Please, somebody advise or re-direct me to a more appropriate source. > >
> snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.net (Rudy) wrote
>> Hello! I recently purchased a home....
>> It had become over run with weeds from knee to shoulder height. I
>> have gone through and chopped down all the weeds by hand with a "Sling
>> blade". What remains now is thick ankle high weeds and lots of
>> small-medium rocks typical of unscreened loam.
>>
>> I want to plant some type of grass this fall, if at all possible? I
>> am figuring I have to get rid of all the weeds and crab grass, then
>> rake them out as well as rake out the rocks... then I can plant grass >> sees, right?
>>
>> Please advise regarding the best course of action to accomplish my
>> goal. I imagine it will be quite labor intensive, but such is life.
More appropriate than what?
"Chopping down" weeds will keep you on the good side of municipal Weed Police, but most weeds regenerate quite happily from roots, seeds, and just plain cussedness. You will have to either pull or 'solarize' (bake) a weed patch (organic solutions), or spray with herbicide. If you have a lot of rocks, you will need to clear out the rocks. Labor-intensive, as you say. I'm not a lawn expert, but I'm guessing that seeding without clearing weeds is likely to be disappointing.
Fall is, in much of the US, the best time to establish a lawn. Spring-seeding in many places tends to put new grass in hot-weather stress shortly thereafter. YMMV. Consult your local extension service, etc., etc.