Are we on the right track?

This is our first full Spring here in Bryan, TX. The home we are renting had a pretty good lawn front and back. But was obviously needing help. So we invested over $100.00 in that new Scott's Gold grass seed. My husband used caster and did the full back yard using it generously.

We could never tell if it performed. Anyway...this spring brought a whole slew of stickers and goat's head (puncture vine). Before they could really start...our property manager came and sprayed weed killer. Well...it killed. Every bit of grass in our backyard and front. Our lawn is the ONLY one with noticeable "burned dead" grass. It looks like hay. The gal who manages it keeps telling me that it is because we desperately need water/rain.

Well...being responsible people...we have been watering every two days for 45 minutes. This has been going on for now 2 weeks or more. The weather here is warming nicely...even had a couple days in the upper 70's low 80's. It's to really storm tomorrow.

Here is my/our question: We are going this Thursday to the Bryan Composting Center to purchase 1 ton of organic compost. We know someone with a rototiller. I say we spread the compost about a good 3 inches, then rototill the compost along with some gypsum lime (because our soil here is clay with a high salt content). Then plant our new lawn.

The front portion will have to be hand turned because of water lines. There is a huge patch of the burned grass on the side of the house too...

Because the ground is pretty solid...even though we do water and it's to rain as well...will this hurt the rototiller? Because it will be borrowed, I don't want to damage it.

PLEASE...anyone with the know how...PLEASE advise us.

The Aggie Girls Basketball beat Baylor!!! Wahoo Aggies!

I'm a no-till gardener, so what I would do is put down overlapping layers of newspaper/cardboard & put the compost on top & seed into it. This is Lee Reich's Weedless Gardening method and you may want to check the book.

Unless you are set on grass & like mowing, you may want to consider groundcover. I like New Zealand white clover because it's pretty, evergreen, and doesn't need mowing

If the newspaper seems like too much work--lot less than tilling--just spread the compost & seed. We are desperate for rain, so you are looking at a lot of water.

Anyway, hope this helps.

It might not hurt the rototiller but it will hurt your back!!!!

Seriously though if it is a larger tiller (ours is a 5 horse) and there has been a recent rain, you should be able to till it in.

I vote for SOTX. If you rototil you may bring up some of the weed seed that didnt get killed. Whatever grass seed you replant with I would definitely have some clover mixed in with it.

So you are renting, the property manager came and killed the grass, and you have to fix it yourselves? Do they pay the water bills?

Hustonprincess, before i went through the trouble of rototiller I would arriate the ground and toss out new seed and put some hay on top of it to help hold moisture and germinate.It will be a lot easier on you and the yard.After you get a good bed of grass then lay the lime to it.

Hustonprincess, before you start a garden,you perhaps should check on what kind of weedkiller your property manager used to kill off everthing that was growing. If you're planning to grow any vegetables or edible plants, that weedkiller might be harmful to humans, and it's no doubt still there in the soil. The vegetables (or any plants, for that matter) might not grow, or if they did, they could absorb certain amounts of the "poison" used to kill the weeds, and would be harmful for human consumption too. It's something to think about....

Howdy! to ALL who gave some really really GREAT ideas and solutions!

We used some of the suggestions...and now are looking forward to witnessing the results. Sadly...as of today May 2nd, 2011, we have STILL had no rain. Plenty of forecasts...but the storms just keep passing us by and the winds we have had from all directions anywhere from 10-20 mph consistent have been no help for any garden growth. My poor plants on our South facing front yard are in shock. They are holding on...but you can really tell they are stressed. The wind in the back North facing, is not too bad...but again...constant is the keyword. Today is the first day in a long time that there is just a slight breeze and temp today is 61 degrees as compared to DAYS of upper 80's and low 90's. Aaahhhhhh....

One question...what is the purpose of the clover being added...is it for filling in possible sparse areas? Does it interfere with the Zoysia growth? Will it end up overtaking? or do the two co-habitat?

'Cause if it's not too late, I'd like to plant some. Is the New Zealand White Clover invasive for my area?

I am now concerned about what Lazarpl said about the what may still be in the ground as a result of the stuff that killed the lawn in the first place. Thank G-d we planted all veggies and fruits ABOVE ground in planter boxes. I am wondering though IF our grass WILL sprout at all. If it doesn't there goes another $150.00 on seed, not to mention the time and cost of the Gypsum Lime application.

