Will this lawn ever grow thick, green grass?

[LazerZLandscaping]

I have a customer that recently got a new house. The customer wants fertilizer/lawn lime spread. I don't know if this lawn is worthy enough. I don't want to waste money, or the customers time. I need opinions. Pics in next post.

 

[LazerZLandscaping]

 

[LazerZLandscaping]

Anyone?:anyone:

 

[SeniorCitizen]

No , thick green grass will never be grown there. To grow thick green grass there must be rich dirt and I don't see any dirt at all much less rich dirt. If the customer wants fertilizer and lime I'd oblige but with a written contract that if it kills the present vegetation, which would lead to severe erosion, I no be responsible in any way.

 

[OneMowTime]

What lawn? I see no lawn!

Yeah, I have several accounts with spots like this. Lime and fertilizer alone won't fix this. You could try overseeding in the fall, and maybe add some 1/4 inch or so of compost topdressing, but your existing soil may be no good. You might refer them to a landscape architect if they're dead-set on having a "real" lawn. (That's what I do if a renovation project is too far over my head!)

 

[motoman]

You may have seen me whining about my front yard. After 10 years of ownership weeds took complete control. Seems like the ole car motto except by a landscape pro "pay me now or pay me later." I did my own work which did not include lime. So a soil lab has analyzed the samples and specifies 4 tons of lime per acre for my 1/3 acre. Otherwise, the soil is ok, but very rocky. No pro would respond (too busy) so I have rototilled with the Toro. The earth is rock hard. I have learned that the 70 inch rainfall here pounds and leaches out the magnesium and calcium, slowly creating acidic soil (pH 4.5). Rhodies, azaleas, blueberries, hydrangias (sp?) and weeds love it, but grass cannot access required nutrients. Boring you. Yeah, but beware. I have a real mess and uphill task which will take 2 years to correct.

My friendly local farm stores are ready to rip me a new one with lime prices of $9 per 50 lb bag. I see it in midwest at $3.
BTW the idea that "any college or university" will perform free soil analysis did not hold for me. I went to a farm soil lab in WA, cost $50.
If you are interested I could try to post the lab test results-pretty interesting if you are affected. (With "idiot" interpretations like I had to get):laughing:

 

[LazerZLandscaping]

Thanks for all the replies. The lawn is in poor shape because it was never taken care of, and wasn't mowed in 20+ years. I spent about a week raking out the lawn, (I didn't do a certain part because there is a pine tree there and the nettles will fall on the grass in 2 days.) I leaf blowed the lawn for a day, getting rid of all debris. What I'll do is for the trouble areas, I will have a peat moss-topsoil topdressing mix, and I will patch those areas. Then I'll overseed with Scotts TurfBuilder Perennial Ryegrass, and of course the lawn will be watered frequently to help the grass shoots germinate and grow. I will do the same thing next spring. The owners of the home signed a contract stating that my company isn't responsible if any damages occur.

 

[OneMowTime]

My friendly local farm stores are ready to rip me a new one with lime prices of $9 per 50 lb bag. I see it in midwest at $3.

Look for the powdered ag lime in 50 lb bags. Marion Ag Supply in St. Paul, OR has food-grade ag lime for $4 per 50 lbs. (They are a commercial feed/seed supplier, but also have a retail store at their plant.) If you want the prilled kind for running through walk-behind spreaders, it runs $7 per 50 lbs, and $8 for Dolomite lime. You CAN run the powdered lime through a broadcast spreader if everything is TOTALLY dry and no wind. Just wear boots cause it's dusty!

 

[LazerZLandscaping]

You may have seen me whining about my front yard. After 10 years of ownership weeds took complete control. Seems like the ole car motto except by a landscape pro "pay me now or pay me later." I did my own work which did not include lime. So a soil lab has analyzed the samples and specifies 4 tons of lime per acre for my 1/3 acre. Otherwise, the soil is ok, but very rocky. No pro would respond (too busy) so I have rototilled with the Toro. The earth is rock hard. I have learned that the 70 inch rainfall here pounds and leaches out the magnesium and calcium, slowly creating acidic soil (pH 4.5). Rhodies, azaleas, blueberries, hydrangias (sp?) and weeds love it, but grass cannot access required nutrients. Boring you. Yeah, but beware. I have a real mess and uphill task which will take 2 years to correct.

My friendly local farm stores are ready to rip me a new one with lime prices of $9 per 50 lb bag. I see it in midwest at $3.
BTW the idea that "any college or university" will perform free soil analysis did not hold for me. I went to a farm soil lab in WA, cost $50.
If you are interested I could try to post the lab test results-pretty interesting if you are affected. (With "idiot" interpretations like I had to get):laughing:

Lowest I've ever seen is pH 2.5!

 

[motoman]

Onetimemow, thanks for the ref. Maybe I'll just have to buy the local stuff since frt is so expensive.

Lazer, 2.5 yikes, I think I saw battery acid @ 1.0. 'Course the pH scale is a log type .