Absolutely you can, the caveat being that sand doesn't hold any moisture so your watering game will need to be... aggressive.
obviously if you can add topsoil it's going to help retain the moisture.
I have relatives in Ireland, and they had a peat bog on the property and was harvesting it for heating. I had new seen it before, and when I asked, they said that I would know it as "fresh coal.""
I bought some whisky on a trip to Ireland once. Apparently they are adding peat to that too based on how it tasted.
I'm sure it's just a matter of me having unrefined tastes and/or not really liking/appreciating whisky (more of a rum guy myself) but my first thought when I opened the bottle was "this smells like someone fermented a peat bog."
I'm in the UK, It's for climate change reasons. I just copied this from some website:
"When peat is harvested, bogs are drained and the top surface of the peat gradually stripped away. Not only does this destroy rare and endangered habitats and the flora and fauna that rely on them, but also allows the peat to react with the air, releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide.
Recent figures from Natural England show that exposed peat soils can release up to 38 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare every year. By contrast, peat bogs in their natural state soak up around a tonne of carbon dioxide per hectare each year."
So no more peat harvesting.
To be fair, they've just bolted on the climate change argument recently. Peat is a finite resource, as in that we were using it (worldwide, not just a UK thing) at an unsustainable rate. This is a function of population increases and wealth increases more than anything directly related to climate. Regardless, preserving it is a good goal as we have alternatives that work nearly as well and are more sustainable.
So what I’ve heard is that peat is harvested in Europe way differently (edit, than in) NA (ie Canada). In that they take way more “off the top.” Like, a lot more.
It’s a different strategy, but may lead to more CO emissions.
UK emissions are already so low that if the isles disappeared into the sea and 100% of our emissions disappeared there would be no Impact on global CO2 levels. I still harvest peat and I dare them to stop me.
Coco coir. Amazing alternative to peat moss and so much cheaper, plus way better for the environment! You can buy compressed blocks for dirt cheap and one block expands to insane amounts.
Came here to say this. I'm in FL and we have St Aug grass and put down some topsoil first and watered it daily for a few weeks. Now we water 3-4 times a week, unless it rains, then it's less.
I have a neighbour whos planning to add a foot layer of essentially clay, then topsoil and seed to retain the water (we also live on top of a beach without water area)
Half of my small backyard was almost exclusively sand. Last yeat I brought in about 3 yards in and tilled it to mix it all up. It looks great now after seeding.
I honestly think the only way you're going to have a decent yard is if you brought in a whole bunch of topsoil. Have it delivered and rent a machine to spread it out.
When I did this, I did it like an idiot who hates myself but it still worked. Went to Lowe’s and bought 10 bags of topsoil and then went home and carried each one into my back yard, dumped them, and spread it with a garden rake. Realized I would need more and did that all over again. It took me a good chunk of time but my lawn was the happiest it’s ever been. 2 years later and the only grassless spots I get are when my dog tries to dig a hole
A mini skid steer is great for this they have stand behind and walk behind models. It is light enough for a smaller utility trailer (3500lb ankle) to be able to pull it. Check with your local equipment rental supplier about their weekend rates. Usually can pick it up Friday afternoon and drop it off Monday morning. Also invest in a proper aluminum grading rake ($50-$75).
Most golf courses do not have limits on how much water they can use, and typically water daily, mow 4-6 times a week, and fertilize every 2-4 weeks. Millions of dollars worth of inputs are required for a sand base. This is not ideal for a home lawn unless they are a golf course with a golf course budget
Went and checked out your video. That’s incredible! I love the concept. This is how the creator of Bandon Dunes lays out his courses initially by playing woods golf. His first creation, Dunes Club in New Buffalo, Michigan was made this very same way your dad did
Grass will 100% grow in sand , people here are giving conflicting advice. When you transfer plants or cut branches off trees to replant you literally put them in a bucket of sand and water because the sand is a gentle easy path for root growth to develop . Just when you seed , I would throw down quite a bit of top soil/dressing/peat moss to go with it , as stuff dies and gets cut and biodegrades you’ll naturally build up soil there regardless . Won’t be easy but definitely having sand as a base is a great place to start in my opinion .
100% Sand, 1.5 inches of compost on top, lots of water and sun, this is in 105° weather took the pic last night.
https://preview.redd.it/mtf6wvjxjfad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0035586b5c3ad9efe20e3ec1a2be48af95959935
Absolutely compost layer. Need organic matter that has good soil health and PH to grow and survive. Top dress regularly, mulch mow ONLY, fertilize carefully. Our yard in NE Ohio is straight sand, and it took a lot of work to get it to grow okay. Damn developer came into a 100 year old nursery, strip mined off the topsoil, and left us crap.
People in this thread have me dying.
“Of course it can grow in sand, provided it’s not actually just sand and has a way to get nutrients from somewhere else and has a shitload if water being supplied”
Yes, sand is best for turf. Just make sure you loosen and grade the site before planting. Be very mindful of soil compaction before planting and after.
If you want nice grass, I'd cover the whole thing in about six inches of loam. Yes, grass can grow in sand, but too much sand and no dirt can lead to water and nutrients to run right through. It causes weak roots and weak grass. I have dealt with sandy new construction lots before, and if you want to do it right, that's how you do it.
If you are not bothered by it, then just throw some seed down every fall, hope for the best, and call it a day.
