Turf Renovation in About Three Minutes

[MrFantasticdad]

Yea, straw isn't needed. I spread the topsoil first, and then seed and then rake the seeds in and then seed again. This give you thick grass when it comes it. I would also suggest using a power rake prior to aerating to loosen up the soil.

[bu11com]

I've seen people replace wit grass seed and it looks better. Around the tree looks pretty bad.

[smurfman234]

is that a rotavator in the begining

[LifesEyesFilms]

@smurfman234 It's an aerator. It removes plugs of soil from the ground to aerate the soil and give the seed a place to go.

[smurfman234]

@LifesEyesFilms thanks couldnt workout if it was an aerator or a rotavator :p

[sharartimunda]

@LifesEyesFilms what is you get a tiller instead?

[MrPirateSir1]

how mutch did this cost you cuz i do lawn work for a neibor and she wants me to re seed her yard and ive tryed it onece before just re seeding and the weeks over ruled the grass so  i wana do it from square 1 like you did and that should work

[LifesEyesFilms]

@MrPirateSir1 I think the whole thing cost around $245.00. This figure does not include labor, and I own all of the equipment shown, so there was no expense for rentals. Good luck with your project!

[kamasutra8769]

2:25 FAIL



[132000Volts]

Will seed still germinate if more than an inch of top soil on? In some places I did not put it level. I didn't use straw on top

Great video btw

[Teleknesis]

Can I use this process on hard clay. We live in a newer development and my back yard wasn't sodded. The front is Tifway 419 Bermuda and I would love to do the rest of my lawn this way except a hybrid 419 seed or Princess. Can this concept apply as well?

[LifesEyesFilms]

@Teleknesis

If you can add enough top soil you should be fine. Clay typically does not contain or hold nutrients very well, so you would be best off to amend that as best as possible. Hopefully your clay is not too hard to till, you can always add sand and compost to help break it down. There are also a variety of liquid clay treatments that are supposed to break clay down, but I have never really had much luck with them.

I hope this is helpful, thank you for watching!

[raielee123]

How many cubic yards of Soil/Compost mixture did you use to top off the seeds?

[rakyhp]

congratulations nice job!!! i wish my backyard look like that!!

[The3Brett3]

I put 2 scarecrows to chase off the birds and domestics animals from my grass but the neighbors cat keeps digging and shitting in our new lawn the cock sucker. They're not giving it a chance and the water in the bottle trick failed too.

[riceyfool]

Great job on your lawn!

I'm doing the similar thing to my lawn. I ripped all the grass out, and loosing up the soil. I was going to use some seeding soil to help with my Bermuda seeds, but I not sure to cover the seeds with seeding soil or the other way around. Do you think I will need the hay to help germinate?

Our daily highs are in upper 60's to lower 80's, and think its gonna stay that way for the next month. Any advise? Thanks!

[LifesEyesFilms]

@riceyfool Probably your best bet would be to put the seed down first. Just make sure to water every day if you can. Don't use hay, using hay will grow hay grasses, very hard to get rid of. Use a basic bedding type straw. Same square bales, different material.

[ianh321]

Good work there mate. Just wondering why you use straw on top of your dressing?? It's not something I've came across in the UK before. I tend to use just seed and screened/steralised top soil.

[LifesEyesFilms]

@ianh321 Using the straw helps to reduce erosion from watering and rain. It also provides some protection for the developing plants.  In addition, it will help keep feeding birds from eating all of your new grass seeds! Good luck!

[TheSib]

That song really, REALLY sucked. Nice work on the video though.

[ShelterDogs]

@TheSib I liked the song. It's a real mellow song though, and not sure it matched the video. However, a lot of people get down about their lawns.. like me. It's never ending trying to fix the problem. Maybe we just need more and more top soil. It just goes bare in spots every year. So in a way the song matches the video if you look at it that way. =)

[jasonc0733]

Dude Dont Use STRAW. Most of ya Weeds come from STRAW. Just friendly advice

[jeezus22]

what was the borwn hay-like stuff you poured on the black soil before wating your lawn???

And why is it important? why didnt u stop the the soil stage?

[steve89z]

@jeezus22 holds moisture,just plain hay as mulch covering.

[bosyuk]

Wow you did a good job of that.

