http://www.permies.com/forums/forums/f-3/lawn-care JForum - http://www.jforum.net
1.) Do all the grasses you buy for your lawn have GMOs or is there another option? I'm a little confused by this..

2.) When I find out the ph level in the soil, what do I do in order (aerate, ph balancer, seed, cornmeal...?) in the beginning of summer --or should I just wait till fall and pick weeds? sooo far away!

3.) I know clover is good for my lawn buuut, I've left it their for a while and I was wondering the best way to dig it up so that I can plant grass?

4.) Can you just aerate put down seed and soil with out pulling the weeds? (and still come out with good grass)

5.) I live in Delaware ohio if you could just tell me what brand of seed to buy that would be great. Thankyou!
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14605/129865 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14605/129865 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14498/129096 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14498/129096
I mowed my lawn for the first time this year about two weeks ago. Since then, it has been raining almost daily and this weed seems to be popping up everywhere. Does anybody have any idea what it is? It is in my lawn and my flower beds. I am trying to identify it, but haven't had any luck.

Your thoughts are appreciated!

-Tom]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14452/128709 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14452/128709 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14435/128499 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14435/128499
The up side is I have NO moles in my backyard. However, my backyard was starting to look like a well used mine field.

I thought of getting a shock collar and busting him every time he starts digging. Before I stooped to that I thought I would ask you all if you had any ideas of correcting this problem?

Ray]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14420/128415 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14420/128415
For roughly the past 2 months we have been mowing on the highest and not bagging the grass. The last thing we put on there was in the fall, a winterizer. I know it is only May, but the lawn looks terrible. It is the worst I have seen it since we moved into this house 3 years ago. It looks splotchy and seems like there is a layer of dead grass on top of the soil. Dandelions and clover everywhere. We have a maple tree in the yard and those helicopter things are everywhere, some trying to grow. There are a few mushrooms as well. I read about using Ringer natural fertilizer, but I don't want to spend the money on that yet until I figure out if that is all it needs. I assume not. My husband was wondering if it needs to be dethatched. We also put a shovel into the ground and it went all the way down no problems. I should add that the back yard gets all the afternoon sun.

I am attaching some pics. Please ask away!!

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14418/128397 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14418/128397 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14117/126023 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/14117/126023
I have been reading Paul Wheaton's lawn care for the cheap and lazy here. Since we have a youngster running around now I want to loose the chemicals. I've got my pH tested, ready to apply lime, mow high, leave the clippings on the lawn and aerate aerate aerate- however we are in the pacific north west. I can't exactly starve the lawn of water so I can water it once every 4-6 weeks too starve the weeds- it just doesn't get that dry here. Furthermore, every winter the moss grows back in.

If I apply lime and compost I expect it will encourage the moss right? Should I get rid of the moss prior to spring maintenance? I'd like to aerate and apply sand to improve drainage but its going to be hard to find that time this year. Should I ignore the moss this year?

Thanks]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/13639/122322 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/13639/122322
I was exited to read the mighty and weed fighting lawn. (http://www.richsoil.com/lawn-care.jsp) I just came across the following problem in my garden: couch grass (Agropyron repens).

It is almost identical to lawn (have deep roots, growing center in the bottom etc...). They just behave like lawn, so I cannot get rid of them.

Do you have some tips against them?

Cheers,

Tamas]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/13632/122247 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/13632/122247 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/13448/120838 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/13448/120838
Unfortunately, we just lost a nice, large oak in our front yard. Our neighborhood has been under construction and this one nice oak just didn't make it. It was about 75 feet tall, I would guess. The city came and cut it down today (an arborist told me that it died from having its roots disturbed by the contruction and road being put in as well as the hurricane this summer).

We now have a tree stump in our yard, which really isn't a terrible thing. However, I would like to plant a new tree in its place; not an oak necessarily, but perhaps something flowering. If I plant a new tree right next to a stump, should I be concerned? Is there anything wrong with that? It seems to me that it would take a long time to get any sort of hugelkulture (hope I spelled that right!) benefits from the rotting stump and roots. I heard that potassium nitrate is supposed to help speed up the rotting, but I don't see that as very organic.

