New Lawn on 3 acres in Central Ohio with Compact Tractor

[rhatfiel]

Appreciate all of the thoughts. It will be tough for us to wait until Fall. We’ll basically have dirt for over a year surrounding the house, and it’s already getting depressing looking at it. Even if we do a little in spring, we’ll likely do something in spring.

 

[Diggin It]

I wouldn't hesitate to put seed down in the spring. You might get a good growing season for it to establish. If nothing else it can be redone in fall if necessary. I'm not fond of a dirt yard.

I would get some kind of organic material tilled in though, even if only tree leaves. I've been moving every leaf pile I can to areas I want to modify.

 

[sixdogs]

Appreciate all of the thoughts. It will be tough for us to wait until Fall. We値l basically have dirt for over a year surrounding the house, and it痴 already getting depressing looking at it. Even if we do a little in spring, we値l likely do something in spring.

Need to know more where you live. Ohio has multiple climates. In most all places, you will likely regret a spring lawn because it will take you years to try to get it right. You could do it if you were more experienced and had black dirt to work with, the right equipment, knew how to use it, had experience with it and the right seed blend. Odds are bad on a good day. With no dozer grading, you will be double-dog in trouble and spend more than it would cost to hire it out.

Grading with a dozer is more than just flattening; it's adding accent to a landscape and making sure water goes the right way. A good dozer guy can make a house in a low spot look like a house on a slight hill. Make the view and landscape look like it "belongs" and accent the lines of the house. Esoteric things. Like the difference between quality and poor quality brickwork on a house.

An alternative is to plant cereal grain rye in the spring. It's green, cheap, will grow anywhere and can be mowed a few times before it dries out. Keep seed 5 ft away from buildings or corners, mow it, spray kill what's left in July and then get to work on the lawn. You better let it settle or you'll spend 10 years filling sinkholes.

You are heading down a path I've seen lots of times, and was regretted in almost every instance, but are driven by the same inner compass. I won't do a spring lawn and often have people talk to prior victims if they need to. Ohio looks like a dry and hot spring and summer--see below-- and not a good combo. Good luck. :dog:

Here's the far-out weather forecast.
Climate Prediction Center - Seasonal Color Maps

 

[Streetcar]

Follow sixdogs advise. Check with county extension agent to make sure blue grass grows well in your area. Spring planting works great in ohio

 

[Diggin It]

OP needs to know where they live, we don't.


OP needs to check with local sources for specific information, but this site is fine for general discussion.


CPC can barely predict next week (it changes daily), so I would not put much weight on what they think will happen six months from now.

 

[rhatfiel]

Need to know more where you live. Ohio has multiple climates. In most all places, you will likely regret a spring lawn because it will take you years to try to get it right. You could do it if you were more experienced and had black dirt to work with, the right equipment, knew how to use it, had experience with it and the right seed blend. Odds are bad on a good day. With no dozer grading, you will be double-dog in trouble and spend more than it would cost to hire it out.

Grading with a dozer is more than just flattening; it's adding accent to a landscape and making sure water goes the right way. A good dozer guy can make a house in a low spot look like a house on a slight hill. Make the view and landscape look like it "belongs" and accent the lines of the house. Esoteric things. Like the difference between quality and poor quality brickwork on a house.

An alternative is to plant cereal grain rye in the spring. It's green, cheap, will grow anywhere and can be mowed a few times before it dries out. Keep seed 5 ft away from buildings or corners, mow it, spray kill what's left in July and then get to work on the lawn. You better let it settle or you'll spend 10 years filling sinkholes.

You are heading down a path I've seen lots of times, and was regretted in almost every instance, but are driven by the same inner compass. I won't do a spring lawn and often have people talk to prior victims if they need to. Ohio looks like a dry and hot spring and summer--see below-- and not a good combo. Good luck. :dog:

Here's the far-out weather forecast.
Climate Prediction Center - Seasonal Color Maps

I will check with county extension. I am in Southeast Columbus. I am not quite following the dozer advice. Do you mean out away from the house? The builder has done 3 different grades along the drive and around the disturbed areas from construction which looks great. This is primarily clay though with the top soil being removed from construction. That is probably 50ft around the house. The rest of the land, the contours look great and is relatively smooth and of quality top soil (former soy bean field). This just needs a bit of till or box blade in a few areas to smooth a couple rough spots prior to the full till left by the dozer moving from one area to the next where they did not have the blade down. Am I missing something else in what your are suggesting?

 

[Tonyinohio]

I've been in the landscape business for 20 years so my advice like all others is free and worth every penny. I live in central Ohio. Review all this then do what you feel is best:

1) Add soil amendments and till it in.
2) plant fescue. Blue grass is pest and drought damage prone.
3) seed bare soil at 6-8 pounds per 1000 sq ft.
4) cultipackers are great for this or use a hydroseeder.
5) add a starter fert. 12-12-12 when seeding.
6) do it in the spring. Looking at a new house with a dirt yard is a real downer.
7) shallow drain tile will stress turf so add soil now or you'll have odd brown lines in your yard during july-august

My $0.02

 

[fried1765]

Appreciate all of the thoughts. It will be tough for us to wait until Fall. We値l basically have dirt for over a year surrounding the house, and it痴 already getting depressing looking at it. Even if we do a little in spring, we値l likely do something in spring.

Sure.....
Scatter some cheap rye grass seed in the Spring, and forget the real lawn making until Fall.
Otherwise you are dreaming, wasting your time and money, and will have a lovely crop of weeds..

 

[ovrszd]

overszd--Good looking location and a nice barn. Good stand of grass.

Thanks Six. Sometimes I get lucky.

 

[ovrszd]

Appreciate all of the thoughts. It will be tough for us to wait until Fall. We’ll basically have dirt for over a year surrounding the house, and it’s already getting depressing looking at it. Even if we do a little in spring, we’ll likely do something in spring.

I totally understand that. I suffered with that too. Was very, very hard for me to wait until Fall. Now I'm glad I did.

We had bare dirt from March 2018 until October 2019.