I'm getting ready to re-sod and install a sprinkler system for my lawn. I'm renting a tiller to chop up the "grass"(I'm using the term very lightly, its more weeds & prickers than grass)my question is, once I till what is there do I need to remove all the plant matter that I till or can I just lay the sod over it?
echo6

I spend more time trying to KILL my lawn than making it better. I HATE mowing! Then again, here we don't have sand spurs (prickers?) and grass grows like crazy on its own. I suppose that's what I get for living on old farm land - it's already super-fertilized.  On the flip side, it IS nice to be able to walk around bare foot and not have those damn spurs everywhere.

>>once I till what is there do I need to remove all the plant matter that I till or can I just lay the sod over it?<<

That depends on what kind of grass you tilled and what kind of grass sod you are installing.
If the old yard was fescue and the sod is fescue - no problem. If you are going to put a bermuda-type sod, then the fescue will grow thru and you will have a mixxed batch of mess!

I think I'd just spray a herbicide like Roundup, put in the sprinkler system and bring the preferred sod in.  I just don't see the need for tilling what you already have.  If drainage is a problem, you may wish to aerate before sodding.

Jim

I'm not a pro, but I think if you till what you have, you will have problems later, chopping it up will not kill it and might make it worse.

Even if you pick out the pieces you can find, there will be a mess of little pieces that you don't get.

I would not want to chance it growing up through the new sod which you will be watering a lot.

You might want to investigate safe, legal ways to kill what you have before disturbing it.

When we put in our seeded lawn years ago, we screened ALL the topsoil.  By hand. That took some work, but it was worth it.

Echo,
After you till the weed "lawn" then go to a professional supplier like Lesco or someone who sells pro-chemicals. Spray the remains of your tilled lawn with [b]Atrazine[/b]or [b]Momentum[/b], this will kill the weeds yet not harm the new sod. It is a broadleaf weedkiller that will not harm grasses like St. Augustine, Centipede or bent grasses like Bermuda.

Not sure how many sq. feet your sodding but this will work for your lawn and your shrub beds no matter the size.

Do not..I repeat [b]DO NOT[/b] put Roundup or [b]ANY[/b] total vegetation killer on your turned soil. It has a residual that will kill the root system of your grass before it gets started.

After you put your new sod down, fertilize it with a high Nirogen, high potash content. Something like 14-8-10 or even 18-10-10....the first number is the Nitrogen content. Water according to your region requirements.

If you need any more help feel free to e-mail...and yep, I've done this before.

Good luck,
[b][blue]NAKED[/blue][/b]

I also have a landscaping problem--have a basement which is wet on one side.  Landscaper tells me that for $3500 he can regrade that side and everything will be dry.  Is he telling the truth?  I thought usually to waterproof you drain the water from the cement foundation walls into a sump pump.

GunLvr

How much land are you dealing with and what kind of grass are you gonna go back in with??  I'm pretty familiar with Bermuda, rye, Sudan, Zoyzia and St. Augustine but you probably have a more sandy soil than the clay we ranch/farm.  If you want Bermuda you can seed it in but you have to till the soil first.  You can plug or sod any of these grasses with minimum preparation.  If it's St. Augustine you're trying to get out its runners are on the surfact where Bermuda's runners are subterranean.  A broadleaf herbicide like MSMA will kill the weeds prior to seeding/sodding and kills St. Augustine too but leaves Bermuda intact.  Just depends on what you have and what you want to replace it with.

That sounds possible, but there a lot of other possible reasons for a wet basement, especially in Maryland. How high is the water table under your house? My dad actually had to drill a hole in his basement floor to relieve pressure from water pushing up from beneath! Whenever we have lots of rain for extended periods, he gets a fountain a few days later - a real PITA, but his floor is flat again. His lot has water 20 feet down normally. Also, make sure your rain gutters have extensions to route the water away from the house for at least a few feet. I'm no foundation expert, but those have been my wet basement experiences.