about 3"-4" (we've had alot of rain, so I couldn't mow
as often as I liked), and I edge the driveway and sidewalk.

I also got lucky: a guy from my church owns a landscape/lawn care
business. He's doing each of my fertilizer treatments for $85. I
have 2 acres, so I paid more than that just to buy the fertilizer
myself.

Anyway, I know alot of people come here with "My lawn sucks...what can
I do" questions. So I wanted to give them some hope. :-)
After only two seasons after educating myself a little bit about
lawns, the change is incredible.

It will be better next year, because I plan to overseed the backyard
this fall.

Thanks, everyone!

Mitch
I was glad to see your post. Thought I had subscribed to the wrong
newsgroup. You said you mow your yard 3"-4" . Can you tell me how you know
the height? Is the adjustment by the wheels set for 1", 2", 3" etc? I have
been setting mine on the 2nd or 3rd notch, would that make it cut 2 or 3
inches? I hope my question is not confusing.
Thanks,
Donna J.


wrote in message
...
A couple of years ago I posted here with pictures of a horrible lawn.
It now looks great, and I'm sure it will get better.

The advice I got here that helped was:

1. Don't mow it so short.
2. Mulch, don't bag
3. Give it more feedings throughout the season, instead of just a
springtime feeding.
4. Long, deep waterings instead of daily shallow waterings (I bought
one of those little traveling sprinklers).

I mow it now at about 3"-4" (we've had alot of rain, so I couldn't mow
as often as I liked), and I edge the driveway and sidewalk.

I also got lucky: a guy from my church owns a landscape/lawn care
business. He's doing each of my fertilizer treatments for $85. I
have 2 acres, so I paid more than that just to buy the fertilizer
myself.

Anyway, I know alot of people come here with "My lawn sucks...what can
I do" questions. So I wanted to give them some hope. :-)
After only two seasons after educating myself a little bit about
lawns, the change is incredible.

It will be better next year, because I plan to overseed the backyard
this fall.

Thanks, everyone!

DJ wrote:
Mitch
I was glad to see your post. Thought I had subscribed to the wrong
newsgroup. You said you mow your yard 3"-4" . Can you tell me how you know
the height? Is the adjustment by the wheels set for 1", 2", 3" etc? I have
been setting mine on the 2nd or 3rd notch, would that make it cut 2 or 3
inches? I hope my question is not confusing.
Thanks,
Donna J.


wrote in message
...

A couple of years ago I posted here with pictures of a horrible lawn.
It now looks great, and I'm sure it will get better.

The advice I got here that helped was:

1. Don't mow it so short.
2. Mulch, don't bag
3. Give it more feedings throughout the season, instead of just a
springtime feeding.
4. Long, deep waterings instead of daily shallow waterings (I bought
one of those little traveling sprinklers).

I mow it now at about 3"-4" (we've had alot of rain, so I couldn't mow
as often as I liked), and I edge the driveway and sidewalk.

I also got lucky: a guy from my church owns a landscape/lawn care
business. He's doing each of my fertilizer treatments for $85. I
have 2 acres, so I paid more than that just to buy the fertilizer
myself.

Anyway, I know alot of people come here with "My lawn sucks...what can
I do" questions. So I wanted to give them some hope. :-)
After only two seasons after educating myself a little bit about
lawns, the change is incredible.

It will be better next year, because I plan to overseed the backyard
this fall.

Thanks, everyone!





Take your mower, set it on a level surface, ie garage floor, sidewalk,
etc, and measure from the bottom of the deck to the ground. That's your
height. That's assuming, of course, that all four wheels are set at the
same height.

--
Yard and Garden Handyman

It will be better next year, because I plan to overseed the backyard
this fall.

Newbie question - Does this mean you're just going to add seed to an
existing lawn? I was planning on doing this to my lawn, but does the
seed need to be watered to germinate? Everywhere I read says you need
to water, but it isn't feasible for me to do with my lawn. Would it be
a waste to overseed an existing lawn but not water it? The evil
crabgrass seeds can sit in my lawn for a long time and be treated like
dirt but they still germinate. Thanks.

"No One" wrote:
It will be better next year, because I plan to overseed the backyard
this fall.

Newbie question - Does this mean you're just going to add seed to an
existing lawn? I was planning on doing this to my lawn, but does the
seed need to be watered to germinate? Everywhere I read says you need
to water, but it isn't feasible for me to do with my lawn. Would it be
a waste to overseed an existing lawn but not water it? The evil
crabgrass seeds can sit in my lawn for a long time and be treated like
dirt but they still germinate. Thanks.

You might want to consider renting a slice seeder this late summer/early
fall.(depending on where you live) They do a nice job of introducing the
seed into the soil by slicing a groove thru the existing grass/thatch and
soil.

Ryan makes a decent one you can rent at most rental places, it's called the
mataway overseeder. Use at least 4 and up to 10 lbs of seed per 1000 sq ft.

Be sure to use a good starter fertilizer at exactly the label rate, when
you seed.

If you do it in the Fall, the crabgrass won't compete with your seedlings,
and it will require -much less- watering or rainfall.

Late August is a great time to do it here in N Ohio..your timing may
vary, depending on where you live.

hth

"GFRfan",
Yes, the wheels are all set at the same level.
Thanks,
Donna J.

"GFRfan" wrote in message
news:z5ozc.91372$3x.60647@attbi_s54...
DJ wrote:
Mitch
I was glad to see your post. Thought I had subscribed to the wrong
newsgroup. You said you mow your yard 3"-4" . Can you tell me how you
know
the height? Is the adjustment by the wheels set for 1", 2", 3" etc? I
have
been setting mine on the 2nd or 3rd notch, would that make it cut 2 or 3
inches? I hope my question is not confusing.
Thanks,
Donna J.


wrote in message
...

