My Lawn And Improvement Options

by Jo
(Sagle, ID, USA)

Hello-my lawn has been fairly well taken care of the past 2 years but still looks very splochy and uneven. The yard is roughly 2160 sq. ft. I live in the upper part of the Panhandle in Idaho and am expecting my "last frost date" to pass soon.

I evaluated that my whole yard is both full of crabgrass and the soil is very clay-like. I have a "fairly" tight budget. It is on a slight incline and in the shade most the time. There are several children. It doesn't have to be perfect-what should I do?

ANSWER

Hi Jo,
Are you sure your lawn in crabgrass? I ask this because crabgrass typically dies off in the fall. At any rate, whatever it is, from you description it's not attractive!

The best thing to do would be to start over again. I would suggest removing the existing "grass", then add about 2 or 3 inches of good topsoil and re-seed. The removal can be done with a machine. Use a shade tolerant seed and a tough one that can be played on.

Visit your local garden center and see what variety they would suggest...shade tolerant and tough.

If it actually is crabgrass, there are products that you can apply which will kill it. This takes awhile and you must wait a certain amount of time to re-seed. Also, then you are still left with your clay soil conditions, which is not the greatest. However, this might be easier and less expensive, and you might be able to create a not perfect but "acceptable" lawn.

Susan