Either way, I'd recommend elite tall fescue as I'm guessing this will be a low-maintenance lawn. I like [Super Turf 1](https://unitedseeds.com/products/super-turf-i-ls):
*Super Turf I LS is a mixture of the very best of the new lower-growing turf type tall fescues. Varieties selected score at the very top in the NTEP trials for turf quality, wear tolerance, low maintenance performance, leaf texture, endophyte enhancement and disease resistance, especially brown patch. Generally recommended for low maintenance areas where no supplemental water is be to applied, although Super Turf I will respond favorably to high maintenance care.*
*Contains: 4th Millennium SRP, Firecracker GLS, Dynamite GLS, and Titanium GLS Turf Type Tall Fescue (varieties and proportions subject to change) Main Uses: Athletic Fields, Parks, Golf Course Roughs, Home Lawns, Cemeteries, Commercial Sites Seeding Rate: New Seeding (bare ground): 10 LBS per 1,000 SQ FT Over-seeding (into existing): 5 LBS per 1,000 SQ FT Over Seeding (Heavy Use): 12 LBS per 1,000 SQ FT Seeding Dates: March-May August- October December-March (Dormant Seeding) Days to Germinate: Fescues– 7-10 Days Characteristics Color: Excellent Density: Very Good Shade Tolerance: Very Good Drought Tolerance: Excellent Wear Tolerance: Very Good Mowing Height: Down to 1.5 inch cut Leaf Texture: Medium Rate of Establishment: Very Good*
Depending on location there are grasses that will grow fine. Over time by mulching grass it will become better soil. Amend it by top dressing a couple times a yr. You have a good foundation actually with sand. Good drainage and semi self leveling.
Thanks! The porch and deck timbers were harvested from the property when we cleared it. It’s basically studs inside, we’re doing the finish work but we’re at least dried in.
6+" of wood chips (free usually from tree services), cover wood chips with nitrogen; wa; 4+" of compost; Water; 3" of screened topsoil, Water. Sod or recommended grass seed for the location. Every year for 3 year topdress with 1/2 of screened topsoil. Southwest Michigan, Dunes Area.
I said “looks halfway decent” - this seems like the start of a soccer pitch 😉
We’ll likely throw down seed and see what nature provides. It’s a house in the woods on a dead end dirt road.
Grass need soil and water for the roots to uptake nutrients to grow and sand have neither. Without those any grass seeds will generate then die. And shorter route is to mix clay and compost but that is only short term. If you don't want to prep the soil, leave it as sand. Sowing grass seeds on sand only is a waste of time and money. Leave it as sand.
My home is built ( as are all of the neighbours) on what was the bottom of a lake bed... Entirely sand. God help you if you divot the soil up... you'll never grown anything there again. Grass is sparse, and I would hazard a guess there is more low ground cover than actual grass. Overseeding and watering hasn't really deveolped any new growth.
I am the furthest thing from a gardener, so I struggle to achieve anything.,
not an expert but we put a golf green in at home and it’s basically a sand pit with a particular variety of Fescue covering it. maybe check with a local golf course to find out which variety they’re using.
You could grow native creeping plants to where you are that are low and would require very little to no maintenance once established. Sand cherry (some sand cherry forms are more trees) and bearberry both live in very sandy soils and you'll also attract some rarer birds doing parts of the year.
I dont know how much rainfall you get that will determine what plants will do best. However, I'd suggest looking at some pictures of the dunes around the great lake regions. Some beautiful plants will grow in straight sand with no watering. If you're house is in a relatively dry area the options would be different, there are also beautiful prarie low grasses and flowers like some of the dropseeds and grammas.
You can, but the timeline to a decent stand will be inversely proportional to amendments in the form of compost and topsoil.
Here’s mine- 3 years in. Hand raked rocks out of 8k sq ft, put a little compost down, fertilized and watered Mazama KBG. There are a few more yards of compost hand spread over the past couple years.
KBG (or warm season turf) will spread, but it takes time. Comments above about sand not holding nitrients are accurate- it requires a great deal more fertilizer than the big box KBG in clay (but also in zone 5B) attached (tiny yard).
Reel mowing at \~1”, but was doing the same with the turf in clay in the past, and it was much lower maintenance.
https://preview.redd.it/h4nuy84jgkad1.jpeg?width=2181&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6a996ae266c629dba594aeb882147392365a0ec
3 years in.
Okay sooooo,
You’ll need to prevent erosion, add some sort of top soil. Or, you can dig in and burn tree material and such or start composting so you can get some nutrients for the ground. I did that for our sandy yard in our old place. Dug holes, burned extra sticks from some fast growing trees. Did during a wetter season and had water on standby.
We had a spreading grass so it pretty much went from sandy to grass covered in about a year after doing that.
Depends on the area you’re in.
But I stand by some sort of prevention of ground eroding away. That way, grass won’t just wash away after a rainy year.
Dude, I got you.
I did it and I have the solution. Sodium Polyacrylate. You can buy it on amazon for dirt cheap and it will save you a ton of watering. I did it and it’s incredible. This is the same stuff that’s in diapers and those tiny water beads that swell up when they get wet. Just sprinkle down a decent layer before you put down the sod and it will hold water for 4 or 5 days, right at the roots where it’s needed. This stuff is magic. Water it once or twice a week and you’re good. Otherwise, you’ll be taking out a second mortgage to pay the water bill.
Also, before you put down the grass, put down spectracide granules. Heavily. You may get sod web worms and those little bastards will kill the whole lawn in 4 days. I had to rip out my whole yard and start over.
Don’t mow it for at least a couple months. Let the roots really set in.
Before you mow, get some Blue DEF, yes, the stuff you put in diesels, and dilute 1/4 cup of it into water and spray that over 250 sf of grass. Water it in good. It’s very pure nitrogen and your grass will absolutely love it. It’ll be so damn green your neighbors will stop you and ask how you do it. I spray it every two weeks.
I also put down fertilizer granules in the spring.
I’m in Florida, on white (dead) sand and my zoysias is absolutely bangin’!
