Jeff Terlisner

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Reviving My Neglected Yard

Documenting the ups and downs of transforming our new-to-us yard that’s seen years of neglect

Spring 2025 (weeds eradicated fall 2024)

I’ve had many people ask what I’ve been doing for yard care (our last lawn was amazing).  I moved into a new home last year and decided to start documenting what I’ve done.  We’ll learn together what does or doesn’t work.  The new home lacks in-ground irrigation.  The backyard lacks a spigot.  I don’t plan to supplement rainfall with spigot water given the less than ideal setup.  The front lawn is approx. 1,300 sqft and the back is approx. 3,700 sqft.  The total lawn size is approx. 5,000 sqft – nice and small!  I’ve given myself a $300.00/yr budget.

2024 – The goal was to kill off all the weeds as the lawn looked like a salad bar with approx. 25% of the lawn being weeds in front and up to 60% in back.  I was very successful but was left with a ton of dirt spots once the weeds were gone.  I accomplished this by hitting the yard with 3-in-1 weed killer once a week over multiple weeks; while not “on label,” it was required to knock them out as they were all well and truly established in this new-to-us yard.  I also had some Wild Violet and Crabgrass that required 2 or 3 treatments of Quinclorac.

2025 – My goal is to get rid of the dirt spots by overseeding along with an aggressive fertilizer program.  The limited irrigation and kids playing in the yard may prove too much to accomplish this goal… Time will tell.

Hardware List & Application Rates (5,000 sq Ft)

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Grass Seed & Fertilizer

Herbicide

Insecticide

Non-Selective Herbicide

Watering (Overseed Only)

 Dethatching/Scarifying

2025 Plan

My plan and execution for 2025 - I'll get a soil sample next year... maybe! 😉

Early Spring (Easter)

  • 4/11 – Dethatched lawn which produced 4 cubic yards of waste.  This went into compost bins.
  • 4/13 – Overseeded at a setting of 5 with 1/2 a bag (12.5 lbs).  This resulted in 2.5lbs/1,000 sq ft
  • 4/16 to 4/30 – Watered new seed in front yard for 10m per area morning/evening as needed to keep soil moist.
  • 4/13 Fertilized at a setting of 5 with 1/2 bag (21 lbs).  This resulted in 1.22lbs/1,000 sq ft
  • 5/3 – The usual dandelions and crabgrass were beginning to grow along with Creeping Charlie and Wild Violet so I blanket sprayed some 2,4-d with Quinclorac, Triclopyr, and MSO.  I added some DEF since I was spraying liquids.
  • 5/4 – Watered the front yard sections for a total of 2.5 hours.
  • 5/6 – Mowed 3.5″ before vacation
  • 5/12 – Watered the front yard sections for a total of 3.5 hours.
  • 5/13 – Mowed 4.5″.  I noticed gnats and mosquitoes in the yard.  Blanket sprayed Bifen to “treat” those as well as some DEF since I was spraying liquids.
  • 5/16 – Mowed lawn at 4″

Late Spring (Memorial Day)

Observations from “Early Spring” work… Spring seeding was a waste of time and money.  Dethatching the lawn for the first time in an unknown number of years – if ever – was a great idea and really helped clear out all the dead stuff.  Mid spring weed spraying was extremely successful.  I’ve mowed 3 1/2″, 4″, and 4 1/2″.  I’m finding 3 1/2″ to be preferred based on thickness, looks, and how long it takes to look untidy again.

  • 5/19 – Fertilized at a setting of 5 with 1/2 bag of fertilizer.  This put down 21 lbs of fertilizer at 1.22 lbs/k.  I threw down a few days early due to the incoming 1″+ rain we were forecaste
  • 5/22 – Mowed lawn at 3 1/2″
  • 5/25 – Sprayed rock and mulch gardens with vegetation killer
  • 5/29 – Mowed at 3 1/2″.  Broadcast sprayed for weeds the second time this season before the hot weather finally hits us.

Early Fall (Labor Day)

  • Water yard twice daily
  • Overseed at a setting of 5 with 1/2 bag of seed.  This will put down 12.5 lbs of seed at 2.5 lbs/k
  • Fertilize at a setting of 5 with 1/2 bag of fertilizer.  This will put down 21 lbs of fertilizer at 1.22 lbs/k

Late Fall (Halloween)

  • Fertilize at a setting of 5 with 1/2 bag of fertilizer.  This will put down 21 lbs of fertilizer at 1.22 lbs/k

Throughout the growing season

Weekly

  • Mow weekly at 3 1/2″ to 4 1/2″ height of cut while grass is actively growing

Monthly

  • Weed whip around trees, deck, fence, between cracks, etc
  • Edge driveway, sidewalk, and flower/garden beds while grass is actively growing

As needed

  • Bug control – Prevent critters from getting into the house as well as managing mosquitos, ticks, and gnats in the yard by blanket spraying yard and 3′ up foundation and walls.
  • Weed control – Use 3-in-1 herbicide with surfactant as needed to take care of yard weeds.  Include Quinclorac and/or Triclopyr for the weeds not controlled by 3-in-1.
  • Fungus/Disease – TBD

Closing thoughts

The water flow rate through the front spigot is lacking and the back yard doesn’t even have one.  We may reach out to a plumber to see about getting the front spigots flow rate resolved along with getting a spigot out into the back yard. I believe the reason for the low flow rate is our house is plumbed with 1/2 pipe; I’d like to see plumbing from the water meter to our spigots increased to 5/8″ or even 3/4″.

I would like to get a few soil samples to see how this new-to-us yard is doing as far as nutrients and what it may be lacking.  I had recently created a compost pile (read about it here) which I will try to incorporate with my next overseeding if it’s ready in time.  I will apply the compost over the seeds to give it a better seed to soil contact and to provide the yard with additional nutrients that aren’t provided by fertilizer alone.

I do have plans to level the yard in the future but as of right now, I’ll just be happy to have all the dirt spots filled with grass.  Maybe I’ll be happy enough once that occurs so I won’t have the urge to level.  We will see!