Lawn installation - Need Landscaper
I will be ripping up part of my lawn in the Spring, and installing new from scratch ! Not a big job, only maybe 50ft x 100ft section.
Rather than traditional seeding I was thinking 'hydro-seeding'. I did some research on the web, and costs run around 18 cents PSF. I will most likely have to apply some new loam as a base, before seeding. So looking for a good landscaper who is familiar with this type of install, don't want any amature grass cutters, who say they can do it all ! Recommendations are greatly appreciated. Obviously I want to try to control costs as much as possible. Thanks, BD |
Most of the bigger outfits have their own machines. You may want to consider having a smaller company prep and then just have someone spray the seed. Stephens and Miracle Farms own hydro-seeders. Regardless of your method, you will get some crabgrass.
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Avoid
Personally I would would avoid MF like the plague.
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My wife wants a lawn. I told her when she feels the need to see grass go to the park. ;)
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I lived in a city like that once.
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We took out our lawn and replaced it with stepping stones and perennial gardens. We no longer own a lawn mower or pay a gardener to cut our grass. We do not miss the lawn!
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When I first began coming to Winnipesaukee with my parents in the 60s the Lake was a drop dead gorgeous and clean wilderness with "camps" on the3 shoreline. There were a few lawns but very few, and the water was so clean that you could easily see 15-20 feet down.
Lawns don't necessarily pollute the lake but the application, and most especially the misapplication, of fertilizers by untrained homeowners most certainly does. Want proof? Sit in the Gilford Lowes parking lot on a Spring Saturday morning and watch the tons of high nitrogen fertilizers being loaded into out-of-state cars. Do you think those poisons are going back to their homes? No they aren't, they will most likely end up over applied on the lawns that you see near the water ...and pollute the very waters we wish would have remained pristine. It is never to late to do the right thing I suggest considering replacing the lawn with a good thick layer of natural bark mulch. If you buy it by the truckload from one of the larger local gravel companies it is only going to cost about $35 a yard. It will smell great, be soft underfoot to walk on, never need mowing nor fertilizing and will be broken down by the bacteria in a way the compliments the natural duff and soil life rather than destroying it. If the Boss insists on a lawn you can still do that with a much lighter footprint on the environment. The first step is to get the soil ph balanced to about a 6.8. Sneak up on it by applying lime (or gypsum if your soil is high in clay) a little at a time every four weeks or so apart. Next fertilize it just once a year and in the fall with a "winterizer" formula. This will promote deep root growth and you will end up with a much healthier lawn. A key here especially is don't overdo it! A little is far better than a lot. Lastly cut whatever grows tall, frequently, with a sharp blade, and call it turf. From 50 feet away at 30 mph no one is ever going to know the difference ...except the worms, bees, fish, birds, etc ...and they'll be thanking you |
Lawn installation follow-up !
Just a follow-up from my original post
I took Forum advice and hired a local smaller landscaping company ‘Gilford Landscaping’. They did the prep work, spread 30+ yds screened loam, and sprayed hydro-seed. Several thousand dollars later FYI. Lawn was installed the Monday after Memorial Day holiday. It’s been four weeks since the work was completed, and I have ‘many’ large patches of brown ground, without grass, where the hydro-seed has yet to grow, and we have diligently watered twice a day. My wife and I have made numerous attempts to phone and text Gilford Landscaping, with little or no response. The one call-back I received over a week ago, said they would come and look at the lawn, but so far that has not happened, and I’m not going to hold my breath waiting. Very disappointed, with the results of the lawn install and I’m exhausted trying to communicate with this company, and how they conduct their business, it appears I was given the tail-gate guaranty after the job was completed. Again, I can only speak from my personal experience, I would add Gilford Landscaping, with Miracle Farms, as another landscaper to avoid and would not recommend ! |
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Did you try to control the costs so much that you ended up with an amateur grass cutter. |
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Sorry to hear of your experience but this does not sound like the same company I am dealing with.... Dan |
Hydro Seeding
Have Contacted Outdoor Property Service, LLC https: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Outdoo...26437700743639
(603) 524-8439 ? |
Responses to Forum members
In response to Top-Water:
Gilford Lawn and Landscaping was not specifically recommended by anyone on the Forum, I just went on the suggestion that VitaBene suggested ""Most of the bigger outfits have their own machines. You may want to consider having a smaller company prep and then just have someone spray the seed". GLL did the entire job start to finish, I was not the general contractor, and did not do any of the work. In response to iShoot308: Gilford Lawn and Landscaping did the job, the owner has not been communicating with me or my wife, and my lawn looks like crap after several thousand dollars. Glad you have had a good experience with the company, it does seem like there is definitely a difference in service (yours and mine), as GLL has not gone out of their way to help in any way, which I can't explain ? In the meantime, I will fertilize the lawn, continue to water, and over-seed in the Fall to build up the base, with hopes it will make a difference. I will post a picture of the lawn in another post. |
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Maxum,
I'm several miles from the lake, so any fertilizer applied to the lawn would have no impact or should cause any issues. |
Hydroseeding results, now weeds ?
After having my lawn professionally hydro-seeded, I now have as many weeds as grass !
Any suggestions how to kill the weeds without killing the grass ? I've already applied the first starter fertilizer. Thoughts? |
Lawns are better to do in the fall. Hydroseed always seems to have a lot of weeds and takes a season to look good. Overseed it this fall, you'll see a big difference next year. I've done a few lawns it takes a year to really look good. Just stay on the fert program it'll come in.
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I've been thinking of replacing my sand and weed yard with something else. Has anyone tried micro clover? Its a bit pricey but 've read that it doesn't need fertilizer and is relatively maintenance free.
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...less is more
Bigdog,
Formula has given you a really good suggestion, overseed sometime around the middle/late of September and come next spring you should be very pleased. I suggest lightly raking in a sparse sprinkling of Scotts Northeast seed mix and then top dressing it with their EZ seed mix. The EZ seed also has some premium seed and it is mixed in with starter fertilizer and coconut mulch. If you can get a hold of a plug aerator before raking in the NE mix it works even better because some of the seed will go into the plug holes and the rest will be top dressed by the dirt plugs as they dry out and disintegrate. Also mow your lawn during summer as tall as you can stand it and the grass will have a natural tendency to choke out the weeds. It isn't a matter that a lawn is cut tall or short that makes it look good, it is the frequency of the cutting that makes it look perfect ...and again keep the blade(s) of your mower sharp! Maxum, the lime won't bother the lake if applied properly. Our soils, rain, and waters are all naturally acidic and it would take a huge amount to have any effect beyond an immediate area. The key again is sneaking up on the ph level gradually, monitoring the results, and not trying to slam it all at once. An adage that works for lime and most especially fertilizer is that if a little is good, less, not more is better. Lime actually has little fertilizer value, it works by freeing up the ions in the soil and plants and that allows them to attach to the useful nutrients in the fertilizer and utilize the "food". If the ph isn't correct (~6.5-7) much of the nitrogen and phosphates will simply wash off, money is wasted and the runoff will pollute our water table. |
Last fall I bought a SunJoe dethatcer/scarifier. My lawn really needed this as I took out 13 barrels of thatch. I think using the scarifier and then applying seed would let the seed come into contact with the ground. That is my plan. It is possible to seed any time of the year, however, if doing it now be sure to water twice daily. Like 9 am and 5 pm. My mower is set at 4 inches for the front and 3.5-3.75 fot the back. Also for some reason the back grows faster and if cut at 4 inches much of it appears to not get cut.
________________________________ I am a retired workaholic and continuing aquaholic |
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