AxleHub
Elite Member
Blb078,
Your pictures show an area that could really look nice. . but it's hard to tell if you have any slope issues. . especially front yard.
Here is what I did.:
1. Recognize that MO clay needs help growing go lawn. I'd suggest finding a compost producer in your area that can supply numerous loads. True compost is not farm/barn waste. The compost is a mixture of forestry grinding, leaf grinding, and 's percentage of straw/barn droppings (not pig). They are processed and then detour to cure for many months and then screened before delivery. Compost is not mulch. T is blazer than top soil and light in weight. . And it is like magic. You shallow till it into the ground and it alter how water and it deal with your clay. Some black dirt is good to add with the compost. You want 4 or 5 inches of compost/black dirt everywhere.
2. Insider putting in irrigation pipe before seeding. It's MO heat and a proper use of clay and compost will reduce how often you need to run the irrigation. . but it's really easy to do it now before seeding. (and it not complicated). And those pictures show you don't want o try sprinkling with hoses because you don't want to drag hoses over freshly seeded grass and you do want to water it everyday it doesn't rain till fully germinated.
3. If you are going to spray for weeds. . Do it now and use only weed killer (not weed and grass killer). Don't use anything that treats for pre emergent (like crab grass) and nothing that is SEASON long. You DON'T do this any later than 4 weeks prior to seeding.
Kentucky Bluegrass is heat tolerant and thick growing but it's 3 weeks to germinate and needs watering frequently till germination. You could also pretty plant 3 or 5 days ahead. . . some cheap annual rye grass to give the bluegrass some early shading and erosion protection (not perennial ryegrass).
If you use true compost as i've described mixed with black dirt. . You will not need to fertilize for 4 to 6 years at all.
Your pictures show an area that could really look nice. . but it's hard to tell if you have any slope issues. . especially front yard.
Here is what I did.:
1. Recognize that MO clay needs help growing go lawn. I'd suggest finding a compost producer in your area that can supply numerous loads. True compost is not farm/barn waste. The compost is a mixture of forestry grinding, leaf grinding, and 's percentage of straw/barn droppings (not pig). They are processed and then detour to cure for many months and then screened before delivery. Compost is not mulch. T is blazer than top soil and light in weight. . And it is like magic. You shallow till it into the ground and it alter how water and it deal with your clay. Some black dirt is good to add with the compost. You want 4 or 5 inches of compost/black dirt everywhere.
2. Insider putting in irrigation pipe before seeding. It's MO heat and a proper use of clay and compost will reduce how often you need to run the irrigation. . but it's really easy to do it now before seeding. (and it not complicated). And those pictures show you don't want o try sprinkling with hoses because you don't want to drag hoses over freshly seeded grass and you do want to water it everyday it doesn't rain till fully germinated.
3. If you are going to spray for weeds. . Do it now and use only weed killer (not weed and grass killer). Don't use anything that treats for pre emergent (like crab grass) and nothing that is SEASON long. You DON'T do this any later than 4 weeks prior to seeding.
Kentucky Bluegrass is heat tolerant and thick growing but it's 3 weeks to germinate and needs watering frequently till germination. You could also pretty plant 3 or 5 days ahead. . . some cheap annual rye grass to give the bluegrass some early shading and erosion protection (not perennial ryegrass).
If you use true compost as i've described mixed with black dirt. . You will not need to fertilize for 4 to 6 years at all.
