Comment

Comment by MJ Seibert, Zone 5 on February 24, 2011 at 3:53pm

Worms - go out with a shovel and take shovel full samplings. Dig around, and see if there are any worms. You can do this through out your replanting - any time of the year. If you have used a strong herbicide, the soil may not be worm friendly. If you make the area worm friendly, they will return.

Comment by Char Smith on February 23, 2011 at 7:51pm

THANKS to ALL of you again, Daddieo, Ms. Seibert, and Freddy, I checked out your blog and pictures. THANK YOU all for good suggestions.

 

I have studied Scotts Website on Lawns. I realize it may cost me a few bucks, but I have a TINY yard. VERY TINY, it takes longer to get the lawn mower out than it takes to mow.

 

NO ONE said anything about putting worms back. SHOULD I DO THAT? I will take picture and show how this works for me. IT has been so cold and rainy the few days I am NOT HAPPY that I can NOT get out and finish this front project.

 

Keep sending me advice, I always listen and want to learn. I have experience, but we can always learn from others.

Comment by MJ Seibert, Zone 5 on February 21, 2011 at 10:37am

Not a Mr. but a Ms., - the reason I had thought you would not have worms is that the herbicide may have killed them as it killed the unwanted vegetation there. You may not have that issue at all.

Freddy right, this will be a major undertaking and mulching to prevent erosion will be imperative that is where straw comes in to play.

Yes, I have family in Knoxville - my aunt/uncles flowers or vegetables grow in abundance. They use goat manure to fertilize though. Nashville, that above average music should serenade your plants in to a growing frenzy.

Let us know how things settle up for you. Make sure to post photos so we can watch your successes unfold. We will also learn how you have tackled and solved issues. This will keep us as virtual gardeners well pleased. I know your growing season starts well ahead of mine.

Contributing Gardener Comment by Freddy J. Hill on February 20, 2011 at 3:57pm

Char, there's a lot you can do in zone 7.  Look at my back yard album.  Have you considered reestablishing your yard in stages, temporary borders and trails, concentrate on one block at a time, mulch the others or plant ground cover. Let it evolve at the mood fits you.  Keep it a fun experience.

Comment by Char Smith on February 20, 2011 at 1:18pm

Oh, I looked up MR. Cruz. You are RIGHT, he does have a very pretty yard. He also lives in CA where everything grows well.

 

I live in Nashville, TN. WE have Country Music and guitar pickers. NO perfect weather. I believe I am zone 7. HOWEVER, we can grow flowers well here along with our Country Music USA, AMERICA!

 

Comment by Char Smith on February 20, 2011 at 1:16pm

Mr. Seibert, I can put cow poo in the top soil I plan to put over this bare yard and build it up some. IT is on a hill and washing is an added problem.

 

WHAT IF I buy fishing worms and ad to the soil also? I did find worms when I was raking off the dead grass. I have tons of worms in my flower beds. And I use real cow poo in all of them. OR I have for years.

 

Do you think that will help rebuild the soil for the grass seeds?

Comment by MJ Seibert, Zone 5 on February 19, 2011 at 3:45pm

Manuel Cruz III, look his photos up. Phenomenal!

Comment by MJ Seibert, Zone 5 on February 19, 2011 at 3:44pm

Not having worms to aerate the soil is where the compaction should come from. It is a hmmm, on the straw damaging the new grass seedlings. I always use Scott grass seed. Why? They don't bilk you with rye grass, you get what you pay for with little "junk." Straw will decompose or the lawn mower will mulch it. Have you had your soil tested for nutrient levels? Some people swear by this. Me, I add natural nutrients and then if still having trouble, I would then consider having the soil's nutrient levels tested. It takes time to build a good soil. Since I have 3 big dogs, I am always putting a heavy amount of straw down each fall so I do not get mud tracked in. Straw decomposing is such a boost for my lawn that it has gotten hard to mow. I have to reseed often because the big dogs will wear paths, a very vicious cycle for me with seed, straw, and weather. As my dogs age, the paths are getting less worn and the grass so thick in places. I hate to use chemical fertilizer on the lawn for I fear of cancer in the dogs and then there is leaching in to the rivers and ground water.

Here's a funny one for my day. I hate looking at the large 1/2 grapefruit halves laying about my garden spot so I cut them in to finer cubes so they deteriorate "better." I threw Chip's orange "Flying Squirrel - Chuck It." He couldn't see it for the grapefruit pieces and had to use his nose to locate it. The orange of the grapefruit threw him off.

Look up Manuel....the III. I'll have to look up his last name. I think it is Sanchez. There are many wonderful garden photos on this Index but he has a God given talent that again, causes one to pause.

Comment by Char Smith on February 18, 2011 at 8:59pm

THANKS for all your comments. I looked up Woody Landscaping. WOW, he has so much to look through. I will keep looking at his stuff.

I will try the cow poop. I thought weed and feed would work, but not with new little seedlings. OR that's what the bag said.

AND I will use straw. I used straw in the Fall on a side patch , but it is so FULL of that damn knuckle grass and the straw did compact the seedlings. I did try to carefully pull the straw up today. I was gone for 4 months and did not see the compacting until this week. SO IT DID HARM the new grass. You are right on that.

ANY more help is welcome, thanks to you all.

Comment by MJ Seibert, Zone 5 on February 18, 2011 at 7:01pm

Yeah, sure, the one I like to recommend is manure, horse or cattle. The nutrients in it and the straw are a win win. Straw is 99% nitrogen and the manure with the ammonia and etc. will feed the soil as it the other chemicals work on it. The straw will help to thwart erosion. You'll probably have some compaction problems since you will have killed the worm works.

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