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Lawn Resurrection

Just moved into our new home. I’m a lawn care noob and have no idea where to start with this dry and crunchy yard. Anyone have any tips on where to begin!? Anything at all is appreciated!!

Comments (6)

  • 6 years ago

    Help the others who will reply by telling us where you live and what watering regimen, if any, you practice.

  • 6 years ago

    Zone 7b-8a Oklahoma. Currently none as we just moved in.

  • 6 years ago

    It's not that bad, really. It's a little thin, and looks like it hasn't been cared for all that much, but you can fix that. It's now a bit late to feed for spring unless you're planning to irrigate (in which case, feed right now, details below).

    I'm guessing this is northern grass. I can't tell from the photos, but if not, somebody please correct me.


    Mostly, feeding can be done with any good fertilizer that's high in nitrogen on Memorial Day, Labor Day, October 1st, and whenever the lawn stops growing but is still green (for me, Thanksgiving, but I'm clueless as to weather in OK).

    If that last feeding would be mid-October, skip it. Count your October first feeding as the last one and good job for the year.

    High-N feedings have a large first number and smaller second and third ones. I tend to recommend just feeding--Weed and Feed isn't particularly good at either task, and if you have any other issues, handle them separately. They're almost always timed separately from the feeding, and if they aren't they're still better handled at a different time.


    Southern lawns will differ here, where one may feed 3 times but during summer, or monthly on Bermuda.


    Watering is strictly optional for the most part. In an extended drought, water once a month for about a quarter inch across your property if nature doesn't supply it (nature almost always will, but there are exceptions). That will keep roots alive, and keep fescues watered just well enough to remain living. In this one instance, watering in the evening is the best way to do it so the water has all night to work.

    If you do choose to water regularly, water deeply and infrequently (which seems paradoxical when we say regularly, but read on...) Your goal should be, on heavier soils, to lay down an inch of water at a time and water no more often than once a week (many of us can water far less often than that). You can lay out tuna cans (1" deep) or other cans (usually deeper but fill oddly due to the taller cans) to measure what your sprinkler puts out--probably a lot less water than you might think!

    On a very, very sandy soil, you might need to water twice a week at half an inch at a time.


    Mowing...for northern lawns, mow as tall as you can stand it. The lawn I see above is being scalped, which is not good for it. If you can tolerate a 4" lawn, do it. It'll grow slower, grow deeper roots that will quest after deeper water and more resources, and generally be much happier.

    Southern lawns are the exception to this rule, where many like being longer...but Bermuda likes being mown very, very short.


    Spray Weed B Gon will take care of most weeds that you'll get and any big box store will have it.


    That's Level 1.


    Level 2? Send a soil test to Logan Labs and see what you have, then balance your soil for a great lawn. Reseed a bit in fall to thicken up what you have, if you want.


    It kind of depends on your goals, too. Let us know!

  • 6 years ago

    Appreciate it I do know it’s mostly clay underneath.

  • 6 years ago

    Check down the forum for spraying baby shampoo and/or shampoo or soap. It'll loosen up that clay (OK should mostly feature a rich loam, actually) right quick. It sounds insane but really does work.

    Feeding organcially would also help out with that by encouraging worms and other aerators to loosen your soil too.

  • 6 years ago

    Awesome, thanks again!