# Intro and To Reno or not to Reno, that is the question.



## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

Hello. Name is Matt. Total lawn newbies. Seriously, I know nothing. 
I've gone by Dark Sarcasm on other forums, mostly cars and jeep.

Just moved to Chicagoland, new construction. The builder did sod last fall in the front yard. They did seed in the back. Front yard looks nice this summer. A few spots of crabgrass, coming from the vacant lot next door I'm sure, that I'm using OTC products to combat. Back yard is a disaster. Total disaster.

What is the lawn renovation process? How do I know if I need a full lawn Reno or can work,with what I've got? Amy good links to pages or threads to get me started?

Thanks in advance.

Matt


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## Budstl (Apr 19, 2017)

Take some pics of the lawn for us. Full reno you kill everything with glyphosate. If you have a bunch of grassy weeds in the back, that may be the option for it.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

We definitely need pics. Without pics, I'm going to lean towards working with what you got based on the fact that the front has newer sod and the rear has been recently (within the past two years) seeded. I would rarely advocate glyphosating everything and starting fresh unless it's completely overrun by weeds.


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## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

It's getting a little late to start thinking about a renovation. The ideal seed down date is just 3 short weeks away.

I'd focus the rest of this season and next spring on getting your cultural ducks in a row. Learn and start practicing proper mowing (try to cut no more than 1/3 of your grass at a time) and watering techniques (deep and infrequent). Learn about and exercise proper fertilizing and weed control. Get down a pre-m in August and again next March/April (when the forsythia blooms).

Then, after all that, see how things look next April/May, and if you're not happy you can start thinking about and planning a renovation.

Until then, ask questions and read old threads! We're here to help!


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

Thanks all. I will get some pics and report back.


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

Backyard pics


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

Dark Sarcasm said:


> Backyard pics


Well, I can't get the pics to work. I don't have a 3rd party host for pics anymore. I've been able to post pics from my phone on all the other forums, sorry for the inconvenience.


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

A little history on the backyard....

When the builder put down the seed they installed a mesh to keep the straw in place. That plastic mesh is still there. I have slowly been pulling it up as I come across it.

When the crabgrass came in I went down to the Depot and picked up some weed killer. Followed the directions  and it seems to have burnt the grass in the backyard. Same application in the front yard with no adverse effects, that I can tell.

I buzzed the backyard the last time I mowed. I realize I probably should have mowed it at my normal height but its just so ugly I couldn't stand looking at it anymore.


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

Finally, lol.
Backyard

























Front yard looks good from a distance but up close there is some browning

















More backyard pics

























I have 2 empty lots next door that are not maintained so I figure I will be fighting the crabgrass forever. I think my best approach should be to create the best lawn possible in between the crabgrass attacks each year. Once the lawn is established I can then start using pre-emergent to help combat the crabgrass. 
So I'm thinking I need to aerate this fall, add seed to the backyard and when spring arrives I will aerate again, more seed and get on a good watering program of one inch a week, after the seed takes. Maybe next by spring of 2019 I can start using pre-emergent to control the crabgrass.

thoughts?


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## GrassDaddy (Mar 21, 2017)

I am all for pushing people to reno, except newbies. It is a lot of work and you could do it all only to kill it next year. You need to conquer the basics before you kill it all. reno is for turning a decent lawn into a perfect lawn.

so I will post my reno thread so you can see the months long process and know what it takes. but the fix ugly lawn video is where you want to go. once you do those things consistantly and still want better, then you want to reno 

My reno thread:
http://www.thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=220

Ugly lawn video:
https://youtu.be/PbGDH_JOM9w


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)




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## GrassDaddy (Mar 21, 2017)

regarding last post.. aerate and overseed this fall but NOT in the spring. pre emergence when the forsythia blooms is critical. if you seed in the spring you will battle weeds all summer and still have holes to fill in the fall 

all rules can be broken but if you want best results for less effort this is the way to go


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Welcome to the forum.

I had a lawn like yours a few years ago. I was also in a new construction and the backyard was thin like yours. I also had a patio poured and regraded. I do not recommend a renovation since I see enough grass to grow. An overseed might not be needed either.

For this fall I recommend you:

Follow the intensive nitrogen in this thread: http://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=753 for the backyard.

You need to deal with the crabgrass. I recommend using Weed b Gon plus crabgrass preventer a few days after fertilization and mowing. Follow the label directions for concentration and application temperatures.

Get your soil tested. This is to know if you need phosphorous or potassium.

I would mow into the empty lots at least 6ft. There is no point in letting the weeds grow and drop seed.

Next year:


 You need to apply a pre-emergent around March. This is the one key thing not to skip. It is better to prevent the weeds than to kill them later. Since you have two lots that are weed seed generators you really need to prevent it. Go at max rate too. Here is some advice from Purdue https://turf.purdue.edu/tips/2010/02222010_premergestrategies.html and https://turf.purdue.edu/tips/2009/01282009_preemergenceherb.html


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## Dark Sarcasm (Jul 29, 2017)

Thank you everyone. I've got a lot of reading and homework to do but I'm motivated and excited to get my backyard healthy.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

That is a fantastic front yard, imho. Better than a "starting point". The back yard does need some work, but I'd work with what you have. Put in the work this fall and come spring things back there will look much, much better. Aerate and overseed. I used a slit seeder (rented from a local Ace Hardware) with really good results and I'm going to do it again in the fall. Grass Daddy and the Lawn Care Nut both have really good videos on YouTube on improving what you already have.



GrassDaddy said:


> regarding last post.. aerate and overseed this fall but NOT in the spring. pre emergence when the forsythia blooms is critical. if you seed in the spring you will battle weeds all summer and still have holes to fill in the fall


I can back this up with experience too. I tried to do these things this spring. It looked GREAT but then I got fungus, some parts died. And then BAM hot weather came and it struggled. I'm still in better shape now than I was in early spring, but if I do it this fall then it will have decent germination temps plus the winter and spring before it has to go through another round of heat stress.


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## ABC123 (Jul 14, 2017)

Honestly it doesn't look that bad, aggressive fertilizing of N this fall will help a lot. It's been a very dry and hot spring/summer where I'm at so nothing grew much this year as it's been dormant longer than growing.


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