Question
Hi L.I.G.,
You helped me with my front yard and it is beautiful. ( I am in Jersey by the way)I am now working on the backyard. I ripped up alot of concrete and stone in the backyard in May. I brought in new topsoil and have been taking along time to grade. Meanwhile, I put down some dutch white clover seed to at least give me something green until my fall seeding. I also put down winter rye a few days ago, but has not come up yet. I am loosing my patience though and want my back yard to look like my front,actually better. I just ordered some alfalfa, and more clover seed because I still have way to much bare dirt that is quickly becoming weed infested. I know this takes time but I want my soil to be perfect before I plant my grass seed. Tempted to sod but don't want to spend the money(plus I feel like its cheating,lol)Need your help on this one. I am absolutely confused and am all over the place on what I should be doing.
Michael from Jersey

Answer
Sounds like you are doing a great job in your Garden State plot.  Have you not used the word SOIL TEST for a reason?  This is a very important bit of information.  Without it, you are driving a car without a gas gauge.  Baking a cake without a thermometer.  Playing Russian Roulette with a loaded pistol.  You have to know what your Soil is made of, or you won't know what it needs, and what it's got.

The Rye will come up in a few days.  In a few weeks you will have a nice big juicy Lawn.  It seems like forever, I know.  A watched pot never boils, Grass never grows while you're checking on it.  Given the heat waves, you were absolutely right not to plant Cool Season Grass right now.  It would never make it thru the Summer.

Remember too the use for your Backyard.  Are you going to be BBQing on that Lawn?  Playing Frisbee or catch?  Duck duck goose?   You'll need a high traffic Grass.  Don't plant it with Bluegrass or Bentgrass if you are going to be jumping all over it.  Get a good, solid Tall Fescue.  It's easy to maintain Fescue and it looks good, and you can pound the life out of it and it will last and last.

Pick up a few accessories if you haven't already.  Birdfeeders aren't necessary, but you will be doing the Birds a bigger favor anyway if you plant a native berry-producing plant or two in their honor.  And stick a birdbath in view from the breakfast table.  Birds are Lawn's Best Friend.

If you did a lot of Soil turning back there, be prepared for a few more Grubs than you're used to.  All the more reason to make feathered friends.  Bring back the Birds to get those Grubs under control.

Let's go back to the Soil test.  You've got one of the premier Soil Testing facilities in the nation.  In the world!  Check it out:

njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab

This is going to be a very helpful exercise.  You'll learn a lot from that Soil test.  And if you notice Grubs while you're taking your samples, don't panic.  Grubs are a normal part of Soil transitioning from heavy tilling to Lawn.  Get the Birds over and they will do all the heavy lifting on this, for free.  All you have to do is keep them happy.  The way to a Bird's heart is thru its stomach, remember that.

When you get your Soil Test back, please let me know what they say.  And we'll take it from there, if needed.  You may need nothing!  Wouldn't that be nice?

L.I.G.