Question
Hi I have recently moved to a new house and the lawn in the backyard is terrible.  It is over run with weeds and clover like grass.  Can you tell me how to start over or suggest where I can find instructions.  I would like a nice soft lawn my kids can play on barefoot. Currently it hurts your feet to be out there with no shoes.  I live in Northern Ca and the weather is currently cool and sunny.  We may have some showers left before spring do I have to wait.  Thank You in advance for your help.  Sarah H

Answer
Hi Sarah'
I would try to replace all the grass.
If your soil is loose enough, I would seed or sod in a type of grass you want. I like St. Augustine, but Burmuda is also nice.
Any grass that spreads by runners, like St.Augustine and Burmuda will thicken up if you just start a good program of watering and care.
Right now, put down sugar.
My yard was full of clover, crabgrass, dandelions and a bunch of other weeds.
I spent scads on weed killers, until I found out cats are attracted to weeds killers, and will even seek out the containers they are in and eat or drink them.
They are deadly to animals,and to children that may put the blades in their mouth, as well as to the beneficial microbes that enrigh your lawn.
Then I spent many, mant hours for years, on my hands and knees pulling the weeds by hand. Ruined a perfectly good back.
Weeds won't thrive in rich soil, so make rich soil and before you know it ( 1 to 3 years) weeds will not even bother to come up.
Put down sugar now, at the rate of 1 pound per 350 sq,ft of lawn.
In 2 or 3 weeks, you should se fewer weeds.
When this happened to me, the first time I used sugar, I ran out and reapplied sugar in a couple of weeks.
I am not sure if that second application was necessary, but it sure didn't hurt it.
Water in the sugar well.
Put NO fertilizer, unless you put an application of sugar immediately after, and water them both in together.
I would say my lawn was 70 % weefds, and after putting down those 2 applications of sugar, watering them in well, and just mowing, and watering to a depth of at least 6 inches, and rewatering when they top 2 inches of soil are dry, by the end of summer, I had no weeds, and a thinck drak green lawn.
The next spring about half as many weeds came up as the year before.
I didn't use fertilizer that year. That was about 8 years ago, and I haven't used any fertilizer since.
All I do is put down sugar in the spring and fall, ( or whenever I get around to it), water it in well. mow and edge, and hat is my complete lawn care program.
If you soil has too much clay and is too tight for water to soak through, you may have to till in some materials to loosen it.
Mow the grass when you will cut off no more than 1/3 of the growth.
Letting the grass grow too tall and then mowing, makes it reedy, and stiff to walk on.
In the spring, when the weather os cool, let to grass grow to about 4 inches and set your mower blades to about 2 inches.
Mowing shorter and more often will encoupage the roots to spread and send out more runners to thicken up the lawn.
When the weather gets into the middle or upper 80s, set the baldes higher.
By the time the gets into the 90s and above you want your maowe blades ste at the highest possible setting.
The taller grass blades then help the soil and the roots, from the heat, anc cut down on heat damage.
Watering to a depth of at least 6 inches, encourages a deep root system that helps protect from heat, drought, and cold damage.
Write any time you have a question you think I can help with, or want more clarification of the organic program.
Organics is more about what you DON'T do, rather than what you do.
Charlotte