# First time landscaping.



## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Hello everyone! I'm in New Brunswick Canada and have a fairly large landscaping project on the go for a guy who has zero experience.

Built my first house last year . The piece of land was part of an old farmers field. They stopped farming the land in 1975 and it grew up into pretty dense forest, but a nice variety of trees. 
Of the 1.7 acre lot I cleared about 1 acre, left alot of forest around the house to establish privacy from future neighbours. 
Last summer I seeded the front lawn, I had good quality fill in the front and hand raked it and seeded it. It's doing okay for only being seeded 11months ago, but growing a bit inconsistent with darker green spots. I'm also hopeing it will thicken up this summer.


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Our septic field is in the back yard, it was graded today and will be getting topsoil tomorrow.


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

However, I have a big side yard that I am going to try and rake through and seed.
I wish I had the money to topsoil the whole thing.

But with enough hours and blisters I Should be able to do something with it. Before the dozer leaves its going to re grade my side yard to get rid of weeds, then I'll be busy for a few weeks rakeing one section at a time and seeding away.


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Im going to focus this summer on the lawn, but I can't wait to plant some apple trees and build a garden in the side yard after! 
My kids are pretty excited to get the backyard established so I can bring their swing set and stuff here and set it up! 
I'll post a few pictures once there is some progress if anyone cares to see them! 

Here is a picture of some young maples along the side of the garage.


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## Ed_GT5000 (Sep 30, 2003)

Looks like you are going to be busy! If you want fruit trees, the sooner you get them in the ground, the sooner they will produce. Have fun!


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## JoeKP (Feb 23, 2012)

Very nice. Wish I still had that kind of land!


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## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

That should be snap to mowe..nice job.


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Had some good luck today!! The excavation company that was doing my topsoil is considering buying a power rake, they had one to try out today and offered to do my side yard for free! 
This eliminated alot of hours of rakeing for me! The power rake on a skid steer did a great job with the clay. 
Then I used my dethather to rake the entire yard, seeded it, then used the deathatcher in the opposite direction to help cover some seed. 
I am back to work for 5 days starting tomorrow, and with some major rain coming I wanted to get it seeded. The clay in the side yard might not be workable after the rain. 
On my next rotation off I will be doing some more work around the edges and seeding some more. 
Can't wait to see some green!!!

Funny thing is, I baught the lawn tractor used last week with a detacher and a few things. I figured I would never end up using the dethatcher attachment! Such is life..


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Well Onthegrass, a couple of more of those 5 day work stints, and you'll be able to come home and play golf in your back yard! Looks great!


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Thanks! 
Supposed to be getting 30 to 40mm of rain tomorrow, hopeing it doesn't wash the seed away. But I think I have the majority of it raked in decently.

I'll post another picture once i see some green starting


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

The back hard has grassed in well, I'm expecting it will fill in nicely in the next 3 weeks.

The side yard, that had zero topsoil applied to the hard clay is slowly starting to sprout a bit. I am going to leave it for now, fertilize everything in another 2 or 3 weeks then overseed and apply peat moss to some of the bare spots.

Eventually I will have a lawn... What would you all recommend for my side yard, aerate it? Like? Fertilizer? 
I'm new to this lawn building process. 

Thanks!!


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Backyard, enjoying the rainy weather!


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Those dark, and light green patches could be from dry soil, or drainage issues. Some areas could be drying out faster than others. Have you tried a soil test to check the ph?


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

I was haveing the issues with the dark green spots mostly in the front yard. But in truth most of it was just pale green/yellow and growing slow. 
I had some 15-0-6 fertilizer kicking around and spread it on the front lawn. Hopeing it was just a nitrogen deficiency. In one week the grass sure has greened up!
I'm going to fertilize the rest of the lawn with a 10-10-10 soon.
I just had the 15-0-6 here so I used it. Here is the before and after pic of the front "even impressed my wife" hahaha


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

And one week after fertilizer!
But parts of the lawn deffinently have harder soil then other sections. I have not had the ph tested either. 
If all goes well I will have most of the side yard green by August, and I'll go on a big overseeding/patch repair mission in the fall. 
Sure is a big job starting a lawn of this size from scratch. I guess if I hired people it would be easy.. But I enjoy the labour and testing my patience  also a great learning experience


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Thats a big improvement I bet where the yard was finish graded might have compacted the soil as well. You might try areating it in the fall but right now running an aerator over it might kill it unless you plan to water alot.


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

That's kind of what I was thinking to, aerate the whole thing the first of September.
Probably reseed and fix a few places then too. Can't wait until its greened up enough so i can atleast mowe the whole thing!


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

The last 3 weeks have been very wet! And I did some fertilizing and watering for a couple weeks prior to the wet weather.
The side yard has grown more in the last 2weeks then it grew in the first 2.5 months.
I've read alot of discouraging information about planting grass on clay, but maybe the trick is to just have patience!


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

All the new grass I seeded is alot lighter green then the lawn I seeded last summer.
"Same seed to" I am thinking it might because its not mature yet, but I don't really know.
This pic shows the color difference


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Getting yourself a great looking property there! Not sure about the grass colour, but you are probably right about the maturity. Most of my place is clay as well, so I scratched in a bit of top soil and threw down some pasture grass. It came up great. It seems that the clover is taking over my place, but at least it's green and it takes care of itself with just a wee trim now and again.

It must be great to see all that nice green space.... and I bet it keeps the dust and dirt down as well.


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## Onthegrass (Jun 1, 2013)

Thanks! It is nice to see the lawn actually starting to look like a lawn!
Seems to take about 55mins to mow, and 20 mins of whipper snipping.

It's almost hard to picture it before when it was a forest. And I even seem to enjoy mowing this lawn more then my old house. I think it has something to do with the fact that I developed the lawn myself pretty much. But that factor might wear off after I mow it 100 times ! Hahaha 

I am not sure what I am going to do with the side yard, I would like to plant a dozen apple trees and a row of maples. But that many trees is a pretty hefty bill, I'll figure out something and plant in spring at this point.

I post a few more pictures just before snow arrives, should be filled in nicely by then!

Curtis


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I picked up 6 fruit trees when the went on sale for half price. Two apple, two pare and two plum. The garden shop in my neighbourhood closes in mid July so we grabbed what we could afford. The trees are doing fine. Keep your eyes open next summer and maybe you can catch a sale as well. It'll look good and you can eat the benefits!


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