Question
Hi Charlotte. I live in zone 8 and I'm in the process of yard renovation. The yard was old and had several varieties of perinial and fescue grasses and a large area of violets. It gets partial shade and full sun and has a low spot where the violets flurish. It's uneven and has several small holes. The grass was sprayed two weeks ago and is dead along with the violets. I have two medium trees in the yard. What should I use to get rid of the dead grass and level the yard before I plant new seed? I'm worried about tilling around the trees because of roots. Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi michael;
Sorry it has taken me so long to answer you.
I wrenched my back, and have been too woozy on pain killers to have enought clear mind to think.
what did you kill the grass with?
That could very much affect what is going on with your soil.
If it was a broadleaf killer, that does not harm grass, then it may be ok, but if you used Roundup, you may not be able to grow grass there for awhile.Roundup kills everything, and stays in the soil for quite awhile.
Have you read my answers on organic gardening?
I don't use fertilizers, or weed killers, and I have rich soil and thick lush grass and no weeds.
I like the wild violets, but they are a weed, so they will no longer grow in my lawn.
First, I would put down sugar all over to hopefully restore the beneficial microbes in your soil.I just broadcast it by hand, It doesn't matter if you get a little more in one spot. To much will not burn the grass like too much fertilizer will. Use 1 pound sugar per 250 to 300 sq.ft.
Water it in well, and maybe that will also wash out some of the grass killer you used.
If there is still grass killer in your soil, grass you plant will not grow, and even if you sod grass in, It oprobably won't grow until all the grass killer is washed out of the soil.
As for tilling around the trees. If you till in the fall, when the trees are dormant, and don't get too close to the trunk, you will only till the feeder roots. Trimming them in the fall,should make them multiply. Till no deeper than 3 or 4 inches there, and the trees should be fine.
The rest of the yard, I would just till up, and lever it off.
If your soil is clay or too sandy, that would be the best time to incorporate some materials to loosen ot tighten it up.
If it is too much clay, till in cark mulch and peat moss, and humus, or buy landscaper's mix and mix that with one part existing soil, and 2 parts bark mulch. that will loosen up the hardest clay.
If it is too sandy, bring in some good loam and till in with the existing soil.
Really, you should have just tilled it up, and tilled all that grass in with the soil. It would compost over the winter and feed the spring grass.
Since there is probably grass killer in that grass, I would rake it all out, so as not to contaminate the soil further.
You could set your mower on the lowest setting,mow the grass as low as you can, and just till up the top 3 inches of soil, and rake out all the grass roots.
when yopu put in your new grass, throw down 1 pound of sugar per 250 sq.ft. of lawn. that will bring back beneficial microbes.
I am sure the grass killer did away with any beneficial insects and earthworms that were there.
It would be a good idea to dump some earthworms on the lawn, and let themm start working the soil.
By spring you should have nioce soil for the grass to grow in. Put sugar down again  in the spring, and in the fall.
That is all I put on our lawn.
My husband cuts the grass and leaves the clippings. He edges the lawn. I water it, and put down the sugar each spring and fall. That is our lawn maintenance program.
Other than pruning shrubs and trees, and tending to shrubs and my roses and his veggie garden, that is all the lawn work we do,
The earthworms and beneficial microbes keep the soil rich. The lizards, toads and grass snakes keep all the bad bugs eaten, so we don't use pesticides or insecticides.
I use cedar bark mulch around the foundation of the house to keep away the termites.
We had termite damage when we bought this house 39 years ago. We had to have Orkin out to get rud of them. ever since i have put cedar bark mulch arund the foundation, and we have not seen a termite. Others in the neighborhood who don't use cedar bark mulch, have to have termite people in .
All the bark mulch we till into flower beds etc is cedar bark mulch. Cedar repels a ton of insects, including fleas and ticks, and termites.
I throw down cedar bark mulch all over the yard in the spring and again in the summer. We have gour dogs, and everyone in the neighborhood has dogs. I don't want fleas and ticks in my yard. Cedar bark mulch is fine enough to sift down into the grass, and not look messy. It is finely shredded enopugh so it doesn't damage the lawn mower, and it composts and feeds the soil.
Organics is more about what you don't do than what you do.
It costs a lot less in both money and time.
The weeds will come back in the spring,but fewer than came up last year. but after a few mowings you will not see them. about the third year, none will even come up.
Weeds like poor soil, and will not thrive in rich soil. So keep the beneficial microbes healthy, and they will work around the clock the whole year round, enriching your soil.
I see some very fat lizards running along the fence every once in a while, but I never see aphid damage on my roses.
I use baking powder for fungicide. Fungicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers,weed killers, all that stuff you put on the lawn kills the beneficial microbes and insects that will make your lawn much fuller and lush.
I wish I had known about the benefits of organucs 50 years earlier.
Please write anytime you feel I can help.
Charlotte