Best lawn gardening books according to redditors

Some years ago a friend loaned me The Scythe Book, which I read with some fascination. It's more a practical work than a historical one. Be that as it may, the author says that mowing the lawn is more or less the ultimate test of scything technique; if you can manage to mow a lawn, you're clearly doing scything right.

I've tried. I'm not that good.

I'm going to take a stab at this.

First off, you need to determine what shape your grass is in exactly (it also helps to determine what kind of grass it is). If your grass is yellow but still alive (i.e. poor watering), that's different than if your grass is actually dead.

Assuming your grass is alive, it's important for you to start watering to give the grass some life (no pun intended). Water infrequently (2x/week?) and deeply. This encourages the grass to grow deep roots and will give it strength to ride out droughts/pests/weeds/etc.

You can certainly go about fertilizing. The Scotts website is a halfway decent starting place. University turf management program web pages are also good and sometimes have region-specific calculators to help you determine the optimal times to apply what needs to be applied.

The next thing I'd do is go rent a core aerator. Few things help out a lawn more than this. It will help break up the soil and will encourage grass growth.

As you mow, be sure to use the highest setting. Try to avoid cutting more than 1/3 of the grass at anytime. If your grass is actively growing, you may need to cut more than once a week. Don't bag the clippings - just use a mulching blade.

You can overseed in the fall, but I'd honestly recommend waiting a year to see what you've already accomplished. You don't need to overseed a healthy lawn - and overseeding an unhealthy lawn won't get you anywhere.

Finally, the weeds: There's a "weed patch," and then there's just having a "couple weeds." You'll need chemicals to treat a weed patch - so something like a "weed 'n feed" this May will work for you. Follow the directions closely to ensure that you're applying the right amount, and pay attention to any special instructions i.e. apply to wet grass. Some combo fertilizer/weed killers work better when watered in.

If you have just a few weeds (i.e. next year, after you've put work in this year), it's up to you how diligent you want to be when it comes to killing them. My grass is so thick and strong that very few weeds can survive - and I'm surrounded on 5 sides by my neighborhood's dandelion nurseries. If a weed is really bothering me I'll go out and cut it out (be sure to get the roots), but that's pretty rare.

So, lots to read here but hopefully it's helpful. I'd add this - Scotts Lawns: Your guide to a beautiful lawn was a life saver for me. They don't publish new ones but lawn "technology" hasn't changed in a while. This book will help you immensely and is relatively cheap.

Good luck!

What you have on your hands, and it is not impossible to correct, really requires more information that anyone here could possibly type. You will need to have some patience, be willing to put in a little effort, spend some money on broadleaf weed controls/pre-emergents/post emergents and fertilizer.

Sounds like you have the right attitude regarding time. It's going to be a rehabilitation project and will take several seasons to correct.

The mossy area is probably due to insufficient turf coverage, which is due to neglect, shade, or poor soil. If it is shade, you may not ever get sufficient turf coverage to prevent moss. If it is from neglect, you have a chance at recovery.

As far as weeds, I see many types. Lespedeza, wild strawberry, dandelion/daisy, clover, plantain. Most broadleaf weed control will knock these back, but seeing the invasiveness of the weeds...there will be seeds left behind that will germinate in future seasons. This is where pre-emergents work.

If it were me, and others may disagree, I would put out some broadleaf weed control now. Give your lawn two weeks of rest, apply a pre-emergent. The broadleaf weed control is going to make your lawn look sparse, but that's the first line of attack.

As the winter months begin to wind down and soil temps begin to approach 50 to 55 degrees (generally, this is when air temps reach mid 60 to 70), you can put your ambitions to work with a dethatch (if buildup of dead plant matter is high), aerate, then seed. I am assuming you will be using a cool season grass like fescue based on your stated zone of 7a.

Apply a starter fertilizer for the new seed, water daily, 2x or 3x if possible. Don't drown, but keep moist.

You should invest in a good lawn care text for reference. It will come in handy over time. I recommend Southern Lawns, it covers all types of grass and provides a calendar for concise timing on what, where, when and why of lawn maintenance.

I know this post was a bit meandering...apologies for that. Just take it one step at a time and be patient. It will take one or two years to get where you want to be.

BTW - really like all of the hardwoods on your property. It has tremendous potential, and in the areas where the grass will not grow, straw beds/natural areas would look great.

http://www.amazon.com/American-Green-Obsessive-Quest-Perfect/dp/0393060845

Definitely re-seed it. Use a lawn seed that’s meant for shade. The ground looks drier there, is there a tree to the right? If so ensure you water that patch extra when you water your other plants? (Once the lawn see is established) Also, stab it with a garden fork and lift ever so slightly, all over, to de-compact the area. You can do that about twice a year =)

EDIT: this book is awesome: The Lawn Expert https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0903505487/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XLcIAb6EY7B4W

Another book on this topic from 2007 is called Lawn People, and it is a political ecology of the lawn. Interesting stuff! The book argues that grass species have a remarkable amount of influence over American decision making, and that this has been true since the second World War.

The book doesn't focus on older lawns as much, and it's very much about America. While others here are citing Tudor/Elizabethan roots, there's just no way that trimmed lawns enjoyed anything like their contemporary ubiquity prior to the proliferation of post-war Suburbia.

Thanks for the follow up. I had seen the Scott's book referenced before ,but i had not come across this one. Have you ever read the Scott's Southern Lawn book?

i picked up Perfect Tennessee Lawn (Creating and Maintaining the Perfect Lawn) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1930604696/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_zhM3Db78KNQ3Q the author has one for each state...maybe you could read and write cliff notes version/plan for him

check it out for free June 14- Lawn Care Dymystified on Amazon's Kindle Books - https://www.amazon.com/Lawn-Care-Demystified-Effective-Techniques-ebook/dp/B01GP0M0IS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465314463&sr=8-1&keywords=lawn+care+demystified

Thank you,

Andrew Keith