Physically exhausted trying to grow grass with no help.

Chaos – posted 23 June 2005 15:52

How can I plant grass when there is so much sand. That is all I have! I did manage to do a few areas by hand and it looks good. So much back breaking work is getting the best of me. I am up early and stay up until around 2:00 a.m. trying to move sand and dig up roots to be able to put seeds down. This last area of seeds I put down I think I covered it way too much and I don’t know what to do. Should I rake over it lightly or wait? I moved some of the top soil with my finger and I can see where grass has grown but it just has a way to go before it will surface. Some parts of it are already up and looking great but I was so tired when I coverd it and done it too much in areas. On that note, I have no clue what I am doing when it comes to this stuff. I just can not afford to pay someone to come dig up stuff for me. I have put so much sweat into this I just feel like giving up but I cant. I told my daughter I would try to have some grass when she comes back from spending summer vacation with her Father. I know there has to be a better way to do this, so please tell me if there is. Do I have to absolutely move all that sand?

turf r us – posted 24 June 2005 06:03

Ah feel your pain! I have similiar problems and made some major mistakes and am paying for it now. I just might spray the whole thing with RoundUp and do it right which is:

1. Level/grade your sandy soil and adjust the pH, nutrient levels, organic matter, etc. before you sow.

2. This is the most important – have a sprinkler system ready to go, one that will cover ALL of the area with some overlap in sprinkler coverage. If that means spending a hundred bucks on on hoses, manifolds, timers….then that’s what you have to do. You can use an automated sprinkler system or do what I did and nail impulse sprayers on the fence linked up one to another with hose.3. Broadcast the seed mixed with some dry sand. Broadcast one way and then 90 degrees the other way. ROLL it in with a roller you can rent or lightly rake it in.

4. If its Zoysia, have ALOT of patience. I’m going on 30 days after seeding and still seeing Zoysia come up. Once it’s up, it looks like it’s just dormant. Of course were’ in a drought and there’s nothing like rainfall to stimulate growth as opposed to this very hard well water I’m using 3 times a day.

Check out this thread which will help:https://turfgrass.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001586.html

What do you mean you have to move alot of sand? Why are you moving sand now? Have you sown the seed?

Good luck

turf r us – posted 24 June 2005 06:15

It’s hard to reply not having a frame of reference. I’ll thread in this time…..

>How can I plant grass when there is so much sand. That is all I have!>

NO soil type is perfect. I’d take sand over this mucky silt anyday.

>I did manage to do a few areas by hand and it looks good.>

Well, you’re doing something right – keep up the good work.

>So much back breaking work is getting the best of me.>

I hear that! I spread/raked in 50 yards of manure I hauled in plus all kinds of amendments, alot by hand using a hand rake and shovel.

>This last area of seeds I put down I think I covered it way too much and I don’t know what to do. Should I rake over it lightly or wait? >

Leave it alone. You’re lucky you have (porous) sand as it won’t be too hard for the seedling to push on up. Over a 1/2″ deep (for Zoysia and Bermuda) and the little embryo/plant will probably run out of food reserves before being able to find sunlight. Replant that area if need be, but just watch it for a while.

>I moved some of the top soil with my finger and I can see where grass has grown but it just has a way to go before it will surface.

Consider yourself lucky! Again, patience.

>On that note, I have no clue what I am doing when it comes to this stuff.>

That makes two of us, and I’m a Master Gardener. Experience is the best teacher.

>I told my daughter I would try to have some grass when she comes back from spending summer vacation with her Father.>

Might want to tell your daughter that she’ll have to play in the neighbor’s yard for a while. That’s what I told my two dogs except they get to play on farmland, NOT within my fence. They don’t seem to mind that they got ousted from their sleeping quarters.

Chaos – posted 24 June 2005 09:54

quote:Originally posted by turf r us:It’s hard to reply not having a frame of reference. I’ll thread in this time…..

>How can I plant grass when there is so much sand. That is all I have!>

NO soil type is perfect. I’d take sand over this mucky silt anyday.

>I did manage to do a few areas by hand and it looks good.>

Well, you’re doing something right – keep up the good work.

>So much back breaking work is getting the best of me.>

I hear that! I spread/raked in 50 yards of manure I hauled in plus all kinds of amendments, alot by hand using a hand rake and shovel.

>This last area of seeds I put down I think I covered it way too much and I don’t know what to do. Should I rake over it lightly or wait? >

Leave it alone. You’re lucky you have (porous) sand as it won’t be too hard for the seedling to push on up. Over a 1/2″ deep (for Zoysia and Bermuda) and the little embryo/plant will probably run out of food reserves before being able to find sunlight. Replant that area if need be, but just watch it for a while.

>I moved some of the top soil with my finger and I can see where grass has grown but it just has a way to go before it will surface.

Consider yourself lucky! Again, patience.

>On that note, I have no clue what I am doing when it comes to this stuff.>

That makes two of us, and I’m a Master Gardener. Experience is the best teacher.

>I told my daughter I would try to have some grass when she comes back from spending summer vacation with her Father.>

Might want to tell your daughter that she’ll have to play in the neighbor’s yard for a while. That’s what I told my two dogs except they get to play on farmland, NOT within my fence. They don’t seem to mind that they got ousted from their sleeping quarters.

What I mean by I have sand is that I have beach white sand all over. I can take the shovel and scrape the top until I see moist soil and that takes so very long when all you have is a shovel to move it with.

Would there happen to be some lucky way or miracle that is could just put it just under the sand and keep it watered. I know that has to be the dumbest question ever, but I can wish.

Thanks, Sara

turf r us – posted 25 June 2005 06:40

I’m familiar with this white powdery sand you speak of as we had it in subdivisions near the beach in Corpus Christi, Texas. Organic matter, compost/peat moss, etc. is your best choice to incorporate using a tiller but it may be too late for that now since the seed is down. There are commericial germination mats available designed to hold in moisture a bit…. check with your local golf courses or groundskeepers at community athletic fields. Hoo nose, they may have some left over they’ll let you have. Other than that, a thin loose sprinkling of clean hay over your sand may cut down on the soil’s moisture loss. If you plant again, hydrate those seeds for about 12+ hours or until you see them sink, BUT, you better be ready to plant them as soon as they are hydrated or you’ll terminally damage the root radicle if it has had a chance to pop the seedcoat. That radicle will find moisture if it’s not too deep in your sand. Pray for rain!

Did you plant bermuda or Zoysia?

Good luck