lawn restoration? (grow, grass, butterfly, mower)

[gunslinger256]

one side of the lawn in my house is very patchy due to me not watering it when they first laid the sod. I'm trying to nurse it into a decent low maintenance lawn using Bermuda. Not trying to win any shows.

I'm thinking of purchasing 1 single roll of Bermuda Sod and cutting it into plugs to cover some of the bare spots with the hope of it eventually spreading in and filling out. I was hoping what little bermuda is there would have spread by now, but 2 years and it's not really going fast enough. I need something to prevent the johnson grass from germinating in the bare spots and the weeds that do come up are not helping too much.

Thoughts on this approach? What might a single roll of sod cost? I seem to recall home depot selling it for less than $10 last year but they don't have any yet.

[azoria]

The plugs should work. Bermuda is a runner grass.

[wit-nit]

Plug the Bermuda grass about 12-16 inches apart and you'll have a full yard coverage in a month or 2.
BTW Bermuda is not a low maintenance grass, it's a high water user and in many areas it is classified as an obnoxious weed.

[NC211]

I can't say enough good things about this Alfalfa Meal and Soybean Meal organic stuff. I recently posted up some photos of what it has done to my yard here:

//www.city-data.com/forum/garde...nt-lawn-3.html

It's been a month or so since I posted it up. Right around that time, I put down the soybean and alfalfa, along with two bags of fescue seed. I let it sit for two weeks, then mowed it on the highest setting possible so I wouldn't disturb any of the new seeds that might still be doing their thing. On the highest setting, the front yard would fill one of those tall paper bags full of grass clippings for the front yard. We've mowed it a couple of times since then on the highest setting, again filling the bag a little more each time. Last night I lowered the mower one notch for the first time. The new seed I put down has clearly taken well, thanks in large part to being supplemented by having the soybean and alfalfa meal there help them grow. Last night, it took THREE bags full of grass clippings for just the front yard! I could get two passes with the mower before I had to stop and empty the bag.

I really can't say enough good things about this stuff. My neighbors are using it now too, and they're having very similar results (mine are a little better because I have a sprinkler system).

My immediate neighbor last year had a patio put on the back of their house. They tore up his back yard during the process via the bulldozer. When they were done, they rolled sod. The sod was not taking very well and started to yellow and die. He asked me what I was doing to my yard. I told him this exact same thing - alfalfa meal and soybean meal. He went and bought the same stuff I use, put it down, and in two weeks time, the sod was lush green and you could barely see the row lines. As I type this, he is having a sprinkler system installed as well. Again, they're tearing up his yard with their equipment. He has his bags of this stuff, along with two bags of seed, waiting in his garage to put down when they're done to repair his lawn.

I'd give this stuff a shot if I were you. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and I think it'll feed your sod and motivate it to grow and expand. Plus, no chemicals being put into the ground. It's 100% organic! So much so, that the National Park Association uses the alfalfa meal on landmarks here in Washington, DC (mall, monument, white house, capitol, ect).

[jpf723]

Originally Posted by NC211

I can't say enough good things about this Alfalfa Meal and Soybean Meal organic stuff. I recently posted up some photos of what it has done to my yard here:

//www.city-data.com/forum/garde...nt-lawn-3.html

It's been a month or so since I posted it up. Right around that time, I put down the soybean and alfalfa, along with two bags of fescue seed. I let it sit for two weeks, then mowed it on the highest setting possible so I wouldn't disturb any of the new seeds that might still be doing their thing. On the highest setting, the front yard would fill one of those tall paper bags full of grass clippings for the front yard. We've mowed it a couple of times since then on the highest setting, again filling the bag a little more each time. Last night I lowered the mower one notch for the first time. The new seed I put down has clearly taken well, thanks in large part to being supplemented by having the soybean and alfalfa meal there help them grow. Last night, it took THREE bags full of grass clippings for just the front yard! I could get two passes with the mower before I had to stop and empty the bag.

I really can't say enough good things about this stuff. My neighbors are using it now too, and they're having very similar results (mine are a little better because I have a sprinkler system).

My immediate neighbor last year had a patio put on the back of their house. They tore up his back yard during the process via the bulldozer. When they were done, they rolled sod. The sod was not taking very well and started to yellow and die. He asked me what I was doing to my yard. I told him this exact same thing - alfalfa meal and soybean meal. He went and bought the same stuff I use, put it down, and in two weeks time, the sod was lush green and you could barely see the row lines. As I type this, he is having a sprinkler system installed as well. Again, they're tearing up his yard with their equipment. He has his bags of this stuff, along with two bags of seed, waiting in his garage to put down when they're done to repair his lawn.

I'd give this stuff a shot if I were you. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and I think it'll feed your sod and motivate it to grow and expand. Plus, no chemicals being put into the ground. It's 100% organic! So much so, that the National Park Association uses the alfalfa meal on landmarks here in Washington, DC (mall, monument, white house, capitol, ect).

I'm having this exact same problem - my new sod is starting to turn yellow and die. How exactly did you lay the alfalfa and soybean meal? Did you seed at the same time? Also is this ok to do at this time of year when it's very hot? Thanks!

[Butterfly4u]

jpf,
You can throw it down anytime you want. Literally. I throw alfalfa down, easy peasy. You can use a spreader if you want for the soybean meal, I use soybean, works great.
Water it in, or I do, and that's it.
Throw it down any time of year, the warmer it is, the faster it breaks down and helps the lawn.

[kauailover]

Originally Posted by Butterfly4u

jpf,
You can throw it down anytime you want. Literally. I throw alfalfa down, easy peasy. You can use a spreader if you want for the soybean meal, I use soybean, works great.
Water it in, or I do, and that's it.
Throw it down any time of year, the warmer it is, the faster it breaks down and helps the lawn.

I'll try your tip on my lawn if we ever get some rain to water with here in NorCal!

Aloha