4:55 he gets to his process, spray with a soil conditioner, coring, garden auger drill twelve inches down, mow and get the grass blades into the holes, spread compost or good quality dirt to replace the clay. Do this at least three times a year.
@hermanhale9258 Not sure what you're talking about, but clay is actually great for lawns/beds. Clay has massive surface area that allows for it to retain nutrients literally better than anything else. The problem isnt too much clay, it's clay without any organic matter intertwined into it. Afterall the 'Great Plains of America' are just straight clay (with the biomass)
The science experiment you have going on, showing the real time difference in the soil color from the ants, is a highly underrated portion of this video
I should admit that you are one of the few gardening/composting/permaculture... channels that don't annoy me. Your narrative is really on the button and sincere. Thank you for your enthusiasm and the valuable experience on the topic. It seems that my 1 hectar land, which I will be living for the rest of my life, is full clay soil in a desert climate in san miguel de allende/MX and I am searching ways to change the nature to more fertile while lowering carbon footprint to give back to earth and after watching you I do have hope about doing it.
After fighting with clay soil and bad lawn care companies where I live, it was nice to see someone like you who actually gives great advice. Keep up the great work.
The clay is so bad in my garden in the uk you can make bricks and pots with it. You could use it to line a pond. Its so sticky it sticks to a shovel, makes digging bloody inpossible. In the summer it bakes as hard as concrete
Check ou the channel of Chales Dowding. Mulching ! and adding biomass, maybe some drainange, and creating some aeration - or instance with a broad fork. But I guess drilling holes could help and speed up the process. Even tilling once when you work in good compost and inocculate with compost tea and fungi (from rotting wood). The job of core drilling is taken up by moles - they also work in winter, I do not think they hibernate - but you must feed them respectively feed their food: Which is earth worms (who also work the soil for you, big time). They need some areas with air (like mulch covered compost) where they and the earthworms, other critters and microogranisms can live and invade the other areas. And then do their magic. It puzzled me initially that soil would soften, and get pores, if you only cover it, keep it moist, and feed it from above with compost (no till strategy). But it is not the _human_ that works the soil. The earth worms will at some point have eaten all the soil that was aerated enough so they can handle it, and that had some biomass (compost, roots) in it They - the bacteria in their "gut" - add something when they process and then excrate the soil. Some magic substance that makes sandy soil holding together better, and able to absorb and hold moisture. In heavy loam / clay the same magical substance adds structure and air containing pores to the dense soil, also the ability to hold water w/o compacting. The air which the soil improvement squad needs.
I once had to dig under my swimming pool and found it easier to form mud balls and throw them. Couldn't get that wet, sticky crap off my shovel. I used a jackhammer when it was dry to loosen it. Good God !
You need to make more content. This is awesome. I’ve been dealing with all the bs from clay soil for a year and I’m going to test all this next weekend. The tip about the drill and Tupperware. Genius sir.
@@thrivingyard Okay, I garden or I used to (bad health) BUT I REPLACED my clay soil in one of my beds by 'digging out' the clay over several years until I had removed at least 1 to 2 ft of it and replaced it with MIRACLE GROW garden soil. After a couple of years and as it got a little expensive, I stopped digging out the clay but continued to throw a bag or two into that garden spot. Recently, I stopped doing that as well and quite frankly I don't need to, the area has become a better garden spot then when I first moved in. But isn't that MAINLY just the ORIGINAL 1 to 2 ft where I dug the Clay soil out? Have you dug one or two other holes to see if you have 'consistency' throughout your lawn? Or just made that hole 'bigger' to see if it's just in one spot? Not trying to be a 'pain' but I'm not surprised that you have good soil in your lawn now based on what you said you did to it. But how deep does it go, is it just in the holes you created? I think it's a 'fair question'.
@@Ms.Byrd68 I did the same a couple of years ago - dug out an area and filled it with wood and plant waste. Probably used potting mix in plant holes and on top. Did fine for cherry tomatoes, but I understand tomatoes can handle wood chip/potting soil better than most. Waiting for the yard to dry up this year to see what quality soil remains.
Hello Sir and Everyone. Thank you for posting this great video displaying the beautiful results of correcting a lawn that sits on hard clay. I have been aerating, removing the clay cores, top dressing working the compost soil down into the cores, overseeding, applying a starter fertilizer and lightly watering after this specific order and I must say this process certainly does work. I had super heavy sticky clay underneath the lawn. The new home construction has severely compacted the clay soil around here but I have finally seen results since starting this process about 4 years ago of doing the above specific process to the lawn here in the west GTA (Toronto). I first began to see results just after the two year mark. It is very rewarding to see results of the lawn. The ground is no longer hard to the touch and quite easy to insert a screwdriver into the lawn. I aerate in the spring and fall given the amount of heavy clay here. Prior to aerating the water would simply sit/pool on the lawn itself not being able to penetrate into the soil/roots. As soon as I noticed that, I decided to take action. My lawn is also now much more drought resistant remaking green throughout the summer watering once or twice a week if no rain and barely have weed growth. When it rains, the water no longer pools and makes it way down into the lawn. Keep in mind also, trees root system in the lawn also benefit of core aeration. Education is certainly key pertaining to ones lawn keeping it beautiful. I have yet to try the deep core aeration step and the liquid aeration treatment however I just know it will only further improve the soil underneath the lawn. Having said this, the above process I have mentioned has certainly improved my lawn greatly.
the 2 year marks seems to be the time the soil organisms and earth worms can turn soil around, some for (organic) gardeners (although in raised beds to improve drainage).
I get your excitement. My garden is on clay soil and I do sooooo much amendment and I am constantly adding compost! I get so excited when the clay soil turn from bright orange to dark brown and I see earth worms! Thank you for the video you are correct sir. I do a similar process and the clay really change. I use the fertilizer from my bokashi system and it work really well! It takes time and patience!
Suffered with a waterlogged clay lawn for the past year, just put a few drains in looking forward to trying these methods and eventually seeing results
Great, great advice here! I did a very similar plan with my front yard last year, and it has totally changed the yard. I wish I'd seen your video because I'd definitely have included the deep core integration! That's a great idea. The way I've explained core aeration + top dressing backfill is that those vertical columns become like expansion joints when the clay expands and contracts with the summer rains. As that clay expands and contracts (and now has somewhere to go), it breaks itself apart, which then fosters (!nd is furthered enhanced by) plants rooting action. It is these two things that truly fix the lawn That said, that speaks to your point about the need for a multiple passes because those vertical columns break up pretty quickly especially early on in the process. Great stuff, man. Great lawn, too. Subscribed!
