My lawn looks like hell!!!

[Yelcamino]

Is anyone a lawn expert? My front yard was invaded by crab grass last year and I'd like to get rid of that junk and have a nice green lawn this year.

If you have any suggestions or can point me to resources, I'd appreciate your help! Thanks!

[bucks69]

Man I get to finally get to help someone, LOL
What kind of grass do you have seeded in the lawn, and do you have any pets in the yard? Do you have access to a liquid sprayer?

[Scott Norris]

Park 5 or 6 projects on it?

[ho428]

After 2 years of drought and to much time in the garage working on cars, my yard looks pretty rough as well. The wife asked the other day where we should start, I said; "you start in the front, I'll start in the garage"

Ya-know, our sofa sleeps pretty good.

Lot's and lots of Halts to keep the crabgrass out. Probably have grubs under it to. If the crabcrass is still matted you'll have to get it out to get new seed to gerninate well. Back breaking work.

[69Pony]

Start with Scotts Halts and start soon. For WV you should probably put it down mid - late March. It is not effected by snow once on the ground. It will green up the grass you have and stop the spread of crabgrass. Unfortunately, it does not allow new grass to grow since Halts stops the germination of all seed including crabgrass.

The best way to continue to keep crabgrass at bay is a full lawn that chokes out crabgrass. Also, let you lawn grow a bit. Most people mow too much and it allows weeds to take root. In the spring I mow once a week but only take 1/2" at a time. Some state 2" in the max you should ever cut.

So;

Halts now
let grass grow out some
remove thatch with a rake
follow up with a good weed/feed twice in the summer
use a good grub control in June
remove thatch again
aerate the lawn
seed in the fall

It's a pain and will take a couple of years to bring a dead lawn back. I just went through this at my house after I cut down 68 trees and brought in 175 cubic yards of soil to create a back yard. Looks great now though.....

[Andrew McBride]

What type of grass do you have established?

Since you are probably still dormant.. if you have a warm season grass, I would spray a complete control herb. like-round-up, but it has to be dormant!... But if you are cool season, then do not go that route. Do not waste your money on Scott's. Home-depot and lowe's has a lot of stuff that you will waste your money, so watch out for that.

The best route is to call your university turfgrass extension office in your area. Also most schools will have an area on their web that gives tips and advice for the zone that you are in and the common grassses and weeds you will find. I study turfgrass.

Warm season grasses: I would put out a pre-emergence herbicide when the temps are still around 50F, which is about the time you start seeing crabgrass establishing. Spray MSMA, and then re-apply 8 weeks later if you are still having problems with crabgrass.

check out this website: http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/turfweedmgmt/WeedMgmt.aspx
Let me know what type of grass you have and I can tell you what to apply. Whatever you choose to apply, make sure you apply at the rates that are given on the lable. Over application will get you farther off track that when you started sometimes.

Hope this helps.

AM

[buickfunnycar.com]

...till I tore it out,poured a slab over it,and built a garage.:usa:

Anyone want to buy a slightly used mower...?:drive:

[rob07002]

SOD and be done with it!!!!!

I'm bitting the bullet this year just in the back yard.

I moved from the city and couldn't wait to feel grass under my feet, one bad drought during my new lawn germination and BAM, weeds and crap. Now I hate the city and the burbs.

[Bow Tie 67]

Herb,

I have to say it, you suck! We still have snow covering the grass.

[MarkM66]

Moles tore my yard up. Hell with it I give up, it's a waste of time anyways. Whatever grows gets cut, but I'm not promoting in, LOL.

[Yelcamino]

Wow! I didn't expect so many responses so quickly!

Let's see, I don't know for sure what kind of grass is currently growing (or trying to grow) but I think it's a fescue(?) or something like that. In the spring and summer it's dark green. The yard isn't totally gone, but right now where the crabgrass took hold it looks dead but the other areas look ok, sorta green but in this area the grass doesn't really turn yellow/brown during the winter.