IF this fails...I swear...I AM PUTTING IN ARTIFICIAL TURF!!!! Like Yard Crashers Ahmed Hassan has done!!!!

Thanks.

Poor guys , I talked to a person in Dallas this morning and they said it was raining sheets of water . Here's hopeing you get some down there in Bryan and it moves over to the coast . Haven't had any since Nov 1st last year at last report .
We fight grass burrs there and the best way to get rid of them is to pull them up by the roots July through Sept .
There is a chemical that when drug over goatheads , will rot them and the heads too . I haven't seen it in several years but you might check with the ag . agent . at A&M or U T.
Actually there should be one locally , there in Bryan . Sadly, I don't think they have anything for grassburrs .

I know this is off the subject but Digger, who hasn't had rain since last Nov. 1st? Good grief!

Yes , Tex is under severe drought all over the state . I watered all winter when I was there .

We had a little rain about a week ago, but it got sucked up so fast it barely had time to puddle here in southeast TX. I don't even look at my water bills anymore! I'm also curious about the clover mixed into the grass. We have several different types that come up in spring but then die back. We have st. augustine that fills in behind it. Does it act sort of like a cover crop?

Can't answer that about cover crop , only tell you I love it in my St Aug . The little flowers are always welcome here .

New Zealand white clover can be seeded anytime--with inoculated seed it produces nitrogen. Dutch white is good, but doesn't have the stamina for this climate like NZ does. I don't use it with grass, rather instead of where I am able to get it going well. It's tough once established and my ultimate goal is all clover, at least around the house.

It can be used as a cover crop, however it's perennial & I don't till. I also use it as a living mulch in some of my raised beds--bees love it. I grow some pink clovers that way, too--all soil builders.

I'm surprised you added lime with these alkaline soils! For the calcium (gypsum)?

Still no rain here. Last week's spatter hardly counts.

Good luck with your project.

Every year I threaten to steal red clover seeds off the hiway . Haven't yet .
It was 47 this morning . Love the cool days.Hard to believe here the middle of May in zone 7

Digger:

I seeded a whole bunch of red clover last fall and had a total of 2 plants. Even that is remarkable with no rain. Year before it was gorgeous.

Houston Princess:

Sorry I forgot to address invasiveness, but generally not in this climate.

I'm all for them multiplying here . We have red clay but they do a good job for my sloping yard .I'll buy some seeds the first time I see some .

I don't understand how your landlord can send someone over and not consult with you first. Why would you invest more money on a yard before making sure you and your landlord are working for the same solutions? Is your landlord giving your rent credit for the money you have invested in establishing a yard? Now if you have unlimited funds to do this for no credit back from the landlord please forgive me.

We are renting as well and I'm in no way going to fork out all kinds of money for lawn down here unless the landlord is going to work to give me rent credit. The people on both sides of us just kill themselves with spraying chemicals (this I can't stand) to have green grass and watering, watering and more watering.....

I'm in to flowers so I say who needs grass....LOL

Jan

Dirt lover , don't think I've met you . Are you going to Maypop , over at Cleveland for Laurel's R U ? Gonna have some goodies .

Hi Digger! No, we haven't met yet. My husband and I are wanting to come to the RU this year but I'm not sure if I can make it and am not able to commit. My work gets kind of crazy this time of year and is unpredictable. You guys sound like you have a blast, sure would like to come. And anything to do with plants....ahhh, love it!

It's on a Saturday . Oh , you and D H should take a few hours to go and enjoy yourself .

Hi Digger, Sorry to break in your thread. I lived in Tx during the 80,s and i wanted to get roadside flower seeds. I called everybody in government i could think of. No one had a clue. I finally got hold of the headquarters of the State police. They told me a reasonable amount of seeds was ok but I'd get hung for picking the flowers. I got the seed i wanted and was never stopped.
Vickie

I'm always in Ga when the red clover gets ripe and they almost arrested my friend for picking his wife a tiny bouquet .Getting D H to pull over is a big problem . I told him I'd bail him out . NOT ! LOL

Digger:

So buy cover crop seed--it's a good one--& toss it around in GA and enjoy it next Spring. Worth the small effort & it will reseed.

That's the thing to do SoTx . I have a' to do' list