Need Soil Help - What Can I Do?

[Casutherland]

So as most of you know, my wife and I purchased new construction back in December 2015. This was prior to me having little to any grass/soil knowledge. I also knew nothing about this site.

The builders sold us the house with straw/and contractor mix seed laid down. To top things off, the builders sold all of our good top soil and left us with TN Red clay soil. This soil is as thick as molasses and drains incredibly poorly. Most of the seed that was laid ran off with all the heavy rains we had through a mild winter and early spring. By February, my wife and I made the decision to invest in sod, to avoid any further soil erosion damage. When the contractors came to lay the sod, they used a harley rake to help level things out first. They also dug out around all the drain pipes and installed pop up drains.

The one major mistake that I made was requesting that they put down a small layer of topsoil prior to laying the sod. However, they just laid the sod straight on that red clay. This caused almost immediate drainage issues in the sod. After rain or watering, I would see a lot of areas with standing water, or water barely below the surface of the grass.

My wife and I also decided to hire a lawn treatment company to start "treating" our grass with whatever they want to treat it with. About August of last year, my entire front yard turned yellow. The lawn treatment company stated that it was a fungus, and convinced me to purchase their fungicide program as well. I was spending about $75 every 6 weeks for them to treat my 2500 sq ft lawn. This was about the time that I started searching for answers from online, and found you guys.

The amount of help that has been provided here has just been truly amazing. The knowledge that I am gaining her, is slowly but surely, getting me to where I want to be. I LOVE being out in the yard. Most days, I do a walk around the yard and garden right when I get home from work. I keep a tab open with the forums at work (I may be addicted).

So here is where I am at right now. I recently called Bob Hogan with the Hogan Company. Many people on these forums seem to purchase seed and supplies from them, and they are about a 30 minute drive away from me. I called him yesterday explaining my soil issue, and he immediately says "you have been robbed." Saying that the builders taking my topsoil robbed me for years to come. He was incredibly cynical about my yard and that my soil test results were skewed because I only went down 3-4 inches. He said that the root systems for fescue and bluegrass can go up to 12 inches in the ground. He also stated that the yellowing and browning is being caused from my yard being choked out due to the clay soil that is most likely about 5-6+ inches down.

He just kept saying that he felt bad for me and that no matter what work I do, its going to take 20-30 years to get the yard where I want it.

So the plan that he came up with was to mechanically aerate my yard monthly and rake in compost each time.

He told me that trying to use a soil conditioner on my yard was completely pointless because soap and yucca wouldn't do anything to loosen up that red clay.

Can you guys please help to point me in the right direction toward a healthy lawn, other than just fertilzing etc?

Right now my schedule is to fertilize 4 times a year with Milorganite, and push more Urea in the fall. Also I am alternating weeks of the proactive biofungide program, and the BLKH and BLSC.

My house sits on a slope, with very small downward action as well, if that helps at all.

[g-man]

Can you guys please help to point me in the right direction toward a healthy lawn, other than just fertilzing etc?

You've been around for almost a year now and we have been guiding you in the right direction all along. There is a ton of experience and proven methods in this forum. Those of us that follow it have seen the results, over time. There are multiple of before and after pictures that prove the methods. Just don't expect overnight results.

[micvog]

I have been in your position twice in the past 7 years - getting a new lawn established on a previously vacant lot. My experience is that soil takes a few years to settle-in after being disturbed by construction, so I would give it time and follow the plan HLG provided in the Soil forum. Looks like your soil isn't as bad as you think it is!

Some of my neighbors (also new construction) aerate where I use BLKH and BLSC. The soil conditioners do work - there is more "give" in my soil when walking on it, it absorbs water better (they have standing water after a major storm, I don't), and they have a lot more weeds than I do.

[Casutherland]

I trust you guys..i just get discouraged when a local seed store that is nationally known, tells me it will take 20-30 years..

Need to learn to develop more patience. Gardening, lawn maintaining, and farming all require patience. Something I have always struggled with..