If I do plant a new tree nearby (in the spring), how far should it be away from the old stump? Is there a proximity which is good or bad? I live in the Northeast, climate zone 5, I believe. I think that removing the stump would be a big project, and I like the idea of the old root structure rotting away and helping the soil around it. Perhaps it will attract more of the beloved worms for my lawn!

Thanks for all of your input and thoughts!]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/12544/113456 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/12544/113456
Here is some information about the lawn:
- It has been treated with chemicals for several years, but some 2-3 years ago previous owner simply stopped doing anything.
- There is a lots of different kinds of weeds everywhere. At some places I'm not sure if there is any grass left. Dandelions and crab grass make up most of the weeds.
- There seems to be 3-4" of topsoil, and below that is compacted clay. The rain leaves puddles of water here and there, and it seems the soil is poorly drained.
- The good news is wherever I stick the shovel worms pop out. It looks like Mother Nature has already come to the rescue.

I don't think I have a budget to kill everything and start anew, especially since the lawn is rather large. I was hoping that the lawn could be restored by overseeding, but after reading some of the discussions here I am not sure anymore if this is the right thing to do. I also read that if more than 50% of the lawn is weeds, then there is practically no help. I am don't know how to find out what fraction of it is weed, but what I can say is it does not look pretty.

I would like to put some plan for lawn rehabilitation before the Spring (and budget for it), so I would appreciate any advice very much.

Thanks!
J.A.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/12445/112891 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/12445/112891
I am in central Portugal not far, from Mrs Maluca on this forum. Summer maximum temps during June- Sept period vary from around 24-42 degrees celsius. Imagine a climate very similar to Alabama but alot drier. What i want to know is what is the best perennial fast growing grass species to grow that can cope with the heat.

For complex reasons, what I want to do is grow grass in trays rather than on the ground. This is so I can move the trays into the cages of some grass munchers, allow them to eat most of the growth, and then the remove the trays to regrow over a few weeks. The grass munchers can't be kept outdoors directly on the turf.

Irrigation is not a problem, and I am imagining having to shade the trays somewhat to get maximum growth. The sky tends to be blue and cloudless, and the sun very strong during the summer.

Any ideas ? Some sort of rye grass ? The grass munchers love tender grass, rather than stemmy old growth.

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/12125/110042 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/12125/110042 lawn mower parts experts will be glad to help you. When you look for parts online, you will easily be able to find what you need using our drop down menus and exploded lawn mower parts and small engine parts diagrams.
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/11964/108796 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/11964/108796
I live in southeastern MA in a suburb. Behind my house, there is a small lawn for the kids the play in and behind that there is a large wetlands space. These wetlands have been designated by the state and are a sort of nature preserve. I would guess that there is somewhere around 50 acres of space (I own a tiny fraction of that). As the neighborhoods around have grown, the wetlands appear to have become "wetter". This summer, they were host to a collosal population of crickets. Although I have never spotted them in my organic lawn, I am sure that they are there. When I open my garage at night, I have to run out with a broom to sweep them out. They literally run in if I don't. They are big, too; some are probably three or four inches long. If it seems mean of me not to share my lovely garage with the crickets, allow me to note that they chirp continuously for days inside, echoing throughout my house if I let them in.

My question is really whether there is anything that I should be doing because of this phenominal cricket population. Can they endanger the worms that I need to keep my lawn up and running? Also, is there something that I should be doing to encourage even more crickets? Do they have any real good or bad effects on my lawn and vegetable garden?

I am really just wondering about them, so thanks for your thoughts...
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/11658/106335 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/11658/106335 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/11148/101829 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/11148/101829
As a side note, if it matters, I irrigate during the dry season with reclaimed water (once again required by the HOA).
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10943/99801 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10943/99801 [img width=640 height=480]http://i51.tinypic.com/23mtxz9.jpg[/img]]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10863/99033 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10863/99033
Anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

I'm currently cutting the buds off when I see them & occassionaly uprooting some. Because I don't want to mow this part of the yard many wild herbs such as dandelions, buttercups, clovers,  nice grasses & groundcovers are slowly reclaiming the area.
Should I maybe add some fresh chicken manure where the sandspurs where? How about watering the area?
Also anyone reccommend any [other] plants that would be beneficial to the soil & spread quickly?
I live in eastern NC on a small island.

