# Till and reseed entire lawn or repairable?



## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)




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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

The weed looks like Plantain and also a bunch of clover. You could try a weed and feed now with 2-4d and over seed in the fall.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

Just re-seed over existing lawn or re-till and respread?


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> The weed looks like Plantain and also a bunch of clover


And I think I saw some wild violets in there.

Any broadleaf only weed killer will get rid of most of this. You will probably have to hit it a couple of times. Treat after a good rain- "when weeds are actively growing" according to most labels.

This fall I would aerate and overseed and fertilize with a high P formula.


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

Just reseed over existing lawn- depending on where you live, you'll probably want to wait until early Fall. Seeding this time of year- going into summer- makes it difficult to get a lawn established, unless you can water twice per day for the first 3-4 few weeks after germination. If it gets real hot and you miss a day watering, the new grass could die and you would have to start over.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

Sorry. From northern NJ. Right next to NYC.


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

2nd or 3rd week in September would be ideal for over seeding in your location


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

Do I have to get new soil as well? Or just break up existing soil?


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

No additional soil necessary unless you have low spots. Use an iron rake to scarify the area to be seeded so that the seed can be covered with 1/4" or so of soil. If you disturb the existing grass, that's ok.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

Do you pros recommend any specific weed killer at Lowes or Home Depot?

I also purchased the Toro e-Cycler and plan on mulching. Good idea?

What kind of grass seeds do you recommend?


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

Yup!!

I like a mix of Fescue, Perennial Rye, and a little Bluegrass


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

http://www.amazon.com/Bayer-502874B-Weed-Killer-Concentrate/dp/B000RUEBIK

So if I spray this on my weeds, clovers, and violets, it won't kill my grass as well?

It says it won't so I should be fine.

After I spray the my weeds and they die, do I have to dig out the weeds? Will they just decompose if I leave it there?

Also, is this spray safe for my dog?


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

You should be fine with this. If you have concerns, spray a test area first. Note the temperature restriction- you may need to do this in the very early morning.

After the weeds are dead, you don't have to do anything else. They will go away after a couple of cuttings.

As for the dog, with any chemical application, ALWAYS keep animals and children out of the area until the product dries. Look for a re-entry interval (REI) on the label. This will tell you how long to keep anyone out.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

Do you think it will be better to kill the weeds and then re-till the entire lawn and just seed? Or is that overkill?


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

I would not retill. Your lawn looks even enough.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

That's what I was leaning towards. I'm just going to spray my entire lawn with Bayer 502874B All in One Weed Killer Concentrate - 32 oz. with a hose end sprayer starting on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Once all the weeds are killed, I'm going mow my lawn with a mulch mower for a month.

Next, I'm going to re-till the empty spots and over seed the areas and put some lime pellets on top.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> and put some lime pellets on top.


Just some clarification on the lime. 
Why? 
Have you limed this year already? 
Are you thinking applying lime just to the overseeded area?
Do you regularly lime irregardless of this seeding project?

Just trying to get handle on your thinking on why to lime. If you have limed already this year as an annual thing, I wouldn't add any more. If you have not and are planning to lime for the new seeds, go ahead and do it for the whole yard now. Then it can have time to get watered in and do its thing before you seed. One less thing to possibly cause trouble with the seeding project.

I think your decision to work on the weeds now is on track. That way, as they die off you can see the bare spots better and maybe give the grass a chance to fill in in the meantime before you seed.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

Lime pellets because it is good for the soil and has lots of nutrients that can help the seeds grow. Also, my work has immaculate lawn. I would walk past it everyday from the garage to the office and they re-seeded with lime pellets on top. I would experience it's growth everyday and now the bare spots along the edges are gone and is now healthy grass.

I have not limed at all.

I was just going to put it over the re-seeded area.

no.

I plan to re-seed in September. Should I put the lime over the entire lawn a couple weeks before or do it now?

I was also going to mow my lawn on Thursday. I was going to mulch it. Will that spread the existing weeds I have even more?

Thanks for the advice.

In this entire process, do you recommend any lawn fertilizer or grass feed I should use as well?