There is a business opportunity in bad soil. One of my neighbors built a beautiful home, but I was disappointed with how his lawn was handled. His landscaper simply put sod over his red clay. With a lot of work, mostly chemicals, his lawn looks fine. But I couldn't help but wonder how much easier his lawn upkeep would be if that red clay had processed and a layer of good topsoil put down. People in landscaping might consider also doing soil conditioning, particularly for new homes, turning bad soil into good. Their clients would love them.
@@thrivingyard In my neighborhood [around 1,500 houses, iirc] they literally stripped off all of the top soil, sold it, and then built the houses on top of the remaining clay. You could get top-soil put down when you bought your house before the sod was laid - but they wanted $$$$$$ for it and most people didn't go for it. I'm planning on auguring out 2~3" wide 10~15" deep holes and filling them with a high quality top soil. I'm planting 10 trees tomorrow and will be filling around them with good topsoil and drilling several holes all around them and filling them with dirt. I figure I'm going to work outwards from the trees in circles. I don't expect to do the whole property tomorrow [3/4 acre, quite a bit to drill by hand] but I'm going to try to get it done before fall ;).
@@MikeDQB good for you my friend. Pace yourself and just work the yard a little at a time. You get a compounding effect doing this over time year after year so think of it more as a process than a one stop solution. Go get em!
Keep up the good fight my man.I started battling a slew (quantity and variety) of weeds in late 2019 and think I'm finally seeing results.Next step is battling the thick, soggy, always wet (from rain in south Louisiana) clay soil.Seems like an impossible task, but gotta start somewhere.Best of luck!
No way ! I just ordered a tulip planter with this idea in mind. I turned a portion of my grass with a pitch fork because the grass wont grow and it's hard as rock.. I discovered that the grass sits on its mulch layer and never composts because that clay creates a super hard barrier. Those worms go elsewhere to live. So yesterday I used a garden fork to pry it open and added a bit of sand. I ordered a tulip auger cause I thought geeze I need to remove really big plugs and add organic matter. Never thought of grass clippings and compost but of course you want that ! Thank you so much !
Paul i watched your vids about core integration, & want to thank you as i been doing this and it works great i took it a step above currently using a 24” deep by 4” spiral and drilling down and then adding organic matter this is the best way to amend your clay soil thanks pal.👍
Use a spike aerator every time you mow for two seasons and seed the barren spots. You'll have a lush yard *even* in red clay. I know, because followed that process at my old house on a clay mound.
Problem is, I don’t have two years! I import my compost and pay dearly for it. I’ve gone to individual raised beds framed in so I can control how much compost I use and for adequate drainage. Bordered raised beds seem to help with disease, bad insect migration and erosion. Wood frames also allow for inexpensive cold frame covers and use as needed. Red clay here as well and amend with bio grow, lime pellets, peat, manure and mushroom compost. I use 10-10-10 for my open crops like corn. I monitor my Ph by sending off samples to Virginia Tech for my Ph analysis. I’m trying to maintain 6-6.5
Thanks for this!! I live in South Texas and it is horrible for grass. I'm going to cheat a little and till my how yard only 1200sqft add organic compost, sand, and top soil. Then follow this step like I would for a weed and feed program. Appreciate you sharing!!
I totally understand your excitement. I really enjoyed this man. Makes me feel less crazy. But I odly have been doing this without a auger bit part in my new house here I just moved into. But I had a good time relating to you my guy. Bout to watch all your videos lol
You should be doing infomercials for lawn improvement. I'm only at 4:30 into it, and I'm going to make some popcorn to munch on while I watch the finale 👍
Great Advice, definitely considering the 5 step process mentioned in the video. I ve got some questions. Apologize if what I am curious about already has been answered. Q1: when core aerating do you remove the plugs or leave? Q2: deep core aeration, do you remove the clay soil prior to adding top dress. I am assuming the idea is to get a top quality soil into the areas removed form core an deep aeration. Any help answering would be appreciated. Great Concept - over time I feel in following this particular process will help soil composition. I do understand adding 3’ of a good soil and till. However if you already have money tied up in establishing a lawn this is a great alternative. Anyways Cheers,
I have Blackland Prairie clay as a soil type and I have a couple of questions: How far apart do you do the deep core integration holes? How far apart should I do the aeration holes if I'm using a manual core aerator? How thick do you lay the topdressing after aeration? If I want to overseed some microclover over my existing lawn, would it be best to do this after I complete the 5 steps? Thank you, your videos are very informative.
Sometimes it's just best to start over. Just add 3 inches of mushroom compost and silica sand mix right on top of the existing lawn and level it. Then seed
That still won't improve the soil underneath. You would have to til it in or, like he does, make 12 inch hollow columns and put stuff in the columns. I think tilling is easier and I guess the reason these guys don't do it is that they want to still have a lawn while the process is underway.
@ivymazzola1214 if you till your yard it will be very bumpy. Even if you make it fine, it will take a lot of extra work to get it level again. I do like the tilling idea but that's not what I'd do
We have clay soil and a water main broke in the front yard. What a terrible mess we now have. The water company came and stopped the leak, covered the hole with cement chunks and later put down trashy clay dirt with dirt clods and rocks in it. They sprinkled grass seed ( we aren't sure what kind ) and put straw over it. I uncovered the large area to find a terrible mix of spindly grass and thicker grass, but mostly dirt with clods and rocks. I know we are going to have to spend a lot of money to fix it properly. I am going to throw clover seeds on it and maybe that will grow and improve the soil. The rabbits will love it !!!
I planted 150 bulbs in the main front lawn this year. It has heavy brown clay soil. I added lots of amendments as I went, part leftover potting soil, part handfuls of leaves. I hope that helps. I do want to open other narrow holes nearby to fill with potting mix to cut down on the risk of flooding the bulbs.
Your wifes got a gem! Haha im annoyed by the clay soil in our backyard, but were renting so amending that soil is not worth the work haha. Saving this vid for future use thank you!
This looks amazing! Thanks for the tips! We’re putting in landscaping ourselves soon, and I’m trying to gather all the tips for clay soil that I can. What a great, informative video!
Im hoping this helps my lawn. right now my grass is so fragile from the compacted soil that any sunny or shaded area does terrible. The sunny area gets dry and doesn't grow, and the shaded areas get patchy and overrun by moss
Thank you so much for the detailed steps and information. Very helpful. The only question I have is should/could I add sand to the compost to help balance the clay in my soil? If so, how much should I add?
The concept is correct. But it would take less time initially to just break up the ground with a tractor and chissle empliment. Then plant buck wheat. After that 50 days plant grass seed. Mix in a 30% white clover seed.