Cheers!
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10541/96189 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10541/96189
Now this isn't necessarily a horrible thing, as the parts of the lawn that have lots of thatch are the greenest parts, with the fewest weeds.  However, the thatch makes my manual reel mower (Fiskars) far less effective -  the grass is more laying down than standing up.  Plus, I just don't like it.

I don't really want to manual rake or power dethatch.  I saw a few "natural dethatcher" products online, both liquids and pellets, that claim to break down the thatch.  I can see this working on the dead part of the thatch, but will it do anything for the living thatch?  If not, any other ideas?  Has anyone used the microbial dethatchers?

If I mow very low just once, would that do anything helpful (convince the grass to grow upwards)?

I mow high, and don't do much else.  I threw on some milorganite this summer (likely the wrong time), and may put some down again this fall.  I'm in southwestern PA.

Thanks.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10354/94601 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10354/94601
I've been getting great design ideas from the forum, but I'm not quite sure how to approach removing the turf.  I would rather not dig up the entire plot since that is labor intensive and would disturb whatever ecosystem does exist (it was chemically treated for years but has had a break the last two seasons). 

What do I do with the existing lawn?  Also it is worth trying to seed winter rye to begin remediating the soil this late in the season (zone 6b) or should I just wait until next spring to begin?

Thanks]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10340/94546 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10340/94546
This picture looks East.  ..The left side of the pic is where the grass starts to get worse.  Off to the right, around the corner of the house, the grass is amazing.  This is where the split starts.  (ignore the dead tree, still lots of tornado damaged things to be cleaned up! lol)
[img width=798 height=530]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f231/sooner5900/lawn/DSC_0016.jpg[/img]

The front yard
[img width=798 height=530]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f231/sooner5900/lawn/DSC_0016.jpg[/img]

The front yard again
[img width=799 height=531]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f231/sooner5900/lawn/DSC_0012.jpg[/img]

More
[img width=799 height=531]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f231/sooner5900/lawn/DSC_0009.jpg[/img]

The west side of the house.  same watering/fertilizing schedule as the rest of the yard
[img width=799 height=531]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f231/sooner5900/lawn/DSC_0010.jpg[/img]
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10297/94150 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10297/94150
One of the first things I did early spring was to sow dutch white clover and grass seed in an attempt to cover the bare dirt. Probably too early, given the clay soil stayed much wetter and cooler than what I was used to on my older lot. Much of the seed either washed away into clumps or didn't germinate. I'm on a water cistern without city water service, so I don't have the luxury of wasting water on sprinklers and hoses - just mother nature, so at least the soggy spring clay works in my favor as it holds water quite well in the spring growing season.

I should have taken some pictures when I moved in (before I stumbled upon this site). I'm attaching some pictures which, from a distance gives the impression of a fairly green lawn. However, the close-ups will reveal large portions of the lawn are 90% or more weeds over bare dirt, with a few blades of grass and clover. If anyone can identify the weeds, I would appreciate it.

Anyhow, I'm determined to take the slow, cheap and lazy organic approach in an effort to improve the soil fertility and grass/weed ratio, even if it takes a number of years. This will all be part of a long-term landscaping plan to add some much-needed tress and plants to this otherwise barren lot, so the lawn space will slowly diminish to a more manageable  supporting cast member.

Other than an occasion in which a friend of mine scalped the lawn mid-summer (adding to the stress of a hot and very dry summer), I've kept a fairly high mowing height (2-3" I'd guess). I'm moving it to the maximum for now on. I've also purchased an organic alfalfa-based lawn fertilizer (5-2-5), which was the best I could find locally on short notice, as it's now time for autumn feeding. I haven't been able to find a retailer that carries the Ringer brand anywhere around here (near Toronto, Ontario).

