Timberland into weekend retreat

[eli_grass]

Hi,

I stumbled across this site/forum because I'm trying to turn a couple acres (really like 1.5 acres) of former timberland into a grassy area where my kids can run through it and kick a ball around 1 to 3 weekends per year. This is family land in Far East Texas (Tyler/Longview). The land wasn't touched for 30 years but last year I had an area shredded and now I'm looking to establish a grassy area to surround our 16x40 cabin. We only come out here a few times per year and there is no irrigation but we get on average 40 - 60 inches of rain per year.
I don't want to spend $2k on high quality TTTF seed because I won't be there to maintain it (I have a cousin that can swing by and run a brush hog over it once per month) so I was looking into K31 but everyone on every forum hates it so bad. They say it looks ugly. But if I can get it to look like this:

https://postimg.cc/LYjM0c9M

Instead of this:

https://postimg.cc/hQP6cnTR

https://postimg.cc/hhSH9LwZ


I will be happy.

Hoosier did something similar here: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15681&start=100

Which caused me to register and ask my questions on this forum.

I'm thinking of spreading 150lbs of K31 from Tractor Supply over this area towards the end of January and hoping for a nice little stand of grass by the end of April. Seeing how I leaves, twings and weeds already in this area should I do anything to 'prep' the area beforehand or should I just go out there with my Scott's hand spreader and broadcast seed?

Thoughts???

[eli_grass]

Area of interest

[andy10917]

Sorry to say, but I don't think it's possible to attain your "goal lawn" picture with the very low maintenance you have outlined...

Here are some thoughts:

- You are vastly underestimating the amount of seed you will need. K-31 seeding rates for a new lawn are 8 lbs per 1000 sq ft. 150 lbs of seed will cover 18,750 sq ft of lawn -- about 0.4 acre. To do 1.5 acres, you will need 550 lbs of seed.

- Without irrigation during the seed germination period, you will be at the mercy of rainfall - if you don't get it regularly, your results will be less than full germination. K-31 does not spread, so weeds will take over the open areas. Without herbicides and fertilization, the weeds will spread and dominate.

- I don't think your picture of desired lawn will happen with monthly brushhogging of K-31. K-31 is not a turf-type tall fescue - it is a bunch-grass, and will show this type of color:



Given monthly mowing, it will be very tall, stalky and covered in seedheads much of the year.

That's a start to the conversation - there's lots more to consider...

[eli_grass]

Thanks for the reply Andy
I guess I could only seed the front portion of the property and that would be 0.50 to 0.60 acres





I saw a few folks using 100lbs of K31 seed per acre and they had decent results
I'm not too concerned with the color of the grass
It can be lime green or very dark green
I mainly want something more than the sticks, leaves and weeds I have out there now.
My neighbors say don't do anything but cut it 3-4 times per YEAR and it'll have "grass" growing there in 4-5 years
I don't want to wait that long.

I want some simple low maintenance (not watered and only cut once or twice per summer month) grass
What kind of grass grows in public parks/playgrounds?
That stuff seems more like weeds to me. It's not sod. It only receives natural rainfall as water.
They only cut that grass once per month or so in summers.
Writing this I just googled around and found pics of Piedmont park in Atlanta






And also another random park picture







See how brown it is in large patches on that soccer field?
I'm OK with that.
That doesn't bother me on bit
But what kind of "grass" is that or is it only "weeds"?
My nearest neighbor's front yard is really low and looks like that (but is 100% green no brown patches) but he says his yard looked like mine and he simply kept it cut and within 5 years he has the grass stand that he has now.

I'm thinking Bahia grass might be an option now. My neighbor to the south of me has an 80 acre Bahia hay pasture that she gets 2-3 cuttings from per year. Doesn't lime it and she doesn't fertilize it. She prays for rain and has it cut/bailed when nature allows.


Sorry for this to be long winded but I'm simply looking for a "public park playground" type of grass that I don't have to do much maintenance. I can fertilize 3-4 times per year if need be, do monthly (*MAYBE* twice monthly cuttings) but definitely no watering.

[eli_grass]

What if I threw down some "annual" rye grass in February?
It'll green up pretty quickly (before April) right and last until mid-summer?
Something like this:





I wonder what grass is in Grant Park in Chicago? That gets used/abused pretty much I suppose.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I'll take a picture at some point this spring when I'm turkey hunting of what once a year mowed tall fescue looks like.

Theres no way it can look as manicured as either of those pictures with what I do. That's ok. I'm not making it turf per se.

Basically it gets weed whipped a few times a year by my son. I might brush hog it this year as the briars are coming in.

I've never tested the soil, but I can tell you the farmers that used to own it all gave up and sold it to form the state forest around me when it didnt produce well.

[ENVY23]

I have no experience with it, but have you looked into the "no-mow" fescues? Seems like it may be a good candidate.