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annenewbie

Newbie to Lawns Need Help!

AnneNewbie
10 years ago

I just purchased a home in Windham, NH and the poor house, though beautiful, has been neglected, including the lawn, landscaping, etc.

I am an amateur gardner, but have absolutely NO experience with lawns.

There are pine trees, and tons of ANTS, and very sparse grass, and tons of WEEDS.

I have to blow most of my cash on fixing up the house, so i don't have the money for sod, but this lawn needs first aid, and FAST. I would like to plant seed, but need to know what type will do well, and also what to do. Do I do weed be gone first, or fertilizer, or seed, or what?

I am a complete newbie and need your guidance! I need a lawn so I and my little kids don't get bit by all these bugs!

Comments (2)

  • dchall_san_antonio
    10 years ago

    It is too late for any kind of seeding. All you will get now is disappointment and frustration. Fall is the proper time to seed new grass. Since you are going to live with frustration for a few months anyway, start now practicing how to get a great lawn. You can do it for the cost of water, fertilizer, lawn mower, and string trimmer. In late August you can start taking care of all the weeds at once and then seed. By this time in 2014 the lawn will be great.

    Here is the 123 of lawn care.

    1. Water deeply and infrequently. Deeply means at least an hour in every zone, all at once. Infrequently means monthly during the cool months and no more than weekly during the hottest part of summer. If your grass looks dry before the month/week is up, water longer next time. Deep watering grows deep, drought resistant roots. Infrequent watering allows the top layer of soil to dry completely which kills off many shallow rooted weeds.

    1. Mulch mow at the highest setting on your mower. Most grasses are the most dense when mowed tall. Bermuda, centipede, and bent grasses are the most dense when mowed at the lowest setting on your mower. Dense grass shades out weeds and uses less water when tall. Dense grass feeds the deep roots you're developing in 1 above.
    1. Fertilize regularly. I fertilize 4 times per year using organic fertilizer. Which fertilizer you use is much less important than numbers 1 and 2 above.


    If you follow these rules you will avoid most weed issues in the long run. It will be interesting to see what you have by August if you follow these rules now on your set of weeds. Don't stress over the weeds for now, though. They are all you have and all you can expect.

    It is getting to be a little late for chemical fertilizers. It is never too late for organic fertilizers, so if you are going to fertilize with chemicals, you better get going. Just don't get a weed n feed type because, as I said, weeds are all you have.

  • AnneNewbie
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you for the reply, while disappointing.
    I still have two questions:
    How do I get rid of all the ANTS?
    What type of grass seed do I plant and when?

    Thanks!