Over the last six months I’ve done my reading (I think?!?!) in this forum and have set forth a plan starting three weeks ago. I have an area, mostly where our dogs reside, that I’ll describe as “unestablished.” I began by mechanically aerating the soil, followed by a 50/50 mixture of CGM (powder) and molasses granules (spread at a setting of 10 on a Scott’s SpeedyGreen), and followed with a thorough dosing with compost tea and Bio Immaculate + Humus. The soil has been quite moist and the is a steady drizzle over the latest batch I spread this afternoon. I plan to hit the area with another coat of CGM and molasses in one week.

My main motivation is to eliminate fleas, other pests and larvae, revive the soil to a more healthy stage, and to promote a thicker lawn. Understanding that there are many factors to this formula…

Am I headed in the right direction?

Thank you in advance. Bill

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To wonder at an animal, is to begin to understand God.
Cheesehead by birth, Texan by choice!

Yes you are on track!! Good for you.

Personally I prefer to use cheaper corn meal rather than CGM, especially for multiple treatments.

How are you watering and mowing?

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David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum

Yes, you are doing great! When you have the soil in good shape, let the beneficial nematodes loose. They will take out the fleas & ticks but have to be able to move through the soil so it has to be in good condition. If this is where your dogs run or stay, put mulch over the top of the soil to keep them from compacting it so much. Make it cedar and at least 3" thick and you will have a really good plan.

Thank you both for your replies! I have read much of what each of you has advised in this forum, which helped me charter my course. Hence, my confidence.

David - Ideally, watering would be once a week, but my soil is terribly compacted clay and feel that frequent moisture is needed to get the microbes and nematodes firmly established. My grass is basically a glorified pasture area. However, over the last two years is has started to come around. I would suspect it should be mowed high to retain moisture in the soil.

Kathe – The nematodes will go down in the morning (3/21). Hopefully it will rain tonight to moisten the soil. I’ve tried spreading mulch over the area, but it is VERY labor intensive. It was also hard to spread it evenly…using a broom. But I understand the importance of it and will try different techniques.

Thanks again, Bill

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To wonder at an animal, is to begin to understand God.
Cheesehead by birth, Texan by choice!

In my experience, mulching an area to prevent compaction from dog traffic has met with little success. The 2 dogs I've had (each different occasions) both chose the "softest" path - the grass - over relatively fine shredded mulch, stepping stones or tiny smoothe pebbles. Each made an alternate path right along side the treated areas, heedless of my efforts and the fact that they increased the travel distance along their circuit. I'm guessing it's instinctual behavior.. or just plain devilry on their part.

Dogs..

~Dave

Just re-read your original post and realized you will probably benefit greatly from a soil bio-innoculant. There are several on the market now, but what you want is something that will actually place a new herd of microbes in your soil because the great likelihood is that the population is greatly depleted.

I agree with Dchall, regular cornmeal is cheaper and a great soil amendment. It is an easy source of organic material and encourages the growth of those really beneficial fungus species. CGM is great for it pre-emergent qualities, but you are fighting mighty natural systems in trying to suppress anything at all from growing there. Watering frequently may seem like a good idea, but in the long run it is better to get the soil and any plants accustomed to the infrequent and deep watering because they have to grow deeper roots over a period of time.

Have you introduced any seed to the area? It occurred to me that you may be preventing yourself from growing a healthy crop of grass if your CGM applications are too effective.

If regular mulch is too labor intensive (I have a bad back so I sympathize), you might consider using hay/straw bales and pulling off 1-2" chucks to lay on the soil like a tile floor/carpet. It works very well and it's not as expensive or as hard on the back.

HOpe these ideas are helpful to you. Enjoy the wildflowers!
Kathe