How can I grow grass in my sandy yard?

Question

My yard is very shady and the soil is sandy. I live in a south jersey wooded community. I can not afford top soil or sod like my nieghbors. Is there any hope of me growing grass?

Answer 1

Compost is cheap and comes 25 pounds per bag.  Use 1 or 2 bags per square yard and till or dig it in.  Then plant it with Kentucky 31 (tall fescue) and creeping red fescue grass seed, using a hand-held spreader and going back over the area stepping/walking the seed into the soil.  Water well.  As the seed sprouts, fill a hose-end  sprayer with the standard formula of a can of Cheap regular beer, a cup of liquid soap, and fill up with house-hold Ammonia.  Spray Everything!

Answer 2

I'd try adding seral bags of peat moss to the top and raking it in a bit this will be inexpensive and will help the sand hold moisture in

Answer 3

Shade rules out Bermuda - very tolerant of sand - VERY.

Jersey rules out St Augustine - can handle shade abd sand but not your winters.

Fescue - not w/o ammending the soil - get to work and the $$$ - Also a bit high maint. even when established.

Zoysia - maybe thin due to the shade and can tolerate a little sand.

To have any sucess with byour limitations and budget I would attempt Zoysia and if in 2 years its pettered out than cut some trees and do Bermuda or ammend the soil for fescue.

Lawns are overated and cost time and money. Put mine in a Roth IRA and let me relax. I dont buy into alot of American have to have things