Damn Lawn!

[crazylegs]

Unfortunately I don't have the time/money to start from scratch. Up until recently I've been patching it at it was only a few days ago I found the wee beesties. Prior to that I re-seeded with a shade resistant variety of grass.

Once the biological death arrives that'll be all I can do until I'm in work again (I'm at University at the moment and won't qualify until I'm 30!)

[protege]

Personally, I'd nuke that fucker (take it alllll out), add some fill dirt to your scale /pitch you want, and lay down sod. Make sure there's not much raw dirt spots for the dandelions to take hold.

Sounds like what I had to do when I first moved in. The previous homeowner had kept the grass cut...but that was about it. For whatever reason, they'd installed rocks from the curb to about 3 feet back. Looked like shit, and was heaven for weeds. Sick of dealing with this, I ripped all that shit out, and put down grass. That took most of an entire summer, not helped because the utility companies (gas & water) decided to rip most of it up to replace the damn lines! Bastards. But, once the new grass came up, it was thick enough that weeds no longer grow there. Once grass takes hold and gets thick enough, you'll no longer have to deal with pulling weeds. Throw down some weed killer with a spreader, and the dandelions won't be a problem either.

[wolfie]

My family's old recipe for dealing with dandelions (with more places banning cosmetic use of pesticides, they're getting to be a bigger problem) is to get a rapid-release high-nitrogen fertilizer (Don't get Ammonium Sulphate - sulphates are very bad for concrete, and you don't want to destroy your sidewalk). Put a couple teaspoons in the middle of the rosette of leaves (a small one can be dealt with using one teaspoon, might need 3 or 4 for a big one that's well-established). After a couple days, you'll see why slow-release fertilizers are so popular now - the dandelion will be dying from fertilizer burn.

[crazylegs]

The death I'd ordered arrived on Friday so I applied it rather quickly (my GF wouldn't have been all that thrilled about it hanging about in the fridge).

I took out the concrete base from the previous owners rotary washing line yesterday and found several dead grubs so it appears to be working.

The concrete base was a lot easier to remove than I though it was going to be - 2x6x6 inches of concrete and two bricks, hardly substantial.

[Rapscallion]

That Fiskars tool isn't bad, though it doesn't get everything of everything sad to say. May be down to me missing slightly, but it still gets rid of loads in a very effective fashion.

Rapscallion

[Der Cute]

Lawn stuff: Vinegar - but only for spots I don't mind killing. I mean RENDERED DEAD. those little cracks in the sidewalk with grass coming up..50/50 water and vinegar.

If you can, create compost stuff in a compost unit. Get your dandelions and little ebil weeds out, don't forget to aerate it. Probably after you've done the weed work. That will help perk the lawn up. You can aerate by using spiked shoes or a aerate plug machine (pulls tater tot sized plugs from the sod) Personally, I'd go for weed control first, if you're not going to nuke the lawn.

[crazylegs]

That Fiskars tool isn't bad, though it doesn't get everything of everything sad to say. May be down to me missing slightly, but it still gets rid of loads in a very effective fashion.

Rapscallion

It got everything out in my lawn, might be your aim - or even your soil type, here's a sandy clay mix (very odd I'll admit). I would imagine in a heavy clay soil it might not be as effective, but that's just my hypothesis.

Lawn stuff: Vinegar - but only for spots I don't mind killing. I mean RENDERED DEAD. those little cracks in the sidewalk with grass coming up..50/50 water and vinegar.

If you can, create compost stuff in a compost unit. Get your dandelions and little ebil weeds out, don't forget to aerate it. Probably after you've done the weed work. That will help perk the lawn up. You can aerate by using spiked shoes or a aerate plug machine (pulls tater tot sized plugs from the sod) Personally, I'd go for weed control first, if you're not going to nuke the lawn.

I'll have a crack at that with the front drive - it's a bit of a mess.

I've aerated the lawn already - I had to use a garden fork though which was fairly hard work and the compost bin is 'clean' of any weeds, dandelions and other unpleasantries go to the councils garden waste facility.

[Der Cute]

When I used the vinegar stuff, what I did was try to weed out the stupid weeds in the cracks. Wound them, make 'em raw, pretty much. Then pour the vinegar over/on it, let it sit for a day or so. If you need, repeat it. I just made sure the weeds had open wounds .
I used a pitcher, for easy pouring. It has taken one application for across a sidewalk, and 2 for the crack between the sidewalk edge and the driveway side.
Do remember this means stuff won't be growing back for a bit; don't let this bleed into a garden bed.

For compost (home use), you can do it yourself. Build your own unit or use a barrel with a crank handle. Grass, food scraps etc in there. Something else to look at would be horse or steer manure. For the food garden.

And tbh, you've got the wrong grass...it's kind of weird to me that you're working to fix a lawn that can't be used much...Idea. Can that grass be used somewhere else? Would it cost too much effort or cost too much $ to yank/cut sod and put new stuff that fits you better? *just a thought*

[crazylegs]

And tbh, you've got the wrong grass...it's kind of weird to me that you're working to fix a lawn that can't be used much...Idea. Can that grass be used somewhere else? Would it cost too much effort or cost too much $ to yank/cut sod and put new stuff that fits you better? *just a thought*

At the moment I'm a student - I don't have the time/money to spend on re turfing the lawn, maybe once I qualify I might do this but at the moment all I can do is make the best of a bad job.

Time is the biggest problem here really, although as of Monday all my assignments will be handed in I'll still be on placement shifts (I'm studying for my degree in Paramedic Science and to complete the degree I need over 700 hours a year placement shifts - timings of which I have no control).

I'm guesstimating that it would take me a full two days to remove the old grass, prep the ground and then re turf properly.