# Where do I start with this grassy knoll?



## baruman (12 mo ago)

Ok, so I have a back area in the very back of my property that is a Georgia Power easement. Most of my neighbors just put up their back fence where the easement starts. So it just ends up being an overgrown brush and high grass area until GaPower mows it every couple of years. (They have mowed it in consecutive years) So two things. I want to keep it low to reduce the encroaching pests close to the house. And longer term I have a CRAZY idea of oberseeding it and eventually placing a golf green at the very bottom (it's a downhill slope towards a drainage retention pond). It's about 60 Yards from the top down to where the to retention pond drop-off starts. My question is what would you do. It's February in Atlanta and it was 31 this morning. So not a lot of growing going on. But In a few weeks with the increase in temps the grass and brush will start back up. Should I try and kill it off with round up and start over (and how soon after could I seed) or mow it and then overseed. How practical would this be with a push mower (full disclosure. I have a lawn service but this is a hobby project I want to take on myself.) Or do I need a riding mower and would that create it's own problems with that slope? Just trying to get ideas so I can come up with a plan. Again I am trying to do this myself as a hobby project so not looking to pay anyone to come in an till it all under.

Figured I would ask the hobby experts. 😉


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

How to approach it really depends on how much time and effort you want to put in. And what kind of results are you looking for. And everyone will give you entirely different suggestions.

If it were me, and I was just trying to stop encroaching weeds, and not wanting to make any huge purchases.... I'd probably keep it mowed down as low as possible for now (mowing once every 7-10 days with a rotary). As temps warm up, I'd hit it with a couple rounds of some Celsius. Then end of April, I'd overseed with some cheap common Bermuda. After that, I'd go a little heavy handed with some nitrogen for the year (1.5lbs/k/month) to encourage rapid Bermuda growth. As the Bermuda comes in, it'll start choking out the other weeds and I'd bump my mowing frequency to once every 4-5 days and mow around 1" if it was smooth enough ground to allow it.


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## kwo7736 (12 mo ago)

Grassy knoll? Better ask JFK...


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## Thejarrod (Aug 5, 2018)

i would start in the Back, and to the left. Back...and to the LEFT. BACK and to the LEFT. 

ok, enough of the Seinfeld reference. 

I would start by getting rid of the debris. I thought I saw some larger rocks. there are probably lots of sticks and crap back there. after that, just start mowing. i would mow High. It will be bumpy enough that mowing low will be difficult. 

Next year, start using basic weed killer and fertilizing. I would NOT do anything aggressive like a renovation for a while. An unkept area like that has so many weeds and weed seeds that it will take a full year or two to get it into shape.


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