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Thread: Restoring A High Traffic Lawn

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    563

    Default Restoring A High Traffic Lawn

    Looking for suggestions from any grass gurus to get a good high traffic lawn back? With my kids, neighborhood kids, dogs, and maybe a heavy mix of 2-4 D in the past, my lawn is looking pretty rough. I have a mix of bermuda and centipede now, but lots of bare spots, crabgrass, and other junk. I was thinking of bringing in a few pickup truck loads of top soil and compost, spreading seed, raking it in, and water like hell all summer. I have a few medium sized oak trees with no grass in the shade and the rest of the yard is heavy sun. Should I sprig or sod st augustine in the shade areas and seed bermuda in the heavy sun areas or should I buy a high dollar sun/ shade mix? Scott and Pennington are high as hell, but wonder if it's a "get what you pay for" scenario. They sell you on the built in fertilizer, drought tolerance, etc super seed. Are the big 50lb bags from farm supply stores full of dollar weed, sedge, and other junk or is it clean? Is it better to go heavy with a lower priced seed or pay more but spread less seed? My yard is 1/3 acre, but only half of that is lawn. I also have a ditch in the front yard next to the road that I'd like to look nice, but not willing to spread soil/ compost there. What temp should the soil be to do this, 55'ish? Thanks for any suggestions.

  2. #2
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    Aug 2009
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    Default

    Should have mentioned, I'm not looking to spend a load of money, time, or labor on this. Not interested in killing everything and starting over with pallets of sod. Looking for a relatively simple fix to keep up with the Jones next door.

  3. #3
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    Dec 2010
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    Summerville
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    1/3 acre and only half lawn shouldn't take a lot of money. Sometime in the next couple of weeks put out Scott's turf builder weed and feed. Don't do the Southern or Triple. It'll kill your Bermuda. 6 weeks after that, get a power rake and dethatch. Make sure the thatch is picked up. Cut grass short. Then plug aerate. Leave plugs on ground. Over seed accordingly and start a fertilizer and pre-emergent regiment. Water will be your friend. You'll have a tough time with a Bermuda / Centipede mix yard. Two very different types of care. Centipede care will kill bermuda. But you can care for Centipede with Bermuda stuff, only not as often as it calls for Bermuda. I know that's a mouth full so read it a couple of times. In terms of Scott's product, As mentioned previously, stay away from the Southern and Triple products and stick with their plain Turf builder stuff. 3 applications through the growing months is what it will call for for Bermuda. But if you put that much on Centipede it will turn it yellow. So apply and watch. Repeat as necessary...probably twice this growing season will get you by.

  4. #4
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    Mar 2005
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    Johnston
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    Default

    Where are you located?


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    Quote Originally Posted by Mars Bluff View Post
    Only thing we need to be wearing in this country are ass whippings & condoms. That'll clear up half our issues.

  5. #5
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    Mar 2005
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    Johnston
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    Oh, and wherever you are, don’t waste your money on anything Scott’s makes. They just lost a lawsuit a couple of years ago because their bullshit killed about half the centipede yards in the SE.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Quote Originally Posted by Mars Bluff View Post
    Only thing we need to be wearing in this country are ass whippings & condoms. That'll clear up half our issues.

  6. #6
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    Dec 2010
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    Summerville
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    If you are in the Cola area...Feet's has a good granular plan that will trump the Scott's program.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    Live in Pawleys, but work in Columbia about every other week. Reeltight, that's some good info. Thank you!

  8. #8
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    Aug 2009
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    Feets, I'd like to get with you about the granular plan Reeltight mentioned. You have a shop/ store location?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Pour concrete on the high traffic areas.

  10. #10
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    Mar 2005
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    Johnston
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    Quote Originally Posted by hickory View Post
    Feets, I'd like to get with you about the granular plan Reeltight mentioned. You have a shop/ store location?
    I do. We’re located at
    5400 Augusta Rd
    Lexington

    Reel tight gave good info except for the Scotts. Lol. Give me a call or stop by. My cell is 803-761-2661


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Quote Originally Posted by Mars Bluff View Post
    Only thing we need to be wearing in this country are ass whippings & condoms. That'll clear up half our issues.

  11. #11
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    Aug 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tater View Post
    Pour concrete on the high traffic areas.
    I've considered it. With 15 kids between 6 houses on the street, it's all high traffic and for some reason our yard is the headquarters.

  12. #12
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    Aug 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by FEETDOWN View Post
    I do. We’re located at
    5400 Augusta Rd
    Lexington

    Reel tight gave good info except for the Scotts. Lol. Give me a call or stop by. My cell is 803-761-2661


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I'll get in touch before I head that way next. Work has us on lock down, so it may be a couple weeks.

  13. #13
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    Mar 2005
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    Johnston
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    Sounds good. Thanks.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Quote Originally Posted by Mars Bluff View Post
    Only thing we need to be wearing in this country are ass whippings & condoms. That'll clear up half our issues.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
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    Lexington
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    How much is this said granular plan?
    More fuel = more boost!!

  15. #15
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    Sep 2008
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    Sandhills
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    ^^^ yea, what the vehicle god said.

  16. #16
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    Jan 2004
    Location
    Upstate, SC
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    How compatible is this granular plan to an upstate yard? I have very similar issues to Hickory.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Lexington, SC
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    Sod it a forget it.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Columbia, SC
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    enjoy the grass as it is and smile every time you see it. when the kids grow up, fix it.

    but go ahead and pay the feets installments, just in case!
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  19. #19
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    Dec 2019
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    Lynches River
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    pre emergent before putting out seed doesn't sound like a good choice to me...

    If it's got Bermuda, just throw the nitrogen to it and let it eat. It'll spread a lot faster than you think as long as the ground isn't too hard for the roots to grab.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
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    I forgot to mention that I sprayed Ferti-Lome Weed Out on it last weekend. With that being said, should I skip the Scott's Turf Builder Weed and Feed Reeltight recommended?
    Not much thatch, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to hit it with a power rake before plugging to allow a little more loose soil to seed contact. Is a few truck loads of soil/ compost mixture beneficial before or after plugging?

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