Leveling lawn using play sand

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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s1mpl3k1d
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Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by s1mpl3k1d » September 22nd, 2020, 9:45 pm

I scalped the lawn today. I really think my lawn is dead since I was able to easily pull them. Can I use the playsand from big box store so I can level low areas in my lawn?

Thanks!

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by MorpheusPA » September 23rd, 2020, 12:12 am

For leveling up to about an eighth of an inch, I never object to play sand. For larger leveling, I'd use top soil that's matched as closely to your own soil as possible (but with as low an organic matter percentage as possible, since that'll decay off).

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s1mpl3k1d
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by s1mpl3k1d » September 23rd, 2020, 1:09 am

Cool! It's not really bad. There's only a small portion that I want to fix.

I have another question. We normally renovate around mid August. September is almost ending. I'd like to take the risk of seeding new grass in 2 weeks. Am I right that It should still make it especially of warmer weathers now?

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by MorpheusPA » September 23rd, 2020, 1:28 am

It's a risk and you're going to go into winter with very young, poorly-established grass. I'd plan on winter losses, and having to do some spring seeding.
As well as having to coddle the whole thing next summer--it won't have the roots to survive the summer or the carb storage to manage it.

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andy10917
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by andy10917 » September 23rd, 2020, 7:48 am

Unless you've seen the weather change to wetter conditions, seeding now without irrigation and around 2 weeks to first frost (meaning roughly end-of-the-growing-season about November 1st to 10th), you're piling several risk factors on top of one another. That's not a recipe for a high chance of success. It's an all-in gamble.


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s1mpl3k1d
Posts: 1472
Joined: January 13th, 2009, 8:04 am
Location: zone 5a Northwest, IL
Grass Type: KGB Emblem, Midnight II entire lawn
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by s1mpl3k1d » September 23rd, 2020, 9:28 am

Got it. I've noticed it's been warmer for the past 3 years. Next week's forecast according to my neighbor who I was chatting with yesterday it will be 80 in our area. However, I haven't checked weather sites yet.

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s1mpl3k1d
Posts: 1472
Joined: January 13th, 2009, 8:04 am
Location: zone 5a Northwest, IL
Grass Type: KGB Emblem, Midnight II entire lawn
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by s1mpl3k1d » September 23rd, 2020, 1:31 pm

I think I'll take the risk. I remember during my lawn reno in 2009, the germination happened in the 5th-7th day.

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s1mpl3k1d
Posts: 1472
Joined: January 13th, 2009, 8:04 am
Location: zone 5a Northwest, IL
Grass Type: KGB Emblem, Midnight II entire lawn
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by s1mpl3k1d » September 23rd, 2020, 7:36 pm

Btw, I searched our site but I couldn't find the page which contains list of online sod quality seed sellers. Can someone please help me?

Masbustelo
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by Masbustelo » September 23rd, 2020, 10:01 pm

They have a great selection of seed and will ship it to you as well. https://www.cdford.com/products-and-ser ... and-garden, Geneseo, Illinois

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s1mpl3k1d
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Joined: January 13th, 2009, 8:04 am
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Re: Leveling lawn using play sand

Post by s1mpl3k1d » September 23rd, 2020, 10:29 pm

Please disregard my question above. I'll finally bought seeds this evening and they are Amity, 4th Millennium, Raptor III and Avenger II tall fescue. It will only be for front lawn. It will just be a test. If it works well, then I will renovate the backyard with the same varieties.

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