Growing grass

[notfarnow]

Have a 3 day weekend coming up, and I'm going to do some landscaping. I want to make our driveway narrower, and have the grass about 10" higher than the driveway. I'll "edge" the lawn/driveway with rocks.

My plan is to build up the outline of the driveway with 5-6" of clean fill, then 4" of topsoil. I'll mix some good compost in teh top couple of inches.

Questions:
1) I have a HUGE pile of half decomposed woodchips. Can I use that for the 5-6" fill?

2) I have 3 years worth of fully decomposed leaves (we have ~30 maple trees). The stuff is black as night. My neighbor says I can use that as topsoil. Is leaf compost good as topsoil? I don't mind buying the stuff, but would be just as glad to use what I have if it would work.

[oldE]

Jake,

I don't see a big problem with the wood chips in the fill as long as they are dispersed.
When using leaf litter, make sure it is well mixed with the soil (top 2 - 3 inches, like you said) that will provide a better environment for your grass seed.

Les

[Mr_Wizard]

Wow I read the thread title as something completely different.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Mr_Wizard
Wow I read the thread title as something completely different.

Me too, but I was waiting for someone else to say it first.

http://www.world-mysteries.com/marijuana1.htm



I've heard that grass grows like weed in some parts.

[notfarnow]

Not enough property for that!

Les, thanks for the tips. The wood chips are a year old and pretty much decomposed, so I was thinking I'd be safe if I compacted them.

What are the consequences of using too much compost in the topsoil?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I've heard L.E. can actually identify outdoor pot growth from the air with some sort of spectral analysis photography now so the "hide it in plain sight" thing won't work.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by Porsche-O-Phile
I've heard L.E. can actually identify outdoor pot growth from the air with some sort of spectral analysis photography now so the "hide it in plain sight" thing won't work.

My best friend does digital thermography imaging for the refinery. He was testing out some new equipment, and noticed a couple "hot" houses. They ended up being busted within a few weeks.

Pretty need cameras too, we used one to identify drafty and uninsulated spots in my house. Found out the "flap" on my bathroom fan was bad and letting TONS of heat out.

Oh shnap, I'm hijacking my own thread!

[azasadny]

I'd also put some Milorganite or Ringer's Lawn Restore into the soil before planting grass seed or sod. I have gotten great results using ringer's with sod. I put down 310 yards of sod 2 summers ago and it went well and took root right away.

[dean]

Originally posted by notfarnow
[B

2) I have 3 years worth of fully decomposed leaves (we have ~30 maple trees). The stuff is black as night. My neighbor says I can use that as topsoil. Is leaf compost good as topsoil? I don't mind buying the stuff, but would be just as glad to use what I have if it would work. [/B]

I know nothing about growing grass. But we live in an old house with an lawn that I couldn't kill if I poured gasoline on it. And we have about 10" of the blackest topsoil that I have ever seen. So I would go with the black stuff.

Dean

[oldE]

Jake,

Too much organic matter makes good bug habitat. I don't think you want that.

Les

[Moneyguy1]

Ask your local experts about the leaves. If any of them are from apple trees, they will prevent grass from growing. (Roger Cook, Ask this Old House)

[austin552]

Originally posted by kach22i
Me too, but I was waiting for someone else to say it first.

+1
I was getting ready to break out the old book of growing tricks...

[notfarnow]

Turns out I can get 3 yards of nice topsoil delivered for ~$75, so I'm going to skip the wood chips as fill and just use topsoil for the whole thing. I'm worried the wood chips will settle and leave me with a lumpy lawn.

Now I need to figure out which seed to use

[alf]

Grass sucks. Spend time and money growing it, time and money cutting it down, time and money getting rid of it.

Asphalt the darn thing or fill it in with clover Sorry, I was of no help.

[sketchers356]

I was going to mention the wood chips settling but sounds like you know that.

[The Gaijin]

How about lime?

[notfarnow]

Alf, the ground is so wonky I wouldn't even be able to pave my driveway. Lots of clay, so it really holds onto moisture and gets lots of frost heave. My neighbor's had an aweful time with his paved driveway.

As for lime, I'm going to aerate, lime, compost & seed the patchy spots on my lawn this weekend too. Fun stuff, I'm getting excited.

[The Gaijin]

Any decent lawn or garden down here contains good old Canadian grade A #1 peat moss. Mix a few big bags of that into the clay to loosten things up a bit...

[notfarnow]

The fun begins!

Just had three yards of topsoil dropped off.


Looks like I won't have enough to build it up 10" where I want, so I'll have to use some fill where I outline the driveway with rocks.

It's supposed to rain all weekend, but I'd just as soon not waste a beautiful weekend on this anyway.

[The Gaijin]

I figured it was still snowing up there. Global warming, I guess.