Love your videos sir and the philosophy behind it: long time process, grind, consistency...👍 Got a question : after the core aeration do you discard the bits of clay soil ? What do you do with them ? And for a good over seeding ( after the 5 steps of course) what would be a good tactic? Thanks a lot Patrick.
Hi Patrick. Yes, you want to discard the cores when dealing with heavy clay soil. As time goes on and the soil improves you will reach a point where the clay content is much lower and it can actually be left on the lawn but in the beginning, we want to get rid of those. When overseeding, you want to wait until after the last step of this process (the topdressing) and then spread your seed and LIGHTLY aggregate the seeds into the soil with a rake so that they are mixed in. Many people advocate for simply aerating and then overseeding but seeds grow best in about half to one-inch soil covering. Dropping them straight into 3-inch aeration holes will not give them the best opportunity to grow. Make sense?
@@pwaly I generally recommend waiting a few weeks before fertilizing but if you do you'll want to use a starter fertilizer. Don't apply any type of weed and feed or herbicide. I prefer to let the seeds begin to germinate before I start adding additional fertilizer because good quality topsoil is going to have some natural nutrients already. I don't like to overwhelm them with nutrients if that makes sense. Slow and steady beats fast and furious if you get my meaning.
New here. Last year a rotor tiller to try and level/regrow grass but seems to just be all dirt and hard dirt. I recently threw down clover and nothing seems to be growing. Do you suggest these same methods?
Great video. Nicely done and packed with practical info and steps. I have a question: "Are you familiar with John & Bob's organic soil amendments and, if so, what is your opinion?" I have been using them for about 18 months, seeing some results, but rather pricey.
I have clay soil that was hard growing grass. Moved into a subdivision about 3 years ago and found my soil's pH was about an 8. Have spent the last two years lowering it to about a 7.1, hoping to get better uptake of fertilizer at a lower pH. Soil tests have shown my macros and my micros improving over time. Hadn't aerated my lawn in a year and will do so this year. This is slow changes but I'm trying to drive grass growth through root depth and growth help break up the clay along with peat moss as a top dressing help ? Help please. Just ran across your channel.
Wow! What difference in your yard. I’m certain I’ve never seen a black ant hill before. That core aeration machine is too heavy for me to handle, is there any possible alternative?
There’s hand held core aerators that are pretty feasible cost wise, like $30-40. I got mine at Lowe’s and started with my worst areas of my lawn. Do it when the soil is damp but not wet, just after a small shower or maybe 2 days after a big rain and it’s super easy. Aerate one spot and then go to your next area and do it again. As long as the clay is not too wet the 2nd area will push the clay plugs from the 1st site out so you can just go site to site. Much easier. I made a bucket of hot soapy water for the last or for random hard areas (if you don’t clean after the days use it’s nearly impossible if it dries to get out). I hand aerated 1 time in 20% of my lawn and it made a big difference. If your lawn is just too big I believe Lowe’s or other big hardware stores have bigger equipment you can rent for a day but don’t forget the more weight and driving you’re doing in those hard clay areas, the more you are compacting it (ESPECIALLY after it rains) and making your own job harder. Good luck :)
I can’t locate your resources page. How do I find it? I have about 1/3+ acre lawn that is clay. Drives me crazy. I’ve done some core aeration (4” auger) as deep as I can go, maybe 12” and filled with mulch. It’s been about a year with no results that I can tell. I e also done some core aeration. Thoughts? Love your videos. Thank you!
How often can you drill holes? I mean, if you have a large yard, it would need some work if you want to do it at once, right? Can I do drilling of some spot one weekend, another spot another weekend and go in that way through all the season from early spring to late autumn?
Dirt Doctor/ Howard Garrett says Treat the soil with Dry molasses will take care of the fire ants, and feed the soil microbes. From his library. Treat the site. Apply beneficial nematodes. These are living organisms and must be used before the expiration date on the package. These are best for high viability areas. They will also control other insect pests, or apply dry molasses at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.
Thank you for nice and hopeful presentation. I have one question: Assuming you did this process 2-3 separate times; then do you know that the “clay nature” of that area has changed to sort of loamy soil for good? Or is it possible the clay soil in few years creeps back to take over that treated area?
Now that is an excellent question. Because you are literally changing the physical composition of the soil, you should see lasting results and continuous improvement in the quality of the soil as more organic matter is introduced, increasing the biological activity that is the cornerstone of healthy soil. The challenge that clay poses is that it inhibits aeration necessary for healthy organisms to thrive. As we introduce bulk through compost and other organic matter we increase aeration and allow these organisms to thrive.
After aerating, did you clean up the cores or just leave them? I need to start this process myself. Also have you ever experimented with sand over topsoil or even maybe a mixture?
Remove the cores from the lawn before spreading topsoil. I don’t recommend using sand. You want organic material with bulk to aid aeration. Compost, quality topsoil, etc. best of luck!
Is it not duplicitous to core area and then to go back over it with a deeper core aerating drill? I thought the idea was to have are go down the holes so the soil could get oxygen....
Hey, I just randomly found your videos and really like them. Sorry for the question perhaps I missed it or wasn't paying attention but what state are you located in? I am in EAST TN and have a new construction home, literally moved in March of this year. The grass they threw down was just to get CO basically and heavy spring rains going into this scorching summer has made my yard clay concrete. Hard to get a flat head into the ground. I enjoy the word and seeing the end product. I suppose I should start with your process. Though I am losing all my grass I know I should wait until fall to seed but isn't too early to start mending the soil is it?
Hi, sorry for not seeing this earlier - RUclips doesn't do a good job of notifying me when people post comments. I live in Southeast Texas. You'll want to moisten the ground before doing any core aeration or deep core integration. Use a liquid aeration product to help soften the soil before you work it.
@@thrivingyard Yeah we tried it after a 3 day rain bout and couldn't get the water filled pull behind aerator to get even 1/2 in in the ground. I am going to keep working on it. The weeds are starting try and take over but they are only really growing on the surface.
@@cainhammontree2879 Are you weighing down the pull-behind aerator? That's really important. A few cinder blocks or something heavy to help the spoons push into the ground. A liquid soil conditioner is also very helpful in softening the soil for the spoons.
@@pbro oh yeah it's a water filled drum and frame. And we stacked 3 cinders on top. The cylinder is ft in diameter by 4 ft long. Still nothing haha. This yard is a piece of work
I don’t but it would be very beneficial I believe since water can drain so much better into good soil. Clay holds water and makes any type of drainage difficult.
Clay makes septic tanks difficult because the water has no place to go. Whitby Island, north of Seattle, has a lot of clay. Those who install septic tanks often have to install their drain field in mounds of hauled-in dirt. Then evaporation will get rid of the water.
