So it looks like my girlfriend and I are going to be buying a new house. (I don't want to jinx it, so pictures will go up when we get keys.) One of the things on our list of things we wanted was they fence the back yard and sod it. They are going to do everything we asked except sodding.

So here I am,our first house, and the only thing we have to do is make a lawn. That's also about the only thing I heaven't done. lol

I'm going over there tommorow to get measurements and stuff and I'm going to look at where the fence will be and what I can do. Does anybody have any experience with this kind of thing? I will start googling as well, but I love advice from first hand experience. Or even point me in the right google direction.... Is there a forum out there somewhere that is to planting/growing a lawn what this one is to the BR??

I went with sod.  I have a pretty good looking backyard right now, despite the heat and dryness.

I wouldn't buy a house with a girlfriend.  I think that is a major mistake, but that's just my opinion.

Had a buddy just go through this. After 6 mos they split up and she refused to sell or move out . She faught him at every turn.

It ended up costing him about 20k to get it all resolved.

This


As for the yard, Sod is the fastest way to go.  It's really easy to install too.  You can usually get a company to deliver pallets of it to your driveway.  Measure how much you need, and order that plus a little extra for cushion.

To prep your yard, till it up pretty good.  Loose soil will let the roots from the sod sink in a lot faster.  

Before you put the sod down, water the yard....don't get it muddy wet, but get some damp soil going on.

From there, just lay down the sod end to end until you have a yard.  Once it's in, water every day for about 2 hours.  Early morning is best, like 4-6am.  Keep the watering up for about 2 weeks.  After that, reduce to 1 hour for another two weeks.  From there, just go with a normal watering plan.  

Hope that helps!

If you cheap out and don't put in a sprinkler system before you sod or plant grass, you'll probably have dead grass later. This is not the time to plant grass, it's too hot. Sod may be ok If you are dilligent about keeping it wet. That's were the sprinkler system comes in handy.

My GF and I bought a house, or rather she bought a house and I moved in with her.  We have been married a year and half now. If you dont water the grass, you dont have to mow it!

Im waiting til my divorce is final before I buy another house. Some valuable lessons here in the WAHTF  
As for sod, whateveryone else has said.

When I bought my house my girlfriend (fiancee now) was on none of the paperwork, and I made sure to buy a house that I could afford on my own if we broke up.

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

T

had good luck with seed, water and a rake. YMMV

My front yard was 1,000,000% dead 3 weeks ago.  Seed, Scott's Turf Builder, a little topsoil, and watering for 20 mins at dawn and 20 mins at sunset every day and I now have a lawn that I almost need to mow twice a week.

Sod is a great way to get a instant lawn.  To help with the seams I seeded them with some scotts turf builder and after about 3 weeks of watering and mowing I had a seamless yard that was lush and green.  I drove by the old place last week and it has been vacant for awhile and the lawn was dead.  

As far as buying a house with my girlfriend I completely understand why you guys say not to do it. Before I was in this situation I would have told anyone else the exact same thing. I held off on buying a house with a gf about 4 or five years ago. At the time the market was different and we were probably going to end up over our heads. I advised against just rushing into something, 7 months later we broke up. So yeah, I get what you all are saying and thanks for saying it, it is good advice for a HUGE financial comitment. That being said, this one is different. We are going to get married, and we had both agreed we would not buy a house until we did. This particular house is one of those right time right now things and we are getting in good. Neither of us has owned a house before so we will qualify for the 8k gov. rebate for buying a house this year. We are getting decently built new construction on an ok size lot with the upgrades we want. Plus the USDA has a great loan for anything East of HWY 9, 0 down 100% financing, 30 yr fixed at 4.5% (citybank bought down the rate a point, they need to move stuff). We have negotiated about 30k in concesions (including the 12k for the point and zero out of pocket to us at closing). It's the right time and both of us are willing to take the small chance that something goes wrong.

Again, thanks for the caution, it's doesn't fall on deaf ears, but this is something that has been thought out thoroughly by both of us and we are both very excited.



As far as the lawn goes I'm hearing that sod is obviously the "easiest" way to go. How long does it take before it's durable enough for heavy traffic? We are looking to close right at the end of August, and from what I have been learning the late spring/early fall is a good time to plant grass up here.

Do I pick the type of grass? How does that work....are there some that are better for this climate? What about pets and kids, it has to be durable...

And yeah, I'm thinking I would forever regret it if I didn't put in a sprinkler system. It's not a very big space, but if I am going to worry about having a nice, green, level yard I might as well invest a little in taking the human factor out of watering it...

TAKE THIS MANS ADVICE!  As of a couple of days ago, his lawn was beautiful, green and lush.  Excellence in lawn care, it was.

Hank Hill would be proud!

Buying house with girlfriend...ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?

Sod....Didn't work for me. Quick lawn, looked good, roots didn't penetrate sub soil before grass died.

HABU... Correct on this is the time to put in a sprinkler system and also correct on this is not the time to plant grass. Too hot, the smaller portion of seeds that do germinate will wither in the heat unless watered constantly. Fall or spring is the time for best success. Preferably spring.

You need a decent layer of topsoil. The thin, non fertile stuff a contractor is likely to leave doesn't cut it. Put in the sprinkler system now. You will be glad you did. I  Wish I had one every summer.

Get a shitload of 4 or 5 way.

Spread about 4 inches deep

Lay seed so you can't see dirt.  

Water the fuck out of it.

