Question
We recently built a house in Iowa, ever since I've been pulling chunks of concrete left behind and in some locations I find sand, rocks and concrete wash out.  The overall soil is clay and hard as a rock.  If I dig down 3 inches it's dry.  I noticed the other day after a good rain we had no worms on our driveway, so I decided to go find some worms and begin incorporating into my lawn once I figure out the best approach to revive my soil and when to incorporate.

What I'd like is direction on is how to begin getting my soil turned around for growing grass, bushes etc.?  We did have sod layed when moved in so I'd to know options on existing sod versus having to start over.

Some of the things I do...
1.  Aerate, spring and fall
2.  Mow, leave clippings
3.  Yes, Scotts program
4.  Spot treat weeds

Any direction would be appreciated.

Thanks

Answer
Your Sod must be growing on something besides concrete rubble and sand, no?

Usually, I jump on the words Soil Test for this kind of problem.  But yours is so bad, I think that's premature.

Note by the way that if you are going to use chemical Fertilizers, you are going to scare away the Earthworms by the dozens.  If they don't head for the hills, they'll die.  So stop using that stuff.  It's salt by definition and it's not good for your Grass anyway.  If you use it on your Sod, you are not providing anything helpful, either.  Here's what I think you should do:

1.  The Sod is down -- and you have no Earthworms underground to work down there.  What you need is Compost Tea and Humic Acids.  These will innoculate, in the root zone and lower, a new population of microbes that will build up the biomass and make your 'soil' fertile.  Manure Tea would also be helpful; just take it easy so you don't burn the Grass.  Need the details?  Followup and let me know - I don't want to delay my answer any longer than I have to for your answer right now.

2.  Remove as much rubble and debris as humanly possible on the areas that are still barren.  Then sow yourself a nice big juicy cover crop to start off the season.  This will get the ball rolling AND it will take up space that Weeds would LOVE to claim as their own.

3.  How's your Birds population?  Was this a Silent Spring?  Plant a Tree.  Buy a Birdbath.  Put up Bird Feeders.  Forget the seed for now -- they are mainly carniverous in Summer (high protein food needed for baby bird raising) and you don't want seed spraying around and landing on the yard, then growing.  If you have a cat, keep it indoors.

4.  Local horselovers are always looking for ways to get rid of their Manure.  Do them a favor -- and get as much as you can over to your plot.  If you mix it in LIGHTLY, even un-aged, it will be diluted enough not to kill anything while amending the Soil beautifully.  Better however to build yourself a compost pile (downwind so it does not stink up your house) with this stuff and let it age a year before you use it.  Other manures are also terrific.  Aging the compost kills weed seeds at the same time.  That's important.

5.  Top dress the undeveloped uncultivated land with Humus, Peat Moss and bagged Compost.  As the microbes population grows, Earthworms will move in, and there will be a boom in energy levels on that spot.  You don't have to mix them in too much.  Remember, all that mixing disturbs the Soil and wreaks havoc on the Soil structure.  Mix JUST A LITTLE.  This is NOT A CAKE.

6.  NEXT YEAR, after a Summer of Cover Cropping and Bird Befriending and Compost/Manure Tea Watering, get your Soil tested and see what's not there.

Congratulations for leaving the Clippings -- you won't have any Nitrogen shortage with a habit like that.

Mow religiously.  Water carefully.  Watch it grow.

Any questions?

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER