Nick Palumbo

Bryant RedHawk wrote:

Thank you all for your responses... I was waiting for the soil test results and I am slightly confused with their recommendations, so I attached a photo with hopes someone can better explain their findings.

Prior to receiving the results I went and applied a bag of Ringers lawn restore... I haven't really seen any response, does this mean it was not needed or it takes time. It's been a week an a half since I applied it.  

First off, the Ringers will take around a month for visible results to start showing up.

About the soil test, a pH of 6.6 is acceptable and it will self adjust over time, if you really want to speed that up and raise it to 6.8 (optimum) Then use the lime.

The biggest issue I see is Mn, get some Epsom salts and spread it over the lawn is the easy and inexpensive way to raise the Mn.

For right now planting, you have some choices; Dutch white clover, creeping thyme, annual rye grass will all help with covering the bare spots.
The clover and thyme will also do some mineral mining and nitrogen fixing that will become available when cut.
These will fill in and do well for the soil so that later on everything improves, good lawns are not quick to build, they take time.
A good lawn is a microenvironment, the more grass plants per sq. ft. the more like carpet it becomes and the fewer "weeds" it will have.

Your photos show a fair base starting point, many people don't have that. I'd get the bare spots covered with either clover and thyme then you can wait and see if you really do need to make other adjustments besides the Mn. That mineral is necessary for healthy plants.

Thank you for your response... I completely understand this will be a long process and I am up for the challenge, I just want to help and do anything I can to get the lawn going in the right direction. So looking over the analysis, I don't understand how I am deficient in Mn... if you could explain quickly that would be greatly appreciated (the soluble salts / magnesium?). As for applying Epsom salt, about how much would be necessary for a 6000 sqft lawn? I like the idea of clover and rye grass in the bare spots. And I may add some lime, but again, I do not know the correct amount for my property size.

Glenn Herbert wrote:Posting the images for easier advising...

Thanks Glenn!

Thank you all for your responses... I was waiting for the soil test results and I am slightly confused with their recommendations, so I attached a photo with hopes someone can better explain their findings.

Prior to receiving the results I went and applied a bag of Ringers lawn restore... I haven't really seen any response, does this mean it was not needed or it takes time. It's been a week an a half since I applied it.

Bryant RedHawk wrote:hau Nick, Welcome to permies.

Your description sounds like you are trying to grow in compacted conditions, construction typically compacts the soil all around the site.
If you can get the horse manure, spread it evenly then till that into the soil to de-compact it. At that point you can rake it out and seed and things will do ok.

To do even better takes a little longer for prep time and costs of good, quality compost. Or the option of composting more of the horse manure is also there.

IF this was my lawn space; I would get all the horse manure I could and spread and till then I would seed with a blend of clovers and hairy vetch, this would be tilled under just as seed heads appeared.
From that point I would rake and seed with my grass seeds. I would be seeding in four applications. Seed let grow to cutting height, cut, seed let grow to cutting height, repeat this until you have a nice thick carpet of grass plants.
That will give you a lawn that golf courses would love to have as fairway.

The cuttings from your mowing should go into a compost heap, great source of nitrogen and they will heat up quickly.
Once you get going you can create compost tea to use on your lawn and any gardens, the soil will thank you for this with even better growth.

Redhawk

Hey and thank you!

I really want to start over but I want to show you what I'm working with and see if you think I need to restart...

Hope the pictures work but from far it looks good but then close up not so much.

I could get my hands on some horse manure, but I was told it had too many seeds in it to put on my lawn as a top dressing...

Anyone have advice on the stunted growth?

Thanks for the response... I live in Rhode Island, so we see winters below freezing and decently hot summers, definitely see all 4 seasons. This is why I chose K31, cold season grass and high drought tolerance.

Hello all,

I first want to say how much a I love this site and believe in organic lawn care for the cheap and lazy! My wife and I just purchased a new home in RI last June and unfortunately that is when they put loam down and seeded... it did not turn out too well. A year later I am trying to obtain a lawn. Before visiting this site I had the mindset to overseed... so I bought (2) bags of K31 because of what it could handle. After finding this site I now realize that overseeding was probably not my best move, and maybe K31 wasn't either. Long story short, I aerated in April and overseeded shortly after. Some areas I fully tilled and sowed seeds. At the tilled areas I was able to grow grass and at almost every hole from areating grass has grown... however no where else ( such as where I raked and seeded). Going into this operation I had some large dirt spots and some grass (not sure what kind). It is now almost June and most of my newly growing grass has not passed over 1 or 2 inches. And more frightening is that the grass that was already there as not grown at all. After all the rain and sunny days we have gotten all of my neighbors have been cutting grass however I have not had to yet! As my research progressed I stumbled upon the benefits of coffee grounds and have been stopping at Starbucks on my way home from work once a week, so far I have spread about eight 5 gallon bucks full. I have also sent in my soil to be tested and I am waiting for the results.

Anyways, I could use some advice. The dirt is pale when not wet, small rocks keep surfacing and it easily compacts after being wet (cement like)... I have a large amount of weeds but what I did not like seeing was black medic. The land was a forest and then they cleared for a housing development... so my yard is mostly filled with roughly 4 inches of what they called top soil (less in certain spots , depending on the grade). My goal is to add organic material, coffee is all I have done, but I started a compost pile in the back since I have so much resources with my house being surrounded by a forest. I wanted to go pick up Ringer tomorrow and put down to see if it will help the grass to grow...

Any other help would be greatly appreciated!