Lawncare advice.

• thavoice

  Have a corner lot in town and it is moderately traveled. I always liked a nice yard and would like to take steps in making mine better.
  It isnt it bad shape at all, just has a fair amount of clover, and some crabgrass.
  
  What are the best products out there to get a nice green, plush lawn? I know some of the better products have the fertilizer on the actual each seed, but the cheaper ones have it just in the bag with it and it doesnt get mixed ni well.
• THE4RINGZ

  

  But Scot's products and you won't go wrong. They are worth the extra money.
• ytownfootball

  

  I wouldn't waste the time trying to seed a lawn now unless you're committed to watering, window of opportunity is too short before it gets to warm and roots don't have the time to fully establish enough to sustain itself through the summer months. Additionally, crabgrass needs controlled, pre-emergently now, this also prevents desired seed from germinating. You also want to kill weeds which stops seed from coming up for six weeks.
  
  Best to fertilize, control crabgrass and kill weeds now and wait to seed this fall when you'll have better success.
• gorocks99

  

  If you could bottle some of the bullshit from your wife, it'd probably make an excellent fertilizer
• Cat Food Flambe'

  

  A broadleaf weedkiller (I like Ortho Weed-B-Gone ) will take care of the clover and most other broadleaf weeds. I use a sprayer attachment on the garden hose - it's a lot more forgiving of an over application than the premixed stuff right out of the bottle - I put dead spots in the lawn more than one time using the latter. You can hit the lawn with it as often as every other week if needed - you're probably better off using less of it more often.
  
  It won't get the crabgrass, however - you'll need to get that by hand this year. Use one of those "forked" blades and snap off the stem just below the soil surface. You can hit the lawn with a per-emergent crabgrass killer/fertilzer mix next spring just as the ground starts to warm up in early or mid-March. Note - don't use it if you plan to seed within two or three months.
  
  If you need more grass, I'd overseed with a mix that's at least 50% fescue - it's tough and stands up to foot traffic. Scott's "Play Mix" will work well. While you can put it in anytime, it's a lot easier if you get it in the ground by late April or if you wait until September. Just be sure to follow the directions about planting and watering - you can lose it with one warm, sunny and windy day for a couple of weeks after germination if you're even a few hours late with the water. I found that covering the seeded area with straw (not the "mulch mix") buys you a lot of protection by shading the seedlings and is worth the effort.
  
  Fertilizer - Scott's is good stuff as noted, but with the exception of the weedkiller mix in early spring, I just go down to the local farm center and buy what I need right out of the bin. It cost less for a whole year's supply that what you'll pay for one bag in the garden store.
  
  Use:
  1. The crabgrass "weed and feed in March
  2. Nitrogen-heavy in late spring. Nitrogen is the first number you see on the fertilizer (I buy urea, which I think is usually 46-0-0)
  3. a lighter treatment of the same in June. This is just "topping off the tank - you can probably skip this if the lawn is doing well, you haven't cut the lawn more than 15 or so times by Memorial Day, and you don't usually bag the clippings when you mow. If you have grubs, use "Grub and Grow" product at the appropriate, but don't like to use the grub killer unless I have a known history of the little bastards.
  4. a phosphorous/potassium-weighted mix in September. They are the last two (of three) numbers that appear on the fertilizer formula. This is the one application you don't want to skip, especially if you're trying to build up your lawn - it helps the plants to build their root systems to survive the winter and get a running start the next spring.
• TedSheckler

  

  ^^^This. Well done. He's right, crab has already germinated this year. You'll have to pull by hand.
  
  I use Lesco products. Google there is probably a Lesco store fairly close. Actually they're called John Deere Landscapes now. I use Dimension in the early spring for crabgrass. Then I use my local feed store for fert. And I use Lesco Dylox in the summer for grub control.
  
  Then seed in the fall.
• ytownfootball

  

  TedSheckler;1138744 wrote:^^^This. Well done. He's right, crab has already germinated this year. You'll have to pull by hand.
  