I’ve got a 9” auger bit. Is that deep enough to amend my clay soil, or should I get a longer one? Just getting started in this process to restore some areas of heavily impacted soil.
Mix them with wood mulch, grass clippings, leaves and turn those plugs just like you are doing in the lawn. Turn that pile occasionally and in two years or so you could be using that soil for that top dressing if done right.
Really good work. I have similar issue but its over my drip field for septic , so can't use the deep auger (unless im really careful to be sure to locate the hoses before drilling so I dont accidently rupture them!)
like many, I just stumbled across your vid here. Should I rake up those aeration cores before mulch mowing or should I just mow over the yard cores and all? I'm in southern MS close enough to the gulf for part of my yard to be sandy and the bulk of it to still be clay. That is going to be a real challenge for me.
I am currently working on my new yard....I have a 35hp tractor with a 5ft rotor tiller... my plan is to rotor till the ground....put 2 inches of sand. And 4 inches of compost over the area and rotor till again to mix the soil. Then seed with peat moss seed mix on top.....p.s. I have never done this before and I love in Central British Columbia, Canada. Any advice or objections on this plan of action?
I am in mid TN and a yard full of tan more alkaline clay. On my full sun side it cracks and water runs over it or just sits. On my shady side, moss grows and water sits lol. As far as your idea DP, an older gardener told me clay+sand=concrete. Be wary and just check while you’re doing so much work. Also peat moss I have also bought but am having second thoughts. For us with clay yards a huge problem is the water not draining properly and sooner or later this drowns many plants/flowers. Just doublecheck before you amend with an identical medium. I do know I have had a lot of success with adding compost at every opportunity and hand core aerating (smallish yard). I’m at year 2 and my whole yard is at least green now lol
@@emilyrobins6676 thank you for your response..... after I posted this....I saw what sand and clay results.....I ended up placing a few inches of compost and planted my grass seed.
Question? If my compacted clay lawn, has a 1/2 in layer of thatch, should I de-thatch it first BEFORE doing Step 1 - the Liquid aeration? Also, if the lawn has bare patches, do you seed after Step 5, which is putting back that top-soil? Thanks so much. You are giving me hope and excitement that I can finally fix my lawn MYSELF. I
I would definitely do a core aeration first in my opinion. Does water currently pool after rainfall and can you easily push down into the lawn a screwdriver? To be honest I have not used nor experienced the liquid aeration.
June Marie I would say time for the 5 steps this video mentions. Especially core aeration and topdress with organic/soil to be done after aeration. Do this twice a year spring/fall and in about 3yrs or so you notice a vast improvement. Consistency and patience and you will achieve great results from your lawn.
@@ericbraga338 Yes, I am going to do the 5 step process, as presented. Yes, the key is patience and consistency, hopefully by the fall of 2021 it will be in better condition or on its way to recovery. Thanks for your time.
I subscribed im really trying to get grass to grow in our horrible clay dirt here i know I have alot to do as we have really high ph and alkali levels and we havent had grass in years only weeds
Infusing organic matter into the soil is one of the best things that I’ve seen for improving it. Just don’t make the mistake of spreading it without first aerating or using the deep core integration process I described. You want to get the good stuff down INTO the clay, not just on top of it. Stay with us - more videos to come.
4:55 he gets to his process, spray with a soil conditioner, coring, garden auger drill twelve inches down, mow and get the grass blades into the holes, spread compost or good quality dirt to replace the clay. Do this at least three times a year.
3 times a yr that's a lot of work
@@dannymartinez8522 Yes. Might want to get rid of clay.
@hermanhale9258 Not sure what you're talking about, but clay is actually great for lawns/beds. Clay has massive surface area that allows for it to retain nutrients literally better than anything else. The problem isnt too much clay, it's clay without any organic matter intertwined into it. Afterall the 'Great Plains of America' are just straight clay (with the biomass)
@@topiasr628 Beds are one thing, lawns are another. In my experience, you can improve beds by dumping leaves on them in the fall.
Thanks for the advice. Glad I’m not the only one who is obsessive about lawn condition. My wife is fed up of listening to me on the subject.
The science experiment you have going on, showing the real time difference in the soil color from the ants, is a highly underrated portion of this video
I should admit that you are one of the few gardening/composting/permaculture... channels that don't annoy me. Your narrative is really on the button and sincere. Thank you for your enthusiasm and the valuable experience on the topic. It seems that my 1 hectar land, which I will be living for the rest of my life, is full clay soil in a desert climate in san miguel de allende/MX and I am searching ways to change the nature to more fertile while lowering carbon footprint to give back to earth and after watching you I do have hope about doing it.
After fighting with clay soil and bad lawn care companies where I live, it was nice to see someone like you who actually gives great advice. Keep up the great work.
The clay is so bad in my garden in the uk you can make bricks and pots with it. You could use it to line a pond. Its so sticky it sticks to a shovel, makes digging bloody inpossible. In the summer it bakes as hard as concrete
You proved where you were from just by saying "bloody"
Check ou the channel of Chales Dowding. Mulching ! and adding biomass, maybe some drainange, and creating some aeration - or instance with a broad fork. But I guess drilling holes could help and speed up the process. Even tilling once when you work in good compost and inocculate with compost tea and fungi (from rotting wood).
The job of core drilling is taken up by moles - they also work in winter, I do not think they hibernate - but you must feed them respectively feed their food: Which is earth worms (who also work the soil for you, big time).
They need some areas with air (like mulch covered compost) where they and the earthworms, other critters and microogranisms can live and invade the other areas. And then do their magic.
It puzzled me initially that soil would soften, and get pores, if you only cover it, keep it moist, and feed it from above with compost (no till strategy).
But it is not the _human_ that works the soil.
The earth worms will at some point have eaten all the soil that was aerated enough so they can handle it, and that had some biomass (compost, roots) in it
They - the bacteria in their "gut" - add something when they process and then excrate the soil. Some magic substance that makes sandy soil holding together better, and able to absorb and hold moisture.
In heavy loam / clay the same magical substance adds structure and air containing pores to the dense soil, also the ability to hold water w/o compacting. The air which the soil improvement squad needs.
@@xyzsame4081 that’s a great post! Thanks for sharing!
I once had to dig under my swimming pool and found it easier to form mud balls and throw them.
Couldn't get that wet, sticky crap off my shovel.
I used a jackhammer when it was dry to loosen it. Good God !
@@jackplack3140 i thought the same. 😂
You need to make more content. This is awesome. I’ve been dealing with all the bs from clay soil for a year and I’m going to test all this next weekend. The tip about the drill and Tupperware. Genius sir.
