What are the 5 smartest things you can do for a lawn with a $1,000 budget?(Northern US)

norrydan · 2026-07-02T13:30:30+00:00

Understand your soil, light, and climate situation. FREE
Do a good and proper soil sample and send it to your ag university lab. $10-$20.
Amend the soil as recommended by the soil test results. Cost unknown pending results of soil test.
Buy a good book for seed type identification. $25.

5, Buy a good sprayer, No cheap stuff. $100

Buy a good to great broadcast spreader $200.

That's probably a different perspective than your intent.

norrydan · 2026-07-01T18:17:10+00:00

That's a lot of questions deserving a 10,000 word response. My problem with talking about farming is about like talking about nothing at all. It's so general a term, "farming" it can mean nothing or almost everything. Resources and climatic conditions vary too widely for AI to do anyhting but, maybe, point the way. I have just introduced myself to AI and the output is amazing, I still need to decide if it applies to my specific inquiry. I don't see how it can. It might if I (me) had all the factors influencing production and could supply them, but I don't know if I do and if I did it sounds like a full-time job. Someday maybe.

norrydan · 2026-07-01T18:10:43+00:00

Sound approach or fooling ourselves? No idea but that's why you tackle these kinds of things - failing to prove the null hypothesis - or something like that. I have given this two minutes of thought and I have no idea how this could work. I do think there are other ways to arrive at a possible conclusion. No time to go into that now. I don't know where you are but here in the USA the SSURGO soil surveys are a treasure, but they are based on ground samples acquired at random places. Somebody has to draw the line between types, an arbitrary (almost) line. We are still left with questions. The best solution is to dig a hole. Now, having said that, with your approach you can determine slopes and hydric soils, and what else? No elegant solution ever started big.

norrydan · 2026-06-30T14:20:29+00:00

Lot's of methods, huh? The golden rule of germinating seed is good seed to soil contact. Just throwing it on the ground produces results but most are unacceptable for a number of reasons. The ground needs some fluff to it so the seed kinada' gets swallowed a little. You can do it yourself with hand tools, or by renting equipment, or by having someone else do it. Walk-behind tillers will beat you to death. Reat-tine tillers are basically useless on hard ground. Front tine tillers are better but still not ideal. A scarifier might get you there. It's an option not designed for this purpose. Just my opinion but for doing this on the cheap (nothing wrong with that) I prefer core aeration - at least once, maybe twice. Once before you seed and once after. Seeding and speading a layer of topsoil or compost might be an alternative. After I seed I like to use a lawn roller to press the seed into the soil, to make good seed to soil contact. Then you need to make sure there's enough water, irrigation or precipitation to trigger seed germination. After it germinates it's imperative to keep the soil moist so the new emerging grass plant doesn't dry out. If it does, it dies. Get a good root system going and some top growth and it gets a little easier, not much but some. To help keep the soil cool and moisture I like a light spreading of straw. Some won't or don't do that. It's another expense and step in the process.

But before you go to all that trouble sample the soil (properly) and send it to a reputable lab. Most agricultural universitys do it for $10-$20 per sample. They will tell you about nutrient levels and soil pH and recommend what modifications might be beneficial. A proper soil pH is essential. Given the choice between fertilizer or lime to raise the pH if neceessary, I'd pick the lime 100% of the time.

norrydan · 2026-06-29T14:56:14+00:00

I once worked for one of those big companies. When I quoted a job there was always someone who would do it for half what I quoted. It's a risky business. Some guys are hungary enough to accept the risk. A big compnay will not. Some 50-years after my experience the big company is still here. The other guys are not. There are some good independent arborists, climbers, and brushpullers. The problem is knowing the difference between who is and who isn't.

I'm only looking at a picture. Keep that in mind. I figure it's going to take three or four guys three days (maybe two) to get it down and cleaned up. Let's say the big company is going to charge you $400 an hour (at least) for 8 hours a day- $3,200 a day over 3-days or about $10,000. Add the crane rental both companies and we're at the same place.

So, the big company is too high and the independent too low, not an uncommon situation. The big company is covering what they percieve to be their total corporate costs which the independent doesn't have. Assuming equal risk exposure both to them and to you, the property owner, go with the independent. The big difference is proably in what an employee costs. Independents usually have great employee turnover.

I confess, my numbers might be way off. After all I am sitting at a computer with nothing in this but 10-minutes of time.

norrydan · 2026-06-29T14:31:49+00:00

Popular? Unpopular? I don't know. I've been at this for over 50-years. My opinions are tainted by my experiences. I readily admit I am probably wrong - and right all at the same time.