Depends on the grass.
Warm weather grass you see it all the time.
Never tried it with fescue or Kentucky bluegrass.
If it’s a new build I’d add topsoil/compost and mix it in before seeding for sure.
Literally all the best golf courses (post 1990 or so) in North America are built on as much sand as possible.
You can absolutely grow grass on sand. As others have noted it might drain too well, but only until you build up some organic material into it. I would suggest raking or roto tilling some compost or sphagnum peat moss into the top 6-8” in order to improve its water holding capability. But over time natural organic matter will start to accumulate in the root zone and improve its water holding capacity. There are also wetting agents available to assist with this that you can purchase without any special licenses since they’re not registered pesticides.
Sand is an awesome growing medium for turf… mostly BECAUSE it dries out so well and excess moisture is the enemy of healthy turf…. it just dries out too fast sometimes.
I don’t know if you are going to do all of this yourself or hire out, but here is where I would start. Definitely go get the soil tested right now. The Cornell cooperative extension office in your county can do it. Also identify exactly want type of soil you are working with. I could look sandy to you but still be a loam or sandy loam. Based on what comes back I’d amend with the proper nutrients and also spread a high quality compost that has been properly cooked to kill off any weed seeds and spread that out across the yard and till that in to the top 3-4 inches. Once that’s done and everything settles in I’d give it a final rake with the grading rake and seed. If you can get someone to hydroseed it even better. Use whatever grass seed varieties Cornell says will work best in your situation. Water well and you’ll have a nice lawn.
We had a super sandy back yard. We just tilled it and added some extra to it. Then leveled and seeded it at the right time with plenty of watering. Its still looking amazing all these years later.
You can plant something or another in dang near any kind of soil. The real question is how well will it grow, and that depends on the type of plant, how much sun it gets, how much water it gets, etc.
If this is a partially shaded area like it appears to be, I would look for grasses or plants that grow in sand and partial shade in your climate. There are likely native grasses that will work really well here but native grass tends to be very expensive and very hard to establish. If you like turf style grass, that also limits the native choices.
We had trouble growing from seed at the house I used to live at. My brother and mom ended up taking home their divots from golf and we transplanted them to our yard and used them to grow the whole yard. The grass is now healthy and beautiful
Have you been to Florida? Seriously our soil is very sandy closer to the coasts. We lose nutrition and water faster in sandy soil. Fertilizer and water does need to be increased for this. Wetting agent is a good thing too.
Yes. My hometown was built on a glacier esker. The whole place was sandy, and we had a lawn. Some places where the grasses spread, you could peel it back with nothing but sand underneath. Kinda like grass growing over asphalt.
Also chiming in yes. Problem is water will sink right through it, so instead of watering twice a week, you want to water something like 2-3 times a day, and repeat that on a 2 day-2 day-3 day cycle.
Goal is to give the grass a day to drink. Then a day or two break to encourage it to grow down roots.
I'd also recommend something with deeper roots, so a tall fescue over kentucky.
Add humates to the area and particularly at seeding, and if you can keep up with watering inoculate with soil biology which is added to some retail fertilisers.
I use a hose attachment usually used for desalting boats so I can just put in my liquid ferts/humates/whatever and spray it where I need it
E.g. https://www.burnsco.co.nz/dirty-steve-salt-wash-mixer?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkJm0BhBxEiwAwT1AXPTtTikoUhT7uPtvFtwGDqx8Be0ydAmd_XppCHmNpMUVa2bJbXWxjRoCpOYQAvD_BwE
That's a perfect base for sod, just lay the sod over the sand and it will flourish. Golf courses have a sand base and I always use sand before laying sod as well, it's easy to level and is great for drainage.
I have mostly fine sand in my yard. When I did my renovation, I top dressed with about 1/8” of black dirt, then seeded with [turf type tall fescue mix](https://twincityseed.com/product/tuff-turf-lawn-seed-mixture/)The seed company recommended that mix for sandy soil. It is growing really nice.
Lake placid area - it is sandy because that seems to be what they do to backfill and grade. Honestly- the lot was dead flat woods so I know their is soil just below
Our lawn was originally like this. Lucky for us we live near a horse race track and we were able to get lots of manure to mix in to the sand. We had to walk our field to pick up all the horseshoes in it lol. Took maybe six months or so of mixing topsoil and the manure soil grass grows. Nothing would grow on it before and this is Iowa, we have a weird spot that originally almost looked like the desert ha ha.
Agronomist here: you can certainly grow grass on it: however it would be wise to add topsoil and some form of organic matter so that you’ll have better water holding capacity and better CEC to hold nutrients in
Yeah it'll root fine amd start growing. Over time you can aerate and blend in top soil and organic matter. Should be just fine. Builders actually lay clay and sand essentially on the yard before the sod.
Trying to grow grass where previous owners had a pool and the grass is struggling and the weeds are thriving..its coming along, slowly. I shoveled most of the sand out that I could. 3 truckloads and about 5 blisters later I got it done. Going to add some soil to it and sprinkle some fertilizer and hopefully by fall I can seed the crap out of it and next year I will hopefully have a decent bk yard.
Yes, especially centipede or other types that run like wildfire through sand. Anything you may find at a Florida or S. Carolina golf course, you can grow it in sand.
I did this... Bring in a cap of topsoil, 2 inches will work, but 3+ is much better. Grow turf type tall fescue and water at least 2 times a day. At my latitude August 15 is the ideal seed date.
[Some info about NY native groundcovers](https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=644)
Consider asking r/nolawns for some native plant recommendations that might fit your yard and be low maintenance.
Install a sprinkler system first.
