Calling all "Garden Rebels"

[APK400exRacer]

Well lately i have gotten all of our sprinklers working like gold. I have them set to perfection, now i just need the grass to water. :D :D Well this summer my Summer project is to get our front yard looking awsome. I will post some pictures of what our front yard looks like now. I plan to kill all the grass and then till it all and put down St. Augustine seed after tilled. Then water religiously. Now are there any tips for getting that awsome thick luscious green lawn?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/lakemarykid/housepan.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/lakemarykid/IMG_0644.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/lakemarykid/IMG_0641.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/lakemarykid/IMG_0643.jpg


Please post the tips and secrets to that awsome green lawn!

[Quad18star]

I wish I had a green lawn ... instead I have dead grass thanks to our dogs pissing all over . :mad: :macho

[Hon300ex]

well my dad is obsessed about the lawn so heres what id do if i was you

water the lawn all of the time. dont water it to much at once, but every 2 days is good if its hot where you live. in the summer, dont cut it to short. when you cut it to short, it causes the grass to burn and turn brown. pull all of the dandy lions out when you see them growing. fertilize the lawn before it rains or before you water it. the most important thing is to water it and not cut it to short. good luck!


edit: i just looked at the pics again and noticed you have a lot of shade so that wont help

[Atkins]

I forget what my dad does with fertilizzer and...that other stuff, but he's got it down to a science and our lawn is beautiful.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by Hon300ex
well my dad is obsessed about the lawn so heres what id do if i was you

water the lawn all of the time. dont water it to much at once, but every 2 days is good if its hot where you live. in the summer, dont cut it to short. when you cut it to short, it causes the grass to burn and turn brown. pull all of the dandy lions out when you see them growing. fertilize the lawn before it rains or before you water it. the most important thing is to water it and not cut it to short. good luck!


edit: i just looked at the pics again and noticed you have a lot of shade so that wont help


Over watering is bad, and most scotts fertilizers states that you should not water it for at least 72 hours, and you shouldn't put down fertilizer if its going to rain within the same amount of time.

[Hon300ex]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
Over watering is bad, and most scotts fertilizers states that you should not water it for at least 72 hours, and you shouldn't put down fertilizer if its going to rain within the same amount of time.

well thats what my dad does and it works great

[cosborne]

I work for a landscape company and we install yards all the time. The first important thing is soil. Make sure you have good soil. If you till, you don't want to till to deep. If you have to do any grading be sure to grade away from the house. (If you take the time to prepare it, it will look better in the end. Also try to go through and pick out the rocks) Get a good seed. I'm not familiar with St. Augustine seed. Use plenty of seed. (After the grass has grown, you might want to overseed to help fill in some of the spots that didn't grow). You will probably want to put straw on top. We always straw all of our yards. It is not that bad to spread and it will help to keep your seed from blowing away and germinate better. When the grass is up, you don't want to over-water. If it is hot outside, you should water in the evening so it doesn't burn your grass. Don't mow to low. 3-3.5" I think is a good height to mow at. Good luck!!!

[cosborne]

I forgot, you want to use a starter fertilizer when you plant your grass seed.

[SGA]

Ive seen it said several times here and I agree. Do not cut it too short! roughly 3 inches from the soil to the top of the blade after cutting. Grass should be deep and soft after cutting. I fertilize about 3 times a year and water as needed, once or twice a week usually. St Augustine is very popular around here and ive had it in my yard for years. I didnt know it came in seed form. Most people lay it down as sod squares, about 2 feet by 2 foot in size. Thats expensive, but you have a instant beautiful yard. Its also sold in 3 inch plugs, much less expensive, but it takes some time to spread.

[miller821]

I wish my yard was like our football field... Those are always kept nice.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by cosborne
I work for a landscape company and we install yards all the time. The first important thing is soil. Make sure you have good soil. If you till, you don't want to till to deep. If you have to do any grading be sure to grade away from the house. (If you take the time to prepare it, it will look better in the end. Also try to go through and pick out the rocks) Get a good seed. I'm not familiar with St. Augustine seed. Use plenty of seed. (After the grass has grown, you might want to overseed to help fill in some of the spots that didn't grow). You will probably want to put straw on top. We always straw all of our yards. It is not that bad to spread and it will help to keep your seed from blowing away and germinate better. When the grass is up, you don't want to over-water. If it is hot outside, you should water in the evening so it doesn't burn your grass. Don't mow to low. 3-3.5" I think is a good height to mow at. Good luck!!!

Yes and make sure it is straw NOT hay, hay has weed seed all over in it! But yes this info is good.

[wckedclownz69]

when u have the straw water it in the morning and at night... make sure its all wet but dont ove soak it... u could prob just water it in the afternoon...

[cosborne]

Yeah, hay wouldn't be a good thing to lay. You would have weeds, alphalfa, and many other things that you don't want in your yard. Good point 400exrider.

[DieselBoy]

rent a dethatcher & aerator, this will get thing's going. I do it in the spring and summer a couple times cause tim let's me use them free, and the lawn really kicks off. then, get approx. 2 yards of triple mix, and throw it with a shovel all over, this will richen everything, and it will spruce it up good. do this after you detatch, and then aerate.