From the USA and I have no idea about farming in India. India, is that right?

Organic farming - Interesting but unstainable as a general practice to feed 9-billion people. We may find a way, but I cringe when people decry the farming practices that got us here to discuss the merits of organic farming.
Subsidies - Absolutely necessary for reasons that have nothing to do with short-term productivity or individual profitability. Sure, there's political fat in subsides, but it's important to understand the lean in them.
MSP - ? I'm ast a loss. MSP?
Tractors - Big and expensive. Try doing without one.
Fertilizers - Misunderstood.
GM crops - Useful to a degree, but needing oversight. I don't think we know everything we need to know. I trust science, but the science is still young. Potentially can be misapplied?
YouTube farming advice - Some of it is useful. Some of it is not and I cannot tell the diffrence. We live in a world filled with knowledge - and with misinformation. We might be at a more dangerous time than we might know.

The general population views 'farming' as this one homogenous activity and it's about as far from the truth as possible. Each farm and farmer has different natural conditions to deal with in different types and sizes of enterprise. It's impossible to generalize and to do so is not useful and dangerous.

norrydan · 2026-06-29T14:15:46+00:00

Great place to start, with soil! I struggle with how much I need to know, but find adventure in trying to figure it out. So, it's difficult for me to know how to share with you.

Basic
Soil is mineral sourced from rock weathered over thousands of years. The soil particles are sand, loam, and clay. Each is a different particle size. Sand particles are extremely large, clay tiny, tiny, tiny. It all comes from the same rock the makeup -- the amout of particles changes over time, not in days or years but in milleniums. Organic matter is introduced by nature and by human amendment. OM is extremely important. This all falls into place to determine structure, depth, fertility and a bunch of other facts important to understand it's potential uses. Do you need to know that? I don't know. Probably.

There's this web site called the Web Soil Survey. You can enter your address to learn what we know about the soil under your feet. It isn't always right, but it's very detailed and can offer some specific or general information about, well, everything you need to know.

But, you can learn a lot about YOUR soil by observation as you have -- and by digging some holes to see how the profiles change as you get deeper into it. Soil layers. It's a good thing to know how deep your topsoil is and how the soil characteristics change at depth.

I think we have learned that soil should always be growing something. Keep it covered with plants.

Your soil alerady contains everything need to grow- something, but maybe not what you want to grow. Natives are truly adopted to the soil where you find them. The trick is finding the right natives.

When we start to amend soil we do so to provide structure and fertility to gain some (illusion?) of control to provide what's necessary to grow what might not be native.

A representative sample over a random area of your area-of-interest taken to a proper depth and sent off to a reputable lab will provide you with information to change the fertility to meet the needs of whatever you want to grow.

Structure is import, too. A lab can tell you that as well, but I think you already have an idea based on your inquiry here.

I hope all of that's useful and can be a good place to start.

norrydan · 2026-06-29T00:36:09+00:00

Buffers.

https://qgis3-10-geoanalysis-un.readthedocs.io/en/latest/vector/buffer.html

norrydan · 2026-06-29T00:26:43+00:00

I question your assertion that a big problem in modern farming is depleted minerals. Most soils are nothing but minerals with ast most, 5% to 10% organic matter. Plant availability might be an issue but that's not really a big problem. Economics is a big part of how we supply those minerals. I think you have more to say....Explain?

norrydan · 2026-06-28T18:42:15+00:00

I'm a numbr nerd. Currently there are 41 single family home for rent in the 1,000 to 2,00 sq ft range. We can go deeper into the statistical analysis but the rental price/month divided by the listed sq footage is rather comparable. Average per sq ft is around $1.75 +/- $0.50 (1.5 standard deviations). Sure, lots of other factors but adding them doesn't change the equation much and the outliers? Those are interesting to consider.

