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Spring Lawn Renovation

2K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  M32075 
#1 ·
I was mowing lower today to dethatch and fertilize for the winter and hoping to renovate next fall. I realized the land all around is terrible. Lots of deep divots and ruts. Plus I'm having a lot of shrubs and 2 huge trees removed this weekend which I'm sure will damage the lawn and cause more ruts where the machines tread. Next spring I'm planning to have a patio installed. I'm assuming that'll do a number on the lawn as well.

Now on to my question:

I'm in Commerce Township, MI. Can I just glyphosate the entire lawn (14k sqft) and redo next spring once all hardscaping is done? I have irrigation in place and would not mind putting in the hours needed to maintain the lawn. Or would I have to wait until fall?

I have a very active 11 month old who's going to be an even more active toddler next summer and I want her to enjoy our backyard but it's in such a dismal state right now cos of the uneven land.
 
#2 ·
not that it cant be done, its just not as ideal. The plant would be new going into summer months, meaning roots are shallow and more at risk during high heat and increased fungal pressure.

That said, it's possible. One thing that can happen in spring is to put the work in leveling, etc., then plant ryegrass, it comes in quick, use it through summer with the expectation that in the fall you will kill and plant your preferred seed. This also allows you an opportunity to see where weak spots are with irrigation, shade, sun, or subsoil.
 
#5 ·
Spring Reno's are risky.

If I were in your shoes, I would consider picking out a nice say 1000 to 2000 sqft piece next to your new patio and put some sod down in spring. This will give you a nice little area for your toddler to play. Then come fall, plan the full reno.
 
#6 ·
San said:
Spring Reno's are risky.

If I were in your shoes, I would consider picking out a nice say 1000 to 2000 sqft piece next to your new patio and put some sod down in spring. This will give you a nice little area for your toddler to play. Then come fall, plan the full reno.
Sod seems to be very expensive in our area. Even if I install it myself it's about 2$ a sqft
 
#7 ·
Ah yeah that would be a lot. Maybe still pick a similar area and do dormant or spring seeding on that.

That way if it works you still have a nice spot for the summer and the kid.
If it doesn't you didn't waste hours of work and hundreds of dollars in seed/peat/fertilizer/water.
And it's great practice for a full reno in fall.
 
#8 ·
I say go for it. I planted a new KBG lawn in early June of this year. Caveat is this is the 4th reno I have undertaken, so I do have some experience, but its not rocket science. Here is that lawn the other day after I vacuumed some leaves with the rotary:



There a few things I think you need to pull it off.

1. Tempered expectations. There will be some things that are out of your control. This is true in the fall, but moreso in the Spring. If you happen to get a really bad summer in terms of weather, it is going to suffer. Which leads me to....

2. Be ready to do more work in the fall. A few weeks of really bad summer weather could be murder for a new lawn that previously looked great. Therefore take what you can get in the summer time and be ready to get it up to snuff in the fall. Mainly this means mentally prepare yourself, but also buy enough seed to basically do it over again. For my June reno, I bought #15 of KBG seed for 2,500 sqft. Basically enough to seed that area 2-3 times.

3. Be ready to water. Irrigation is essential, even in a mild summer. There will be days you will be turning on the water to cool down the grass 4-5 times (only for a few minutes at a time)

4. Be ready for disease. Have some propiconazole and azoxystrobin ready to go when the humidity strikes.
 
#11 ·
It can be done amd the advice above is spot on. Seed early after prep and keep up on it. Those cold snap nights early are the real trouble when trying to start early. If you throw enough seed at it a few times and water well a good chunk will make it through til fall then you do the usual fall overseed and it fills in great. Ad said be prepared for disease amd extra work but it's been done many times. Seed choice is a huge factor as well
 
#12 ·
I'm also in SE Michigan. Our spring weather is so unpredictable. It can go from ideal weather to cold and all that rain as well. I tried to seed in May, it was practically a waste. Having pre emergent didn't help. However, overseeding in September I had much better luck. I had to wait until the middle of the month and got lucky.

As stated above about disease, it would be terrible if your overseed did go well then you got hit with a fungus. My area of Wayne County got hit pretty bad with dollar spot and brown patch this year. If I did it over again, I would have focused on getting in enough mowing and watering and paying better attention to fungal problems in the spring.
 
#13 ·
@parthprx if you can find a sod farm, they are generally cheaper to install than a landscaping company. Peltz and Meadowbrook Acres are two sod farms that come to mind. I found a guy who did about 1300sqft of sod for $2,000 two years ago. Now for 370sqft I was quoted anywhere from $1,100 to as high as $2,300.
 
#14 ·
My advice keep what you got for the winter. This fall work on leveling. Next spring get your patio done. After the job is done scalp ,de thatch lawn and throw down cheap PRG seed and keep it moist for two weeks you have a lawn for the summer. After the summer do your renovation with the seed you want.
 
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