Hi all. I’m a new homeowner on Long Island. I’m looking for an average lawn – nothing crazy! I see the lawns here and can see myself going down that rabbit hole, but I don’t need (can’t afford) another obsession 🙂
All I’m looking for is to make my lawn look “average.” My plan was to today dethatch with a pull behind dethatcher and afterwards put down a granular preemergent. In a few weeks, I will put down a granular fertilizer, and spot sod any areas that are really rough.
Does this sounds like a fair plan? We’re due for a lot of rain, so I was planning on jumping into this today.
by ekgzo
24 Comments
Apply spring pre-emergents when the 5 day average soil temps are in the 50-55F range. Or use [this tracker](https://gddtracker.msu.edu/).
If you have a question about pre-emergents, read the entire label. If you still have a question, read the entire label again.
Pre-emergents are used to prevent the germination of specific weed seeds. They don’t kill existing weeds.
Most broadleaf weeds you see in the spring can’t be prevented with normal pre emergents. You’d need to apply a specialty broadleaf pre emergent in the FALL.
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Check out the [Cool Season Starter Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/s/FetSGi0hFi).
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Dethatching is a recent trend in lawn care that’s become more common thanks to youtube creators and other non-academic sources. As such, there’s a widespread misunderstanding/misinformation about the topic. This automatic comment has been created in the hopes of correcting some of those falsehoods.
Thatch is the layer of stems and roots, both living and dead, that makes up the top layer of soil. Grass clippings are not thatch and do not contribute to thatch. The thickness of thatch can only be assessed by digging into the soil.
Some thatch is good. While some academic sources say that under 1 inch of thatch is beneficial, most settle for half an inch. Thatch is beneficial for many reasons (weed prevention, traffic tolerance, insulation against high temps and moisture loss, etc) and should not be removed. Over half an inch of thatch may not warrant removal, but the underlying causes should be addressed. An inch or more of thatch SHOULD be addressed. Dethatching as a regular maintenance task, and not to address an actual thatch problem, is NOT beneficial… Again, some thatch is good.
Thatch problems are not typical. Excessive thatch is a symptom of other issues, such as: over-fertilization, overwatering, regular use of fungicides, excessive use of certain insecticides, high/low pH, and the presence of certain grasses (particularly weedy grasses).
Dethatching with a flexible tine dethatcher (like a sunjoe) causes considerable short-term and long-term injury to lawns, and is known to encourage the spread of some grassy weeds like bentgrass, poa annua, poa trivialis, bermuda, nimblewill etc. In some RARE cases, that level of destruction may be warranted… But it must be done with great care and attention.
A far less damaging alternative to dealing with excessive thatch is core aeration. Core aeration doesn’t remove a significant amount of thatch, and therefore doesn’t remove a significant amount of healthy grass. BUT it can greatly speed up the natural decomposition of thatch.
Verticutters and scarifiers are also less damaging than flexible tine dethatchers.
For the purposes of overseeding, some less destructive alternatives would be slit seeding, scarifying, manual raking, or a tool like a Garden Weasel. Be sure to check out the seeding guide [here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/s/pUsKCxyvwQ)
Additionally, be sure to check the list of causes above to be sure you aren’t guilty of those.
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If it helps, this is probably better than average TBH..
Have you seen the state of most yards?
You have an average yard. Probably better than average to be honest.
I think your lawn looks very good this early in Spring. Just feed it.
Feed, control weeds and water.
Use a granular fertilizer with barricade/prodiamine and you should be set. If you have any weeds pop through you can spot spray them with some q4 plus. Q4 is a bit expensive but if only spot spraying will last a long time and covers pretty much any weed you will have.
Look no further you found it!
Tbh this is average
The first thing to understand about cool season lawns is the most important season for them is fall. You want it to green up early in spring? Fertilize in fall. Overseeding or renovating? Fall.
As you get into lawn care more, you may see you like it. There are many things you can do each season to make it look top-notch, but if you find that all you have time/interest for apart from mowing is fertilizing once a year, you should absolutely do it in Fall between Labor Day and the end of October. Fertilize cool season grass in fall, water during the heat of summer, and mow the rest of the year and you are pretty much guaranteed an “average” lawn.
My advice, fertilize 3 times a year and spray the weeds. once in the late spring(when most spring weeds are done popping up, and the late summer, when most of the summer weeds have sprouted. That’s about it. It’s more than enough to have an average/to nice yard.
With fertilizer, spring, late summer(bout the time grass is coming out of dormancy) and again sometime in the fall(the later the app is, the better it will help in the spring for green up the following year). Also to make it even simpler, you can use the same fert all year. Anything is better than nothing. Something like a 22-0-4 would be plenty without getting massive growth out of it. Recommend a slow release for the summer app, helps the grass recover more slowly, vs rapid gains of nitrogen, but it won’t damage the yard using the same stuff. Could even just use a slow release all year if you wanted.
Awesome maple tree 🌳 👍
Spread children’s toys over it at random, make sure you get a bunch of dandelions in there and transplant in some crab grass as soon as you can. If you don’t have any moss, have a look around and see if you can find any.
This better than average. By quite a bit too.
mission accomplished, thats an average looking lawn, kick back in the sun with a drink and enjoy the day.
Just give this thing the 4-step and it’ll be well above average
You have potential to have a GREAT lawn. Love that lawn. I’d edge around the driveway/ sidewalk, and then edge again around the mulch of the tree, but first I’d mow it, maybe get it a little greener oh I’m jealous
Please do not ever get rid of that Japanese maple in your yard unless you are selling it for well over $1k, just saying, that shit is pristine.
For this time of year it looks like you’re already there.
lol I honestly thought that was my front yard. I have the same tree and bricks. Please let me know what you do. I’d like get some ideas too.
Do the Scott’s annual system and water it. That’s pretty much it for what you’ve got.
I would put down a crabgrass preventer no fertilizer now you are already a couple weeks late. No reason to de thatch you can hand rake it before you put down the crabgrass preventer. In about 3 weeks put down some fertilizer spot spray any weeds you see pop up. Mid summer reassess how it looks then you can come up with a plan for late summer. Late summer is the best time to plant grass seed. I’m from Long Island
You got one in the deal. Congratulations.