I'll gladly take any tips and feedback and keep you informed on the progress.
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10030/91792 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10030/91792 ]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10017/91615 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/10017/91615
thanks again!
-steve]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9988/91292 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9988/91292 thanks for any help

[li][/li]
[li][/li]

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9971/91105 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9971/91105
thanks,

-steve]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9944/90870 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9944/90870 Does anyone know if I can just slit seed the turf so that the radish seeds is covered in a bit of earth? Will it compete ok with the nearly dead grass so that I get the big fat tap roots I'm planting it for? There is about 1/2 an acre to do. ]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9925/90740 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9925/90740
I have put down new topsoil and grass about 3 months ago on my front lawn and recently (about a week ago) I noticed mushrooms grow in certain sections. I usually get about 15-20 mushrooms growing a day. Every morning before work, I get up early and pick them up and throw them away, but they still grow every day. I read online that mushrooms aren't necessarily harmful so I have not done anything other then pick them and reduce the sprinkler times. I would like to get rid of them as they are pretty ugly though. I read that I should try to get rid of old tree stumps and roots, but this is new soil and grass, so I don't think i have any of that.

I have a landscaper who cuts grass on my lawn and he mentioned that as my lawn is new, that is part of the problem and when he puts down fertilizer in a few weeks, that should help or even get rid of the problem. I am the only house on the block that has this problem, but I am also the only guy that has new soil/ grass.

I would like to know if there is anything I can do to get rid of them and whether or not my landscaper is right. I am a new homeowner and I have never heard of people having mushrooms on their lawn. Is it a common problem? I hate getting up early for work too, wish there was something I could do.

Just another note I have a young boy who is rapidly puts stuff in his mouth. I want to make sure that he doesnt stick a mushroom in while playing outside.

Thanks for your responses in advance

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9595/88012 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9595/88012 Our 6yo house/yard is sitting on top of a former truck depot. The soil, i mean dirt is black and nothing but gravel. The back fill is only 6" deep at most near the house and only 3" deep at most points in the yard. What I've been doing once a month or so since moving in in '06 is getting bagged Scotts brand top soil and spreading & raking it in. It's not the cheapest way to do it but i can do a bit at time as funds permit. Lawn size is approx 20'x80'. Will this practice help me build my depth of soil? I'm worried that if the roots should ever reach below the back fill it would be like poison. I'm also working on building up the quality of the soil.
I'm transioning from Maryland Certified Tall Fescue sod to Meyer Zoysia as can be seen here:  http://s791.photobucket.com/albums/yy192/KBzPTGT/My%206yo%20Lawn%20in%20Western%20MD%2021740/
I each time i spread the bagged soil, i only do it at the edge of the spreading Zoysia in hopes of making it stronger to help over take the Fescue. I always mulch mow leaving the clippings and until now have never fertilized until just recently when I spread some Soybean meal & Milorganite.
Just now learning all this lawn/garden stuff.  Sorry for the long first post.

Thanks for raeding.
KB]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9582/87915 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9582/87915
The back part of my backyard is all landscaping that the previous owners had started.  There is so much, we can't keep it up. So we want to take the middle section and turn it into yard, leaving the 2 corners landscaped with the trees and flowers, etc.

The middle section is all weeds right now because we just let it grow up and transplanted / removed all the good stuff.  And we just keep it mowed.  This fall, I'd really like to seed that section with matching grass but first, I need it de-weeded.  What is the best way to go about that and is it something I can get started on now?

Also, before someone brings it up, I realize weeds aren't all bad.  And single grass lawns aren't always a good thing (technically ours is 2 kinds of grass).  But we live in a neighborhood with pretty strict lawn rules.  So I'm forced into this a bit.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9506/87076 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9506/87076
Important to me is that the butternut squash is growing like crazy with no water, fertilizer, etc.
What is important to ‘lawn people’ is that the grass to the left of the bed is very green.  That green strip has now expanded about 2-3 more feet in a weeks time. 

Tonight I tried to mow alongside the bed and the grass is so thick I could barely get the mower through it.  There are absolutely NO WEEDS anywhere in the green area of the grass that has expanded from the bed. 

