Question
Thank you again....One last thing...I promise!  Could you tell us what is a good weed killer and weed preventer.  My husband has bought stuff with weed killer in it, but we still get a bunch of weeds.  I don't know if it is just not good "stuff", or if he is doing something wrong?  
also....what do we use to get rid of/prevent crab grass, and clovers.  
This should be the last I bother you!  Thanks so much, I really do appreciate it!
Cheri
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Followup To
Question -
Thank you so much for all of this information!  Fantastic!  We love to be outdoors doing any outside work, so we don't mind the big effort at all!  We just didn't know what we needed to do.  
As for the compost, what is that?  I'm not familiar with that.  Also, the fine fescues...will it say that on the ingredients of the seed bag?  And with 4 small children....is it safe for the lawn, for them to start playing on it, once it is 3" ?
Thank you again, so much.....
Cheri
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Followup To
Question -
I was simply wondering if you could give me some pointers on how to make our lawn look good.  We live in Kentwood MI 49508 (Outskirts of Grand Rapids MI).  Our neighbor has a wonderful lawn, green, no weeds, and full looking through out.  Our lawn looks great in the front, but the back is not so good.  We have bare spots in alot of places....partly due to the previous owners owning a large dog.  There are tons of weeds, and lots of places where the lawn just looks like a chunk of it is dying off. (these spots are mostly brown grass)  My husband has used fertilizer and weed killer combo's, over the last few years....but the back yard always looks like crap anyhow.  Can you tell me what is good stuff to use each year, to kill all the weeds, and how to repair the dead/bare spots?  Is it possible that we need to start from scratch, and maybe air-rate the whole yard?  (not sure how to spell air-rate....but I am talking of the process where you take out thin chunks in your whole yard...leaving holes)  It needs alot of improvement.  Our yard is shady, but so is the neighbors' and as I said, his looks great.  Also, we have tried to fill in the bare spots with new grass, and it just never seems to take very well.  Would sod, or chunks of already pre-grown grass do the trick?
Also.....the front yard, has started in the last few days, to look like there is scattered spots all over of lite and dark green.  Is this because of uneven fertilizing?  I want to tell my husband how to fix the lawn and give him ideas....or even do it myself....but I have no experience with lawn care.  Anything you could tell me would be of great help!
Sincerely~
Cheri
Answer -
Aerating would be very beneficial. So would any other method of loosening the top of the soil. The problem reestablishing the lawn is probably related to compact (hard) soil surfaces.

You should consider carefully the seeds you buy. Fine fescues (hard, chewing, creeping red) are excellent for shady lawn areas, but they can not withstand hard compact soil.

If you are up for the task, Rent a roto tiller and till the lawn to a dept of 6". If possible, mix in a layer of 2" compost. Spread it evently over the surface of the lawn and then roto till it into the top 6" of lawn. Finally water the lawn well to settle the soil. Rake smooth. You may have to water/rake/wait/water/rake/wait for a few times to make sure all air pockets are out and the ground is level.

Spread 10 lbs grass seeds per 1000 sq feet (fine fescues) and then spread a thin (1/4-1/2") of compost over the top. Use the back of a rake to press the seeds into the soil (good soil/seed contact is required).

You can try a landscaper or topsoil supplier if they sell compost in bulk. To cover 2" deep for 1000 sq feet, you need 7 cubic yards and then you have extra for topdressing with the 1/4" afterwards. If your lawn is 2500 sq feet, you need to multiply accordingly, e.g. 2.5 x 7 = 17.5 (cubic) yards.

Keep the seedbed slightly damp but not soaked, but never dry, until the grass seeds germinate (sprout) and grow a few inches. This can be done by watering daily for 10-15 minutes. In 14-20 days the seeds should have sprouted. Never allow the grass to dry out during this process.

Start to mow when the lawn is 3" tall and mow it back to 2.5". Keep it mowed at this weight.

Fertilizer in spring and fall, but not during hot summer months.

After the initial establishment, try to water infrequently, but deeply (such as once per week for 2 hours rather than 15 minutes daily). This is preferred to a mature lawn. Do this if no rain. Try not to let a newly planted lawn (1st year) go into draught dormancy (e.g. water weekly as needed).

You can also use sod for an "instant" lawn and you need to water frequently and shallowly (daily for 20 minuttes) until it has rooted in. Then gradaully change to an infrequent but deep watering pattern (once per week for 2 hours). Fertilize in spring and fall. never in summer. Mow frequently at 2.5" tall. Most sod is grown in sunny areas and reestablishment in shaded areas may not be easy. Therefore I usually recommend seeding although it takes more work.

