Ugly grass

[sammy004]

Hi guys I'm kinda new to this so forgive me if I do something wrong. I have these yellow burn like marks on my lawn also some weeds that won't go away I even sprayed the fertilizer on it. What can I do to make it green can I use some kind of diffrent spray or grass food? I can also send pics. if anyone wants to see what I mean. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Mr T]

Sounds like you overfertilized. Only time will fix it, if you way over did it, gotta get the dirt back to a habitable condition then reseed. I spilled fertilizer a few years ago in a small patch and grass STILL wont grow there. Next time you spread fertilizer space your runs further out. You dont want to overlap.

Fertilizer wont kill weeds. It feeds them. You need weed killer (or fertilizer with weed killer). Weed B Gone works good without feeding your yard. (let it recover from the overfeed a week or 2 first). Some weed killers will only kill existing weeds (but existing seeds may still sprout). Others are pre emergents which kill the seeds but not the existing weeds. Get the first kind at this stage in the season. You may have to retreat in a few weeks.

[sammy004]

I don't know if I over did it I was kinda cheap on the fertilizer.
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j183/sammy004/Lawn.jpg

[Mr T]

From what I see the yellow area is the narrow part of the yard where you would be turning around the spreader (it still spreads while its turning if the handle is squeezed). I see narrow green bands (where it wasnt overlapped) Unless you got diseased grass or something eating its roots, it looks like overfertilizing to me. It's very easy to do in tight spaces.

Hitting it with lots and lots and lots and lots and lots (soak it!) of water may salvage it. (this is from several sites i visited) Search for 'overfertilazation'

Wait to see if anyone else posts their input too.

[Under_Miner]

Your best option in a situation like this is rake the dead grass out and overseed some new grass, make sure you keep the ground cool in the mean time buy watering (as Mr.T just mentioned) for at least 2 hours every night at dusk for at least 2-3 weeks, then return to your regular watering schedule after that. Your lawn should be greener by then.

[sammy004]

so if I wan to reseed it do I just spred the grass seeds over the existing grass or do I need to mix it up with dirt and all that as if I were to seed a new area?

[Mr T]

Keep in mind if there is overkill fertilizer there, the new grass wont grow, or die before you can see it. Try to dillute the area first.

When you overseed sprinkle the specified (on the bag) amount of seed on the area, use a stiff garden rake (not a leaf rake) and try to work it in as good as you can. Water it well, and enjoy the next 2 weeks keeping the birds off the yard (can be fun in some ways sniper_1 ) I would leave the old grass there, itl act as cover from birds and the sun, and may trap in some moisture.

[Under_Miner]

Keep in mind if there is overkill fertilizer there, the new grass wont grow, or die before you can see it. Try to dillute the area first.

When you overseed sprinkle the specified (on the bag) amount of seed on the area, use a stiff garden rake (not a leaf rake) and try to work it in as good as you can. Water it well, and enjoy the next 2 weeks keeping the birds off the yard (can be fun in some ways sniper_1 ) I would leave the old grass there, itl act as cover from birds and the sun, and may trap in some moisture.
LOL!
I am in the middle of turning an old concrete pad into green space, subsequently I have trained my kids to chase the robins and blackbirds off the lawn! The birds love the bath, and in some cases drop by for a few night crawlers.

[Mr T]

Cats love birds, and they help fertilize the grass

[Under_Miner]

Cats love birds, and they help fertilize the grass
I used to have a dog myself, she left a few memories on my lawn in the form of fast growing dark green patches of lush lawn! :-D

[Robin]

In order to give you a semi accurate answer there are a few things I need to know.
1. Where do you live
2. Do you know the type of grass
3. What time of year was this picture taken?

Now just looking at it with out knowing the above it appears to be a fungus. When you sprayed fertilizer on it I would assume it had a high nitrgon content and that just made it worse. If you have irrigation there reduce the irrigation and apply a fungicide to the area.

When you spread fertilizer make sure you calibrate your spread so you are not applying too much. Oh and if it is a fungicide when you mow it your tires will transport the fungus.

[Mr T]

Robin, this is a old thread..

Looking up his IP, he's up in Canada which means that grass is probably under quite a bit of snow right now.

Just a FYI

[Bismarck Jack]

Don't worry about it Robin. I made the mistake of not looking at the original post date when I was a Jr.:top:
Actually, it is easy to post to an old thread if someone else resurrects it. I still do it. I just try not to be the one to resurrect.

Funny though:proud:

Talking about grass problems allows me to reminisce about nice weather. It's icy cold here. Can't wait for summer.:tongue:

[Retiredandlovingit]

I read the replys to your plight but my own suggestion is to change your approach to lawn care. I would start by picking up a QUALITY soil analysis kit and make some test on soil samples from several areas of the lawn. You will know soon enough if you either over or under fertilized the soil. At the same time you can determine what the soil structure is like, i.e. sand, sandy loam, clay etc. Also good to know if it actually contains vegetable matter or if it's mostly excavated sub soil from when the house was built.

I'm retired and have spent many years maintaining some very large yards and experienced some of the problems we all have had at one time or another. The absolute best suggestion I ever got was from my beautiful bride and that was to stop using commercial chemical fertilizers and start with heavy applications of organic fertilizer. It will take awhile for a yard to respond but eventually the micro nutrients, microbe's and especially worms will return with vigor. (Know this: It's virtually impossible to over fertilize with organic fertilizers and you won't ever ever burn the soil but you will avoid having heavy metals and toxic residue on your yard and can walk on it with bare feet or let small kids roll on it without concern.) Soil that is well nourished and at the proper ph level will allow your grass seed to virtually choke out weeds reducing the effort on your part... it's made my life easier but it does take some time and a bit more $$. I won't endorse a brand here but next time, (if your yard is less than an acre or so) rake out the thatch, aeriate, organic fertilize, water it in, topseed and add a light layer of peat moss or quality mulch and keep it damp until the new seed sprouts. From then on do regular dressings of good quality organic fertilizer and weed as necessary...meaning not spraying...but old fashioned pulling of the weeds. (I do occasionally use a glyphosate but NOT on the lawn.)

BTW, any idea what the soil substructure is? Many lawns are trying to grow on nothing more than the subsoil excavated by the builder during construction and many so called top soils are nothing more than a mixture of bark, sawdust and sand allowed to decompose enough to present a dark color. If you can find it, and want to start from scratch, try to locate some farm land top soil. The amount of amending to this kind of soil is usually minimal and seldom requires the use of regular additions of chemicals and/or fertilizers. That's my two cents worth.

[Bismarck Jack]

I would start by picking up a QUALITY soil analysis kit and make some test on soil samples from several areas of the lawn. You will know soon enough if you either over or under fertilized the soil. At the same time you can determine what the soil structure is like, i.e. sand, sandy loam, clay etc. Also good to know if it actually contains vegetable matter or if it's mostly excavated sub soil from when the house was built.

Please share more of this "soil analysis kit". Where can a person get one, are they expensive?:icon_frown:


I won't endorse a brand here but...

Why not? Please share your infinate wisdom with the others in the class...your two cents are appreciated :adore:

[Mydewalttool]

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