Reseed it all

[cren]

This year we are going to need to spend the extra money to take care of the front yard, for some reason the natural grass that came with the house is all but dying now. I have no idea whats going on but I fear its going to cost a fortune.

 

[mystreba]

After having a new septic system installed, my backyard looked like a nuclear bomb had exploded there. I got an estimate for a "final grade" and hydro-seed. With a custom mix to account for the sun/shade, it was $1500. Not bad when you consider that they guarantee it. I think your problem will be actually getting them to show up. I finally got tired of waiting and did it myself.

 

[Greenblades]

We have some tree death going on. I think it's because they dug up the back yard. Mostly though, as long as it doesn't hurt the feet I let whatever grow. Mostly I'm just curious what hydro-seed is. I feel like there is so much I don't know.

 

[KennyV]

Mostly I'm just curious what hydro-seed is.

You didn't watch Mike R. on 'dirty jobs' (Discovery channel).. he had quite a time dragging hose around a hill side they shot in with hydroseed...:laughing:
Simply put it is a slurry of goo like papermachae with seed and fertilizer mixed in and sometimes a bit of green food color to make it look nice and help in the application. The mix helps hold moisture. If you have a pump that will push it out it works well. KennyV

 

[noma]

Hi Maybe you need to figure out why the old grass died so you will not have that problem again after you spend all that money reseeding it. When you could have just needed to put some fertilizer on it and did some watering for a little time and got it going again. I have been through that starting a new lawn and it a lot of work ,it would be a lot easier to try to get your old one going again if you can and maybe it to far gone and you have to reseed. But i think i would do a soil sample and send it in to your state agriculture extension office and have them tell you what you need to do first,before i spend much money and get it figured out. Contact them and they will tell you where to get the soil from and how much and how deep and where to sent it to , and some times they have container to put your soil in. I think i would do that first.

 

[Greenblades]

You didn't watch Mike R. on 'dirty jobs' (Discovery channel).. he had quite a time dragging hose around a hill side they shot in with hydroseed...:laughing:
Simply put it is a slurry of goo like papermachae with seed and fertilizer mixed in and sometimes a bit of green food color to make it look nice and help in the application. The mix helps hold moisture. If you have a pump that will push it out it works well. KennyV

Wow in one shot you just cleared up a mystery for me that I never could figure out and didn't think to ask. I see a green like mixture paste a lot in the summer on hyper landscaped properties--especially commercial ones. I had no idea what it was...

Alas, my eureka moment isn't helping poor cren. Testing if you can afford it cren, might be a good idea. I think noma might be right about potentially wasting a lot of money.

 

[cren]

We have random brown patches and no one knows what causes them, its the entire neighborhood. Our neighbors just spent a ton redoing their own but I am hoping I do not need to spend that much. Right now, its both yards with trees in them and without (can not find a common source other than soil).

 

[RockHound]

Take a soil sample to your local cooperative extension office or the equivalent. They can do testing on it for soil acidity and various nematodes that my prevent the grass from growing. If you are in a hot area, you will need to buy grass seed that will produce heat resistant strains.

 

[monica123]

my sister had similar issues with her lawn in her subdivision. All the lawns had similar issues, turned out to be crows digging for worms killed all the grass and left bare patches.