Thank you so much my friend.
@@thrivingyard Okay, I garden or I used to (bad health) BUT I REPLACED my clay soil in one of my beds by 'digging out' the clay over several years until I had removed at least 1 to 2 ft of it and replaced it with MIRACLE GROW garden soil.
After a couple of years and as it got a little expensive, I stopped digging out the clay but continued to throw a bag or two into that garden spot.
Recently, I stopped doing that as well and quite frankly I don't need to, the area has become a better garden spot then when I first moved in. But isn't that MAINLY just the ORIGINAL 1 to 2 ft where I dug the Clay soil out?
Have you dug one or two other holes to see if you have 'consistency' throughout your lawn? Or just made that hole 'bigger' to see if it's just in one spot? Not trying to be a 'pain' but I'm not surprised that you have good soil in your lawn now based on what you said you did to it. But how deep does it go, is it just in the holes you created? I think it's a 'fair question'.
@@thrivingyard Nature is doing that core drilling for eons. It is called _moles._ And they are fuelled by eating earth worms not electricity.
@@xyzsame4081 I have clay lawns and moles and I don't think the moles improve things. The lawn in back was GREAT before the moles and voles showed up.
@@Ms.Byrd68 I did the same a couple of years ago - dug out an area and filled it with wood and plant waste. Probably used potting mix in plant holes and on top. Did fine for cherry tomatoes, but I understand tomatoes can handle wood chip/potting soil better than most. Waiting for the yard to dry up this year to see what quality soil remains.
Hello Sir and Everyone. Thank you for posting this great video displaying the beautiful results of correcting a lawn that sits on hard clay.
I have been aerating, removing the clay cores, top dressing working the compost soil down into the cores, overseeding, applying a starter fertilizer and lightly watering after this specific order and I must say this process certainly does work. I had super heavy sticky clay underneath the lawn. The new home construction has severely compacted the clay soil around here but I have finally seen results since starting this process about 4 years ago of doing the above specific process to the lawn here in the west GTA (Toronto).
I first began to see results just after the two year mark. It is very rewarding to see results of the lawn. The ground is no longer hard to the touch and quite easy to insert a screwdriver into the lawn. I aerate in the spring and fall given the amount of heavy clay here.
Prior to aerating the water would simply sit/pool on the lawn itself not being able to penetrate into the soil/roots. As soon as I noticed that, I decided to take action. My lawn is also now much more drought resistant remaking green throughout the summer watering once or twice a week if no rain and barely have weed growth. When it rains, the water no longer pools and makes it way down into the lawn.
Keep in mind also, trees root system in the lawn also benefit of core aeration.
Education is certainly key pertaining to ones lawn keeping it beautiful.
I have yet to try the deep core aeration step and the liquid aeration treatment however I just know it will only further improve the soil underneath the lawn. Having said this, the above process I have mentioned has certainly improved my lawn greatly.
the 2 year marks seems to be the time the soil organisms and earth worms can turn soil around, some for (organic) gardeners (although in raised beds to improve drainage).
I get your excitement. My garden is on clay soil and I do sooooo much amendment and I am constantly adding compost! I get so excited when the clay soil turn from bright orange to dark brown and I see earth worms! Thank you for the video you are correct sir. I do a similar process and the clay really change. I use the fertilizer from my bokashi system and it work really well! It takes time and patience!
Suffered with a waterlogged clay lawn for the past year, just put a few drains in looking forward to trying these methods and eventually seeing results
I have red clay too. I've been treating the garden bed 3 years now. It's def a long term project, but it's worth it
Keep at it my friend.
Great, great advice here!
I did a very similar plan with my front yard last year, and it has totally changed the yard.
I wish I'd seen your video because I'd definitely have included the deep core integration! That's a great idea.
The way I've explained core aeration + top dressing backfill is that those vertical columns become like expansion joints when the clay expands and contracts with the summer rains. As that clay expands and contracts (and now has somewhere to go), it breaks itself apart, which then fosters (!nd is furthered enhanced by) plants rooting action. It is these two things that truly fix the lawn
That said, that speaks to your point about the need for a multiple passes because those vertical columns break up pretty quickly especially early on in the process.
Great stuff, man. Great lawn, too. Subscribed!
Gosh the little puppy at the background is so cute!!!
There is a business opportunity in bad soil. One of my neighbors built a beautiful home, but I was disappointed with how his lawn was handled. His landscaper simply put sod over his red clay. With a lot of work, mostly chemicals, his lawn looks fine. But I couldn't help but wonder how much easier his lawn upkeep would be if that red clay had processed and a layer of good topsoil put down. People in landscaping might consider also doing soil conditioning, particularly for new homes, turning bad soil into good. Their clients would love them.
So true. That’s actually a very common problem with new home builds in my area.
@@thrivingyard In my neighborhood [around 1,500 houses, iirc] they literally stripped off all of the top soil, sold it, and then built the houses on top of the remaining clay.
You could get top-soil put down when you bought your house before the sod was laid - but they wanted $$$$$$ for it and most people didn't go for it.
I'm planning on auguring out 2~3" wide 10~15" deep holes and filling them with a high quality top soil. I'm planting 10 trees tomorrow and will be filling around them with good topsoil and drilling several holes all around them and filling them with dirt.
I figure I'm going to work outwards from the trees in circles. I don't expect to do the whole property tomorrow [3/4 acre, quite a bit to drill by hand] but I'm going to try to get it done before fall ;).
@@MikeDQB good for you my friend. Pace yourself and just work the yard a little at a time. You get a compounding effect doing this over time year after year so think of it more as a process than a one stop solution. Go get em!
Love your passion I get it. I have 19 acres of this in 🇨🇦 and will doing this. I now have hope for this crappy land ♥️. Thanks!
Keep up the good fight my man.I started battling a slew (quantity and variety) of weeds in late 2019 and think I'm finally seeing results.Next step is battling the thick, soggy, always wet (from rain in south Louisiana) clay soil.Seems like an impossible task, but gotta start somewhere.Best of luck!
I've always liked to see toadstools, dicondra and clover pop up in my yard. When they pop up it means I have good, nutrient rich soil.
Clover means not enough nitrogen in your soil FYI.
@@jmcantleberry9111 you sure? Seems like I only get clover and dichondra in a freshly fertilized lawn.
No way ! I just ordered a tulip planter with this idea in mind.
I turned a portion of my grass with a pitch fork because the grass wont grow and it's hard as rock.. I discovered that the grass sits on its mulch layer and never composts because that clay creates a super hard barrier. Those worms go elsewhere to live.