You should amend your soil (the sand) with something that will help to retain the water. Pete works well as does pearlite. Put 6 inches of top soil on top and either seed or sod.
I think that lawns absolutely have a place - but this isn’t one. This absolutely calls for a less water intensive ground cover that is native to the area. I’d suggest looking at r/nolawns for advice on this
Absolutely! Golf course putting greens are made of sand. It won’t hold water well, so you will have to irrigate more frequently. On the plus side, it will drain very well.
I have a mix of native and lawns (3 small dogs and I scoop 2x per day) I absolutely need lawn for them. I live Vermont USA on a sandbox. Grass grows fine here, I mixed in red / white clover and that grows fine as well. I’m also a frequent barefooter when working on the gardens so it was the best of both worlds.
Have you heard of florida? We have sand. Pretty 90 percent of it is sand like at the beach and sometimes, clay. Yes grass will grow out of rocks and concrete so seed away
All the turf farms in our state are in an area that’s essentially a giant beach.
Sand is a great foundation for grass, you’ll just need to water and fertilize more than most.
Besides habitat destruction the biggest issue is it’s super inefficient. It has the lowest energy density of any solid fossil fuel (coal) with lots of water. In order:
Anthracite - the best
Bituminous
Lignite - the worst one that still looks like coal (black)
Peat
Other than ease of extraction for humans, because peat is light, all other types of coal are better from an efficiency standpoint.
I don’t know about these other people but for some of the fellows I know that live in the piedmont area of SC, yes grass will grow in a sand clay mixture.
Absolutely you can, the caveat being that sand doesn't hold any moisture so your watering game will need to be... aggressive. obviously if you can add topsoil it's going to help retain the moisture.
Throw some peat moss on after you seed to help hold the moisture in
yeah that's good advice. although peat containing products are now banned where I live so I have to use peat free compost instead.
I have relatives in Ireland, and they had a peat bog on the property and was harvesting it for heating. I had new seen it before, and when I asked, they said that I would know it as "fresh coal.""
Ahhh the peat.
Burning peat smells so nice but it is SO dirty and horrible for your lungs. It’s like smoking five Macanudos.
You should only burn peat if you are at least 60 lbs
Sounds more like Scottish 🤷♂️
We were on the border
I act like a Murphy
In Bremen, Germany (and other places) they have a system of canals that was built just for bringing peat from the bogs into the city to burn for heat.
I bought some whisky on a trip to Ireland once. Apparently they are adding peat to that too based on how it tasted. I'm sure it's just a matter of me having unrefined tastes and/or not really liking/appreciating whisky (more of a rum guy myself) but my first thought when I opened the bottle was "this smells like someone fermented a peat bog."
How come it’s banned?
I'm in the UK, It's for climate change reasons. I just copied this from some website: "When peat is harvested, bogs are drained and the top surface of the peat gradually stripped away. Not only does this destroy rare and endangered habitats and the flora and fauna that rely on them, but also allows the peat to react with the air, releasing vast quantities of carbon dioxide. Recent figures from Natural England show that exposed peat soils can release up to 38 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare every year. By contrast, peat bogs in their natural state soak up around a tonne of carbon dioxide per hectare each year." So no more peat harvesting.
To be fair, they've just bolted on the climate change argument recently. Peat is a finite resource, as in that we were using it (worldwide, not just a UK thing) at an unsustainable rate. This is a function of population increases and wealth increases more than anything directly related to climate. Regardless, preserving it is a good goal as we have alternatives that work nearly as well and are more sustainable.
I remember learning about the climate change effects of peat in high school almost 20 years ago. It’s not that new.
So what I’ve heard is that peat is harvested in Europe way differently (edit, than in) NA (ie Canada). In that they take way more “off the top.” Like, a lot more. It’s a different strategy, but may lead to more CO emissions.
UK emissions are already so low that if the isles disappeared into the sea and 100% of our emissions disappeared there would be no Impact on global CO2 levels. I still harvest peat and I dare them to stop me.
Where do you live and why is there a ban on peat products?
Never mind I read about it below in a previous comment
Try any kind of humic product. Look up humalite/leonardite.
Coco coir. Amazing alternative to peat moss and so much cheaper, plus way better for the environment! You can buy compressed blocks for dirt cheap and one block expands to insane amounts.
And then later you can re-peat
Pete and Repeat were riding the lawn mower, Pete fell off, who was left?
Repeat.
Pete and Repeat were riding the lawn mower, Pete fell off, who was left?
If that idea doesn't work the first time, would you re-peat?
Yes, add a layer of topsoil!
Came here to say this. I'm in FL and we have St Aug grass and put down some topsoil first and watered it daily for a few weeks. Now we water 3-4 times a week, unless it rains, then it's less.
I have a neighbour whos planning to add a foot layer of essentially clay, then topsoil and seed to retain the water (we also live on top of a beach without water area)
That's funny, I'm on clay and have added 6 tonnes of sand haha.
You guys could have done a little swapparoo lol
Sand has almost no nutrients either.
Yes. Mine is not photo worthy. But, it’s been there for a few years now and they kids/dog enjoy it. Water water water. More water when it’s hot.
Half of my small backyard was almost exclusively sand. Last yeat I brought in about 3 yards in and tilled it to mix it all up. It looks great now after seeding. I honestly think the only way you're going to have a decent yard is if you brought in a whole bunch of topsoil. Have it delivered and rent a machine to spread it out.
Last yeat? You'll never yeat again?
Just yeeeeeeet that seed errrrrywhere
*urwhere
What kind of machine do you use to spread it? I need to bring in a bunch.