  I use Lesco products. Google there is probably a Lesco store fairly close. Actually they're called John Deere Landscapes now. I use Dimension in the early spring for crabgrass. Then I use my local feed store for fert. And I use Lesco Dylox in the summer for grub control.
  
  Then seed in the fall.

  Actually, Dimension has post emergent control on crabgrass up to the 5 tiller stage, so using it will still kill what has emerged already. It also depends on where you are geographically as to whether it has actually germinated, Columbus has been warm enough to see it start but up here in the north east it hasn't yet.
• adog

  Trimec............nothing better for clover, dandelions, etc. Excellant broadleaf control......
• dwccrew

  

  Get divorced.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  dwccrew;1138990 wrote:Get divorced.

  Yes. Then upper deck yourself for being such a pussy.
• Devils Advocate

  

  Hire a Mexican..... Hope this helps.
• Belly35

  

  Don't buy cheap spend the extra for good brand name products for the lawn it is worth it in the long run..
• justincredible

  

  Overseed in the fall.
• said_aouita

  

  
• thavoice

  justincredible;1139907 wrote:Overseed in the fall.[/QUOT
  
  The closer I look I think i have more wide blade grass than an actual crabgrass problem. Def have clover prob tho.
  
  I would like to choke out that wide blade grass for a better looking type. WOuld overseeding do that?

• TedSheckler

  

  No it won't. It sounds like you just have fescue. I didn't care for mine when I moved in about 10 years ago, so I killed off my whole lawn and reseeded it with a bluegrass/ryegrass mix. It's held up great. It's not really that bad to do. The Roundup can get a little expensive though.
  
  I killed off the grass starting in late August. It takes a few treatments with Roundup to make sure you get everything. Mowed it down on the lowest setting, dethatched, seeded, and fertilized. By that time it was September, and by late fall, I had a beautiful looking lawn.
• thavoice

  that very well may be it. Any way to reverse it other than your radical approach
  ?
• thavoice

  Would it be best to have one of those lawn campanies come out and treat it for this year ya think?
• THE4RINGZ

  

  Hiring a lawn service company isn't that much more expensive than doing it yourself, plus you would be getting some expert advice.
• justincredible

  

  TedSheckler;1140910 wrote:No it won't. It sounds like you just have fescue. I didn't care for mine when I moved in about 10 years ago, so I killed off my whole lawn and reseeded it with a bluegrass/ryegrass mix. It's held up great. It's not really that bad to do. The Roundup can get a little expensive though.
  
  I killed off the grass starting in late August. It takes a few treatments with Roundup to make sure you get everything. Mowed it down on the lowest setting, dethatched, seeded, and fertilized. By that time it was September, and by late fall, I had a beautiful looking lawn.

  That quick of a turnaround? I might have to go this route this fall. I hate our lawn and had planned on overseeding last fall but ran out of time.
• sportchampps

  By the way grubbs are supposed to be really bad this year
• OSH

  

  It's just a yard. Mow it.
  
  Spend your money on better things.
• THE4RINGZ

  

  sportchampps;1141013 wrote:By the way grubbs are supposed to be really bad this year

  I am already seeing some grub damage to my lawn, but it is too early to treat for them.
• sleeper

  

  OSH;1141016 wrote:It's just a yard. Mow it.
  
  Spend your money on better things.

  I agree with this guy.
• TedSheckler

  

  justincredible;1141011 wrote:That quick of a turnaround? I might have to go this route this fall. I hate our lawn and had planned on overseeding last fall but ran out of time.

  Yup. Killed end of August/beginning of September. Takes a couple weeks after multiple round up applications, mow short, dethatch (mainly to slit up the soil), seed, fertilize (same day), and water, water, water. I didn't mow at all in the fall. Just let the roots get a good grip, then did the first mow in the fall.