So yesterday I used a garden fork to pry it open and added a bit of sand.
I ordered a tulip auger cause I thought geeze I need to remove really big plugs and add organic matter. Never thought of grass clippings and compost but of course you want that !
Thank you so much !
Paul i watched your vids about core integration, & want to thank you as i been doing this and it works great i took it a step above currently using a 24” deep by 4” spiral and drilling down and then adding organic matter this is the best way to amend your clay soil thanks pal.👍
That is fantastic! So glad you are seeing results. Stick with it, the real benefits come after doing it for a couple of years.
Grassthief, where did you find the 4" auger? Thanks
Just use an auger made for fence posts.
How many times do you drill down in the yard? Sounds like some work. I’m thinking of using my tiller.
Use a spike aerator every time you mow for two seasons and seed the barren spots. You'll have a lush yard *even* in red clay. I know, because followed that process at my old house on a clay mound.
It's easy as pie to do in Australia, I'm in Tasmania and Mate do you get some impressive results on lawn growth here.
You just answered all my question about clay soil. I hope to see results in a few months. It is a lot of hard work for over an acre of land....
Cheese and Rice, I’ve never waited so long for such little content. Less talk. Mucho gracias
Sorry about that. I do appreciate you taking the time to comment. It means a lot.
Problem is, I don’t have two years!
I import my compost and pay dearly for it.
I’ve gone to individual raised beds framed in so I can control how much compost I use and for adequate drainage.
Bordered raised beds seem to help with disease, bad insect migration and erosion.
Wood frames also allow for inexpensive cold frame covers and use as needed.
Red clay here as well and amend with bio grow, lime pellets, peat, manure and mushroom compost.
I use 10-10-10 for my open crops like corn.
I monitor my Ph by sending off samples to Virginia Tech for my Ph analysis.
I’m trying to maintain 6-6.5
I have clay soil and I use the auger to dig holes to plant bushes etc. It works like a charm.
Great video! Are you raking or sweeping the cores off the lawn before you mow? So is it core aerate-sweep-mow-compost?
If I clay soil, I would try it. Great video.
Thanks for this!! I live in South Texas and it is horrible for grass. I'm going to cheat a little and till my how yard only 1200sqft add organic compost, sand, and top soil. Then follow this step like I would for a weed and feed program. Appreciate you sharing!!
I’m in Southeast Texas. Gotta love this clay soil we are blessed with 😂
I totally understand your excitement. I really enjoyed this man. Makes me feel less crazy. But I odly have been doing this without a auger bit part in my new house here I just moved into.
But I had a good time relating to you my guy. Bout to watch all your videos lol
You should be doing infomercials for lawn improvement. I'm only at 4:30 into it, and I'm going to make some popcorn to munch on while I watch the finale 👍
Thank you my friend.
Great Advice, definitely considering the 5 step process mentioned in the video. I ve got some questions. Apologize if what I am curious about already has been answered.
Q1: when core aerating do you remove the plugs or leave?
Q2: deep core aeration, do you remove the clay soil prior to adding top dress.
I am assuming the idea is to get a top quality soil into the areas removed form core an deep aeration.
Any help answering would be appreciated.
Great Concept - over time I feel in following this particular process will help soil composition. I do understand adding 3’ of a good soil and till. However if you already have money tied up in establishing a lawn this is a great alternative.
Anyways Cheers,
I have Blackland Prairie clay as a soil type and I have a couple of questions: How far apart do you do the deep core integration holes? How far apart should I do the aeration holes if I'm using a manual core aerator? How thick do you lay the topdressing after aeration? If I want to overseed some microclover over my existing lawn, would it be best to do this after I complete the 5 steps? Thank you, your videos are very informative.
Just dump 3" of compost on top of it, till it in and reseed, get it done all at once instead of waiting around for 2 years.
That is a damn pretty fire ant nest. They'll make some excellent organic material.
Sometimes it's just best to start over. Just add 3 inches of mushroom compost and silica sand mix right on top of the existing lawn and level it. Then seed
That still won't improve the soil underneath. You would have to til it in or, like he does, make 12 inch hollow columns and put stuff in the columns. I think tilling is easier and I guess the reason these guys don't do it is that they want to still have a lawn while the process is underway.
@ivymazzola1214 if you till your yard it will be very bumpy. Even if you make it fine, it will take a lot of extra work to get it level again. I do like the tilling idea but that's not what I'd do
We have clay soil and a water main broke in the front yard. What a terrible mess we now have. The water company came and stopped the leak, covered the hole with cement chunks and later put down trashy clay dirt with dirt clods and rocks in it. They sprinkled grass seed ( we aren't sure what kind ) and put straw over it. I uncovered the large area to find a terrible mix of spindly grass and thicker grass, but mostly dirt with clods and rocks. I know we are going to have to spend a lot of money to fix it properly. I am going to throw clover seeds on it and maybe that will grow and improve the soil. The rabbits will love it !!!
I planted 150 bulbs in the main front lawn this year. It has heavy brown clay soil. I added lots of amendments as I went, part leftover potting soil, part handfuls of leaves. I hope that helps. I do want to open other narrow holes nearby to fill with potting mix to cut down on the risk of flooding the bulbs.
Your wifes got a gem! Haha im annoyed by the clay soil in our backyard, but were renting so amending that soil is not worth the work haha. Saving this vid for future use thank you!
This looks amazing! Thanks for the tips! We’re putting in landscaping ourselves soon, and I’m trying to gather all the tips for clay soil that I can. What a great, informative video!
You are very inspirational!
Thank you so very much!
How far apart are you drilling the deep core holes? And what are you doing with the hard clay that comes out of the holes?
Please make more videos on the lawn i need help with my yard
Yes Sir we’ve got more on the way.
Im hoping this helps my lawn. right now my grass is so fragile from the compacted soil that any sunny or shaded area does terrible. The sunny area gets dry and doesn't grow, and the shaded areas get patchy and overrun by moss
That’s great and all… I believe what you’re saying. But what are you treating that side of your yard with??
This was so helpful! Thank you 🙏🏾
Thank you!
Thank you so much for the detailed steps and information. Very helpful. The only question I have is should/could I add sand to the compost to help balance the clay in my soil? If so, how much should I add?
There was a gardener decades ago who recommended spraying dish soap on your lawn to condition it. Never tried it.
The concept is correct. But it would take less time initially to just break up the ground with a tractor and chissle empliment. Then plant buck wheat. After that 50 days plant grass seed. Mix in a 30% white clover seed.
Appreciate the comment. This approach is primarily for an existing lawn to minimize turf damage.