On Sunday the wife and I pulled as many clumps of the crabgrass out by the roots as possible (yes it was back breaking work!) and the rest I raked up with a hard rake. It looks like we got most of it. I then proceeded to rough up the yard and remove the debris that had collected over the winter. I also filled some holes/low spots with top soil.

Sod is out of the question due to the fact that I'm sure it's not cheap and I'll be moving next summer so I don't want to invest a fortune just to green it up.

Now here's the bad news... I didn't get to read this until tonight but today on the way home from work I picked up a bag of seed and a bag of crabgrass "pre-emergent plus fertilizer" (with these numbers on the bag: 19-0-7). The seed was a no-name brand (cheap) and it said "good for sun and partial shade" on the bag.

Last fall I bought one of those push spreaders and put down some winter guard. I don't know why but I figured it couldn't hurt.

Anyway, I'll check the web sites you guys listed and see if I made things worse! :seizure:

Oh, and Matt, sorry for your luck with the snow! :)

[muthstryker]

Ah just go to your local hertz rental and get a mini excavator, rip out all the old grass, watch out for irrigation lines! bring in a truck load of top soil and some sod you will be happier in the long run, plus thats more time in the garage since you dont have to be out every weekend pulling up crab grass :)

[RSX302]

Crabgrass is some nasty shizits. Just like cancer!...I would love to shoot the person that invented it.
I roto-tilled my front yard, raked out the roots and removed the first 2" of dirt. Left it dirt for a year and sprayed killer on any remaining seed sprouts. Put down top soil and sod, used Scotts crabgrass preventer every spring. I'm now 8 years into it without a sign of crabgrass.

Just like the name states ‘Crabgrass Preventer’ you need to overcome it first…. I don’t know of anything that will flat out kill it without taking out your good grass.

Good luck

[J-Rod]

ONe word for you buddy: Astroturf!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

And if you have any left over....

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Welcome! :thankyou:

[69Pony]

Seed and pre-emergent crabgrass preventer don't play together. You have a 100% chance that none of the seed will sprout if you use the CG preventer with the seed. Also, tilling the yard by itself won't help either since you will be tilling the CG seed into the ground so that it spreads. Either CG preventer soon and deal with the dead spots in the fall or kill everything with a grass killer, till and plant new seed.

Half ass it and you'll be griping about the CG runners throughout the lawn in the summer.

[Ricoch3T]

Usually I don't care what it is as long as its green. This year I've had a lot of moss growing and bare spots forming in my yard. Only one dog and prolly a few friend p on it but I hadn't figured out why it decided to die this year. I don't really take care of it much other than cut and water some.
Its a big mess this year thou :hmm:

[Yelcamino]

Seed and pre-emergent crabgrass preventer don't play together. You have a 100% chance that none of the seed will sprout if you use the CG preventer with the seed. Also, tilling the yard by itself won't help either since you will be tilling the CG seed into the ground so that it spreads. Either CG preventer soon and deal with the dead spots in the fall or kill everything with a grass killer, till and plant new seed.

Half ass it and you'll be griping about the CG runners throughout the lawn in the summer.

Well damn! :doh:

I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens when the warm weather is here to stay.

I appreciate the info guys!

[69Pony]

Sorry - that wasn't meant as a slam. It was from experience - I did a quick spray of killer and re-seeded and was very disappointed. It really took two seasons to get it totally under control.

Goof luck...

[Yelcamino]

Sorry - that wasn't meant as a slam. It was from experience - I did a quick spray of killer and re-seeded and was very disappointed. It really took two seasons to get it totally under control.

Good luck...

That's cool, I didn't take it as a slam. I'm not a gardener by any means so if I made a mistake, oh well, live and learn I always say!

I'll just have to wait to see what happens. I guess whatever grows as long as it's green, I'll cut it. Hopefully it will look at least half way decent when it's time to sell.

[indyjps]

My yard is in the same shape, just bought this place in Nov and the yard has everything but grass growing in it. crabgrass, moss, clover. I already spread the crabgrass preventer so I guess Im screwed on replanting fresh grass until later in the spring.