Lawn Renovation Time

karaRobert · 03-22-21, 11:04 AM

Hey,
Spring is here! Time to renovate my St. Augustine!!

Here's what my 3500 sq. ft. backyard currently looks like:

I have a 1200 sq. ft. two-toned lawn. Half annual ryegrass (400 sq. ft.) and half thinned out mystery St. Augustine (700 sq. ft.).

Then I have portions of bare soil where some dead trees, a crumbling flagstone patio and the previous owner's invasive shrubs resided.

My current plan is to cut out all existing grass, let it lie fallow and water frequently for a few weeks to let weeds germinate, terminate those suckers and then lay down Palmetto St. Augustine sod.

I want to make sure I get the soil prep right. I'm planning on dragging with an old pallet I have sitting around to level it out a little.

I think the shampoo trick would be helpful to soften the former flagstone area. Other than that, I'll probably put down some organic fert, Hydretain granules, some molasses and some kelp help.

There's a little slope on one side of the lawn and I'm planning on putting some jute mesh on the ground, then laying the sod and staking with biodegradable sod stakes.

As for watering, I have one of those little hose-end timers. I was thinking I'd hook it up to run every 6 hours for the first two weeks and see if that gets it established. How much am I trying to put down in inches? My precipitation rate is 0.19.

Am I forgetting anything?
Thanks in advance!

jeff5may · 03-26-21, 04:08 PM

Before you start throwing down anything, get a soil test done. If you have desparately separate zones, test them separately. This is without a doubt the step most people forget or dismiss. How do you know what to improve if you don't have a clue?

03-22-21, 11:04 AM	#1
karaRobert Banned Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Seattle, WA US Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Lawn Renovation Time Hey, Spring is here! Time to renovate my St. Augustine!! Here's what my 3500 sq. ft. backyard currently looks like: I have a 1200 sq. ft. two-toned lawn. Half annual ryegrass (400 sq. ft.) and half thinned out mystery St. Augustine (700 sq. ft.). Then I have portions of bare soil where some dead trees, a crumbling flagstone patio and the previous owner's invasive shrubs resided. My current plan is to cut out all existing grass, let it lie fallow and water frequently for a few weeks to let weeds germinate, terminate those suckers and then lay down Palmetto St. Augustine sod. I want to make sure I get the soil prep right. I'm planning on dragging with an old pallet I have sitting around to level it out a little. I think the shampoo trick would be helpful to soften the former flagstone area. Other than that, I'll probably put down some organic fert, Hydretain granules, some molasses and some kelp help. There's a little slope on one side of the lawn and I'm planning on putting some jute mesh on the ground, then laying the sod and staking with biodegradable sod stakes. As for watering, I have one of those little hose-end timers. I was thinking I'd hook it up to run every 6 hours for the first two weeks and see if that gets it established. How much am I trying to put down in inches? My precipitation rate is 0.19. Am I forgetting anything? Thanks in advance!

03-26-21, 04:08 PM	#2
jeff5may Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA Posts: 2,431 Thanks: 431 Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts	Before you start throwing down anything, get a soil test done. If you have desparately separate zones, test them separately. This is without a doubt the step most people forget or dismiss. How do you know what to improve if you don't have a clue?