re-grading yard and planting grass?

[bepperb]

I think this would be a fantastic discussion if....

I think this would be a fantastic discussion if we weren't singling out the original poster.

Most people only have so much space and you have kids and a car to park and want to grow carrots and things have to co-exist. And so asking this question here will get you a tree biased question and asking in a playground equipment forum would probably get the opposite. A balance needs to be struck. I'm no arborist but I do have three kids, I do have a lot of trees, and I do have grass in there too (and a kiddie pool, and carrots).

I actually have neighbors with anything from canopies raised 50 feet on all trees to just plain wild and I'm somewhere in the middle I guess, and that might be a similar but better discussion since the people who made the mistakes wouldn't have fingers pointed at them.

 

[ddhlakebound]

I think this would be a fantastic discussion if we weren't singling out the original poster.

Most people only have so much space and you have kids and a car to park and want to grow carrots and things have to co-exist. And so asking this question here will get you a tree biased question and asking in a playground equipment forum would probably get the opposite. A balance needs to be struck. I'm no arborist but I do have three kids, I do have a lot of trees, and I do have grass in there too (and a kiddie pool, and carrots).

I actually have neighbors with anything from canopies raised 50 feet on all trees to just plain wild and I'm somewhere in the middle I guess, and that might be a similar but better discussion since the people who made the mistakes wouldn't have fingers pointed at them.

The OP is the person who requested the information that's been given.

Do you have all your trees, grass, carrots and kiddie pool in a .09 acre area? I very much doubt it.

In the OP's situation, you can choose, mature tree, or lawn. You can't do both, correctly. If the tree is the priority, then do what's best for it. If the lawn is the priority, remove the tree, grade the yard, start a new lawn, and then plant a new tree better suited to that (small) spot.

There is no balance to be achieved in the scenario being discussed, no matter how much you or the OP wish it to be.

 

[sgreanbeans]

Word

 

[ROOTSXROCKS]

Hello all!!
I have a large tree in my back yard, no idea what it is, branches used to cover the entire back yard. I just trimmed it so I could get more sunlight in the back yard so the grass would grow, and to keep it from beating up my house. So far it hasn't grown, so I would like to prep my soil and plant new sod/turf. From what I've read so far, to do it right, I will have to till the soil to a depth of about 4-6 inches. I don't want to spend the $$ on the new grass just to watch it slowly die. The large tree in question has roots running all over the yard. The question is, how far away from the base of the tree do I need to be to make sure I don't kill it.

First what part of Texas are you in ? when is your first frost and does the ground freeze. are there weed issues now? what kind of soil do you have hard clay, sand ??
generally seeded grasses like sun, if weeds wont grow grass wont either.
A light less than one inch layer of peat would be adequate to germinate seed, you are not growing potatoes . if it is hard pan clay build a deck or choose another groundcover. asiatic jasimine would be my first choice if you are warm enough IG Houston Austin sod would be a great option St. Augustine Might be your bet.

First off if you're planting grass seed in July you haven't done enough reading on the subject. I think the conservative answer for roto-tilling six inches deep you would have to be outside the drip line. I doubt that's what you want, though, because you trimmed the tree so you could grow grass below it.

If this were me I would wait until fall. Pay someone to core aerate the lawn. Topdress it with compost if you can and seed then. I think core aeration will be easier on the roots and better for the soil health anyway.

If you really want to do this right get a soil sample now to see if you would need any amendments before you plant seed. Probably 10~20 bucks at your county extension office.

As a person with a wooded back yard and lawn co-existing it's not an easy task. Plan on keeping the tree pruned pretty high and a light reseeding every fall.

July and August is a great time to sow seed it gives the plant time to establish a root system before winter, Taking advantage of the warm soil and long sun through the fall. It does require irrigation with a religious zeal. But if you wait to late it will not build the reserves it needs for the winter.

Again there are a lot of ground covers much better suited to provide green in the shade.

 

[ROOTSXROCKS]

Yes, definetly love my shade tree, thats why I'm here. Don't want to kill it. I'm tired of the kids and dog tracking in all the dirt from the back yard, wanted some grass back there. It's a little more pleasing to the eye, and I get mini-dust storms when the wind blows.

Grass wont grow in Dust either

Thats a little presumptuous. I do appreciate my tree, I live in Texas, cool shade is a commodity. I'm not a tree hugger, although I agree that we should protect them...to a point, and I do understand all that trees provide for us. IE: oxygen, shade, housing for critters.....
I am a little ignorant on the subject of caring for them, and that's why I'm here.

Again, when I moved in there was grass all over the back yard, as the tree grew , My growing kids and dogs trampled it and I waited till it was 2 foot tall to mow it back to a 1/2 inch with dull mower blades while it was stressed in wilt because I never thought i should water it till the ground was so dry it was hydrophobic and the grass died, I was more interested in the shade than the grass. When the branches threatened to beat up my roof, and I grew tired of all the dirt from the back yard being drug all over the house. I decided to trim the offending branches, and hope that the grass would come back on its own.

Don't care about weeds, I have a lawn mower. Not super concerned with fertilizing all that much. Thats why I wanted to do the grass right the first time. It means less fertilizing and less water.

Yes, definetly love my shade tree, thats why I'm here. Don't want to kill it. I'm tired of the kids and dog tracking in all the dirt from the back yard, wanted some grass back there. It's a little more pleasing to the eye, and I get mini-dust storms when the wind blows.

Kids+Dogs + shade + nasty soil and no irrigation system

NO NO NO you will never have grass with that combo Give up now get a better rug at the door , install astro turf Sod will be like what they install for a game at a football field and be gone at the end of the season .

spend your money on installing some drainage lines and build up a deck or nole to redirect storm water and mulch the whole thing to reduce the dirt. leave the tree roots alone.

 

[ROOTSXROCKS]

Yes, definetly love my shade tree, thats why I'm here. Don't want to kill it. I'm tired of the kids and dog tracking in all the dirt from the back yard, wanted some grass back there. It's a little more pleasing to the eye, and I get mini-dust storms when the wind blows.

Just following up on this homeowner question.


The OP signed up on 6-28-2012

Last visit was on 6-29-2012.


Not sure what conclusion to draw but obviously the OP in a lot of these type threads aren't all that interested in tree care.

I did realize this after I made the first post and then read the bull#### but figured why waste a good answer someone else might find via google, also the OP may have looked back at the thread without signing in .

 

[etiopi]

Fake Grass

Why don't you use fake grass for your garden? You just need money to install in at the first time, you can enjoy the beautiful and green garden in a long time. Fake grass can last up to 30 years. Do you believe that?