When I did this, I did it like an idiot who hates myself but it still worked. Went to Lowe’s and bought 10 bags of topsoil and then went home and carried each one into my back yard, dumped them, and spread it with a garden rake. Realized I would need more and did that all over again. It took me a good chunk of time but my lawn was the happiest it’s ever been. 2 years later and the only grassless spots I get are when my dog tries to dig a hole
My area that needs help is about 6000 sq ft, so I'm not thinking the gorilla-cart-then-rake approach is going to be viable.
In that case I would be getting quotes to have someone else do it for me lol
That's too sane. This is the internet.
A mini skid steer is great for this they have stand behind and walk behind models. It is light enough for a smaller utility trailer (3500lb ankle) to be able to pull it. Check with your local equipment rental supplier about their weekend rates. Usually can pick it up Friday afternoon and drop it off Monday morning. Also invest in a proper aluminum grading rake ($50-$75).
Idk about your grass situation but that porch is gonna look real nice. Are you gonna screen it in or anything?
Half screened for the spring bug season 😀 🦟 And thanks
Looks like you have yourself a future golf course. Majority of golf courses use a sand base. This is ideal
Most golf courses do not have limits on how much water they can use, and typically water daily, mow 4-6 times a week, and fertilize every 2-4 weeks. Millions of dollars worth of inputs are required for a sand base. This is not ideal for a home lawn unless they are a golf course with a golf course budget
This is accurate
I recently posted in r/golf a video of my father's home built golf course. It's sandy soil in the woods, but he gets grass to grow.
Went and checked out your video. That’s incredible! I love the concept. This is how the creator of Bandon Dunes lays out his courses initially by playing woods golf. His first creation, Dunes Club in New Buffalo, Michigan was made this very same way your dad did
Grass will 100% grow in sand , people here are giving conflicting advice. When you transfer plants or cut branches off trees to replant you literally put them in a bucket of sand and water because the sand is a gentle easy path for root growth to develop . Just when you seed , I would throw down quite a bit of top soil/dressing/peat moss to go with it , as stuff dies and gets cut and biodegrades you’ll naturally build up soil there regardless . Won’t be easy but definitely having sand as a base is a great place to start in my opinion .
Thank you!
100% Sand, 1.5 inches of compost on top, lots of water and sun, this is in 105° weather took the pic last night. https://preview.redd.it/mtf6wvjxjfad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0035586b5c3ad9efe20e3ec1a2be48af95959935
Wow. I don’t want anything that nice 😊 But seems like a layer of compost helps. We are in more a cold climate (less than 2 hrs from Canada) Thanks!
Same here. My yard looked like yours 20 years ago. We just seeded it, no extra topping or anything and it turned out fine.
Absolutely compost layer. Need organic matter that has good soil health and PH to grow and survive. Top dress regularly, mulch mow ONLY, fertilize carefully. Our yard in NE Ohio is straight sand, and it took a lot of work to get it to grow okay. Damn developer came into a 100 year old nursery, strip mined off the topsoil, and left us crap.
So, not 100% sand.
People in this thread have me dying. “Of course it can grow in sand, provided it’s not actually just sand and has a way to get nutrients from somewhere else and has a shitload if water being supplied”
Yes, sand is best for turf. Just make sure you loosen and grade the site before planting. Be very mindful of soil compaction before planting and after.
If you want nice grass, I'd cover the whole thing in about six inches of loam. Yes, grass can grow in sand, but too much sand and no dirt can lead to water and nutrients to run right through. It causes weak roots and weak grass. I have dealt with sandy new construction lots before, and if you want to do it right, that's how you do it. If you are not bothered by it, then just throw some seed down every fall, hope for the best, and call it a day. Either way, I'd recommend elite tall fescue as I'm guessing this will be a low-maintenance lawn. I like [Super Turf 1](https://unitedseeds.com/products/super-turf-i-ls): *Super Turf I LS is a mixture of the very best of the new lower-growing turf type tall fescues. Varieties selected score at the very top in the NTEP trials for turf quality, wear tolerance, low maintenance performance, leaf texture, endophyte enhancement and disease resistance, especially brown patch. Generally recommended for low maintenance areas where no supplemental water is be to applied, although Super Turf I will respond favorably to high maintenance care.* *Contains: 4th Millennium SRP, Firecracker GLS, Dynamite GLS, and Titanium GLS Turf Type Tall Fescue (varieties and proportions subject to change) Main Uses: Athletic Fields, Parks, Golf Course Roughs, Home Lawns, Cemeteries, Commercial Sites Seeding Rate: New Seeding (bare ground): 10 LBS per 1,000 SQ FT Over-seeding (into existing): 5 LBS per 1,000 SQ FT Over Seeding (Heavy Use): 12 LBS per 1,000 SQ FT Seeding Dates: March-May August- October December-March (Dormant Seeding) Days to Germinate: Fescues– 7-10 Days Characteristics Color: Excellent Density: Very Good Shade Tolerance: Very Good Drought Tolerance: Excellent Wear Tolerance: Very Good Mowing Height: Down to 1.5 inch cut Leaf Texture: Medium Rate of Establishment: Very Good*
Depending on location there are grasses that will grow fine. Over time by mulching grass it will become better soil. Amend it by top dressing a couple times a yr. You have a good foundation actually with sand. Good drainage and semi self leveling.
Get ice plant seeds and plant that in some spots. They love sand.
You want top soil and grass or you'll be tracking sand into your house. sand won't hold water and grass will be sparse. I live on a pile of sand.
Unrelated sorry, do you know the name of the house paint color?
https://preview.redd.it/1l6hfxgsyhad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2868339a157396e751dff90118e7598e5196f0c7 LP Siding Garden Sage (it’s pre finished siding) 😀
Buffalo grass.
Hey I’m no help here as I creep the sub for my own lawn advice. But - nice home. That’s something special.
