Lava Rock

If you do a core aeration of the soil then top dress with compost, that should get the nutrients down into the ground. 

Was reading our last soil report from 2016 and our pH of soil is 5.7, which is slightly low. It's recommended to apply 30lbs lime per 1000sqrt. But, the real problem is low organic matter. From the report:
"Your soil pH is only slightly low. The real problem is very low organic mater content, which greatly limits nutrient and water holding capacity. This is a common problem with purchased soil – perhaps also with the new soil you are bringing in. Almost any sandy soil needs some organic matter mixed in before seeding. Tilling in 1 – 2 inches compost and/or peat moss are common materials to use, either in your existing soil or soil brought in."

Sounds like a huge project to till-in a bunch of compost or peat moss. I was going to buy a bunch of lime but that doesn't seem to be the problem.

What do you have for topsoil back there? That looks as bad as I’ve ever seen in pics from you.

I'm planning to overseed this weekend.  To be sure I have the steps right....
1) mow today a low setting (bagging not mulching)
2) seed/starter
3) do I need to rake for overseeding?  Can' really see what's taking place with existing grass.
4) water
5) for overseeding, how long do you wait before you mow again?
 
Thanks for confirming/redirecting any of the steps above.
 
 

Lawn looks terrible. Matted in places. Recent rain seems to be helping a little, but otherwise just garbage. I cut the "lawn" today. More like cutting a field.

I'm gonna check for grubs again, as I have those exact random dead patches. Last year when I checked, I didn't see any. I always blame it on the high heat and SW exposure, but there can good smaller sections of grass right up against the crummy ones, so maybe the grubs are there.

My yearly disease is back. This was all reseeded last year.

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27 minutes ago, wxeyeNH said:

Jeez Lava  you have put so much energy into your lawn.   I am no lawn expert.   A couple of ideas.  Make sure you keep mowing so the crabgrass doesn't reseed.  About this time of year it grows those tall shoots with the triangles that have the seed.  Make sure more seeds don't fall down to make next season even worse.  Then maybe just let it be.  Green is green. 

We bought 15 acres of forest up our road about 12 years ago.  Clear cut a portion for views.  I never seeded or did anything.  Just mow it once a month or so.  It now has a pretty nice lawn.  Not perfect grass but mowed it looks fine to me.  Maybe your lawn would look the same?  Looks like it faces south to get mid day sun?

Here's a pic of the lawn up the  road.   

 

Too late on mowing as the shoots are tall and full of seeds. I didn't mow recently because the "real" grass didn't need it (too dry), but the crabgrass kept growing. I'll whack in the Spring with Tenacity pre-emergent.

I've got to be careful with chems, since our well, even at 500' deep is just to the left of the oak tree.

30 minutes ago, backedgeapproaching said:

If the crabgrass plants are really mature, then the post emergent may not totally kill them. May stunt them and discolor, but not totally kill.   I guess you will find out in a few days.  Is there any grass there? I know its an evil word and don't shoot the messenger-- but probably RoundUp/Glyphosate would have been a better option IF its only crabgrass.  You were putting down chemicals anyway.

Also, reed the bottle on whatever you already put down, sometimes there is a waiting period on reseeding.

There is "some" grass, but it's dormant. The stuff I put down is a Bayer product sold in Lowes.

Well the crabgrass invasion continues to spread. I sprayed a couple nights ago with a post emergent, but not sure how well it will work. Not excited about putting that crap on the lawn, but I need to stop it somehow. Will need to hand seed/reseed the entire area next month. This is the last effort. No more money, no more "I want to have a decent lawn", my wife says just let it go and let it do what it wants.

You don't necessarily need to remove it...if you kill it and then scalp it down pretty much low as possible it can make a good seed bed to hold the seed in.  If its soooo thick that you need to remove it, then maybe you should.  Those crabgrass roots get thick and dense...try to pull one plant out and see how much soil comes up with the roots, it will be a good amount. 

If I kill crabgrass with roundup, hotwater or otherwise, with the intention of reseeding, I assume I will have to dig out the dead crabgrass first? Other than doing this by hand, what other methods to physically remove the crabgrass are avail for large areas?

16 minutes ago, dendrite said:

Definitely looks a little weird during the dormant season without snowcover (April and Nov/Dec). And yeah, it’s not an overnight fix. I’d probably just overseed before the first snow. Come spring it’s ready to go once the glacier is gone. I’d stay away from planting zoysia via seed too.