I didn’t have time to take a photo tonight but it is at a maximum level of green-ness and lushness.

It is the perfect grass lawn and it is starting to take over my back yard – except I don’t want it!!!
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9490/86916 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9490/86916
This is a tart cherry tree that I planted last spring.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac27/trh10010/DSCN1623.jpg[/img]

Now some branches(?) are growing up from the root crown area.  Should I cut 'em back?

I'm posting this in "lawn care" because the location of this tree makes it a part of a lawn.

This is a tree planted in the front yard of a corner, city lot.  If I had a few acres I would probably just let it do whatever because I'd have a bunch a trees.  Here, I am thinking of city esthetics for resale value.

I'm also just beginning to learn about tree guilds (thanks to permies).  Any recommendations for a small, front yard tree guild?

Thanks.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9477/86702 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9477/86702
After soccer season ends, and the girls take a few weeks of no soccer, I let the lawn go. And I mean really go. When it's almost too high to mow (my mower can mow a hayfield!) I go in and chop it all down. I work my way up and down towards an area that has poor soil. This basically blows all the overgrown lawn onto the area with poor soil. So twice a year my poor soil has gotten a thick mulch of "lawn clippings". What's left behind is a dismal, brown lawn.....for about two days. I water it after two days (the only time I EVER water it, and I still feel like it's a waste of water), and the next morning you can already see signs of recovery, and by day 5 it looks like nothing ever happened.

Here's how I see it: The Lawn area is super healthy, with a nice deep root system and lots of clover to fix nitrogen. All those nutrients are drawn from the ground into the grass and clover to make vegetation. So twice a year, I take an hour out of my busy schedule (ok, ok, out of nap time) and help the healthy part share some nutrients with the not so healthy part.

The result? The poor soil (after two years) is becoming rich, loose, and healthy. It retains moisture, and supports some very healthy weeds. Before, not even thistle would grow very well, now I chop the thistle once in a while, and all the leafy weeds that I leave alone are starting to keep it from coming back.

It's super easy, (the small amount of extra work it takes to mow down the overgrown lawn is made up for by not having to mow at all for three weeks), and really shares the wealth when one part of your land needs a little something extra.

Lawns aren't the greatest things to have, but if ya gotta have em, why not make them work for you?]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9396/85835 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9396/85835
This 1st picture shows a weed that is in a good portion of my back yard.  I don't know what it is or how to get rid of it.
[img width=800 height=1071]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14301372/Misc%20public%20photos/IMG_0332.jpg[/img]

This 2nd picture is Plantain (I think).  I am under the impression that if I add nitrogen to the soil, the grass will start to take over again and the plantain will go away on it's own.  Please correct me if I am wrong.
[img width=800 height=1071]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14301372/Misc%20public%20photos/IMG_0333.jpg[/img]

This 3rd picture shows Black Medic (I think).  Please correct me if I am wrong.  A large portion of my front yard, especially the shady areas, is covered in this.  I do not know how to get rid of it.
[img width=800 height=1071]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14301372/Misc%20public%20photos/IMG_0334.jpg[/img]

I have ordered a 25lb bag of Ringer Lawn Restore that should be here in about a week.  Should I use it now or should I wait until early fall?  I live in central Kentucky and the lawn was originally tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.  I also have quite a bit of crabgrass and last spring I had an embarrassing amount of dandelions.  All advice is welcome.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9215/84179 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9215/84179
The city destroyed her front yard replacing a sewer line and left her responsible for repairing the damage.  She put in raised vegetable beds instead of grass.

Here's a link to the local news story: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/why-cant-i-grow-a-vegetable-garden-in-my-front-yard_20110712_dk#disqus_thread

(I wasn't sure where to post this)

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9204/83994 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9204/83994
The hay will add nutrients, organic matter and make it so you don't need to water as often.

This may be the very best fertilizer for a lawn.  I've been able to get hundreds of bales of moldy hay for free!