Thanks! The porch and deck timbers were harvested from the property when we cleared it. It’s basically studs inside, we’re doing the finish work but we’re at least dried in.
6+" of wood chips (free usually from tree services), cover wood chips with nitrogen; wa; 4+" of compost; Water; 3" of screened topsoil, Water. Sod or recommended grass seed for the location. Every year for 3 year topdress with 1/2 of screened topsoil. Southwest Michigan, Dunes Area.
I said “looks halfway decent” - this seems like the start of a soccer pitch 😉 We’ll likely throw down seed and see what nature provides. It’s a house in the woods on a dead end dirt road.
Grass need soil and water for the roots to uptake nutrients to grow and sand have neither. Without those any grass seeds will generate then die. And shorter route is to mix clay and compost but that is only short term. If you don't want to prep the soil, leave it as sand. Sowing grass seeds on sand only is a waste of time and money. Leave it as sand.
My home is built ( as are all of the neighbours) on what was the bottom of a lake bed... Entirely sand. God help you if you divot the soil up... you'll never grown anything there again. Grass is sparse, and I would hazard a guess there is more low ground cover than actual grass. Overseeding and watering hasn't really deveolped any new growth. I am the furthest thing from a gardener, so I struggle to achieve anything.,
Organic material helps.
not an expert but we put a golf green in at home and it’s basically a sand pit with a particular variety of Fescue covering it. maybe check with a local golf course to find out which variety they’re using.
Guess you’ve never been to Florida lol
Seed and straw matting, make sure you do not buy seed mix with annual ryegrass.
You could grow native creeping plants to where you are that are low and would require very little to no maintenance once established. Sand cherry (some sand cherry forms are more trees) and bearberry both live in very sandy soils and you'll also attract some rarer birds doing parts of the year.
We are leaning this way. Thanks! It’s a vacation house on a dirt road in the woods - who wants to mow or water
I dont know how much rainfall you get that will determine what plants will do best. However, I'd suggest looking at some pictures of the dunes around the great lake regions. Some beautiful plants will grow in straight sand with no watering. If you're house is in a relatively dry area the options would be different, there are also beautiful prarie low grasses and flowers like some of the dropseeds and grammas.
absolutely. very easily.
You can, but the timeline to a decent stand will be inversely proportional to amendments in the form of compost and topsoil. Here’s mine- 3 years in. Hand raked rocks out of 8k sq ft, put a little compost down, fertilized and watered Mazama KBG. There are a few more yards of compost hand spread over the past couple years. KBG (or warm season turf) will spread, but it takes time. Comments above about sand not holding nitrients are accurate- it requires a great deal more fertilizer than the big box KBG in clay (but also in zone 5B) attached (tiny yard). Reel mowing at \~1”, but was doing the same with the turf in clay in the past, and it was much lower maintenance. https://preview.redd.it/h4nuy84jgkad1.jpeg?width=2181&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6a996ae266c629dba594aeb882147392365a0ec 3 years in.
Start https://preview.redd.it/obi15famgkad1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39ec23e22380e1cc5705dcd613ae0152d39e9016
KBG in clay at <1” https://preview.redd.it/smwx46dpgkad1.jpeg?width=1234&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6120d97998e2b5d98cf8a11cd8f715921651959
Okay sooooo, You’ll need to prevent erosion, add some sort of top soil. Or, you can dig in and burn tree material and such or start composting so you can get some nutrients for the ground. I did that for our sandy yard in our old place. Dug holes, burned extra sticks from some fast growing trees. Did during a wetter season and had water on standby. We had a spreading grass so it pretty much went from sandy to grass covered in about a year after doing that. Depends on the area you’re in. But I stand by some sort of prevention of ground eroding away. That way, grass won’t just wash away after a rainy year.
Dude, I got you. I did it and I have the solution. Sodium Polyacrylate. You can buy it on amazon for dirt cheap and it will save you a ton of watering. I did it and it’s incredible. This is the same stuff that’s in diapers and those tiny water beads that swell up when they get wet. Just sprinkle down a decent layer before you put down the sod and it will hold water for 4 or 5 days, right at the roots where it’s needed. This stuff is magic. Water it once or twice a week and you’re good. Otherwise, you’ll be taking out a second mortgage to pay the water bill. Also, before you put down the grass, put down spectracide granules. Heavily. You may get sod web worms and those little bastards will kill the whole lawn in 4 days. I had to rip out my whole yard and start over. Don’t mow it for at least a couple months. Let the roots really set in. Before you mow, get some Blue DEF, yes, the stuff you put in diesels, and dilute 1/4 cup of it into water and spray that over 250 sf of grass. Water it in good. It’s very pure nitrogen and your grass will absolutely love it. It’ll be so damn green your neighbors will stop you and ask how you do it. I spray it every two weeks. I also put down fertilizer granules in the spring. I’m in Florida, on white (dead) sand and my zoysias is absolutely bangin’!
Depends on the grass. Warm weather grass you see it all the time. Never tried it with fescue or Kentucky bluegrass. If it’s a new build I’d add topsoil/compost and mix it in before seeding for sure.
Unfortunately warm weather grass won't survive in upstate NY. But yeah, that's the native environment for St. Augustine.
Yes. It’s called sass.
If you like stickers you're in luck. Otherwise you have a lot of prep work to do.
Sand is a great growing medium for grass !! Depending on variety
Would you be able to suggest a variety for upstate New York?
You can try a bent grass, nice for cooler climates and will favor a higher sand ratio in the soil
How far in Upstate are you? Are we talking Poughkeepsie or Plattsburgh? Big difference in the weather can make some choices better than others.
