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My lawn is crap!

Ranger Dan

Ranger Dan

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Gold Member
Aug 31, 2003
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York PA
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
 
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Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
My lawn is not good due to too much rock and clay. I have had True Green fertilizing it for four years. It’s better now but not great. I will keep using them, but I think I will always have an average lawn.
 
Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
How big of a yard is it? Could you possibly tear up the top inch and then lay sod?
 
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My family never did a thing to the lawn other than mow it. Our next door neighbor spent hours per week every spring getting his into tip-top shape. Come July, their lawn would be brown and burnt out while our weeds would be green and thriving. I say just leave it be.
 
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I’ve heard that if your lawn is 50% plus weeds it may be best to start over. Otherwise it’s weed and feed along with aeration and over seeding.

How large is your lawn? If it’s of reasonable size you may find success treating it yourself with weed spray. If you want to hire a pro a independent local company if often cheaper than the national chains.
 
Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...

Very similar situation Dan. New build 12 years ago. Yard was terrible. After living with it for a while, we went with a lawn service for 4 or 5 years. Made a huge difference. But I was too cheap to keep paying for it. So now for the past 3 of 4 years, I've used the Scott's 4 phase program (actually use the Ace Hardware brand). Apply in early spring, early summer, late summer and fall. Not quite as good as the professional stuff but our yard looks much, much better than my neighbors on either side of us who do nothing to their yard. And the total outlay is less than $100 a year. We only have about 1/3 acre lot.

So you may want to suck it up for a couple of years and pay the pros. And then when your yard is looking better, consider the DIY program that I use. It's a whole lot better than nothing and a fraction of the price of a lawn service. Good luck.
 
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Waste of money and time, IMO. Lawns are one of the most inefficient things on the planet, next to horses and the DMV. I have seen articles that soon the front yard will be a thing of the past, replaced by vegetable and fruit gardens as the need for homegrown food intensifies and the move towards more environmentally friendly use of land continues. I would just jump on the curve and grow yourself some green in the wallet instead.
 
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Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
I've found that proper placement of basement speakers solves all of life's ills.
 
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BiochemPSU said:
Waste of money and time, IMO. Lawns are one of the most inefficient things on the planet, next to horses and the DMV. I have seen articles that soon the front yard will be a thing of the past, replaced by vegetable and fruit gardens as the need for homegrown food intensifies and the move towards more environmentally friendly use of land continues. I would just jump on the curve and grow yourself some green in the wallet instead.
Click to expand...
That is a great point. It’s easier to spend an hour mowing that to pull weeds in a garden. I am going to do a couple raised beds this year though.
 
BiochemPSU said:
Waste of money and time, IMO. Lawns are one of the most inefficient things on the planet, next to horses and the DMV. I have seen articles that soon the front yard will be a thing of the past, replaced by vegetable and fruit gardens as the need for homegrown food intensifies and the move towards more environmentally friendly use of land continues. I would just jump on the curve and grow yourself some green in the wallet instead.
Click to expand...
Vegetable and fruit gardens are great, if you have the time. However, the most environmentally conscious among us, young working professionals, do not have that kind of time, nor will they ever as they work much of their careers to pay off their student loans. Those articles you read sound more like advocacy than reality.
 
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Ranger Dan said:
our yard is 1 acre....
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One acre would be too much to buy sod unless you have a large amount of disposable income. Fromm ripping up the ground and then buying and laying the sod would be a minimum of 20 grand.

Maybe you could basically do a burn and then disc or something to seed.
 
I used a natural treatment company called Naturalawn for years. My lawn looked great so I figured I could take it over myself and do the Scotts treatment system. Boy was I wrong! The weeds came back with a vengeance! The next year I went back to Naturalawn and I've never looked back!
 