I really appreciate you guys!

Going to keep working the yard, sticking to my plan, and hope that things will steadily get better over time.

[andy10917]

He just kept saying that he felt bad for me and that no matter what work I do, its going to take 20-30 years to get the yard where I want it.

More than a few members here would argue against that, but it will take quite a while. If this is a veiled "how do I fix it this season?" question, then the answer involves the purchase of large quantities of topsoil.

[Casutherland]

He just kept saying that he felt bad for me and that no matter what work I do, its going to take 20-30 years to get the yard where I want it.

More than a few members here would argue against that, but it will take quite a while. If this is a veiled "how do I fix it this season?" question, then the answer involves the purchase of large quantities of topsoil.

Well I have already spread out one layer of topsoil/compost this spring. And that was not very cheap. Probably wont do that again this year..may try it again closer to fall..but cannot afford it bi-weekly, monthly, or probably even quarterly lol.

[g-man]

I think what andy means is to take out like 10-12in of your current soil and replacing it with large quantities of topsoil. For your yard it would be around 92 cubic yards. (source: http://www.topsoilcalculator.net/how-mu ... ickness=12 )

[chrismar]

Did Bob Hogan see your soil test results? If he didn't, how does he know what you're dealing with and how long it'll take to fix?

Heck, comparing your soil test to mine from 2015, they're similar and yours is probably in better shape that mine was. Just to give you an idea, I'm in north/central NJ at the foothills of the Watchung mountains, or what I like to call "Shale City USA". Rock hard red "dirt" that looks and behaves a lot like clay. I applied BLSC religiously every 2 weeks the 2015 lawn season. It helped tremendously. In fact, I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't sprayed it all since. I couldn't get a screwdriver in even an inch before, and now it goes to 3-4" with ease.

My point is, the folks here know their stuff. I've been a follower since 2015, and my soil test results prove that it's a marathon and not a sprint. Every year things get a little better and every year I can tell there's an improvement in the lawn.

[Casutherland]

Thank guys! Really, all of this is very appreciated.

It is easy to get bummed out on things. I am seeking perfection, and I see all these pictures of these plush lawns with good soil and I get so envious!!

I apologize for bringing this topic up again, but just wanted to mention what Mr. Hogan stated on the phone yesterday. He has not seen my soil test results, but I told him that they looked really good. He asked me what depth that I took the test at, and I told me that it was about 3.5" deep. He told me that was not nearly deep enough, and I should take another soil test at 6-8 inches deep and he believed that my results would drastically change.

Anyway, once again, I appreciate all you guys do! I will keep everyone updated in the future on my progress, as I seek the perfect lawn!

[MorpheusPA]

I started with pretty much the same thing--effectively no topsoil, just the under-soil that's native to my area. Which around here, is compacted silt.

While it does take a while, there was a noticeable improvement after the first year. And again the second year. And so on. This is...year 12, I think, and the soil is in excellent shape at this point, and has been for years.

Yes, it's a marathon, not a sprint, but even starting the marathon improves things. Over time, just the grass itself, with basic feeding, would transform your soil. Everything else just helps and accelerates the process dramatically.

And the soil conditioner most certainly does help on clay, particularly when combined with kelp (and with rebalancing your resources in the soil, of course, to have ample calcium to counterbalance any Mg issues you might or might not have...)

[andy10917]

At a time when home soils are either only a few inches thick, or completely absent, digging down 6"-8" makes no sense. I rarely find grass roots at 6", except at a sod farm. I find subsoil horizons at 4"-5" deep more often than not. Why do I want to measure the TEC of a subsoil that the roots aren't going to be in.

The 3"-4" depth is the middle of the homeowner root zone, and a good indication/compromise of what has been added at the surface and what is more entrenched in the soil.

Casutherland, you have to pick a horse and get on it for the ride. Changing horses every time you hear a different approach doesn't work. Remember this: a camel is a horse that was designed by a committee.