I did the overseeding Fall of 2017 and rented a slit seeder and used KYB mix. Obviously I suck badly at lawns cause that didn't take either.

19 minutes ago, dendrite said:

I think I went through zoysia farm. Looks like they had trouble with their harvest and are out for the season. But here’s their instructions...

https://www1.zoysiafarms.com/plantzoy.jsp

I pretty much put mine in bare spots and didn’t have to do a large area. Now that it’s established I can take my own plugs from that if I want. They’d probably take off even faster than the ones I had shipped.

This was fall 16 to early fall 18. It’s pretty much full coverage this summer.

those blades look more fescue like. Not like the thick, stiff blade I see online. Are there different varieties?

1 hour ago, backedgeapproaching said:

How quick do those plugs spread in a season?  He is going to need A LOT of plugs to get any type of coverage.

I know nothing about Zoysia, but at this point for Lava, I wouldn't eliminate anything. Seems like something low input is needed there.

Been reading online a bit today. The flat spot out back is 7000sqft. Suggestion is to do one plug for every sqft = 7000. Granted, not every sqft of that area needs fixing, but it's gonna look weird to have a grass species like that next to fescue, KBG until it eventually takes over. IDK what to do. Apparently zoysia seed is difficult to grow, requires a lot of water early on and only works well if starting from topsoil. The more plugs you put in the faster it spreads, but from what I read, 1-3yrs or so. I'm tired of waiting to have a good decent looking lawn, so not sure I want to put in the effort of plugging.

1 minute ago, dendrite said:

I don't think you're much different than my location temp wise. Frequent snowcover will help it as well.I'd probably be more worried about zoysia in a frost/torch pocket like CON than up where I am.You could buy a sheet or two of plugs and just let them go. I will say my plugs in the back that I planted in loosened, bare soil took off a lot faster than the ones that I planted in the hard pack front that was already full of grass and weeds.

Found this place online out of Maryland. $29 for box of 50 plugs.

https://www.zoysiaplug.com/products/zoysia-grass-plugs

3 hours ago, dendrite said:

Yeah Lava. You may want to try the zoysia. Maybe try a little area of it to see how it does in your area but it grows fine here. You don’t radiate well either which helps. The zoysia won’t care about sun and dryness once it starts getting established and it will choke out all of the weeds since it almost acts like a weed itself. You’ll just have to deal with a dormant lawn in the beginning of May and Oct/Nov but it should thrive during the summer when you want it green the most. It’s really no fuss. It just takes awhile to fill in...like a few years if you space the plugs a foot apart. 

May try the zoysia. I was chatting online with a place and they were a little skeptical about it doing well in maine.

20 minutes ago, Baroclinic Zone said:

Southerly exposure on a hill is a recipe for failure.  Irrigation would be the answer if he's not willing to plant more trees. 

the slope torch makes sense since much of the water flows down and away from the roots, but what about the flat section (newly seeded 2 yrs ago) in the background? This was prepared with 12" sand then 4" loam. Granted, it's in the sun all day too, but I figured the moisture would be better retained there then slope sections, yet the soil is bone dry. Anyhoo, we need rain.

I bust balls with you, but jesus h. That SW slope must just bake. You probably need irrigation to get the look you want...either that or plant a few trees for extra shade. But I’m sure you don’t want to block the views.

Heavy lawns here in SVT for early AUG.  Just enough rains to keep most lawns around here green all summer so far. Guess the nonstop, relentless dews have helped retain moisture 
Sorry Lava....your pics in the other thread look bad..not sure what the heck is going on over there on that moonscape. 

We own a 15 acre parcel looking over Newfound Lake.  I don't do anything to the grass, just mow once a month.  With frequent rains this summer it looks darn good.
Anyone want to picnic or camp on it?  Free to any AMWX members!  Private night under the stars for sure!

Won't be cutting lawn anytime soon

Lawn struggling now. Due for the 3rd of four fert treatments, but unless Weds showers are a sure thing, not going to lay down the fert. Lawn needs to be cut in spots, but not going to bother. Probably better to leave it.

Makes me feel better at least. I have shit soil and minimal crab. You had landscapers dump loam and hydro seed, and you’re fighting it? I dunno...I’d be pissed. 

How low do you cut it in the spring/now? Hell, I probably would've just let it grow out of control right through warm season this year until any weeds start growing above it and then keep it cut at 4". That looks like all dirt and crabgrass.