]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9191/83953 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9191/83953 Just curious about the Fire Belly product; is it good for us in the Seattle area?  Also, we have a very sad lawn: lots of clover  (so bad that I broke down on a 9 yr. long commitment to use no herbicides in our yard) and hard compacted dirt (despite paying a bundle a couple months ago to de-moss, thatch, aerate, overseed w/ some topsoil).  I am interested in trying the "add several inches of topsoil/compost in the early fall" method, then keeping up on fertilizing after that.  With no herbicides (guilt guilt).  The big selling point on Fire Belly is the ease of application (connect hose... spray).  But do we need all of what they include?  Is it really good for this region?  Thanks for any help on this!
:lol:]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9149/83419 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9149/83419 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9107/83016 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9107/83016
Its mostly dirt with some grass and more weeds. (not that i care about the weeds)

I was thinking of doing a clover yard, then i got to thinking about it why not just make it some mix of stuff.

different types of clovers, but what else would go?

I read somewhere that alfalfa can grow with clover. I think a good mix of covers would be better then just one. Also if its edible the better, I have pigs also (though not in the part of the yard)

Should I till my yard up I think the soil is pretty compacted, or should i just seed inoculate it and cover it with straw?]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9047/82320 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/9047/82320 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8991/81699 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8991/81699 Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on
down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and
multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts
butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast
garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to
temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green.
They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant
that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast.
That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the
rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer
stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring
to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the
ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect
the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As
soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have
them hauled away.

GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they
call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in
charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:
'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.



]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8930/81022 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8930/81022 I saw one of Paul Wheaton's youtube videos on sythes and got to wondering where could I find one anyone have any ideas? I've already checked amazon and ebay but I'm looking for something that won't break the bank yet will do the job (ikn maybe somewhere under 40-50 bucks?)

Thanks for any help you can give. ]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8882/80722 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8882/80722
Any idea what this could be? I can't find an identification for it on the internet so far.

Thanks!
Joseph]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8791/79938 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8791/79938
I have a 10x6 ft lawn which is very patchy. I live in Bulgaria - we have rain every day at the moment but very hot temperatures in between.

I have been overseeding and also transplanting 6inch high grass into the bare patches, but with mixed results. Am I wasting my time - should I just let the lawn repair itself? I don't have a mower (no space to store) so I use a trimmer, which leaves the grass quite high. SHould I just continue like this but not throw any more seed on?

Also, is it ok to throw the kids pee onto the lawn or should I dilute it a lot first? The soil is clay - when it rains, the garden floods quickly, but after a couple of days of sun it cracks up and is as hard as concrete.

Many thanks in advance for any help!]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8733/79345 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8733/79345 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8677/78813 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8677/78813
Subject: God on Lawn Care





GOD: "Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles."

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites
happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The
trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD:
No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves..

GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you
scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:
'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8602/78234 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8602/78234 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8375/76243 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8375/76243 I had some septic work done, after which, it dug up all the crap rocky fill to the surface.
I had a guy with an attachement on a tractor that dug up the rocks up to about 6-10 inches deep and he hauled them away.
I dont know the name of the thing, but it was a turning with spikes on it, which is what dug the rocks up.
after that it looked fine, so the lawn was seeded, hay placed over it, and ive been watering it at least 1x/day for about 2-3wks.
Now, as I was walking to the yard, I see all these rocks!
I don't know if this is ok and the lawn will be fine, or if I should have brought in other type of soil.

I've included a couple of pics. one is a wide view. This one looks ok, but the others are if you look straight down. Most of the rocks are about 1in +/-.

thanks for any help or suggestions.
LMA]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8203/74749 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8203/74749
Paul, first of all many thanks for sharing all the richsoin information, very valuable!


I'm new to organic lawn methods, I'm trying to improve my lawn without chemicals.


Basically, my lawn is pretty young since it has been seeded about one year ago. The main problem is that, even if we are in spring (Italy), the grass of my lawn is not growing. I've made some first soil test (homemade, no lab test yet) and I think the soil is made of clay: by wetting it I can easily form balls and it is very sticky.
I cannot even start to apply the mow high suggestion, because my grass is not growing! After some observation I realised that most of my soil was bone dry, so I started watering it. Now, just to see if it makes a difference, I'm watering it almost every evening, but the result is the same: the day after I always find a very dry soil.

