I have significant areas which are slightly lower than most of the lawn and wanted to know what to spread to correct this. You advise against sand and say: it is especially important to not top dress clay soil with sand. Instead, use a rich, fine compost. My question is: which rich, fine compost should I be using? The grass is in good condition (it is maintained by a local contractor), and the lawn is very wet in winter due to its clay base. I just want to raise it a little. Thank you.
Any good compost will do. If you can source it locally then this would be best. If not you can always do your own composting. Many garden centers will sell compost, however.
Our backyard has never been great. We have several very large oak trees, with woods in back of our yard. I believe our yard doesn't have a good root system. You can practically peel off the yard. We have had it aerated almost every season, usually in the fall and then over seeding. We use fertilizer sparingly. (don't like a lot of chemicals). My husband thinks we should just rip it out and start from scratch. There is probably clay underneath. I have had our soil tested, we have an inground sprinkler system. We specifically use shade or dense shade grass seed. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Or that is just how it is with a shady backyard. I love my trees.
I like to power rake the lawn hard so it really digs down well. Rake away all it brings up. Then apply a one step seed such as the one at this link: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pennington-8-3-lb-One-Step-Complete-for-Dense-Shade-Mulch-Areas-with-Smart-Seed-Mulch-Fertilizer-Mix-100520284/205599918 And then water things well. You could even lightly sprinkle some top soil over the top of the entire lawn after applying the seed. I do mean lightly too so as not to make a nasty muddy mess. Mine came up great and I enjoy my trees too!
Hi, as you can see my lawn is wrecked due to dog urine. Is there anything I can do to bring this back to life?
I recommend applying dolomitic lime to your yard. This will raise the pH and counteract the large amounts of urea in the soil. This should help significantly.
Why would anyone put half a fresh lemon on their lawn? does it attract some insect? etc., Do not have a photo
You can kill weeds with the juice, but there would be no purpose to purposely put one on your lawn. Maybe someone threw one out, and that could be the reason that it is there. Otherwise, there will be no good reason to do this.
Armadillos and moles are tearing up our yard and I assume it is in search of grubs. Even though it is Spring is there anything I can use on my yard now to get rid of these little pests?
There are chemicals made for grubs in lawns. Here are details on what is available and what not to use: http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/how_to_choose_and_when_to_apply_grub_control_products_for_your_lawn
Timing is crucial for effective control. Contact your state's cooperative extension service for when to apply insecticides in your area.
we have just moved into a new house, the garden is overrun with Moss & its very boggy especially by the trees any ideas which would help us
This can be a process, you will need to first determine where the water is coming from.
You will need to determine if your soil is draining properly.
You can do a test to see how long it takes for water to drain in your soil.
You may need to call in professional help to create drains in your yard to drain excess moisture.
These links have more information.
https://www.treepeople.org/sites/default/files/pdf/resources/How-to%20Test%20Soil%20Drainage.pdf
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/yard-drainage-problems.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/moss/killing-moss.htm
why do I have large mud /dirt areS IN MY LAWN? GRASSS will not grow at all but have lots of ants & sticks
It sounds like the ants are destroying roots in the area by building their nest. I recommend getting rid of the ants. You can use boiling water, or an insecticide to do so. Then you will want to repair the soil by using dolomitic lime, and wettable sulfur. After this, and about a week's time, you can reseed the area.