I live in central Indiana.
Our back yard had hydroseed laid down in November, and now that spring is here nothing is coming up.
I'd like to start over by mixing up the top layer of soil but having some difficulty with how hard it is, and I'm reading different recommendations.
I bought contractors seed and straw for afterwards.
But I went to rake up the dirt, and it was more labor intensive than I thought (esp for 3200sq ft). So then I bought a battery cultivator which was still kinda tough to mix up the dirt.
Now I've been told to use a scarifier (which goes about 1/2 inch down), a small tiller (about 4in down), and now someone said to use an aerator and throw the seed in. Would that even work?
Tl;Dr: what is the best method to get hard soil up to lay seed down?
by torsades_
18 Comments
Aerate and sod
Text is quickest. But in person is probably the best depending on the length of the relationship.
I think you just need to break up the top if it’s not clay and able to take seed. I would use a scarifier and that should work. If it’s hard to get through, then a tiller. Some of the seed probably won’t last all summer, but that’s fine. In the fall, then use the aerator and overseed the whole yard and bare spots a little more.
Aerate and overseed, good organic fertilizer will help
It’s not enough to just aerate/break up/till the soil and add seed. This clay is just going to compact again and roots are going to struggle to penetrate deep enough.
You need to add lots of organic matter (compost) to recondition the soil into something that roots can get into and decomposers like worms will go nuts in, helping to continually “turn” the soil from underneath and add more nutrients.
Hydroseed in November? Who tricked you into that let me guess the builder/GC?
If it wasnt, you got conned and should seriously get your money back or have it redone.
Hydroseeding in November in Indiana is crazy talk. By then your like 2 months too late and anyone hydroseeding knows that which is why im 99% sure its a GC covering their ass that you have a seeded lawn for their checklist.
There’s no way to do this
John Deere and plough
Once turned over
Seed and fertilizer
Then water twice a day
Depending on how much time you got you could lay down a bunch of compost to soften existing soil
Also live in central IN, got a scarifier from Menards $100. Set it deep as possible, top dress with mushroom compost it’s cheap. I bought annual rye grass seed, comes up in days. Overseeded with good seed as the annual will hold the good seed. Water water water. Like everyone else says in fall aerated (sept) and over seed more. Stay away from contractor grade seed. Damien’s in beech grove has good seed in bulk
I’m in Iowa, it looks like you have the same problem I have. New construction where it used to be farm fields. They scrape off the top 6 inches of fertile top soil and sell it. Leave the new homeowners with hard as rock clay with low fertility. I’ve been slowly working on mine for 5 years now. I tried topping with compost the first few years and overseeing, but the grass can’t get deep enough roots to fight off the weeds. And rainwater just runs off instead of being absorbed. I’ve started doing one section at a time tilling it with an electric tiller to about 6 inches deep and taking away half of it. Then replace that with compost, mix it in, and reseed.
I had a clay yard at a previous house and had similar problems. If you’re only adding a little organic material at the top every year, it will take a decade. Also aerating every year and regular application of gypsum can help.
The local waste management company makes compost from the brush they collect and sell it for 20 bucks a truckload, so it’s cheap enough to bring a lot in. You could see if something like that is available. Or else have someone bring in a good 3 inches or so of good top soil and spread it if you can be certain it’s not full of weeds.
Otherwise if you don’t mind using a lot of chemicals, you can do tons of gypsum and fertilizer and heavy weed treatment for a couple of years and hope that works. I don’t like chemicals, so I think that’s how the weeds got ahead of me in my yard.
Our lawn was pretty sandy and not very healthy soil. Newer construction.
I rented a bobcat with a soil conditioner attachment to turn over the lawn years ago. Then spread like 60 yards of new topsoil. Then dragged a homemade wooden drag with the bobcat to level and smooth.
It was brutal and really hard work. Had to manually remove a lot of clumps of material afterwards. Lawn not perfectly level but decent enough.
Then we hydroseeded and it came out pretty nice.
Not sure if it was worth it but it worked for us and cost a couple grand total.
Roto-tiller if you really want to break it up.
Rototiller.
If i were in your shoes, I would amend soil throughout the year with some peat and topsoil and then roto till in late August. followed by reseeding, another round of seed. We have a lot of clay in NJ where I am, this helps. Also, aerate, rake, etc..
Daikon Radishes
Get to Hoeing
Pick up any debris.
Bring in top soil
The skid should have an attachment to level and fluff the soil.
Add sod