New Lawn on 3 acres in Central Ohio with Compact Tractor

[ovrszd]

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.

I don't remember right to the penny but it was basically $625 for our seed. That left a mark. It would have left a permanent scar if I would have done it twice.

 

[rhatfiel]

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

Thanks. This was very close to the plan we were thinking. After the till, we planned to broadcast seed at 1/2 rate, drag one direction, broadcast seed the second 1/2 rate, drag opposite direction, and be done. We were going to roll in, but there was advice to not roll or pack the clay. Thoughts?

 

[ovrszd]

Tony's comments reminded me. I put on a triple 12 starter fertilizer as well.

 

[Streetcar]

Tilling will leave your lawn rough from differential settling. Best sports field that I mow was planted in spring after grading with dozer. In Ohio you typically get enough rain in spring to keep grass growing through summer

 

[rhatfiel]

Tilling will leave your lawn rough from differential settling. Best sports field that I mow was planted in spring after grading with dozer. In Ohio you typically get enough rain in spring to keep grass growing through summer

Thanks. A couple of the pictures I attached show some clumps from the dozer. If we don’t till, how do those get broken up? Also, would you just drop seed on the clay and drag it to try to mix in? My understanding was the clay needed tilled to help soften it a bit. Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[ovrszd]

Pictures are sometimes hard to get the details.

In Missouri, I'd never consider putting $2 p/lb grass seed on soil behind a dozer. The dozer is to do the rough-in grading. Lots of smoothing and leveling would need to be done before seeding.

 

[Streetcar]

Find a good dozer operator to smooth out ground. We broadcast seed and then used cultipacker then spread some straw in case we had heavy rain before seed established

 

[Diggin It]

Thanks. A couple of the pictures I attached show some clumps from the dozer. If we don’t till, how do those get broken up? Also, would you just drop seed on the clay and drag it to try to mix in? My understanding was the clay needed tilled to help soften it a bit. Thanks for any thoughts.

You till to break up those clumps. Ideally, you want soil about the consistency of rock salt or a bit more fine though that isn't always possible. Then use a harrow or drag to level off the highs and lows. Seed after that, then roll with a lawn roller. Top with loose material like straw. I use dried leaves or fresh grass clippings if I have enough available.

 

[rhatfiel]

Instead of doing a rototiller given folks’ thoughts about it causing future settling, what if I used either a drag mat / chain link drag or a chain harrow to drag the areas multiple times over a couple different weekends prior to seeding. Would that help to break up some of the clumps and loosen soil on top enough for the seed bed?

 

[ovrszd]

Just going by your pics, I wouldn't consider not roto tilling. I also think it'll be better next Spring. Hopefully you got your topsoil added where needed.