New Home - Hay/Seeded - Looks Like Poo! Help!

[CraigH]

Hi all,

Great site!

Ok...so I'm a new homeowner (ya ya, the bank owns my arse...anyway) and the builder sodded the front of my property, but not the back. They did some kind of hay and seed thing that is taking in some spots but most of it is just awful (see attached picture)

I've called a few lawncare specialists (the big guys, Scott, Chemlawn, ect) and no one will do any kind of seeding until the fall. So my questions are:

1. Can I grow grass in the spring? What kind should I be using in Raleigh, NC?
2. What do I do with the hay that's laying all over my backyard? Clean it up or mow it into oblivion?
3. Is sod ridiculously expensive to have installed?

Thanks in advance for any help you may have...

-Craig :waving:

[B&B Lndscpng & Lwn Srvc]

Craig,
Don't feel bad all the contractors here do it the same way, even the ones i do there lawns for them. The front sodded and the back seeded seems to be a pretty standard deal. You can just mow over the hay straw. By the time it gets warm enough to start mowing most of it should be gone. Check with your local co op or farm supply and they can tell you what to seed and best time for your area.

[CraigH]

So the hay will decompose or something? Thanks for the reply :)

[B&B Lndscpng & Lwn Srvc]

So the hay will decompose or something? Thanks for the reply :)

Correct. Most of it should be decomposed by then unless they put it on real heavy. If they put it on heavy that may be why the grass is not coming up.

[Cutters Lawn Care]

Do you know how many square feet your backyard is? What kind of grass did the builder use to sod the front with? From the picture your backyard doesn't look very big, if that's the case I would just start over and sod the back also.

[Charles]

For your area, you would need bermuda, St augustine or centipede. You can plant those in the middle of May on. Just plan on plenty of watering to get it established(due to the common drought in your are during that time of year). These are warm season grasses
Bermuda Sod
Centipede (centiseed)
St augustine come in Sod but I think it is more expensive but its not as hard to cut as bermuda
I like the easy maintenance of Centipede myself.
You could plant Fescue in the fall. Just plan on the heat in your area killing it sometimes and you have to replant. Plan on lots more watering too even after it is established

[Charles]

I forgot about Zoysia. A hearty warm season grass
The part people don't like is that these grass types turn brown in the winter.

[CraigH]

thanks for all the replies guys!!

My backyard is probably 30'x30'. Would that cost an arm and a leg for sodding?

I'll take some pics of the front yard grass so you guys can tell me what it is and I can look into the correct sod/seed for whatever I decide to do.

Thanks again!

[PiedmontContractors]

If it is only 30'x30', I would say do it yourself. You are only talking 2 pallets of sod. By yourself, you could do it in a day (very easily).

[CUTNTIME]

30X30 IS 900sf.two pallets=1000sf.Here in N.FLA.,sod
runs 120 to 150 per pallet depending on what type you
buy.You could easily lay two pallets in a day.Dont
forget starter fertilizer and plenty of water.

[muddstopper]

This was posted in Feburary, the coldest part of winter and noboby picked up on that fact. Amazing. I wonder how his lawn will look when the ground gets warm enough for the seed to germinate and actually start growing.

[CraigH]

well oddly its started to take root in many places but has not in others.

I'm hopeful the warm rays of spring will deliver a greenie on me :)