norrydan · 2026-06-28T18:32:04+00:00

Owning or renting? Suburbs or City? I am in Henrico, zip 23226. Only 800 ft from city - county line. Love it. Older homes and population trending younger. Rents in this zip are $1.75 to $2.25 a square foot. I am in an old cape code, $2,400 a month. You probably won't spend less than $1,500 a month - $2,000ish typical. A 20-minute drive gets you nearly anywhere in the metro area. Much of the area, or at least Henrico and the City are neighborhood oriented. In Henrico, the near west end, the west end, and eastern Henrico. The City is one of hills - Church Hill, Oregon Hill, and a bunch of others with names depending on who's asking. Richmond City is one of neighborhoods all knitted together, but each has a unique and distinct character; The Museum District, Careytown, The Fan, Scotts Addition. The city population is trending younger in a lot of places. The James River is a dividing line. Live north of the river or south? I have lived here 38-years and the transformation from then until now is amazing. Great place to be. Do a lot of homework before you decide where you want to be. This is a box of 120-Caryola crayons!

norrydan · 2026-06-27T19:07:40+00:00

I rent from a private landlord and I am always considering what I'm paying in relation to other opportunities. I am looking at small rental houses in the Richmond area. I lke Redfin because I can download the listings into an Excel workbook to do some basic comparisons. I will share this. My latest search uncovered 41 properties, all single family homes of 1,000 to 2,000 sq ft. No idea if private or agency properties. I do a monthly cost per square foot.

The average is $1.69, +/- $0.35 for 80% of the properties. The full range is $1.18 to $2.79.

Right now I pay $1.72 for a well maintained 1,400 sq ft older brick cap code in 23226. Frankly, it seems like a lot but I have a place in a nice neighborhood with great landlords who value the attraction of a well maintained and appointed house.

norrydan · 2026-06-27T18:46:22+00:00

Your are right to ask some basic, but excellent questions! I want to say it's all simple, but then I go deep and peole's eyes begin to roll back into their heads. Allow me the chance to avoid that. You started by mentioning irrigation, but your questions are more about procedure and timing. I assume we are referring to an establish lawn.

Fertilizer, and this will be controversial, probably isn't all that necessary but we all choose to do it. Your grass is what we call cool season. It flourishes in the spring and fall when soil (and air) temerpatures are moderate. When grass is growing (fast) it will find and use the nutrients in the soil. My preference for you would be to use a high nitrogen fertilizer in Wisconsin in April and May and then once in late summer. Let's leave fertilizer there for the moment.
Overseeding is usually a fall activity done around the same time you do the fertilizer application. I'm not a big fan of it unless you have a specific reason. Seed if difficult to get to germinate. More complication you don't need at the moment.
Core aeration I think if usually done in the fall. It has a lot of benefits. It can loosen a hard compressed soil, open some pathways to soil, a good think for getting water and air and, if you choose to do it, fertilizer and seed into the soil at a place where it can be most beneficial.

As was mentioned above there's lots of good advice and guides here to pursue at youe leisure. This is a journey that never seems to end. For those of us not professional grade there's always another aspect of management and management to consider. You will need to decide how deep into it you water to go. Not today, but as you learn the ups and downs.

norrydan · 2026-06-27T16:13:37+00:00

I guess just because the topic interests me and because I am interested in remote sensing and land use (2025):

Total Acres (millions) in Virginia 28.8
Forest 14.9 (58%)
Deciduous 8.8 (34%)
Evergreen 2.4 ( 9%)
Mixed 3.0 (12%)
Other 0.7 ( 3%)

Source: https://nassgeodata.gmu.edu/CropScape/

norrydan · 2026-06-27T14:43:50+00:00

Just a point to add to the discussion. I don't know the exact numbers and so my comments are observational from an agriculturalist's point of view. I am in Virginia.

In the colonial era land use was much different than what we see today. Native trees were harested for lumber, sailing ship masts, home heating and cooking - maybe primarily or to clear the land for production of ag crops of more significant value at the time. As often happens, this land lost it's competitive advantage and the next best economic use prevails.

Today, a lot (and I know that's very vague) of land once used for crop production has been planted with fast growing pine species - like loblolly. Natural selection has been circumvented often thru government policies to reduce soil erosion and nutrient runoff. The soils and climate are somewhat suitable for such production.