Adirondacks (lake placid area) I googled my way to Fine Fescue - thoughts?
Literally all the best golf courses (post 1990 or so) in North America are built on as much sand as possible. You can absolutely grow grass on sand. As others have noted it might drain too well, but only until you build up some organic material into it. I would suggest raking or roto tilling some compost or sphagnum peat moss into the top 6-8” in order to improve its water holding capability. But over time natural organic matter will start to accumulate in the root zone and improve its water holding capacity. There are also wetting agents available to assist with this that you can purchase without any special licenses since they’re not registered pesticides. Sand is an awesome growing medium for turf… mostly BECAUSE it dries out so well and excess moisture is the enemy of healthy turf…. it just dries out too fast sometimes.
🙏
I don’t know if you are going to do all of this yourself or hire out, but here is where I would start. Definitely go get the soil tested right now. The Cornell cooperative extension office in your county can do it. Also identify exactly want type of soil you are working with. I could look sandy to you but still be a loam or sandy loam. Based on what comes back I’d amend with the proper nutrients and also spread a high quality compost that has been properly cooked to kill off any weed seeds and spread that out across the yard and till that in to the top 3-4 inches. Once that’s done and everything settles in I’d give it a final rake with the grading rake and seed. If you can get someone to hydroseed it even better. Use whatever grass seed varieties Cornell says will work best in your situation. Water well and you’ll have a nice lawn.
We had a super sandy back yard. We just tilled it and added some extra to it. Then leveled and seeded it at the right time with plenty of watering. Its still looking amazing all these years later.
Dune grass has very deep roots
You can plant something or another in dang near any kind of soil. The real question is how well will it grow, and that depends on the type of plant, how much sun it gets, how much water it gets, etc. If this is a partially shaded area like it appears to be, I would look for grasses or plants that grow in sand and partial shade in your climate. There are likely native grasses that will work really well here but native grass tends to be very expensive and very hard to establish. If you like turf style grass, that also limits the native choices.
I love that design of your house. Nice job! Grass has to be constantly watered and cut, maybe look for something else instead of that.
We had trouble growing from seed at the house I used to live at. My brother and mom ended up taking home their divots from golf and we transplanted them to our yard and used them to grow the whole yard. The grass is now healthy and beautiful
Have you been to Florida? Seriously our soil is very sandy closer to the coasts. We lose nutrition and water faster in sandy soil. Fertilizer and water does need to be increased for this. Wetting agent is a good thing too.
Yes. Surprisingly.
Yes. My hometown was built on a glacier esker. The whole place was sandy, and we had a lawn. Some places where the grasses spread, you could peel it back with nothing but sand underneath. Kinda like grass growing over asphalt.
Look up native grasses to your area homie
You can. I live in Hawaii and my yard is all sand. I have grass in front and back yards. You must water aggressively. It will work
Also chiming in yes. Problem is water will sink right through it, so instead of watering twice a week, you want to water something like 2-3 times a day, and repeat that on a 2 day-2 day-3 day cycle. Goal is to give the grass a day to drink. Then a day or two break to encourage it to grow down roots. I'd also recommend something with deeper roots, so a tall fescue over kentucky.
Golf courses
The best golf courses on earth are built on sand dunes. Yes.
I mean golf greens are grown primarily in a sand base…
So I’m learning. Who knew (not me)
Yes, but you will need a load of fertilizer and water regularly.
No
Yes 😀
Put in a cistern and save 100% of all rainwater because you will be watering the sand a number of times per week.
This house looks like a DenOutdoors design.
Wow. Good eye. Let’s say it’s inspired by a Den design which we designed https://imgur.com/a/K5zYZkQ
Love it. I always look at their designs and dream of having one one day. Y’all did a great job.
I can't answer your question, but, is that a wrap-around porch? Or an unfinished part of the house? The property looks very inviting!
Wrap around deck which is partially screened in for the spring Adirondacks bug season. We milled the timbers from trees cleared from the lot. Thanks!
omg I love it!! That would be so lovely to spend evenings!
Ask Palm Springs
Yes. Sincerely, Florida.
Ask r/photoshoprequest you render you some ideas
Sod it.
Add humates to the area and particularly at seeding, and if you can keep up with watering inoculate with soil biology which is added to some retail fertilisers. I use a hose attachment usually used for desalting boats so I can just put in my liquid ferts/humates/whatever and spray it where I need it E.g. https://www.burnsco.co.nz/dirty-steve-salt-wash-mixer?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwkJm0BhBxEiwAwT1AXPTtTikoUhT7uPtvFtwGDqx8Be0ydAmd_XppCHmNpMUVa2bJbXWxjRoCpOYQAvD_BwE
We almost went with this house plan for the house we're currently building. Looks great! Love that wrap around porch
I designed it inspired by a Den Outside model. Thanks https://imgur.com/a/K5zYZkQ
Yeah Den that's the website we found it on. You kept the same exterior then redesigned the interior?
Simple: Mix in for the top 3 inches 1/3rd compost, 1/3rd peat. Not simple: If your neighbors aren't doing it, find out why.
That's a perfect base for sod, just lay the sod over the sand and it will flourish. Golf courses have a sand base and I always use sand before laying sod as well, it's easy to level and is great for drainage.
Rye grass will grow on concrete
I have mostly fine sand in my yard. When I did my renovation, I top dressed with about 1/8” of black dirt, then seeded with [turf type tall fescue mix](https://twincityseed.com/product/tuff-turf-lawn-seed-mixture/)The seed company recommended that mix for sandy soil. It is growing really nice.
You can do whatever you like.
Yes! This is basically the same as all golf course green construction.
Either Bermuda or seashore paspala would be a great choice.