I bought a 2 gallon pump sprayer but I think i'm going to have to go with a hose end sprayer so that I can spray the entire lawn.

Also, currently, I do not water my lawn. Should I water it everyday? Is there a point to right now in the condition that it's in?


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

If you plan to apply lime, get a soil test. Your local extension office can help you with this. Just FYI- lime does not have "nutrients" as such. Its purpose is to adjust the pH of the soil, which can significantly effect the nutrient uptake. Search pH and nutrient uptake or something similar and I am sure you can find a chart to explain this further. The required pH depends on what crop- i.e. grass that you want to grow. Applying a little likely won't hurt but it may not do any good at all and may just waste money and time.

Any nutrient (lime included generically) has to be available to the roots. Putting lime on top will not help until it gets watered in, in other words dissolved and transported down to the roots. Broadcasting it on top at the time of seeding can serve some purpose in that, with proper irrigation, it will get to the roots. I would much, much prefer to add it at the time of soil prep, along with phosphate formula such as 0-15-0 or 0-45-0, which are known as super phosphate and triple (super) phosphate. Phosphate is crucial to root developement. Roots are the stomach of plants.

As for watering, for established lawns one inch once per week is fine. Every day will cause shallow roots and increase the likelihood of disease.

If you decide to apply a herbicide, note that almost all if not all labels tell you to apply when weeds are actively growing. They have to be hungry so don't do it when the lawn is drought stressed. I prefer to wait for a rain front to come in and mow a day or so before. Then apply the herbicide just after it quits raining. By that I mean within the next day or so, not *as soon as it quits.* That way, the lawn won't need mowing for a few days, the herbicide can do it's thing while the weeds are fresh from the rain, and after the weeds wilt/die a quick mowing gets everything looking nice again. And you will probably have to do this several times.

Mulching is a good way to prevent spreading the weed seeds.

At any point, whenever you decide to reseed, be sure to have adequate irrigation available.

Good luck.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

hello,

received the toro ecycler lawn mower and mowed for the first time. Works great. 

I noticed that there were a lot of holes and bumps in my lawn. It's not an even plane. Should I fill those holes with new soil or just break up the soil around those areas and try to even it out. there are many holes and bumps.

Your thoughts?


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

*Updated Pics*

Here are some updates pics as of today 06/23/2010 with 3 applications of Bayer weed killer:




























What is this new weed that's growing even after the weed killer:



















How do I get rid of the moss?
















































Should I start watering more often than not?

I also have a manual aerator. When is the best time to start aerating?

Should I fertilize?


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

OK, so I tore out some of the yellow patches of grass and broke up the soil beneath it and loosened it up. I put some seed and mixed it in the dirt and put seed accelerator on top. Every time I water, the soil seems to turn hard like hardened mud. Will the grass seeds still germinate and grow?


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> broke up the soil beneath it and loosened it up.


Does this mean with a tiller?



> put seed accelerator on top


Do you mean like a mulch of some sort? I've never heard of this before. Could you describe it a little more please?



> Will the grass seeds still germinate and grow?


The seed will germinate if it is kept moist.



> I also have a manual aerator.


Describe this please. Do you mean a push unit with star looking tines? I would rent a walk behind powered core/plug aerater. Much, much more effective.



> Should I start watering more often than not?


How much is more often than not?


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

downunder said:


> Does this mean with a tiller?
> 
> With a hand held cultivator/tiller.
> 
> ...


Few times a day to keep the newly seeded areas moist.


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## piste (Oct 7, 2009)

Were it my lawn I'd rip that baby up, turn the soil adding in compost, amendment, etc, etc....Will save you LOTS of time and money down the road yielding a better looking lower mainentance lawn.


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## llckll (Aug 24, 2009)

piste said:


> Were it my lawn I'd rip that baby up, turn the soil adding in compost, amendment, etc, etc....Will save you LOTS of time and money down the road yielding a better looking lower mainentance lawn.


That's what i'm doing now but section by section. Have no place to put all the ripped up grass and it gets heavy!


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

llckll said:


> Few times a day to keep the newly seeded areas moist.


mulching with a good straw (seed free) will help retain water in your soil.


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