Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
succeed_gw

New Lawn and Lasagna

succeed
10 years ago

My backyard is 1/3 weeds, 1/3 wild onion, and 1/3 grass. I think it would be easier to simply start over.

Yesterday the lawn company accidentily fertilized my backyard, so that is a start. And I've read that a yard with wild onion likely needs a lime treatment, so that is what I would add next. But I don't know what to do after that.

So should I:
A) Put down at least 5 layers of newspapers to kill the weeds (then water). Next add triple mix, then lay sod? It is springtime now, and I've read that using grass seed in the spring is folly. And would I need to wait a few weeks for the newspaper to kill the weeds and wild onion first before putting down the triple mix and laying the sod? or
B) Instead of putting down the newspaper, should I put down some hay, and then cover that with cardboard, and let it sit until the fall? Then in the fall, cover that with triple mix and then put grass seed on top of it all and mix it around a bit (the seed is supposed to remain dormant till next spring). or
C) Put the triple mix down right away now (on top of the newspapers or cardboard) to help start the process, and cover everything with tarps or the old carpet pieces I have, until it is time to sod (in a few weeks?) or seed (in the fall)?

I should add that my primary concern is finding a solution that involves the least work, cause I'll be doing this all on my own and my backyard is 5,000sqft. I'm also looking for a solution that is not expensive. And I'm also not in a rush for a new lawn (we don't use the backyard anyway). Finally, my soil is heavy with clay (if that matters).

I'd really appreciate your help with this and I thank you in advance for whatever suggestions and guidance you can offer.

This post was edited by succeed on Fri, Apr 19, 13 at 12:20

Comments (5)

  • grass1950
    10 years ago

    I don't understand. You are going to lay sod and want to know how to prepare the area for it?

  • succeed
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    1) I want to replace my lawn.
    2) I want to use the Lasagna method of gardening to kill the weeds, and to enrich the soil.
    3) I have seen many descriptions of Lasagna gardening for creating planting beds, but not for new lawns, so I was hoping to get some suggestions.
    4) Should I perhaps have posted this in the Organic Gardening section instead of the Lawn section (even though it is primarily about creating a new lawn)?

  • grass1950
    10 years ago

    Lol. I wondered about the lasagna reference. You will probably get better turf grass advice here and there are a couple organic gurus here--like dchall. 5000 sq ft is a lot of newspaper. You aren't going to make many friends when the wind blows them around the neighborhood :). Are you adverse to Round-up? or to using plastic in rolls? I think dchall is your guy for your lasagna type of preperation. Out of my baileywick, sorry.

  • succeed
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    grass1950, thank you for your help. It's true, 5000 sqft is a lot of newspaper (or cardboard, or compost, or whatever). That's why I'm hoping to make this the least time consuming, back-breaking, and expensive job possible.
    I am adverse to Round-up because of the dog next door, and all our run-off goes in their direction. But I also want to use the Lasagna method to improve what will be under the new lawn.
    I do have quite a bit of old carpeting, old blankets, and tarps I can put over everything, and lots of big rocks to hold everything down. If it has to sit like that for months, that's no problem.
    All I need now is confirmation of the best order and timing of doing things, to get reasonably good results. I'm not looking for the perfect lawn, but definitely something better than the wild onions and weeds that are there now. Thanks for your help.

  • grass1950
    10 years ago

    I have often read here about using wood chips-mulch to improve soil. Just the other day, I came across a newsletter/blog by a turf specialist who was skeptical of the process until she saw ithe improvement in soil after just a couple week. Yous may be able to get wood chips cheaply from a tree service. Of coarse, getting rid of them might be a problem.