Growing grass??

Question

Since fall is around the corner I want to start working on my yard soon. I just bought a new home and the yard looks terrible. I live in TN and there is no topsoil, just Tn clay...can someone give me step by step on how to grow grass by spring...also my yard has no shade.

Answer 1

Oh that type of Grass !

Answer 2

There are grasses which are bred for "high traffic" (hard packed dirt) and "problem spots" you can get these at any Lowes or Home Depot.

Put down the seed kinda heavy and cover with a thick layer of hay. LOTS of water. It should grow.

Answer 3

I don't what your yard looks like now but you don't need topsoil.Water (rain)=nightcrawlers=topsoil is the equation for that. Unless the yard is plagued with crabgrass, I would just overlay grass seed this late summer/fall and start the grass care cycle in spring which consists of crab weed/feed in March, dandilion/feed in May, pesticide if necessary in late spring/summer. If yard is VERY bad now strip and start over like new home with straw cover. Also mulch instead of bagging grass clippings for nightcrawler production.

Answer 4

Go to or call your county extension agency and get a soil test kit.   Take samples and send them in, now.   If the test results show that you need lime on your lawn then put it down asap.   It takes 4 to 6 months for lime to get the PH up in the soil, so if you need it, the sooner you put it down the better.   Find out what grass types grow best in your area.   Pick a grass type that you like and put it out in the fall.   Get a maintenance schedule from your county agency.   This schedule will tell you when, what , and how much to feed your lawn throughout the year.   You do not need top soil to grow grass.   You need the right nutrients and water to grow grass.  You can get all this info from your county extension agency.  Good luck.

Answer 5

Once rooted grass grows well in clay.Till the yard shallow as to not turn up too many weed seeds. Then seed with a fiscue hearty seed. Buy yourself lots and lots of peat moss. By hand keep spreading the peat untill you have at least two inches of cover.Then the hard part you have to lightly water dont wash the peat or seads away you have to keep the peat damp at all times for three weeks till the grass establishes roots into the clay.It's like non stop babysitting. Any weeds that spring up are ok unless they become a patch then they must be pulled.Now mix up more seed and peat in one container if any bald spots develop cover with the mixture.Keep off the grass unless absolutly necesarry to remove a weed patch.

Answer 6

I would start now just by puttng down some scotts turf builder..it puts fertilizer into ground an that may help in fall when you put your grass seed down..its too hot for grass seed now...I wish i was in TN..love it there.....you can also see if your garden center has something that is called mushroom soil...that also is great.......they say it brings back the dead...if you get a mulch always use something like licorice root..it decomposed an makes the dirt awsome...good luck to you