Laying Loam/Growing Grass

[BrianS]

This weekend I am putting freinds and family to hard labor.

I have a side yard that has some weird holes and only marginally has grass on it...

SO.. I ordered 5 yards of loam to be dumped down so I can smooth things out and hopefully grow a little grass...

My question is this.. There IS some grass there... If I am laying down 2 inches of loam, will new grass seed take in this? will the grass and root system below be a problem?

If new seed ISNT a problem, should I lay anything down with it like turf builder?

I dont have access to a rototiller, and the idea of turning it with a shovel isnt thrilling...

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by bjs

SO.. I ordered 5 yards of loam to be dumped down so I can smooth things out and hopefully grow a little grass.....

Strictly for Medicinal Purposes......right

[reelecstasy]

12 hrs light on, 12 hrs light off until desired height approx 2 months, then switch to 18hrs on and 6hrs off...
Use worm castings and bat guano, high nitrogen content.....

[ProfessorM]

If the ground is hard you should dump and spread the loam, even a few bags of peat too, and then rototill the whole thing so it is nice and loose down to about 5 inches. That way the roots, when they grow, will penetrate the soil much easier. Pretty hard to grow grass on hard pan soil. Needs to be loose. You can top dress the existing grass with the loam but you cannot smother it or it will die. If I was doing it I would rototill the whole thing. Don't forget the water. My buddy the landscaper will not guarentee a lawn unless the owner hooks up a timer on the water faucet so they don't forget to water. Good luck. Paul

[spence]

At the very least I'd get a de-thatching rake and rip it up really well...

-spence

[BrianS]

ill have to see if i can find a tiller.

will make life easier it seems

[reelecstasy]

you can rent them very cheap, I rented one last year and it saved soooo much time and work...

[Gloucester2]

More help

Ditto on the Rototill and peat moss (airates and holds moisture),

Buy Scotts seed approriate for the area (Sun/Shade, etc) do not try to skimp with the cheap stuff. Read the label and buy twice as much seed as indicated. Put down 75% of that on the first attempt - reserve the remainder to overseed when (not IF) some spots come in "light".

Fertilize with Starter Fertilizer.

Lightly rage the seed/fertilizer into the soil and roll (some just water it in I prefer to roll).

And lastly for the tip most people have to pay for . . . . buy a few cheap mylar balloons and "spike" them within the seeded area ("float" them about 4' off the ground). The movement and flash from the mylar will keep the birds away

Water the snot out of it daily.

There are many things in life I can't do . . . I could grow grass on the Moon

[Flaptail]

G2 and the professor have it nailed, especially the peat and loam mix. It's called top dressing but in your case it may be that you need to add a little sand as well and you definetly need to rototill the stuff in. When you choose a seed mix go for a compromise seed mix that does well in sun and shade and is "penkoted". That's a process that adds fertilizer direxctly to seed and also a bird "repellent" that keeps birds from eating it. the ballon thing is a great idea and the watering thing is a must. You have to do it now or you will miss the spring palnting season which is over by June 1st. then you will have to wait until after Labor Day. Fall is actually the best time to grow grass. Spring grass has it harder than fall planted grass as the new turf needs to establish a root zone on at least one and a half inches before the July/August hot dry weather comes in. That period is responsible for more lawns failing than winter. Snow coating the ground is actually good for a developing lawn. Good luck and hopefully we won't have any water usage bans this summer after last winters snows.

[BrianS]

Its gotta happen this weekend or not at all...

Im just hoping to hell I get the loam and a few hours before any showers on Saturday...

I really appreciate all the insight... First house, first project like this...

Sounds like it will be fun!

[Goose]

I do this for a living, sad I know but somebody's gota do it. This is how I would do it. Rent dethatcher, they are used to get up dead grass and debre but in this case your going to cultivate the soil.

First cut the exsisting grass as low as you can with a mower.

Rack it clean.

Lower the dethatcher as low as it'll go, you will feel it want take off on you HOLD IT and it cultivates. If you are going over an area that has good grass simply raise the machine so it doesn't rip it out.

Again rake it, you want to get up all the dead roots and grass.

Spread your loam, 2" is fine.

Grade it

Seed Lime/ starter Fertizer...

With the (back) of your leaf rake, gently pass over all the area , do it as though you are raking leaves.

Useing a roller is best, don't fill it, just fill 1/4 of it. just enough weight to press the seed to the soil.

Water when nessesary and let Mother nature do the rest.

Useing tiller much more work ect.. I've done countless jobs that you have
described. Fall is the best time to reseed....no weeds. If you do it now expect to see some weeds.

[justplugit]

You really got some good advice from alot of knowledgeable people.One last thing that will make the difference between so so, and full germination. Don't let the seed bed dry out.The first week is critical. Each day water until it starts to puddle up. Do that 3-4 times a day until it's up 1in or so. From that point on deep water 3x a week to get the roots to grow deep. If you have any sloping areas where run off could be a problem you can put a covering of Penn Mulch on top to hold the seed. Hope that helps.

[Raven]

if you have any willow trees near you ....you can take like 50 cuttings....say
20 inches long and let them soak in a five gallon bucket full of water...for a week....the cuttings will release their own growth hormone rooting agent into the water and that will increase your root growth one hundred times.....

or you can "buy" a product called super thrive (pricey stuff) which is a vitamin b1 suppliment
only one drop makes a gallon of "mix"...or "super thrive water" and that will increase root growth 100 times...theres a venturi style mixing valve sold that can siphon out of a 5 gallon bucket before your sprinkling hose or sprinkler so you can fertilize or root stimulate as you water.

grass seed grows best when it has firm contact with the soil....so i second the idea of using a rented roller... where as most people have the grass seed laying on the surface after the first rain exposes it...and then let it dry out. an automatic watering timer - is a great thing to have!

[Gloucester2]

So is it green yet ?

[Sgt_Nutz]

Hire Goose to do it and go fishing!

[TheSpecialist]

For the last 2 days I have been hard at work in the yard. I ripped out a dozen shrubs that were a lost cause. I ripped out 125 square feet of 3" thick concrete, and a big cinder block grill that was falling apart. I cut down a 40' tree, and removed about 10 massive limbs from 3 other trees. I stripped the whole backyard lawn, and 2 front lawns. I dug 200' of trench for a sprinkler system, and a new 60 amp sub panel in the garage. Lay the conduit, sprinkler pipe and back fill over the next couple of days, and build a 6' x 40' raised bed garden for my tomatoes while I am at it. My buddy is going to hydro seed the whole thing sunday.

[Karl F]

Bill... very nice... but dude... Go Fishin'!!

[Raven]

you've been kickin some landscape butt....

amazing!

[TheSpecialist]

here are some pics..

[TheSpecialist]

..

[TheSpecialist]

last 1's i will get some of the front later..