SAND

brian nc – posted 24 March 2006 21:18

I HAVE RECENTLY MOVED INTO A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS BEEN BUILT ON TOP OF A BROWN SANDY SOIL… MY RYE HAS DIED, AND MY CENTAPEED SOD HAS BEEN BROWN SINCE I MOVED IN, IN JANUARY. I HAVE TRIED TO SOW FESCUE SEED AND FERTILIZER, BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO GROW. WHAT DO YOU RECOMEND TO SEED INTO SANDY SOIL, AND WHAT METHOD TO WATER?? THANK YOU!!

viennabhoy – posted 13 July 2006 12:30

very sand soil can be lacking in nutrients and suseptable to drying out. put on a slow release fertiliser, one that will not burn your seedlings.

keep the surface moist until the grasses can stabilise the soil.

when the grass becomes established give it a trim taking of no more than 1/3 in hieght with a very sharp mower.

if this fails, concrete, table and chairs

Grassguy – posted 13 July 2006 14:23

Sandy soil needs to be ammended with organic matter. Sandy soil has no nutrient holding capacity, no matter what kind of fert you use it will be lost to leaching and volitilization.If there is a soil purveyor in your are that has mushroom compost or some kind of organic / clay mix you can till that in to increase the CEC of the soil. Centipede likes infertile soilbut not a soil that has no moisture retention propertys to it. With a sandy soilyou have to apply a large amount of surface water to cause it to move downward into the root zone.once it does its not there for long.

viennabhoy – posted 14 July 2006 09:30

if brain nc’s garden was 1000m2 to a depth of 30cm, how many tonnes do you think that is then?

https://turfgrass.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000068.html

Grassguy – posted 14 July 2006 16:05

I give up.