Have BBQ and invite WAHTF 3 weeks later when grass is luscious and green (I can't come, wife hid balls, haven't found them yet).

Next day post "Look what you fuckers did to my lawn!"

Phil will change title since you can't swear in the title.

Post will degenerate into name calling and drunken reminiscing.

Someone will post pictures of your girlfriend at Cabo.

More name calling.

Someone will post in the Bear Pit "take a look at what is going on in the WAHTF"

Link will be cold

Link will be made hot

Link leads to the wrong post

Link corrected

Post locked

Someone will post pictures of you in Cabo

A LOT more name calling

Due to the amount of internet chatter about "grass", your door will be kicked in by the DEA serving a Patriot Act Drug Warrant.  

We will never hear from you again.

^lmfao

If you're going the seed route:

How much of your soil is organic material vs. clay vs. sand? How's drainage? That'll affect the kind of seed you need, and your watering habits. Peat moss is great to add, but 1/2" over 3000 sq. ft. will cost you about $400.

How much direct sun does the yard get? Do some parts get none? Are you ok with a different species (shape and color) of grass growing in the shady areas?

How long do you want to keep it? Some varieties of grass do better at 4" while others fair better a 2.5".

Don't skimp on getting good (clean) seed: It really is the cheapest single cost of starting a lawn, and it'll save you alot of work later.

Guess we all gotta find a new place to pee huh?

Back yard still looks like Somalia in July, so you're good.

Or maybe PCR's yard isn't green at all.............................he may have spiked all our drinks with acid................................

back yard when there is the hot tub

have to see about Friday nights, UP isn't exactly on my route anymore. Of course, P_I_S can make it.......

Put in sprinklers first.  You can do anything you want to start a lawn after that because you'll have the ability to keep new lawn watered, whether it's sod, seed, weeds, whatever.  Automagic sprinklers are pretty darn cool.

ETA:  Seriously, and I read your post about how "this one is different", don't buy a house with a girlfriend.  I can think of one reason why this is a good idea, and lot's of reasons why it isn't.

Fixt

it all starts when they go to the bathroom in groups, then it's bra shopping.

the "bro" or manssiere.




 
 

you're all slowly becoming bromosexual.

Well if you want to go the seed route I can help you there sod, not so much.

I'm wondering if it's worth it to wait through the winter and plant in spring for best results? I could put in a sprinkler system, a little deck, firepit, and not be rushed and tapped for cash as well..... Hmmmmmmmm. Could I deal with a muddy lawn and dogs for the rainy season though.... That is the question.

Put in sprinklers then lay down sod.  One yard done.

Go to Home Depot w/ a pick up truck and $200 cash. $100 in product and 2 Mexicans later, your yard is done.......

Well, it's not every day that 1GR offers his seed to a board member.

^lmao

I'll decline that offer, and any of his future offerings of fertilizer.











*eta: I am thinking seed route though. There is always a chance I wuss out and go sod, but planting my many seeds seems to lend itself to more satisfaction.

Around here the start of the two growing seasons are early March and late Sept. So plant seed in the end of Feb. or beginning of Sep. and it'll be thick enough long before winter.

I hydroseeded my lawn in mid Sept. By the time the weather was clear enough to mow it around April, it was so tall and thick I had to borrow the neighbors rider and just blow it out without bagging.

If your place is flat, it should ride the winter alright, giving you time to do the sprinkler system. Don't skimp on the topsoil. Tagro was more of a pain in the ass than it was worth.

Scotts turf builder, moss out with iron, miracle grow lawn feed spreader.  75%STB and 25%MO early in the season, once in mid summer and once late summer.  I give it the MG lawn food about every two weeks.  Big thing to keep it looking good is when you want that putting green look with the short lawn, raise your mower by 1 level and keep it there.  Most people kill thier lawns by trimming it to short.  It has to have a little length to it to stay healthy.  Trim weekly and if you stay on top of it, dont use a bag, let the trimmings drop back down to act as compost.  

Well NotanAss knows a little more than thumbrings I see.  Good on ya.

LOL!  Now if I can only get my front yard to look as good as my back.  The previous owners let the front lawn go to shit and its been a hard time nursing it back to health and keeping the weeds out of it.

I feel the same way about this forum.

Get a messican gardener... I'm pretty sure he could fix both






 

Looks like some sound advice in this thread that we'll be able to use as we are finishing up the rock and earth work and planning on seeding our lawn next month.

Here is the trick...

Good topsoil, PEAT MOSS, good seed, and starter fertilizer, forget Scotts:

WOLFKILL FEED & FERTILIZER COR
Monroe Shopping Ctr
Monroe,WA 98272
28.2MI from Seattle
(360) 794-7065


SULEX INC
13225 Farm to Market RD
Mount Vernon,WA 98273
55.2MI from Seattle
(360) 424-5915


R S A MICRO TECH
11915 Westar Ln
Burlington,WA 98233
62.0MI from Seattle
(360) 757-1122

i just want to know if the blouse makes me look fat?

(insert gay smiley thing here)

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

You know how I know you're gay?

it's a better story in person...you should come up...

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

This. Scotts makes decent starter fertilizer, but I'll never use weed-n-feed again. The lawn grows thicker, greener, and for a longer time with starter fertilizer; and weed killers can be applied to very small spots, allowing the grass nearby to fill in the holes left by the dead weeds faster.

I think that's one of those things where the less grass you have, the more you treasure it.