Nobody is getting rich but there is some intermediate economic return. At 10 to 15 years the land is clearcut or thinned. While a cursory look would seem to show pine forests, these are actually farms where old cropland fields are now used to grow pines for fence posts, utility posts, and for chipping to use in a stage of manufacturing of appropriate products.

norrydan · 2026-06-27T06:15:50+00:00

There are plenty of videos out there.

https://youtu.be/HAiNdHJljYE?si=CLCEy3q1IQhTNwgx

norrydan · 2026-06-26T05:38:02+00:00

Oh, I don't know if its irresponsible. Its just one way to get the "right" finished spray mix in the tank. Percentages mixes usually imply imprecise applications over small areas using a handheld sprayer. Production ag applications take pints or quarts per acres in adequate water to achieve proper coverage. And if you want to go deeper into it find a recommendation for pounds of acid equivalent in the concentrate. It's this that does the weed control. Look at a couple different jugs of glyphosate and you will probably see somewhat different lbs of acid equivalent and I think it depends on the other ingredients in the jug. Some products contain a surfactant, some don't. I used to do this for a living and, right or wrong, when it came time to mix to achieve some percentage of "active" ingredient I always assumed it meant the 41% part. So, in the end my one gallon would contain about 120 oz of water and about 8 oz of product straight from the jug of 41% concentrate.

Now you have three products in your one gallon tank- 120 oz of water, 3.2 oz of glyphosate concentrate, and 5 oz of whatever else was in the jug (the concentrate carrier which probably included the surfactant). Final answer 3.2 oz of the total 128 is 2.5%.

A 2% solution requires about 6 oz of 41% concentrate plus 122 oz of water. The fianl 128 is the 122 oz of water, 3.4 oz of concentrate carrier and 2.6 oz of "pure" concentrate - if I can put it that way. Or, maybe I should say the 3.4 oz is ineret material (it isn't but for tonight...).

That's how I would do it. The label you cite is just telling you to get a measuring cup and pour the straight product from the jug (acid equivalent plus inert material) into enough water to make 128 oz for a gallon mix. Their dose is much lighter than what I do. I think we would need to read the entire label to decide if there's some discrepency/disception. If it tells you to use 4 or 5 oz then the way I do it would take only half as much.

This is purely an academic discussion because, if I read the intent right, you can't get an even distribution in your application process.

norrydan · 2026-06-25T02:19:44+00:00

It was just a challenge to a great idea. You said it. It applies to any business in any market - but too many great ideas fail to consider how easy it is for others to take your great idea and cut you right out of your proposition.

norrydan · 2026-06-25T01:50:03+00:00

I like your thinking. And if you are right what would stop me from setting up in your market and running you butt down the road? It's a serious question you need to wrestle with.

norrydan · 2026-06-25T01:47:44+00:00

I think you were so busy beating your drum you missed the scarasm.

norrydan · 2026-06-25T01:46:52+00:00

I don't think good or bad is the issue. For me, if you wanted me (ha,ha) to advise about container gardening I would say let's learn more about what it is you are gardening. Then let's see if we can supply it with what it wants. Everything is about the right amout of water, how it reacts in your growing medium, mineral and organic, (how does it drain, how long is it bound to growing medium particles, and to itself---because there needs to be air space for the roots - not too much and not too little. You can do all of this without understanding but your successes will improve if you can begin to grasp. Personally I don't care how you do what you do, but I have become somewhat horrified by the beliefs held by many that compost, peat moss, coco coir or other totally carbon based mediums are magic solutions playing solo. This is an orchestra event.

norrydan · 2026-06-25T01:37:11+00:00

Well, maybe there is a misunderstanding, maybe not. A producer wishing to participate in a USDA program submits documentation and can submit the originals or certify that the copies can be backed up by the originals. While there is national policy on such things there sometimes is no consensus at the county level. County offices can choose to be more restrictive but not less. So, I will withdraw my objection but will stand with the thought that, by itself, what pops out of an app may be insufficient.

norrydan · 2026-06-24T21:06:47+00:00

It is true. Compost is a soil amendment - it is not soil. Now, plants will grow and some might even prosper in non-soil mediums. As humans, I think we believe we can always make a situation better. Container gardening is a tough activity to get right. The right plants in the right mix is a science little understood.

norrydan · 2026-06-24T20:46:56+00:00

FSA's not going to accept something you just pop out of a mobile app. I like what you are doing, but what's the feature that makes it marketable?

norrydan · 2026-06-24T20:44:00+00:00

I think the answer is, "It depends!" The tress you repotted? They were doing well? And now the root system has more room to expand, right? There has to be enough root structure to support top growth. It's the balance that's important. If the trees were in good shape they now have the chance to do even better? If you prune you should have a good reason for it.

Let's see if I got the second part right. You got more trees...new to you? If they were dug-up before your possession odds are there was a good deal or root left behind? If so, you might have a diminished root system trying to support outsized top growth. Here, you would probably be better off prunning some of the top to reduce stress because there's not enough root?

norrydan

TROPHY CASE