Looking for recommendation from AJ for backyard

19 years ago

AJ,

Bestlawn said I should look you up for a recommendation on my back yard.

I'll make it short. I have three kids, a big wooden swingset, a swimming pool, a firepit and a huge Honey Locust tree in my back yard. If you are not familiar with Honey Locust's then check this out: http://www.treehelp.com/trees/locust/locust-types-honey.asp

You will notice the leaflets are really small so it offers a little shad but sun still does shine through. Only thing is there are big roots sticking through the surface in a couple of areas.

Anyway, there is a lot of traffic in the back yard, plus my neighbor and i usuaully play a game of washer horseshoes a couple times per week. Right now I have a horrible mix of grasses back there and some areas where weeds are always popping up. I would like to re-do it with something that is durable, holds up to Michigan summers but still looks like a nice, thick turf if properly maintained- I would prefer to stick with different cultivars of the same grass type for uniformity. I am going with a KBG lawn out front but am thinking that wouldn't be the best decision for my back yard.

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Comments (3)

ajer16
19 years ago
Hi Dan,

When we moved into our current house there was a big honey locust out front. Hated it. Took it out. Problem solved. But, if you don't want to do that...

At what time of day (and year) does this back area get 3-4 hours of sun? Morning sun and afternoon shade is good for our cool-season grasses.

Fine fescues are often recommended for shady lawns in our part of the country, but be warned: they don't tolerate traffic well at all. Tall fescue could work well. It's mechanically tough, and can handle a fair bit of shade. You'll probably get some gray snow mold each March, but it eventually recovers. A dense healthy stand of tall fescue will also give your mower a workout. It grows fast in the spring, and requires a sharp blade and a strong motor. When well cared for it can look quite good--thick and darker green than any Kentucky bluegrass.

Speaking of KBG, with 3-4 hours of direct sun, plus the dappled shade from the honey locust, you probably could grow some shade-tolerant cultivars of that grass. My shortlist would include Princeton-105, Brilliant, Apollo, Unique, and Moonlight.

Hope that helped,

A.J.
dlenart
Original Author
19 years ago
Yeah, Honey Locusts are strange. Either you love them or you hate them, there is no in between. I love mine, it is of the Thornless/podless variety. It does get messy in the spring but it gives my back yard a tropical look and the leaves do not need raking, they just disapear.

Anyway, my house faces east and west and the backyard gets the sun the first part of the day. I wouldn't mind KBG in the back however my backyard is quite large so I wouldn't mind saving a few bucks. I also think it would be cool to have TTTF in back and KBG out front. What cultivars of TTTF would you recommend?

BTW...I have a 7HP self propelled mower, would that handle TTTF?
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grass_man
19 years ago
If I may chime in Dan and AJ,

My backyard seems simular to Dan's with morning sun, afternoon shade, Kids, swingset, power wheels .... ect. I was thinking of overseeding my old KBG/Fescue/Rye lawn with this mix from superseedstore.com.
100% Tall Fescue Blend : Rebel IV, Inferno, Justice, 2nd Millennium and Padre.

I am about to kill off and redo my front, so overseeding is my only option for the backyard in the near future (Kids need somewhere to run). This mix seems to be rated high across the board. With my priority being a full, healthy back lawn is this a good choice?
If you think it's best I start a new thread let me know.

G_M