[dick110590]

I have a really big problem with our lawn i was wondering if you could help me out. When we bought the house the lawn was in a pretty bad condition. Lots of weeds and spots where the grass is thin or comepletely gone. I'm young and i don't know a lot about lawn care. I'm the only one in our family who can take care of the lawn but i don't know where to start. I wanted it to look like my neighbor's lol. I know they hate our lawn coz it's infested with weeds.

[LifesEyesFilms]

@dick110590 I would recommend planting grass seed as soon as possible, and following up with a "STARTER" fertilizer only. Thin, patchy spots in the lawn indicate unfavorable soil conditions. New grass won't grow there any better than the old grass did until you fix the soil. Bare spots indicate that even weeds won't grow there, so the soil must be very poor, or there are rocks just under the ground. Fertilizer helps, but eventually you may need to add rich topsoil.

[LifesEyesFilms]

@dick110590 Home improvement stores carry top soil in 40 pound bags. Get good grass growing first, then tackle the weeds later with regular chemical applications. Ask you local home improvement store or hardware store to recommend a proper chemical application program for your region. You're probably looking at about one application per every two months, for the eight month growing season, but the rewards are well worth it!

[LifesEyesFilms]

@dick110590 Remember to fully follow the directions listed on each bag of lawn treatments to the letter! And don't forget to water at least twice a week, including rain, for the absolute best results!

Best of luck, and thanks for watching!

[dick110590]

looks so easy when its fast forwarded.

[LifesEyesFilms]

@dick110590 I hadn't really thought about that, but I guess you're right. It really isn't that big of a deal, and much easier than dealing with a life time of weeds!

Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[thornockdaycare]

Was the machine in the beginning a tiller or a tiller and aerator or what? Was the area ever weedy. Does the hay keep weeds from growing up, and even keep crabgrass from growing up? Did you roll ever in the process?

[LifesEyesFilms]

@thornockdaycare The machine was an aerator only. The area was not allowed to get weedy. Straw, not hay, provides shelter for growing grass plants and prevents erosion and bird feeding. There isn't much that can help crabgrass from growing except proper chemical applications. The soil was "rolled" to compact it, well before filming ever started.

Thanks for watching, hope this was helpful!

[kennyflag]

what is that white bag before spread the seed? is is some kind fertilizer? Should we remove straw after grass grow?

[LifesEyesFilms]

The white bag is the substance seed. In this case, a fescue and bluegrass mixture. The smaller bags are "quick grow" annual grass seed that germinate quickly to provide shelter for the substance grass as it develops and to assist in erosion control. A light "starter" fertilizer can be added at any time in the process.

There should be no need to remove the straw, as it will only benefit the developing grass plants.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your project!

Thanks for watching!

[ilikealicia]

that was pretty cool.  i'm about to do the same to my parents' yard, looks about the same size. how long did the entire project take?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Less than a day and half. About ten hours total including picking up materials.

Thanks for watching, and good luck with your project!

[tuttoirlanda]

Amazing video. Thanks for sharing.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thanks for the great comment, and thanks for watching!

[screw00zoo]

great video if only more people cared to do it. alot of hardwork but worth it. i do erosion control for a living we spray a product called flexterra its a wood hydromulch with fertilizer and seed mixed with the all mighty water. we had part of a load left over one an we werent to far from my house so me an my boss sprayed the rest out in my lawn so i got lucky no hard work this time.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Wow! Hydro seeding is pretty cool. I've seen it done, but I have no experience with doing it. In my area, it seems fairly pricey, but very effective. You got lucky with your lawn! Take good care of it!

Thanks for checking out the video!

[micyficy]

Awesome video bro!

Hey, when the seed starts to germinate wouldn't the mower kinda squish the sprout to the ground? I mean like the wheels run over the grass or did you let the grass grow tall enough?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Yes! It's best to wait about a month or so to mow the "baby" grass. Besides, the new turf probably won't need it before then anyway. If you have a mixture of old and new grass, the old grass plants will actually protect the new guys from weight and traffic after about two weeks.

Thanks for checking out the video!

[VatreniNavijac177]

Congratulations on the lawn mate you did a good job and thanks for the tip's I like this video. By the way you remind me of my cousin always working in the yard! great guy.

Cheers

[LifesEyesFilms]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for checking it out!

[lawnboy1010]

You should he done top soil first the mixed it in with the aerator.

[LifesEyesFilms]

The aerator doesn't do much to "mix" soil. It really only makes three quarter inch holes in the ground. Putting the top soil down afterwords gives the seed a chance to fall into the holes and get covered by the soil.