Looks great. I don't live in the south or have Clay soil. My son lives in Valdosta he has sandy garbage soil and no rain.
Real quick means wait until 5 minutes into the video to finally learn what i need
Guess I talk too much sometimes. But thank you for watching. I hope it was at least helpful
Love your videos sir and the philosophy behind it: long time process, grind, consistency...👍
Got a question :
after the core aeration do you discard the bits of clay soil ? What do you do with them ?
And for a good over seeding ( after the 5 steps of course) what would be a good tactic?
Thanks a lot
Patrick.
Hi Patrick. Yes, you want to discard the cores when dealing with heavy clay soil. As time goes on and the soil improves you will reach a point where the clay content is much lower and it can actually be left on the lawn but in the beginning, we want to get rid of those.
When overseeding, you want to wait until after the last step of this process (the topdressing) and then spread your seed and LIGHTLY aggregate the seeds into the soil with a rake so that they are mixed in. Many people advocate for simply aerating and then overseeding but seeds grow best in about half to one-inch soil covering. Dropping them straight into 3-inch aeration holes will not give them the best opportunity to grow.
Make sense?
Thanks a lot! Makes sense big time 👍👍👍
@@pwaly Great. Go get after it, my friend!
Thriving Yard , I was planning to fertilise a bit , 2 or 3 days after over seeding, do you think it’s ok?
@@pwaly I generally recommend waiting a few weeks before fertilizing but if you do you'll want to use a starter fertilizer. Don't apply any type of weed and feed or herbicide. I prefer to let the seeds begin to germinate before I start adding additional fertilizer because good quality topsoil is going to have some natural nutrients already. I don't like to overwhelm them with nutrients if that makes sense. Slow and steady beats fast and furious if you get my meaning.
New here. Last year a rotor tiller to try and level/regrow grass but seems to just be all dirt and hard dirt. I recently threw down clover and nothing seems to be growing. Do you suggest these same methods?
This is excellent. Thank you
Great video. Nicely done and packed with practical info and steps. I have a question: "Are you familiar with John & Bob's organic soil amendments and, if so, what is your opinion?" I have been using them for about 18 months, seeing some results, but rather pricey.
lol my soil is so hard the drill just ate up the augar bit.
I’ve got sections a lot like that. Wet it good and keep at it my friend.
I have clay soil that was hard growing grass. Moved into a subdivision about 3 years ago and found my soil's pH was about an 8. Have spent the last two years lowering it to about a 7.1, hoping to get better uptake of fertilizer at a lower pH. Soil tests have shown my macros and my micros improving over time. Hadn't aerated my lawn in a year and will do so this year. This is slow changes but I'm trying to drive grass growth through root depth and growth help break up the clay along with peat moss as a top dressing help ? Help please. Just ran across your channel.
Wow! What difference in your yard. I’m certain I’ve never seen a black ant hill before. That core aeration machine is too heavy for me to handle, is there any possible alternative?
There’s hand held core aerators that are pretty feasible cost wise, like $30-40. I got mine at Lowe’s and started with my worst areas of my lawn. Do it when the soil is damp but not wet, just after a small shower or maybe 2 days after a big rain and it’s super easy. Aerate one spot and then go to your next area and do it again. As long as the clay is not too wet the 2nd area will push the clay plugs from the 1st site out so you can just go site to site. Much easier. I made a bucket of hot soapy water for the last or for random hard areas (if you don’t clean after the days use it’s nearly impossible if it dries to get out). I hand aerated 1 time in 20% of my lawn and it made a big difference. If your lawn is just too big I believe Lowe’s or other big hardware stores have bigger equipment you can rent for a day but don’t forget the more weight and driving you’re doing in those hard clay areas, the more you are compacting it (ESPECIALLY after it rains) and making your own job harder. Good luck :)
@@emilyrobins6676 thank you so much. I will def check it out.
@@emilyrobins6676 What did you fill the holes with?? compost?
Milorganite is a good product for building up the soil as well.
Good job bro!
Thank you!
I can’t locate your resources page. How do I find it?
I have about 1/3+ acre lawn that is clay. Drives me crazy. I’ve done some core aeration (4” auger) as deep as I can go, maybe 12” and filled with mulch. It’s been about a year with no results that I can tell. I e also done some core aeration. Thoughts? Love your videos. Thank you!
Do we throw the plugs away?
Or keep it in the lawn
I recommend discarding the clay soil from the plugs.
How often can you drill holes? I mean, if you have a large yard, it would need some work if you want to do it at once, right? Can I do drilling of some spot one weekend, another spot another weekend and go in that way through all the season from early spring to late autumn?
Thank you so much for the video. Seems like ot of hard work but will give it a try.
'Not because of the fire ants
... They're gonna have to die'
HAHAHAHAHA
Dirt Doctor/ Howard Garrett says Treat the soil with Dry molasses will take care of the fire ants, and feed the soil microbes. From his library. Treat the site. Apply beneficial nematodes. These are living organisms and must be used before the expiration date on the package. These are best for high viability areas. They will also control other insect pests, or apply dry molasses at 20 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft.
Love it. Thanks for this!
I got distracted by the little dog! lol
When do you put seed down in spots that need it
Thank you for nice and hopeful presentation. I have one question: Assuming you did this process 2-3 separate times; then do you know that the “clay nature” of that area has changed to sort of loamy soil for good? Or is it possible the clay soil in few years creeps back to take over that treated area?
Now that is an excellent question. Because you are literally changing the physical composition of the soil, you should see lasting results and continuous improvement in the quality of the soil as more organic matter is introduced, increasing the biological activity that is the cornerstone of healthy soil.
The challenge that clay poses is that it inhibits aeration necessary for healthy organisms to thrive. As we introduce bulk through compost and other organic matter we increase aeration and allow these organisms to thrive.
@@thrivingyard of you were an earthworm you would not want to live in clay soil !
After aerating, did you clean up the cores or just leave them? I need to start this process myself. Also have you ever experimented with sand over topsoil or even maybe a mixture?
Remove the cores from the lawn before spreading topsoil. I don’t recommend using sand. You want organic material with bulk to aid aeration. Compost, quality topsoil, etc.
best of luck!
Can you please use the drill bit to drill as deep as possible and show us what the soil looks like 20 inches deep?
Is it not duplicitous to core area and then to go back over it with a deeper core aerating drill?
I thought the idea was to have are go down the holes so the soil could get oxygen....
Hey, I just randomly found your videos and really like them. Sorry for the question perhaps I missed it or wasn't paying attention but what state are you located in? I am in EAST TN and have a new construction home, literally moved in March of this year. The grass they threw down was just to get CO basically and heavy spring rains going into this scorching summer has made my yard clay concrete. Hard to get a flat head into the ground.
