Necessary Steps For Lawn Reno? Analysis By Paralysis

[Chris Jacobie]

Hey all,
I wasn't planning on renovating my lawn this fall. We just moved in this May and I told myself I'd do the basics this year and reno next year but I've got the itch. This lawn is bumming me out. 50% fescue, 50% bermudagrass plus a lot of creeping charlie, nimblewill, crabgrass, clover, etc. It's a mess and it's screwing with my head every time I mow it.

The more I read this forum, the more I get confused. What are the actual necessary steps for a renovation? It seems everyone does it different but that the common themes are:

-Burn down with glyphosate.
-Scalp and bag it.
-Don't core aerator
-Spread quality seed without a slit seeder (I plan on using Hogan. They're close.)
-Lightly rake it in.
-Roll or tamp.
-Fertilize according to soil test (mine is here: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=27398.) Is starter fertilizer necessary or not?
-Cover with something. Straw? Peat moss?
-Water light and frequent.
-Be patient.

Are any of these steps unnecessary? Am I missing anything crucial? Are any actions out of order?

Thank you so much!

[turf_toes]

I’ve found in my own renovations that there’s no need to rake or cover it. I’d certainly never use straw on my renovations.

There’s no officially endorsed way to do this. Everyone does what they think will get them the best results. Most folks have a process very similar to what you’ve posted.

[Chris Jacobie]

Thanks, turf_toes! The other thing I'm trying to figure out is the best way to handle the bumpiness from moles + it being an old yard that definitely never had any love from the previous owners. I really don't want to bring in any top soil if possible but IDK. It drains fine but just could be a bit smoother.

[turf_toes]

Rent the roller from Home Depot rental center

[Chris Jacobie]

Well that saves me some time and money!

[northeastlawn]

Nice job, your actually are right on the money for a lot of things.

A few things things come to mind....

Water the lawn really well the night before to get it kind of soft and mushy the day before the over-seed. It helps the roller squish the seed into the ground.\

You dont need starter fertlizer

You do need tenacity to keep the weeds and poa-a at bay while you're over-seeding. You can buy it and spray it, or use scot starter fertlizer with weed control (look for mesotrione in the label, you are then adding strayer fertilizer, but its an option if you dont like spraying tenacity.

If you lawn is very bumpy a roller is going to miss some spots, which is OK. I usually roll it and then go back over with the back side of a leaf rake to get the seed down to the ground.

i would never contaminate a lawn with new soil or hay, but if you can afford peat moss, the seed covered with peat moss always seem to come in better than the areas without.

Dont worry about fertlizer; just plan on dropping fertilizer 30 days after germination. Sooner and it pushes the new grass at the expense of root growth, which is why many people dont use starter fertilizer.

I dont know you climate, but you're probably not going to get a lot of fertilizer down 30 days after germination. i usually take the last day I can put fertlizer down, and then work backwards and plan on 2 -3 apps of light weekly urea apps in the fall just so I can get a few apps in to make the lawn finally look good. See the fall fertilizer program on here for details.

With that said, Im not sure what your over-seeding with it, if your using PR, you could easily get past sprout and pout and put some fertlizer down. If you're using KBG it can be a long slog waiting before it gets going.

Lastly dont forget you can put some dimension as a pre-e down once the new grass has been cut twice, it might be too late to prevent all the poa-a, but it might do some good if you geta warm winter. Once again I dont know your areas climate and timing.

[Chris Jacobie]

Thank you so much! This is very helpful.

[wilbur]

I'm in Nashville and renovated Fall of 2019 using very similar steps to those you outlined, with good success. I renovated with TTTF from SSS, but have subsequently overseeded and patched areas using Hogan since I can pick up in person. A few observations from my experience that might be helpful:

- allow time for at least two glyphosate applications
- for several reasons including extensive mole damage, I opted not only to scalp+bag but also till the existing soil. This allowed me to completely level the yard and rake all of the dead matter away. HOWEVER, as many have correctly noted on the site... just like aeration, it will disturb previously dormant weed seeds in your soil which can germinate.
- I applied Tenacity in conjunction with seeding and a 2nd application later per label. I found this to be extremely effective. This also took care of any increased weed germination created by tilling.
- Definitely rake after seeding- You may have seen the recommendation to use the back side of a metal tined leaf rake, which works well. I did this and also rolled with a rental from HD as turf toes suggested and had excellent germination.
- In Tennessee, you absolutely will need to cover the seed. The heat during September here will dry out the soil between waterings, so a good covering to retain moisture is essential. I've used peat moss as well as straw, and prefer EZ Straw for ease application, coverage, and it stays in place much better than peat moss (it has a tacky coating that's activated when moist). It's been processed to remove seeds but you might still have a few hay sprigs pop up, though easily manageable. I would not use your average straw bales that have not been processed.
- No need for starter fertilizer, as others have said. Just get some down after germination.
- I opted to use a manual reel mower the first 2-3 cuttings for its light weight and precise cut on delicate new growth- just make sure the blade is SHARP and positioned correctly!

Good luck!!

[edslawn]

Good thread on this...

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=25034&p=333673&hil ... ed#p333673

[Chris Jacobie]

Thanks, Wilbur!