The key here is going to be soil preparation. If you can roto till the soil, then you are going far. Otherwise core aerate but that will still mean a couple of years to get the lawn back to normal.

Core aerating annually after the 2nd growing season following establishment is also recommended.
Answer -
Compost is partially decomposed plant materials, such as fallen leaves, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, etc which are piled in large layers and allowed to decompose. The energy created will cause the pile to heat up and the result will be a black, crumbly, airy, stuff which looks like black potting soil but which goes under the name "Compost" or "Organic Matter". Sometimes it is also sold as "HUMUS" in bags at the garden center, but HUMUS is really a mis-labled term. Humus is the final stage of decomposition which compost would not be. Humus can take decades to develop. Compost is usually 1-2 years old.

Compost will help loosen soil particles to avoid compaction. It also retains mositure and due to fact that it will continue to decompose (all the way to humus) in the soil, small new air channels are created every day which really keep the soil loose, fresh, and wonderful for grass roots. You can compare it to the quality of a forest bottom.

Sometimes, compost is made from manure (from farms) which has been composted for a full season. Do not buy fresh manure, but composted cow manure is wonderful.

A good landscaper will be able to offer you a price for delivered compost. The compost is optional, and can be pricey, but well worth it when you consider the results.

The bags of grass seeds will usually say "shady lawn mixture" on the front, or "fine fescues". What to look out for on the back lable is names such as "Creeping Red Fescue", "Hard Fescue", "sheeps fescue", or "chewing fescue". Avoid "tall fescue" (a coarse, tall grass).

Typicall a lable will state something like:

Ingredients:
- Creeping red fescue (35%), "Pernille"
- Creeping red fescue (15%), "Borland"
- Hard feswcue (10%), "Flyer"
- Chewing Fescue (20%), "Minutte"
- Perennial ryegrass (5%), "Summer night"
- Kentucky Bluegrass (14%), "Midnight"
- Other grass seeds (0.9%), "NOS"
- Weed Seeds (0.1%)
- Noxious Weeds (0.0%)
Date: February 2005

Make sure the "FINE" fescues (hard, chewing, creeping red, blue fescue, and sheeps fescue) amount to 80-85% of the bag. Some perennial ryegrass (about 5-10%) is acceptable, and so is some Kentucky Bluegrass (5-15%). DO NOT buy a bag which has ANNUAL ryegrass in it. Also, make sure the weed seeds listing is as low as possible (will never be zero). Always buy grass seeds which has "NAMED" cultivars, such as Creeping Red Fescue, "Pernille", rather than Creeping Red Fescue "NOS", or "NOT Specified".

The date is very important, too. Make sure it is 6 month or less from the current date. If more than 6 months away, the seeds may not sprout uniformly.

Of course the kids can play on the lawn. I recommend letting kids on the areas which seems to fill in nicely after it has been mowed 2-3 times. There will always be areas which are somewhat thin or sparse, and if you can, try to keep the kids off these until the fall when you can overseed and thicken up the lawn again (at that time simply spread more grass seeds and water frequently so that the new grass help thicking and fill in the lawn).


Answer
Weeds can be divided into 3 main groups:

- grassy annual weeds (foxtail, crabgrass)
- perennial grassy weeds and other hard to kill weeds
- perennial broadleaf weeds (dandelions, thistle, clover,etc)

The first group should be eradicated by using a pre-emergent herbicide BEFORE the seeds germinate. In early april, put down fertilizer w/crabgrass preventer. apply to a dry lawn and water in well.

The 2nd group is very difficult to eradicate, because anything you do will also kill grass. Hand weeding is most feasable. you can also kill with products like Round-Up (grass AND weed killers) and then reseed.

The last group you can fight with so-called WEED-AND-FEED combination products. e.g. fertilizer w/broadleaf weed control. Apply to a WET lawn after the weeds grow actively. best control is early september or late may. Apply to a WET lawn so the granulles stick to the weeds (and grass). Do not apply if rain is expected within 48 hours. After a few days (read lable) water in well.

You need to indentify the weeds before applying: broadleaf perennial weeds (clovers, etc) are best handled in fall. Crabgrass must be handled in very early spring or you risk the crabgrass seeds germinate (sprout) when soil temperatures warm up. You can not seed grass and fight crabgrass (as the product would prevent grass seeds from sprouting, too) but you can apply it to a mature lawn. Therefore, don't worry about crabgrass now but get your seeding done. Crabgrass is an annual plant which will die with first frost. You can fight it next year.
Broadleaf weed control can be done in early fall.