A couple of years ago I posted here with pictures of a horrible lawn.
It now looks great, and I'm sure it will get better.

The advice I got here that helped was:

1. Don't mow it so short.
2. Mulch, don't bag
3. Give it more feedings throughout the season, instead of just a
springtime feeding.
4. Long, deep waterings instead of daily shallow waterings (I bought
one of those little traveling sprinklers).

I mow it now at about 3"-4" (we've had alot of rain, so I couldn't mow
as often as I liked), and I edge the driveway and sidewalk.

I also got lucky: a guy from my church owns a landscape/lawn care
business. He's doing each of my fertilizer treatments for $85. I
have 2 acres, so I paid more than that just to buy the fertilizer
myself.

Anyway, I know alot of people come here with "My lawn sucks...what can
I do" questions. So I wanted to give them some hope. :-)
After only two seasons after educating myself a little bit about
lawns, the change is incredible.

It will be better next year, because I plan to overseed the backyard
this fall.

Thanks, everyone!





Take your mower, set it on a level surface, ie garage floor, sidewalk,
etc, and measure from the bottom of the deck to the ground. That's your
height. That's assuming, of course, that all four wheels are set at the
same height.

--
Yard and Garden Handyman

I was glad to see your post. Thought I had subscribed to the wrong
newsgroup. You said you mow your yard 3"-4" . Can you tell me how you know
the height?

I'm a dork...I take a ruler and measure the height of the grass after
I mow it!

I know that the third notch from the top is 3", and it looks like each
notch is a 1/4" change.

You might want to consider renting a slice seeder this late summer/early
fall.(depending on where you live)

Thanks for the tips. I live in northwestern Illinois, very similar
climate to NE Ohio (where I grew up).

I was told that if I plug aerate immediately before overseeding, when
the plugs "melt" the soil will help cover the new seed, plus some seed
will go into the holes. Do you agree with this?

And while we're on the subject, when should I dethatch? When I'm done
mowing for the year?

Newbie question - Does this mean you're just going to add seed to an
existing lawn?

Yes. I have two acres. The front and sides are great, but the back
is very sparse. My fault for not dethatching before the pre-emergent
was put down.

Because of how huge my backyard is, it's not feasible for me to put
topsoil down over the seed, so I'm still looking into the best way to
overseed.

Hopefully someone with more knowledgable will chime in here, but I'm
not sure if the seed germinates in the fall, or if it lays dormant
until spring.

wrote:
You might want to consider renting a slice seeder this late summer/early
fall.(depending on where you live)

Thanks for the tips. I live in northwestern Illinois, very similar
climate to NE Ohio (where I grew up).

I was told that if I plug aerate immediately before overseeding, when
the plugs "melt" the soil will help cover the new seed, plus some seed
will go into the holes. Do you agree with this?

We core aerate, then slice seed over the plugs..it helps increase the
seed/soil contact. Been doing it for years with great results.

And while we're on the subject, when should I dethatch? When I'm done
mowing for the year?

Late fall or early spring is the only time you should de-thatch..don't
do it over your new seedlings tho.

--
I won't retire, but I might retread.

wrote:
Hopefully someone with more knowledgable will chime in here, but I'm
not sure if the seed germinates in the fall, or if it lays dormant
until spring.

Seed it this august and it will establish itself this fall..that will
allow you to use a crabgrass preventer next late spring..pre-emergent
crabgrass control will stop your grass seed from germinating.

--
I won't retire, but I might retread.

No, I don't think you're a "Dork". I probably would have done that too. :-)
I have a Murphy and measured it from the deck, as recommended and it is
almost 3" from the bottom of the deck, on the highest setting. It has 7
notches and if I were to put it on the lowest, the deck is touching the
sidewalk. Is there a way to re-adjust it so that there is at least 1/2 "
space between the deck and cement? Not that I would mow a yard on that
setting, but seems it's not correctly set. Is this normal?

Thanks,
Donna J.

wrote in message
...

I was glad to see your post. Thought I had subscribed to the wrong
newsgroup. You said you mow your yard 3"-4" . Can you tell me how you
know
the height?

I'm a dork...I take a ruler and measure the height of the grass after
I mow it!

I know that the third notch from the top is 3", and it looks like each
notch is a 1/4" change.

Not that I would mow a yard on that
setting, but seems it's not correctly set. Is this normal?

My new neighbor does. He took a beautiful lawn, and in one season
managed to turn it into clover, dandelions, and dirt.

He mows 2-3 times per week, and keeps the "grass" at about 1/2".

wrote:


Not that I would mow a yard on that
setting, but seems it's not correctly set. Is this normal?


My new neighbor does. He took a beautiful lawn, and in one season
managed to turn it into clover, dandelions, and dirt.

He mows 2-3 times per week, and keeps the "grass" at about 1/2".


Then if he asks you how come your lawn is so lush, you can give him
advice and he can ignore you, stating that, "That's too much trouble."
Mowing once a week at 2 1/2" as opposed to 2-3 times per week at about
1/2". I've got a couple like that. Go figure. I even had one neighbor
who accused me of running the rest of the neighborhood down by making
their lawns look bad. By the way, I live in a very old neighborhood that
has gone downhill lately.

--
Yard and Garden Handyman

Then if he asks you how come your lawn is so lush, you can give him
advice and he can ignore you, stating that, "That's too much trouble."


My neighbor across the street would rather golf, so when his lawn gets
to be about 6" high, he hacks it down to 1". That way he only has to
mow every other week. :-)

No matter how hard I work on mine, though, it pales in comparison to
my nextdoor neighbor's. He has irrigation, and he pays lots of money
to have a landscape company keep everything perfect. It's the
greenest, thickest lawn in the neighborhood.