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Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
 
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Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
I really enjoy my lawn and have the nicest one in the neighbourhood. In fact, all of my neighbours have adopted my methods and they all look great. I grew up on a farm and cutting the grass is somehow therapeutic. I actually cut three lawns in my 'hood. here is my easy and simple method:
  • VERY early fertilization, like first nice day of march. rake out leaves stuck in small dead spots.
  • Lawn service after that (the stuff you buy doesn't kill the weeds, I've found)
  • Cut the lawn down low, early in the season, low enough to not scald the grass
  • Cut it twice a week so that you aren't trimming more than an inch. This time of year, the grass wants to grow, if it can't grow up it will grow out. Meaning, it will thicken and create a stronger root base. This is much needed in the hot summer months.
  • This time of year, the ground is cold and air warm(er). Grass will want to grow green but you want a root base and thickness. In the fall, the opposite will happen, which is good (roots will grow but you'll get less green). This is prep time for winter. Fertilize with store bought after the first snow has melted.
  • do not pick up the grass, mulch it
  • in the summer, cut it longer. maybe once a week or less.
  • Water it every other day unless it rains. Best to have a sensor that waters when the base is dry. But you almost cannot over water in July and August as it is so hot and dry.
  • enjoy
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One of the biggest concerns in trying to keep weeds from your lawn is what's growing on your perimeter. One plant of crab grass produces 100,000 seeds. If your neighbors don't treat their lawns, or you have weeds on your perimeter, you can treat it until the cows come home and it won't do much good. Scott's Weed & Feed is a joke since the EPA cracked down on them years ago. Lawn Doctor does use the liquid chemicals that has descent results.
 
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I was searching Scott's site, when one of those pop up, can i help you chats came up, i figured what the heck. The man responding told me what to buy and when to apply it, actually helped. I had a landscaper screw my lawn up prior to that, i'd say it's 95% good now.
 
Sporting Valley Sod in East Petersburg, has a you buy it and you haul it option.
When we originally did our house, we had the guys do it as a side job on the weekend
at a pretty nice savings. I you need/want to sod a section, you can buy as you go, and do it piecemeal .
 
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Ranger Dan said:
When we bought our current house 9 years ago, the lawn wasn’t great. We had a company do fertilizer and weed killer treatments for a few years, which helped, but we stopped because of budgetary concerns. Now our lawn is a mess, with just about every type of weed you could think of. We could probably afford to resume the treatments, but am wondering whether it’s an uphill battle that we’ll never win. Can we gradually overcome the weeds with treatments and overseeing? The other options are to accept the weeds and a complete replacement of the lawn.

Anyone have a similar situation?
Click to expand...
I really just use the Scott's products. Early spring, apply the pre-emergent/fertilizer combo. It works wonders. Each summer, you can walk the border of my property and see the crabgrass on my neighbors yard while there's none on my side. In another month, I'll put on the weed and feed to knock down annual weeds. In the mean time, I spot treat weeds in the lawn as I see them. Usually once a year I also apply grub killer. That needs to be done either spring or summer. Usually feed again in the fall.

It's Kentucky Bluegrass so it goes dormant in the summer and looks like crap but that's fine. It returns strong in the fall.
 
When we built our house the contractor scraped off what topsoil there was and laid down the thinnest possible layer of soil to replace it. We basically have highly acidic clay that has absolutely zero drainage. We probably could have created an artificial pond on most of the property. The only way it would ever lose water would be evaporation.
Sprays and bagged products weren’t the answer. I avoid weed killers. Yes, they kill bees, a lot of beneficial bugs and they are bad for people, pets and even many trees. Bagged products mostly run off of our lawn.
I started putting down compost every year. The pH is neutral and it adds beneficial bacteria while permanently improving the soil. Recently, there have been some droughts where all of the lawns in the neighborhood are brown except for mine.
 
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Not to hijack the thread, but I have a new construction that is currently sitting with fill. Need topsoil, seed, hay. Lot is .37 of an acre, approx .25 acre of the land needing grass. Where can i calculate what to expect to pay for this? Currently getting estimates, first one came in and I thought it was really high but I could be wrong.
 
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83wuzme said:
When we built our house the contractor scraped off what topsoil there was and laid down the thinnest possible layer of soil to replace it. We basically have highly acidic clay that has absolutely zero drainage. We probably could have created an artificial pond on most of the property. The only way it would ever lose water would be evaporation.
Sprays and bagged products weren’t the answer. I avoid weed killers. Yes, they kill bees, a lot of beneficial bugs and they are bad for people, pets and even many trees. Bagged products mostly run off of our lawn.
I started putting down compost every year. The pH is neutral and it adds beneficial bacteria while permanently improving the soil. Recently, there have been some droughts where all of the lawns in the neighborhood are brown except for mine.
Click to expand...
I hit mine with a plug aerator in the spring then lay down a half inch of compost every spring. That way a heavy rain will wash it into the holes. Every few years I broadcast some crushed limestone, really greens it up. Cut it high to choke out weeds and shade ground. Cut it low on final cut late fall. Never bag clippings and cut it often so never taking off a big chunk.
 