I enjoy the word and seeing the end product. I suppose I should start with your process. Though I am losing all my grass I know I should wait until fall to seed but isn't too early to start mending the soil is it?
Hi, sorry for not seeing this earlier - RUclips doesn't do a good job of notifying me when people post comments. I live in Southeast Texas. You'll want to moisten the ground before doing any core aeration or deep core integration. Use a liquid aeration product to help soften the soil before you work it.
@@thrivingyard Yeah we tried it after a 3 day rain bout and couldn't get the water filled pull behind aerator to get even 1/2 in in the ground. I am going to keep working on it. The weeds are starting try and take over but they are only really growing on the surface.
@@cainhammontree2879 Are you weighing down the pull-behind aerator? That's really important. A few cinder blocks or something heavy to help the spoons push into the ground.
A liquid soil conditioner is also very helpful in softening the soil for the spoons.
@@pbro oh yeah it's a water filled drum and frame. And we stacked 3 cinders on top. The cylinder is ft in diameter by 4 ft long. Still nothing haha. This yard is a piece of work
Do you have a septic drain field here? I wonder if this kind of soil transformation is good or bad for the drain field.
I don’t but it would be very beneficial I believe since water can drain so much better into good soil. Clay holds water and makes any type of drainage difficult.
Clay makes septic tanks difficult because the water has no place to go. Whitby Island, north of Seattle, has a lot of clay. Those who install septic tanks often have to install their drain field in mounds of hauled-in dirt. Then evaporation will get rid of the water.
I’ve got a 9” auger bit. Is that deep enough to amend my clay soil, or should I get a longer one? Just getting started in this process to restore some areas of heavily impacted soil.
That will get you deeper than any core aeration machine. No need for anything larger.
Lime is very important too.
What spacing would recommend between the larger drilled holes, to get nice even results? 1ft?
Yes I would aim for 1 ft spacing
Great video!
Thank you so much!
Is there an organic use for the clay plugs? Are they good for anything?
Not practical applications in this use case. I discard them.
Mix them with wood mulch, grass clippings, leaves and turn those plugs just like you are doing in the lawn. Turn that pile occasionally and in two years or so you could be using that soil for that top dressing if done right.
Are you removing the clay soil plugs and mounds leftover from the drilling?
Yes I relive those from the lawn before backfilling them with good soil.
Really good work. I have similar issue but its over my drip field for septic , so can't use the deep auger (unless im really careful to be sure to locate the hoses before drilling so I dont accidently rupture them!)
also fireants till the soil lol
True, natural aeration as well.
Do you leave the plugs on the surface or do you remove them for the mulch to take their place?
Get rid of them if you have a high clay content. Don’t leave them on the lawn.
like many, I just stumbled across your vid here. Should I rake up those aeration cores before mulch mowing or should I just mow over the yard cores and all? I'm in southern MS close enough to the gulf for part of my yard to be sandy and the bulk of it to still be clay. That is going to be a real challenge for me.
Rake them up. You don’t want to leave them.
I am currently working on my new yard....I have a 35hp tractor with a 5ft rotor tiller... my plan is to rotor till the ground....put 2 inches of sand. And 4 inches of compost over the area and rotor till again to mix the soil. Then seed with peat moss seed mix on top.....p.s. I have never done this before and I love in Central British Columbia, Canada. Any advice or objections on this plan of action?
I am in mid TN and a yard full of tan more alkaline clay. On my full sun side it cracks and water runs over it or just sits. On my shady side, moss grows and water sits lol. As far as your idea DP, an older gardener told me clay+sand=concrete. Be wary and just check while you’re doing so much work. Also peat moss I have also bought but am having second thoughts. For us with clay yards a huge problem is the water not draining properly and sooner or later this drowns many plants/flowers. Just doublecheck before you amend with an identical medium. I do know I have had a lot of success with adding compost at every opportunity and hand core aerating (smallish yard). I’m at year 2 and my whole yard is at least green now lol
@@emilyrobins6676 thank you for your response..... after I posted this....I saw what sand and clay results.....I ended up placing a few inches of compost and planted my grass seed.
It worked out great. My plan now is to add compost for the next few years and seed until the grass takes a permanent hold on the clay. Cheers
Does anyone know at what point would I add grass seed
1:50 No offense, but I SO Seriously thought that was a rabbit XD
😂
What if you have sand, in florida?
Amazing
Question? If my compacted clay lawn, has a 1/2 in layer of thatch, should I de-thatch it first BEFORE doing Step 1 - the Liquid aeration? Also, if the lawn has bare patches, do you seed after Step 5, which is putting back that top-soil? Thanks so much. You are giving me hope and excitement that I can finally fix my lawn MYSELF.
I
I would definitely do a core aeration first in my opinion. Does water currently pool after rainfall and can you easily push down into the lawn a screwdriver? To be honest I have not used nor experienced the liquid aeration.
June Marie I would say time for the 5 steps this video mentions. Especially core aeration and topdress with organic/soil to be done after aeration. Do this twice a year spring/fall and in about 3yrs or so you notice a vast improvement. Consistency and patience and you will achieve great results from your lawn.
@@ericbraga338 Yes, I am going to do the 5 step process, as presented. Yes, the key is patience and consistency, hopefully by the fall of 2021 it will be in better condition or on its way to recovery. Thanks for your time.
plant Dikon radishes and leave them rot. They will put holes
Don't auger bits(deep core integration) and core aeration do essentialy the same thing? Extract soil.
Yes they do. The difference is the depth and volume of soil that can be removed using the auger bit.
Good video thank you
I subscribed im really trying to get grass to grow in our horrible clay dirt here i know I have alot to do as we have really high ph and alkali levels and we havent had grass in years only weeds
Infusing organic matter into the soil is one of the best things that I’ve seen for improving it. Just don’t make the mistake of spreading it without first aerating or using the deep core integration process I described. You want to get the good stuff down INTO the clay, not just on top of it. Stay with us - more videos to come.
Potting soil is king for filling the plugs
Great tip!!!
Grass won’t grow in my clay soil unless there’s a inch or two of good dirt spread first. Gardening is almost impossible.
Start grinding if you really try youll eventually get it!
@@Masterogpimp Thanks for the encouragement.
If you live in any of the northern states, don't try to aerate in the winter.
Now, what do you do to get rid of the ants?
What part ofthe country are you located?
Texas- red clay soil country
How many waiting for the dog to squat down and take a dump on camera?
😂
great advice.
i can't count how many times i lost focus listening to you bcs of ur dog lol
😂 😂 😂