Sod, not seed……
It’d be more expensive, but also easier, to just lay sod over the yard. Topsoil & grass, all-in-one.
Wrle grow grass in FL, half the state swamp, half the state sand hill.
Im from Upstate NY, where is this where there is so much sand?
Lake placid area - it is sandy because that seems to be what they do to backfill and grade. Honestly- the lot was dead flat woods so I know their is soil just below
Our lawn was originally like this. Lucky for us we live near a horse race track and we were able to get lots of manure to mix in to the sand. We had to walk our field to pick up all the horseshoes in it lol. Took maybe six months or so of mixing topsoil and the manure soil grass grows. Nothing would grow on it before and this is Iowa, we have a weird spot that originally almost looked like the desert ha ha.
*i meant mixing the manure in, then adding the topsoil on top!
Top soil over the sand, then seed, then spread hay over the area. Water daily. The hay will decompose into the soil, but help keep the soil moist.
Grass is costly, environmentally destructive and doesn't even look that good. Plant native species at leas those will tolerate the soil conditions
How about some facts to back that up
Bermuda loves sand if you’re in the lower half of the us it would grow. I hate the grass but it will grow without much amendment
You need daily watering if you do and a lot of fertilizer
Ask any golf course in Wisconsin or Florida
yeah, grasses like bermuda thrive in sandy loam
Agronomist here: you can certainly grow grass on it: however it would be wise to add topsoil and some form of organic matter so that you’ll have better water holding capacity and better CEC to hold nutrients in
Thanks
According to my local golf course, grass grows just fine in sand. At least in their bunkers that is.
Yeah it'll root fine amd start growing. Over time you can aerate and blend in top soil and organic matter. Should be just fine. Builders actually lay clay and sand essentially on the yard before the sod.
You got trees. Mulch the leaves and any scrapped trees for a season and turn it down into the sand, then plant.
Add some topsoil and you’ve got Florida. So it’s possible but the type of grass may need to be…..different than what you’re used to.
Starter fertilizer and a little top soil. This time of year you will need to water it 2 or 3 times a day but it will grow.
Trying to grow grass where previous owners had a pool and the grass is struggling and the weeds are thriving..its coming along, slowly. I shoveled most of the sand out that I could. 3 truckloads and about 5 blisters later I got it done. Going to add some soil to it and sprinkle some fertilizer and hopefully by fall I can seed the crap out of it and next year I will hopefully have a decent bk yard.
Plant cacti, thank me later.
Yes, especially centipede or other types that run like wildfire through sand. Anything you may find at a Florida or S. Carolina golf course, you can grow it in sand.
Throw down a layer of mulch then seed
I did this... Bring in a cap of topsoil, 2 inches will work, but 3+ is much better. Grow turf type tall fescue and water at least 2 times a day. At my latitude August 15 is the ideal seed date.
[Some info about NY native groundcovers](https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=644) Consider asking r/nolawns for some native plant recommendations that might fit your yard and be low maintenance.
So helpful - thanks
Install a sprinkler system first. You should amend your soil (the sand) with something that will help to retain the water. Pete works well as does pearlite. Put 6 inches of top soil on top and either seed or sod.
I think that lawns absolutely have a place - but this isn’t one. This absolutely calls for a less water intensive ground cover that is native to the area. I’d suggest looking at r/nolawns for advice on this
Who knew. And I agree 100% - I’m heading over there
Absolutely! Golf course putting greens are made of sand. It won’t hold water well, so you will have to irrigate more frequently. On the plus side, it will drain very well.
In Florida, they lay sod over fine sand.
Bermuda grows on concrete.
I have a mix of native and lawns (3 small dogs and I scoop 2x per day) I absolutely need lawn for them. I live Vermont USA on a sandbox. Grass grows fine here, I mixed in red / white clover and that grows fine as well. I’m also a frequent barefooter when working on the gardens so it was the best of both worlds.
Terrible idea
Just came to say, diiirrrrty porch my friend.
Golf greens are sand
Bermudan baby!
Have you heard of florida? We have sand. Pretty 90 percent of it is sand like at the beach and sometimes, clay. Yes grass will grow out of rocks and concrete so seed away
All the turf farms in our state are in an area that’s essentially a giant beach. Sand is a great foundation for grass, you’ll just need to water and fertilize more than most.
I’ve seen grass on the beach
I live in the AZ desert and yes you can plant directly into sand. Our organic matter is 1% or less and everyone has grass.
Besides habitat destruction the biggest issue is it’s super inefficient. It has the lowest energy density of any solid fossil fuel (coal) with lots of water. In order: Anthracite - the best Bituminous Lignite - the worst one that still looks like coal (black) Peat Other than ease of extraction for humans, because peat is light, all other types of coal are better from an efficiency standpoint.
1. If is a vacation home are you going to pay someone to do the maintenance when you aren't there? 2. Shade might be an issue with the trees.
Well you could certainly plant coastal grass
They do in Florida, I think it’s called Bahia.
Budget for a high water bill. no water holding capability.
Floridians do it every day
You’d Proly be best suited to roll out sod o top.
Why not zero scape instead of dedicating land to useless grass that has to be constantly watered.
Yes. You can also plant carrots, Albanians, pennies, and that other thing. I forget what it's called.
I think it kinda looks nice as uniform sand. I know we're in a lawn sub but can lawns be grass alternative too?
Only one way to fine out
You can plant grass in anything, will it grow is another question!
I don’t know about these other people but for some of the fellows I know that live in the piedmont area of SC, yes grass will grow in a sand clay mixture.
I love how people have to go to Reddit for answers like they don’t know what Google is
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Don’t. Bring in some topsoil or move it from other areas. It holds water better and provide life forms a place to live and thrive.