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PSU20 said:
One of the biggest concerns in trying to keep weeds from your lawn is what's growing on your perimeter. One plant of crab grass produces 100,000 seeds. If your neighbors don't treat their lawns, or you have weeds on your perimeter, you can treat it until the cows come home and it won't do much good. Scott's Weed & Feed is a joke since the EPA cracked down on them years ago. Lawn Doctor does use the liquid chemicals that has descent results.
Click to expand...
Amen. Or in my case, if I mow a yard with weeds and then come mow your nicely treated lawn, it’s the same thing. That’s the downfall to having a service that does a high volume service. We don’t have time to scrape the decks between lawns. I strive to have the worst lawn in the neighborhood so people don’t stop and ask me for shit.
 
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jim cummings said:
Amen. Or in my case, if I mow a yard with weeds and then come mow your nicely treated lawn, it’s the same thing. That’s the downfall to having a service that does a high volume service. We don’t have time to scrape the decks between lawns. I strive to have the worst lawn in the neighborhood so people don’t stop and ask me for shit.
Click to expand...
Jim, did you ever manage to plant a Red Buckeye ?
We talked about that tree a couple years ago.
 
83wuzme said:
Jim, did you ever manage to plant a Red Buckeye ?
We talked about that tree a couple years ago.
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I have not, but i definitely recall our conversation. I’ve stopped in at Chapons and made some purchases for customers but haven’t moved on the project that we discussed a couple years back. I think there was another tree that we talked about in addition to the buckeye. That I don’t recall.

I tried to get 10’ arbs from Chapons last month. He had them in stock but the customer backed out.

I didn’t interact with who would possibly be the owner. Younger guys in their 20’s I’d say. Didn’t get the chance to bring up the anonymous roommate from PSU that’s on BWI.
 
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jim cummings said:
I have not, but i definitely recall our conversation. I’ve stopped in at Chapons and made some purchases for customers but haven’t moved on the project that we discussed a couple years back. I think there was another tree that we talked about in addition to the buckeye. That I don’t recall.

I tried to get 10’ arbs from Chapons last month. He had them in stock but the customer backed out.

I didn’t interact with who would possibly be the owner. Younger guys in their 20’s I’d say. Didn’t get the chance to bring up the anonymous roommate from PSU that’s on BWI.
Click to expand...
I ended up getting a Bottlebrush Buckeye last year and planted it next to the woods.
The deer ate it, which is strange because it is supposedly poisonous.
 
The Spin Meister said:
I hit mine with a plug aerator in the spring then lay down a half inch of compost every spring. That way a heavy rain will wash it into the holes. Every few years I broadcast some crushed limestone, really greens it up. Cut it high to choke out weeds and shade ground. Cut it low on final cut late fall. Never bag clippings and cut it often so never taking off a big chunk.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much my regimen as well. I have 3.3 acres that was pasture land before my house was built. Really crappy lawn for the first couple of years until I contracted with LiquaGrow (southern PA and MD). I've been with them for more than a decade and I get praise from neighbors and locals all the time. I cut at 3.5" with a Toro Titan (definitely keep the blades sharp) and it looks awesome.

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PSU20 said:
One of the biggest concerns in trying to keep weeds from your lawn is what's growing on your perimeter. One plant of crab grass produces 100,000 seeds. If your neighbors don't treat their lawns, or you have weeds on your perimeter, you can treat it until the cows come home and it won't do much good. Scott's Weed & Feed is a joke since the EPA cracked down on them years ago. Lawn Doctor does use the liquid chemicals that has descent results.
Click to expand...
This is a misconception. There will always be weed seeds invading your lawn. The idea is to make your grass flourish and fend off the invading weeds.
 
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