Chem Lawn aeration deal!

[KirbysLawn]

Well, today while spreading 1 load of top soil over a clay lawn and aeravating and overseeding I had to access the lawn of a neighbor to get the dump truck in. After removing the truck and bobcat I started clean-up and top seeding the lawn.

The neighbor came outside and I told her that I had repaired the area where we worked, she was ok with that. We got to talking about her lawn, 100 percent weeds of all kind, and Chem Lawn had agreed to spray to kill (2 weeks ago and everything looks green), aerate, overseed, and lightly straw some areas.

The lawn is 10,800 sf rock hard clay with no organic matter at all, it will be aerated next week. Guess what the charge for everything was.......$270.00. She said they said no soil test was needed, fescue grows in clay just fine, they failed to tell her how long it would grow! They als guarentee the lawn to grow or come back and fix it, this will be good.

The smaller lawn I was working on next door was $585.00 topped with top soil and seeded at 8 pounds per 1000 Lesco Tri-Gold. I took photos, maybe we can compair results in a few weeks.

CHEAPER IS NEVER BETTER!!!

[Lawn-Scapes]

Is thier price really too cheap at $25 per 1000? Also you said you brought in 2 loads of topsoil...

BTW, I bid a 6000 sf lawn for aeration, seed and fert. for $250 and he called back yesterday and said go ahead... How'd I do?

[KirbysLawn]

Whoops one load of top soil. As for $25 per 1000, no that is my regular rate if a lawn has 60% > establashed grass. This lawn is 100% dirt and clay, no grass at all. There are going to be erosion problems down one side, no multch mat is planned and I bet they will not put down more than 50 pounds seed over the entire lawn.

She asked me what would I charge to aerate, I said I wouldn't. I told her we could bring in topsoil to get organic matter into the lawn, I would aeravate, fertilize, and mulch mat down the side for $810 completed. She looked a little shocked, oh well you get what you pay for. Again, they are side by side so we will see.

[awm]

old red clay will make grass but you cant leave it impacted an u got to feed all the time. better off your way .later

[lawrence stone]

You will find that topdressing with compost will give better results.

The more little pieces of wood chips the better. Compost has more volume that topsoil and is mostly organic matter.
By putting heavy topsoil down you are just adding to the compaction.

As the compost breaks down you will have more microbial action
and is much easier to spread (in my world) with a Jrco electric spreader.

I would sell the top dressing on a yearly basis in October close to the first frost/freeze for you will germinate weeds from the compost. A pre-m application in the spring is a must.

Clay+Compost=Topsoil

[racerdave]

Originally posted by lawrence stone
You will find that topdressing with compost will give better results.

Lawrence, I've been using a new method.

Aeration, then compost topdressing blown on with 8 lbs per k. Lesco transition fescue. This is working better than expected.


David

[LJ lawn]

got an aeration/seeding job today from a cust who uses either chemlawn or lawn doc. easy 8-10k sq ft lawn.apparently these guys were only charging $150 to do it!today i saw lawn doc with their "power seeder" machine-anyone know who makes this machine? looked like a ryan but you can't tell since it was lettered up with their logos.seemed interesting because it had swiveling front wheels.