New Lawn for new house - looking for input and advice

[Bill Guenthner]

I view it as my responsibility. I don't maintain my property for viewers. I maintain my property for me. When people say "you sure keep your place nice" I just smile and say "it's my job".

The last time I lived in town was 1975 so I can't relate to that comparison.

You like a lifeless, monoculture, desert of grass? Rabbits gotta eat man.

 

[fishdrivel]

Hi,

We recently finished building a house and I'm getting ready to do the lawn this fall. Currently, the area where the lawn will be going is mostly backfill from the house that was rough graded by my excavation contractor and an area over the septic field.

My equipment is an L3301 with a FEL and a box blade. I also have access to a landscape rake if I need it. Big implements like a pto tiller aren't really in the budget right now so I'd like to try and complete this with what I have. I could buy or build a drag mat if need be though.

My planned approach right now is to:
1) Remove all the large rocks/roots/debris from the area
2) Loosen up the existing soil with the scarifiers on my box blade and remove any existing weeds
3) Spread a layer of topsoil to a min of 6" depth over the existing soil and smooth it out with the box blade and raking by hand
4) Fertilize, seed and water

Am I missing anything? Can I do this with just my box blade and FEL? Any input and advice would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Retired Licensed Landscape Contractor here.
I wish you could provide pictures of your native soil.
If it is truly all gravel, grass is not going to grow well there.
If it is gravelly soil, you have a better chance. Some pictures of the conditions and a close up of the soil, a shovel full would help.

 

[jedjoe]

I would buy, rent or borrow a drag harrow. Very handy device, and easily resold if you have to buy it and don't have a future use for it. Get a nice heavy one and the three point steel frame that allows you to lift when necessary.

These harrows have three different levels of aggression. Tines down and forward is the most aggressive. Then, tines down by backwards. Finally, tines up. They do a far better job that any landscape rake would do

I did a large lawn with a similar base. Acquired some horse manure and let it rot, mixing with lime to neutralize the acidity. Then spread it a week before seeding. Now have a perfect lawn!

 

[Gord Baker]

In SW Ontario, for a new lawn around a new house, a couple inches of top soil over the property and make a line 20' from the house all around. Sod this area. It will take tons of topsoil so be prepared and a few hundred pounds of grass seed to complete the property.
Spray remaining lawn for weeds Prior to grass seeding. Rake the grass seed in and then roll the area.
Do not roll when wet, you will pick up the seed!. Good luck. Give it 3 years to fill in.

 

[Bill Guenthner]

Retired Licensed Landscape Contractor here.
I wish you could provide pictures of your native soil.
If it is truly all gravel, grass is not going to grow well there.
If it is gravelly soil, you have a better chance. Some pictures of the conditions and a close up of the soil, a shovel full would help.

In gravel driveways is where grass thrives around here. I bought a 3 acre lot that had a short gravel drive, 7 years on you can’t tell there was ever gravel there unless you dig a hole. All I did was not stop it.

 

[greenerdreams]

25 yr landscape professional. Harley rake is the best option if you can rent locally. adding topsoil almost always causes problems with drainage if you don't till in. I usually only add about 2" to a 10"grading depth in order to not change the drainage characteristics too much. lots of ways to flatten but it really depends on how good you are in the seat. hydroseed will give you the fastest germination but you still have to water if any dry periods at all during growing in(even 1 day). Sometimes hydroseeders will offer a guarantee if it doesn't germ. they will return for free to spray again, but usually only if you have irrigation. Just rent whatever attachments you need, it still saves over having someone like me do it.

 

[MossyDell]

I agree it's getting late to put in a lawn and would be tempted to sow cheap annual ryegrass as a cover crop.

But if you go ahead, or when you do, straw is your friend. Especially if there's any slope. Straw holds moisture for the seedlings, breaks the force of raindrops, adds organic matter, and slows surface flows that will cut rivulets or gullies.

 

[Diggin It]

If you have a garden or fruit or nut trees, you want bees. The best way I know of to keep bees close by is to let them have access to stuff they like. They love clover. Parts of my yard are now white with clover blooms and I have to be careful when mowing so as not to run over bees.

Plus, wild stuff tends to grow less tall and dense, which means less mowing. Some parts of my yard only need to be mowed about half as much as others.

 

[bigtiller]

I tried straw once. I shook out 2 bails of it over my back yard one evening. The next day it all blew away.

If you use straw, buy straw with tack. It will stay in place.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/EZ-Straw-2-5-cu-ft-Straw-Mulch/1000139907?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-ggl-_-LIA_LWN_107_Fertilizer-_-1000139907-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAjw9-KTBhBcEiwAr19ig-YRfVvTpz2uYwdZRrbFqMzso0v1rrdVVplA6iNPzlHrBJfTQLTSvRoCdMMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Grumpycat]

In gravel driveways is where grass thrives around here. I bought a 3 acre lot that had a short gravel drive, 7 years on you can’t tell there was ever gravel there unless you dig a hole. All I did was not stop it.

But that is Murphy’s Law in action.

You can not get grass to grow in gravel unless it is a driveway.