I have heard hundreds of different ways to plant turf, this is just how I do it. Any way, green grass is green grass.

Thanks for watching!

[trent730]

How can you do that without a sprinkler system? Great job.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Ha! My sprinkler system is an above ground type with a garden hose and oscillator sprinkler! It's manual!

Thanks for watching!

[thetopturnbuckle]

Awesome bro!

Why wasn't there any grass?

[LifesEyesFilms]

We installed a three hundred square foot poured concrete patio that off-set the grade and drainage of the yard, so we brought in sixteen cubic yards of topsoil to help level things out. Thus resulting in the huge open bare spot at the start of the video. Great question!

Thanks for watching!

[jackfatee]

Good job on both the video and the grass

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you!

[mtriv111]

Nice job with the time lapse on the grass growing. Appreciate the video.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thanks for watching!

[84001]

Muy buen video, trataré de aplicar algo de paja cuando siembre nuevo pasto, saludos de México

[LifesEyesFilms]

Gracias!

[james92y]

What type of grass was this .. ? great video BTW

[LifesEyesFilms]

It is a blue grass, fescue, and rye mix. Mixing grass seed cuts down on the possibility of any ONE-THING from totally killing your yard. One type of grass may be susceptible to a specific pest or disease that could wipe out the whole lawn. This way you broaden your defense against drought, light tolerance, drainage, soil condition, and disease and pest resistance. I have found that this is the best way, and cheaper than sod.

Thanks for watching!

[Maserati7200]

what is that beige stuff you put on over the dirt?

[LifesEyesFilms]

That was straw. It helps hold the seed in place and keeps the birds from eating most of it. It also adds nutrients to the soil later.

Thanks for watching!

[scarletnite7]

What was the point of that? He just created more work for himself! Now he has to cut the grass!!!

Wouldn't it have been easier to just buy sod?

lol!!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Typically, sod is most expensive, and only comes in two or three varieties depending on where you live...

Thanks for checking it out though!

[scarletnite7]

oh lol i forgot about the cost...lol

[logos2600]

Wow great video, its obvious it took a lot of time and work, thanks and good job on the lawn

[LifesEyesFilms]

This was fun to do.

Thanks for the great comment, and thanks for taking the time to watch!

[joeglimmix]

nice!...the grass grew beautifully even though you never laid down any seed...that's what you call a green thumb y'all

[brakie1978]

Huh??

Were u watching the same video as me?? He puts down grass seed in the spreader ( 40 secs )

lol

But still an impressive lawn her got there.

[joeglimmix]

I was just playing around...his grass looks good...i did the same thing on my property a couple weeks back. overall mine turned out pretty good i think...a couple of patches will need more seed in the fall though

[brakie1978]

lol no probs : )

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you!

[snnnoopy]

Nice video, do you have any ideas for dethachthing?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Personally, it's not something that I do regularly. Actually, now that I think about it, I guess I've only ever done it once. Typically, if you are mowing at regular intervals and your lawn is getting plenty of water, there is little need to dethatch. Grass clippings are very high in nutrients and break down and help re-feed your lawn. I hope this was helpful.

Thank you for taking the time to watch!

[mongojerry72]

Cool Video

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thanks for watching!

[DOuRant]

cool vid

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you!

[GRASSROOTS504]

What was the time span for growth? And was that hay in the bale? Last question...What was the total cost and field size?

[123dool]

Very nice film, very enjoyable! But I wonder why you did not use a slit seeder? You can rent it anywhere and it has a higher rate of germination and it may have saved you some steps.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Core aerating allows air, compost, seed, and water get down lower than "verticutting". It also gives many of the seeds a chance to germinate lower, promoting deeper root growth in the future. I also own the aerator, so there are no rental fees involved. I've never met an over-seeding machine that I liked, so I stick with what I've got. I can only hope that the results speak for themselves...

Thanks for watching!

[bobowrapper]

Amazing job! Did you have to kill the existing grass and weeds first?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Absolutely! After installing a nearly level patio on a slight grade, the edge of the patio had a six inch drop off. Sixteen cubic yards of soil was brought in to grade the yard to match the new patio, and so the turf renovation was needed.

Thanks for watching!

[carlconn]

Really good, the straw idea is new to me. Thank you.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Glad to help!  Thanks for checking it out!