On the part of the lawn that faces south I cannot even make the hole test. I cannot dig deeper than 2 centimeters I think, since the soil is very hard. On the part of the lawn that faces north, I've been able to dig a 15 cm hole and you can see the picture below.

The big question now is: what is the problem of my lawn? Should I improve the soil so that my grass start to grow? I've come to the conclusion of adding compost: is that a good move?

As you can see from the pictures, my lawn is mostly full of papaveracee, which seems to like this kind of soil.


Here are some pictures. Paul, your help is needed here!
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8201/74723 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8201/74723
I rent.  The tenants who took care of the lawn until last year did a pretty poor job of it, letting the back yard grow very high before mowing it low.  My front yard is predominantly grass, but the back yard is perhaps 80% weeds.  Here's a sample.  If you could identify any of these weeds, and give me tips on how to get grass to replace them, I'm all ears.

[img width=800 height=754]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2635/5704981887_57e31be261_b.jpg[/img]

Last year, I applied tips from richsoil.com, which really took care of the clover in the front yard, but didn't do enough for the back yard.  I keep my mower blade sharp and 3" high.  I added nitrogen fertilizer last year, which really made a dent in the clover.  I haven't really done anything else, though.

I should also mention that my lawn is about 2000ft², it's in Buffalo, NY, and my soil is clay-like.

Thanks for any assistance,
Matt]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8148/74213 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8148/74213
I live right by a county park with plenty of wild life and much prefer to stay as organic as possible in any lawn and garden care. I keep my lawn the much-discussed way - organic fertilizer, mow high, mulch clippings, overseeding with tall fescue, etc. I have a few guests in there that I don't mind - clover, assorted weeds in small numbers.

However, my big problem are wild strawberries. They quickly crowd out the grass and are taking over. I tried manual removal so far but that is clearly a losing battle.

Are there any other suggestion for how to keep wild strawberries at bay without the use of harmful chemicals?

Thanks!]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8081/73710 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8081/73710 - Over the past couple of years I have been using organic ferts and corn glu for weed control

With all the traffic on the lawn there are a lot of bare spots. My solution has been to put down ringer lawn fert and dimensions to kill the weeds. My thinking is once the lawn thickens back up I can stop the dimensions.

Any thoughts?
Connecticut, 16,000sf of lawn, mostly flat, transitioned for mostly shade to partial shade this year, mow at 3 “, mulch, do not water due to well limitations.
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8054/73439 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8054/73439 (As of 2008) Americans apply over 90 million pounds of weedkiller on their lawns and gardens every year.
The yards of suburbia are subject to more pesticide applications per acre than farmland.
But organic lawncare is on the rise! As of 2002, organics made up 5% of the landscaping market, and as of 2008, 10%. (Must be even more now)
]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8031/73223 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/8031/73223
My real problem is that we've been mowing pretty high ( I think) but then throwing the clippings out into the woods. We've found that if we let them lie, the grass under the piles of clippings dies. We have a huge lawn (30,000 square feet I guess), and don't mow very often. We have to wait until the grass is dry enough and how often does that happen? Especially in a spring like this one. Even if it were dry, it's hard to want to mow twice a week with busy lives and small children.

So the soil is eroding away down to the clay, getting worse and worse. We live in the country in Ohio. Sigh. I guess there's no good answer short of (a) spending LOTS of money on stuff like compost to add, or (b) spending all our free time mowing. I don't really want to fertilize even, as that seems like it would only make the grass grow faster.

I guess I'm just complaining, and know the answer... which is wait about 2 years until the child is old enough that I have more free time, and then start working to repair the damage we're doing.  ]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7985/72809 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7985/72809 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7984/72807 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7984/72807
Based on the recommendations from many sites I got my soil tested and need some help with results.  Stats look like this, pH 7.6, Organic Matter 5.3%, Phosphorus 15 ppm and Potassium 207 ppm.  The recommendations from the extension office was to add nitrogen and phosphate in a 10-10-0 ratio. 

