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Started By
Message
Starting to get serious about my lawn.
Posted on 7/21/25 at 7:33 pm
Posted on 7/21/25 at 7:33 pm
Ok so most of my house stuff on the inside is winding down. Still have plenty of projects but they’re all getting smaller and smaller in scale.
So with more free time I’d like to start focusing on the lawn. I’ve been mowing it to keep it at bay but I am clearly fighting more and more weeds it seems every week. We got out and did major weeding of all the flower beds and laid fresh mulch down so those are looking great and under control allowing my wife to handle those areas going forward and for me to focus on the lawn.
I just bought a simple sled sprinkler that barely falls short of covering the front yard all the way so I will buy a second and tighten them both up to assure full coverage. Based on my water pressure it does about 1/4” per hour (I measured by leaving a cup out during the first hour.
I have a tall fescue so plan to water it 1-1.5” per week less whatever rainfall we get each week. I am getting a Melnor double output smart timer that will connect to the two sleds. I’ll just drag the sleds out the night before watering day to their marked spots. Not the most elegant but don’t want to get into trenching permanent sprinklers just yet. Will water it 3 times per week for two hours which should get me to 1.5” for the week. Again depending on rainfall.
I need to do a soil test to figure out fertilizer needs so any suggestions advice on that will be great.
Plan to get a push roll aerator and hit that in the fall as well as do my first overseed. Again any advice or suggestions on that would be great. Will lower my mowing height to around 2” down from 3 1-2”.
Then I’m a little fuzzy on what to do over winter. We are in winchester VA so definitely get at least some snow most years and it definitely gets quite cold. Not sure when to cut off watering for the season.
In spring my understanding is I’ll need to hit it with fertilizer and preemergent herbicide and then obviously continue the summer maintenance plan I’m starting right now.
If I am on the right track that is great. If I am way off please let me know. Would love to start getting a nice healthy lawn with minimal weeds.
So with more free time I’d like to start focusing on the lawn. I’ve been mowing it to keep it at bay but I am clearly fighting more and more weeds it seems every week. We got out and did major weeding of all the flower beds and laid fresh mulch down so those are looking great and under control allowing my wife to handle those areas going forward and for me to focus on the lawn.
I just bought a simple sled sprinkler that barely falls short of covering the front yard all the way so I will buy a second and tighten them both up to assure full coverage. Based on my water pressure it does about 1/4” per hour (I measured by leaving a cup out during the first hour.
I have a tall fescue so plan to water it 1-1.5” per week less whatever rainfall we get each week. I am getting a Melnor double output smart timer that will connect to the two sleds. I’ll just drag the sleds out the night before watering day to their marked spots. Not the most elegant but don’t want to get into trenching permanent sprinklers just yet. Will water it 3 times per week for two hours which should get me to 1.5” for the week. Again depending on rainfall.
I need to do a soil test to figure out fertilizer needs so any suggestions advice on that will be great.
Plan to get a push roll aerator and hit that in the fall as well as do my first overseed. Again any advice or suggestions on that would be great. Will lower my mowing height to around 2” down from 3 1-2”.
Then I’m a little fuzzy on what to do over winter. We are in winchester VA so definitely get at least some snow most years and it definitely gets quite cold. Not sure when to cut off watering for the season.
In spring my understanding is I’ll need to hit it with fertilizer and preemergent herbicide and then obviously continue the summer maintenance plan I’m starting right now.
If I am on the right track that is great. If I am way off please let me know. Would love to start getting a nice healthy lawn with minimal weeds.
2
Posted on 7/22/25 at 7:06 am to jlovel7
Good luck. I moved into an 18 month old house in TX where the previous renters did nothing but mow the lawn. There's as much spurge in my lawn (among other things) as there is grass. Different breeds of grass fighting with each other, thanks to the fiber installation where they just put random sod down over the entry hole.
I did the basics right last fall, pre-emergent later, I've spot sprayed with a custom mix, and it's worse than ever. I think the only thing I've accomplished is there is almost no nutsedge left, but everything else has exploded, with more than $500 in chems/fertilizer for a small lot. I have an inground sprinkler system, and the best thing I did was stick a weather smart controller on it, so at least the weeds only get water when they need it, and I don't have a $400 water bill.
I did the basics right last fall, pre-emergent later, I've spot sprayed with a custom mix, and it's worse than ever. I think the only thing I've accomplished is there is almost no nutsedge left, but everything else has exploded, with more than $500 in chems/fertilizer for a small lot. I have an inground sprinkler system, and the best thing I did was stick a weather smart controller on it, so at least the weeds only get water when they need it, and I don't have a $400 water bill.
Posted on 7/22/25 at 10:07 am to LemmyLives
That’s not encouraging 
Posted on 7/22/25 at 10:24 am to jlovel7
Soilkit.com
I use a few of these every other year or so. Tells you what fertilizer to buy and how much to apply per zone. Use different test kits for lawn areas vs landscaping beds. I have about 4 or 5 zones just due to different soil types, but try to keep it simple.
I use a few of these every other year or so. Tells you what fertilizer to buy and how much to apply per zone. Use different test kits for lawn areas vs landscaping beds. I have about 4 or 5 zones just due to different soil types, but try to keep it simple.
Posted on 7/22/25 at 11:37 am to jlovel7
quote:Can't go wrong with those ratios. No need to test soil.
If you don’t test, apply a complete nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) turf-grade fertilizer with a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 ratio (that is, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8). For a basic level of fertility, fertilize with 1 pound of N per 1,000 square feet in mid-September and again in November (about the time the grass is green but not actively growing).
NC State fescue lawn calendar
Posted on 7/22/25 at 12:42 pm to bayoubengals88
Where can I buy fertilizer like that? I don’t see any similar fertilizers on sale at Lowe’s for reference.
Posted on 7/22/25 at 1:04 pm to jlovel7
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