[GeneralJaySantos]

Next time use Vigoro RTF tall fesque grass seed, it spreads underground just like Zoysia does and you'll never have any bare spots again. JMO

[pinchandtwist]

Music was great!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you. He's a great artist. We have his C.D.'s for sale on our website, under the "merchandise" tab.

Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[peahead1880]

the hay holds the seed down, stops it being displaced by wind, rain, and being eaten by birds.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Yeah, what he said!

Thanks!

[gregtr82]

love the timelapse...what is the straw or hay for? and did you have to rake it up after a while?

[LifesEyesFilms]

The "straw" (in this case) is to help prevent erosion and bird pecking, while providing adequate shelter for the developing seeds to grow. Later as it breaks down, it introduces beneficial loam into the soil that will not need to be raked.

If you're planning a renovation (and the time is perfect) best of luck to you!

Thanks for watching!

[randxbowl]

Awesome Vid !!!! Good job

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you very much! We appreciate the encouragement!

[almostnormal22]

great vid thanks for sharing

[LifesEyesFilms]

Hey thanks for watching! And thanks for the kind words!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Hey thanks!

[cerote0420]

great song choice,

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thanks, glad you like it!

[stanger77]

Great vid!!!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Wow! Cool! Thanks for checking it out!

[907po]

that was a wonderful video....i am going to do my own lawn now!!!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Remember! The best time to do turf renovation is in the fall! Best of luck to you!

[mohsy4]

hey, great video. I plan on doing the same with my front lawn. I had a severe grub infestation that totally wiped out and killed half the grass on my front lawn, and this video i think was the key. Anyways, how much was your budget for the lawn work. I got some estimates done for our lawn and they said it would cost nearly $3,000 to repair to back to new. I think its a bit pricey and the way you did it seems easier and at a lower cost. So if you don't mind, how much did you spend?

[LifesEyesFilms]

I think I spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $250.00 to $300.00 US. But keep in mind that own the aerator and provided my own labor!

Good luck with your project!

[takadi]

THEY said it will cost 3000...the point is what YOU say it will cost =)

"If you want to do something right you gotta do it yourself"

[takadi]

Also, how do you do time lapse videos?

[LifesEyesFilms]

I used a Nikon CoolPix 8700. It has a time lapse feature built in to it.

[takadi]

Wow beautiful video.

How do you prevent pesky birds from eating all the grass seeds?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thanks!

The straw helps. I also recommend "pen coated" seed. Apparently, it tastes bad.

[istockh]

Dude, that was the best video about grass seeding. Simple and quick. It helps a lot.

Grats

[LifesEyesFilms]

Wow! Great. I'm glad you found it helpful!

[hersheygodiva]

Nice job!! 5 stars!! Just one question: How many acres of compost did you use for that area?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Three cubic yards. I put it down pretty thick, and I'm paying for it now. Mowing like a mad man, but the grass is nice!!!!

[CoachAsmono]

This is a great video. As an amateur lawn owner, I plan to do this exactly based on your video. As a lover of short films, I love how you put the video together. How long did it take to film all the footage? All the prep then the grass growing till when you cut it?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Keep in mind the best time to do this is in the fall, or early spring!

Believe it or not filming this was a total after thought. Once I had the materials for the job, I saw the opportunity to teach others how to do it.

Aerating, seeding, spreading compost and straw took about four hours, as did the initial filming. The time lapse shots, and overhead footage continued for two and half weeks, and finally I got to mow after three weeks.

Glad you liked the video, thanks for checking it out!

[CoachAsmono]

You're welcome. Is the Hay/Straw that you applied at the end, necessary? I dont have any access to hay, could you suggest a substitute?

[LifesEyesFilms]

The straw is not totally necessary, however is highly recommended. It helps battle erosion, and provides an excellent loam quality to the soil which benefits root development in the new grass plants. In some cases, pine straw or even commercially available webbing can be used to battle the errosion. If you decide to overlook the straw, I'm sure things will still work out just as well for you.

Thanks again for your interest!

[wordup1]

yea i like the clouds in the end too... lol Great job

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you!

[1powerpower]

Brilliant job. Thank You for this video. I plan on doing this myself soon. I already have a lawn but I need to apply more grass seed to it. Is March too early to do this or should I wait till April?