Will this help out my soil pH or should I consider adding some sulfur as well?  If so, how much sulfur would I need to lay down?

]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7781/70798 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7781/70798
Sorry for the length...


I have been looking at this site for a while now and thought I would see if you could help with my dreaded lawn...please find pics of the lawn and holes dug as deep as could be easily done.  In regards to grass I wouldn't know the different types if I walked on them and only want something that will fill in, be less work and even wouldn't mind clover (if it would disrupt the neighbour's lawn).  Our neighbour's really keep up their yards and I am a little tired of ours being so...blah.  We have been told that the previous owners had trouble as well and had sodded the side lot within the last 7 years.

We moved into an 85 x 125 corner lot, from a condo, and is giving us considerable problems.  The lawn has three areas:

1. Side lot, mainly sun with a maple tree in the NE corner
        Last year this lot had many, many dandelions, crabgrass to thick to cut with a reel mower, grubs      and now has a 20 x 40 dead spot.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9620.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9619.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9627.jpg[/img]

The hole is about 10-12" inches deep and there were approximately 15 grubs in the mix.  Last year I did topdress the lawn with topsoil from Canadian Tire (sale @ $1 bag).   Our thoughts here are to plant either a standard grass, quickgrass (fast germinating perrenial rye grass), or white Dutch clover.  From reading here spring planting is not as good as fall planting so I don't necessarily want to be buying expensive grass seed but want something to cover the bare areas and fill in the splotchy ones to keep the dandelions and crabgrass down.

2. Back yard, mainly sun with two areas of interlock patio and a birch tree
       80% of this yard was deck or brick, we ripped out the deck and had sod put down.  The sod has died on half the lawn (told it was heat stress), no grubs when I dug a hole.  The plan here was to just put a vegetable garden in where the 2 year old sod died but there isn't the money to do it as I would like (raised beds and such) or the time with a two young children.  Following directions from an online source about making beds without digging I covered the area with layers of newsprint, leaves and then the straw from our Halloween display. 

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9623.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9624.jpg[/img]

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9625.jpg[/img]

[img width=600 height=800]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9626.jpg[/img]

Our thoughts are to sod this area (20 x 30 ish) bu am unsure if I should be raking this up, disposing of it and stripping the very minimal layer of sod off or turning the dead sod, newspaper, straw and leaves into the soil and laying sod on top.

The hole here is only 5 inches with some gravel mixed in (from the previous deck).  I do not have the time right now to try and get it all out.

3. Front yard, mainly shade with two maples, very thin lawn, some grubs and crabgrass.  Not really sure here.

[img width=800 height=600]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b185/aviate/Lawn%202011/IMG_9621.jpg[/img]

Not really sure what to do with the whole thing...

Thank you,

Charles


Ps We have sandy soil and live about 2 blocks from Lake Ontario in Burlington, Ontario.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7709/69877 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7709/69877   Shaklee makes 2 products that work well together. this is my formula. tried and tested.
1.5 quarts of basic H
1/2 pint of basic G
10-12 gallons of water
use ortho bottle, or injector
spray every 100 feet, or acre.
THE GRUBS WILL BE GONE!]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7586/68387 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7586/68387 Every Spring at this time I see a particular short lived plant in yards throughout the South (Zones 6 &7-ish). It has small pinkish-purple flowers, hairy leaves, a square stem, and grows in a fairly defined mass or colony. I think it is cross-venated with cordate leaves with crenelations. The leaves are closely packed at the top of each plant and are in groups of four oppositely-placed leaves. It is only around for a short time, tending to come out and disappear about the same time as daffodils. They aren't violets--they look more like mint, but don't have a minty smell.

My knowledge of plant morphology is too weak to work the online dichotomous ID keys, and I can't find anyone who is interested enough in the stuff to know anything about it.

I'm curious because colonies of this stuff seem to grow in a way that might indicate something in the soil and I'd like to find out if this is so.

Thanks.]]> http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7559/68006 http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/preList/7559/68006