Help! They're bulldozing the lawn...

[inchworm]

A landscaper is bulldozing my back lawn as I type. We had a "grassy" area which was separated from several acres of woods by a drainage ditch. Over the years, the drainage ditch has become increasingly difficult to maintain, backing up, and flooding the "grassy" area. We hired them to fix the ditch with a proper slope and to install perforated pipe, filter cloth, and backfilled with gravel, hoping that this will help the water to actually flow down the ditch rather then sit in a swampy marsh.

Also over the years, our clay soil in the "grassy" area has gotten compacted and very little grass actually grows there anymore. The ladscaper just recommended that he just scrape off the clay and bring in topsoil. Great (I guess) as it was what I suspected was needed...

But now what? How do I keep it from becoming a big mud pit in the spring? How and when do I reseed the lawn? What do I do with the mud in the meantime? Anyone have any websites I can learn from or any immediate suggestions?

Inchworm
Zone 6

 

[journey11]

Not an expert, but if I have to plant grass I do it in April and cover the area with straw (keeps the birds from eating all your seed and keeps it from getting washed out by a heavy rain). The grass will come up between the straw.

If you've hired a professional, they should be able to tell you more.

 

[vfem]

If you plant grass by seed I suggest covering it with straw and watering regularly... you're going to want to treat this grass very well without walking on it or mowing it the first season.

They also have 'bird sheets' for new grass you get at landscaping and garden centers. Its an open weave you lay out that lets sun and water in, and keeps the birds from eating the seed.

 

[inchworm]

I'm thinking I may need to drop straw for the next couple of weeks to keep the soil from washing away, In late March, rake the straw aside, seed, and rake the straw back on top. Is that the idea?

Inchworm

 

[vfem]

I'm thinking I may need to drop straw for the next couple of weeks to keep the soil from washing away, In late March, rake the straw aside, seed, and rake the straw back on top. Is that the idea?

Inchworm

I would suggest that just because I'm picturing a huge area? I think this is the most affective way in my option... but you have other choices!

 

[dickiebird]

I would sow it with winter wheat for now. Possibly with rye mixed in, then when spring gets there scratch it up and sow whatever goes good in your neck of the woods.

THANX RICH

 

[inchworm]

Yes - a cover crop. I think that's a great idea. I'll look into it.

FYI -- I guess it is a space about 100' x 25"

Thanks,
Inchworm

 

[ducks4you]

Just a thought about the straw from a straw-using horse owner : IF you can get straw to grow your grass that has been rained on, or, not the best quality, and save the best stuff for animal bedding, ALL of our horses will heave a sigh of relief!

 

[inchworm]

D4Y -- I'm planning on getting it from a guy up the street who leaves a truck load of straw bales out as a "serve-yourself" operation. It gets rained on, so I guess it will make horse people happy that I use it??

I find this whole operation of restarting a lawn to be overwhelming. I don't really like lawns much, but can't afford to do anything else with that space right now. And I definately don't want it to be a mud pit.

Inchworm

 

[lesa]

Sounds like a perfect spot for a garden to me....