[LifesEyesFilms]

Truly the earlier the better, but not too early (isn't this fun?). You want to be sure to do this well before the weeds start growing, poking a bunch of holes in the ground gives weed seeds places to go too! But for best results you want to wait until you're sure that freezing weather has passed.

The absolute best time to do this is in the fall, after the weeds have stopped making seeds, and cold weather hasn't turned to frost yet. This gives the grass a chance to grow before winter hits.

[Loaf859]

You are an expert on.. everything, aren't you. Lol amazed, once again. And you even showed your expertly-crafted deck at the last few seconds. Nice!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Oh, hardly an expert! I just like to work on things, and love figuring out how to make things happen. The internet is the expert that I turn to for advise.

Thanks very much for all of your wonderful comments!

[octane1973]

dude I can't believe you got time laps video of grass growing .. u rock

[LifesEyesFilms]

Oh and it was fun!  Let me tell you...

[ConnHustla]

what is the material that you place over the seed? What was the exsisting area before you seeded, did you have to kill exsisting grass first? Looks good

[LifesEyesFilms]

Composted plant material, and then hay covered the seed once it was placed. The area shown had recently been graded to compensate for drainage, resulting in the need for renovation. Some grass was killed in the grading process.

Thanks for watching.

[TheExiledLeader]

kinda sucks that when you mowed you messed up the lawn around the tree... but yeah the straw thing, nothing beats natural fertilizer, be it plant or "other" ;)

[LifesEyesFilms]

Shhhhh, *quietly whispers* there are no ruts in that yard!!!

Nah, already been filled, patched, seeded, and mowed. All better.

Thank you!

[IanJamesMullins]

That was really well done, enjoyed it! What sort of video camera do you use? I am thinking of getting a Canon high def camcorder soon.

[LifesEyesFilms]

We used three different types of cameras. The primary video camera was a Sony Handycam. Those highdef cams are pretty darn cool! Takes up lot's of room in the ole hard drive though.

Thanks for the comment. And thanks for stopping by!

[suuzzee5]

Another great video and the music was wonderful. Very professionally done time lapse and editing.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Wow! Did you just use the words "professionally done" when commenting on one of our video?!?

Thank you for watching!

[Dengar12000]

I love these time lapse videos you do, it's a great idea hope to see more.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thank you! And yes, here are more in the works!

[mpoertner]

Damn that was kewl! I need to do my back yard. So you just leave the straw there the whole time - You don't rake it up? Cheers!

[LifesEyesFilms]

Yup, just leave it there. If you choose to remove it, I recommend letting the new grass get very well established before raking. Wouldn't want to pull all those baby grass plants out of their new home! Just be sure to use straw, and not hay. The straw can also add loam to the soil which can help with drainage, aeration, and nutrient absorbtion. Hay seems to have more weedy material that can come up with the seed. Good luck!

[trom2116]

I thought that was very well done, Good job... I especially liiked the way you showed the grass growing and then the clouds in motion were a beautiful site, The song was just as touching.. Thank you---Tanya

[LifesEyesFilms]

Yeah, I can't get enough of this guy's music. He never really made much of an effort to market his material.  I think of him as a true artist, one of those people who does what he does for his own gratification, and never really seeks approval from the outside world. I'm lucky to know him.

Thanks for the comment, and thanks for stopping by!

[Socksee]

Wow Awesome video! Great job on the vid and your lawn! (music is really nice too)

:-)

[LifesEyesFilms]

Hey thanks buddy! I'm glad you liked it. The music really is incredible. That song especially just haunts me.

Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!

[somedorc]

Thats pretty cool.

[LifesEyesFilms]

Hay thanks!

[CrazyRamadi]

nice job

it was very "different"

[LifesEyesFilms]

Thanks. I'm sure many people are expecting us to keep turning out funny stuff, and we will, but we're in it for variety.

It's all just practice for a much larger project one day anyway.

[CrazyRamadi]

hmmm...really?

Well ill keep tuned for this project. :)

[LifesEyesFilms]

Trust me buddy, it's going to take years and years to get to where I need to be. And it's totally unrelated to anything I've done so far. Kind of an on-going feature length/series, in the horror/science-fiction genre. All of the camera angles, lighting, dubbing, stop motion, overlays, editing, directing, writing, animation, all of it is basically practice for what I hope to some day be able to create. I have a looooong way to go!

[CrazyRamadi]

Well you have my undivided attention for the next 10 years or until I decide to join the Marines lol