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Long story short, my neighbor hired a tree company to cut down trees in his backyard, and they drove thier trucks and equipment across my front yard to gin access and left ruts all over my front yard. there was still grass in the ruts (for the most part), and I just filled the area with fresh topsoil. Question.......will the grass grow thru the topsoil, or will I need to seed ?.....what else do I need to do to help the growth ?. We are in Southwestern Connecticut if that has any bearing. Thanks
Long story short, my neighbor hired a tree company to cut down trees in his backyard, and they drove thier trucks and equipment across my front yard to gin access and left ruts all over my front yard. there was still grass in the ruts (for the most part), and I just filled the area with fresh topsoil. Question.......will the grass grow thru the topsoil, or will I need to seed ?.....what else do I need to do to help the growth ?. We are in Southwestern Connecticut if that has any bearing. Thanks
So how can you STOP grass and weeds from growing in the ruts? You are talking about a monoculture. One or two similar species prevail. A uniform lawn. Compacted soil reduces root growth and gases reaching the roots; encourages pooling of water, etc. So you need to tine the rutted soil to loosen it, mix something like peat or rotted anything with it and then use a product like weed and feed to prepare the areas affected with grass seed. I like creeping rye but most any seed will do. "LIGHTLY" rake the seed into the soil so the seeds are just covered then "LIGHTLY" spray water the affected areas for about a week and a half depending on the air temperature. Seeds like cool feet, warm heads. Early Spring is an ideal time to establish grass. Never, never walk on the planted seeds. Wait about a month then cut as high as your mower can cut. Let the cut grass fall where it may. repeat.
So how can you STOP grass and weeds from growing in the ruts? You are talking about a monoculture. One or two similar species prevail. A uniform lawn. Compacted soil reduces root growth and gases reaching the roots; encourages pooling of water, etc. So you need to tine the rutted soil to loosen it, mix something like peat or rotted anything with it and then use a product like weed and feed to prepare the areas affected with grass seed. I like creeping rye but most any seed will do. "LIGHTLY" rake the seed into the soil so the seeds are just covered then "LIGHTLY" spray water the affected areas for about a week and a half depending on the air temperature. Seeds like cool feet, warm heads. Early Spring is an ideal time to establish grass. Never, never walk on the planted seeds. Wait about a month then cut as high as your mower can cut. Let the cut grass fall where it may. repeat.
Then present your neighbor with the bill for time and materials.
Long story short, my neighbor hired a tree company to cut down trees in his backyard, and they drove thier trucks and equipment across my front yard to gin access and left ruts all over my front yard. there was still grass in the ruts (for the most part), and I just filled the area with fresh topsoil.
Unless you gave them access, you need to get your neighbor to pay for the cost to get your lawn back.
Not only the ruts but their trucks compacted the soil hard I bet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beer belly
Question.......will the grass grow thru the topsoil, or will I need to seed ?.....what else do I need to do to help the growth ?. We are in Southwestern Connecticut if that has any bearing. Thanks
Depends how deep the Top soil is. If it's like an inch, the grass might come through. If its deeper, you will need new seeds. But you may want to aerate it all first before throwing seeds down.
Hurry up because the summer heat is coming. Spring is not the best time for seeding. (Fall is)
Grass seed needs light to germinate. Soil that is 1/4 inch deep is usually the limit if you want annual or seeded grass to come up. But since you are talking about already rooted plants that have some food reserves, they usually can come up an inch or two as long as the soil is not compacted. But ruts are a form of compaction. It would be safer to lightly spread some new seed in the damaged area as soon as you see that the existing grass is slow to emerge there.
Aerated the lawn, placed Topsoil (some areas are 1-2 inches deep)....added Peet.....raked in lightly.....added seed.....raked in lightly. Gave it a little water yesterday, and with the rain today, won't water till tomorrow, unless rain is predicted. Neighbors Wife stopped over to apologize, and I explained I was shocked to see Bucket trucks, pick up trucks and huge chipper driven over my lawn, and almost stopped them, but the damage was done.....I think she got the idea we weren't exactly happy. Her husband in February said he would fix it in the Spring, and I'm not holding too much faith in his word, and my time during Spring and Summer is short, so I took it upon myself to do the work, rather than wait and see what was going to happen, and when. Fingers crossed everything comes out okay
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Grass and trees are Climax vegetation
