[jenjordan8604]

I just had a patio put in my yard and the recked my grass. In the process of this disaster I found out that my backyard is all Clay. Can anybody tell me the best way to get grass to grow, and as fast as possible.

Thanks

[21boat]

Maybe you found this already but Hears a Quote from another site on clay sold. If you want really fast there that TV add that guarantees grass to even grow on a concrete block. Never used it so no history for you there.

Green Manure" -- which is what we call plants in the Legumes family -- fortifies your soil with incredible doses of usable Nitrogen. Alfalfa. Wheat. Vetch. Peas. Rye. Clover. These plants actually MANUFACTURE Nitrogen out of thin air! And if there's anything you need to grow healthy grass, it's Nitrogen. These are usually grown during the summer, then tilled in before they reach maturity. Even better, the roots of some Green Manures draw nutrients UP toward the soil surface and make them available for your shallow-rooted lawn-grass. At that point, you can count on having the richest, most fertile soil in town.

Aged Compost and Manure ... even better! A boost of organic matter is just what the doctor ordered for building up the soil structure. Just one Teaspoon of rich soil contains anywhere from 100 million to 1 billion bacteria. You want
to encourage growth of soil microbes down there; you need those Nitrifying Bacteria in your neutral, nontoxic soil to break down decomposing stems and roots, converting Organic Nitrogen into Nitrate, at a rate that changes with the temperature and natural pH. Like natural clockwork. In God's time.

First thing many homeowners do before seeding their lawn: Sprinkle Lime.

But while Lime may sound like a quick fix, it's not a long term solution to Clay.

Why not?

Because -- to quote agricultural merchant Frost-proof: "Organisms abound in an organically rich soil and break it down into a form of food the plant roots can absorb easily. The addition of organic material is perhaps the most important ingredient in healthy root development."

Your clay needs it.

Remember that when you eventually get to mowing your lawn. Leave the clippings. Earthworms and microbes will break hem down quickly. Unless of course you use those dreadful things with names like "Weed And Feed" or "Grub Control" in which case all signs of life in your lawn shall cease
except for slime molds and fungus.

Sure, you can apply Nitrogen fertilizer to your sandy soil 'til the cows come home. But you will obtain the BEST results with Green Manures. Because their roots are where all the action is.

Gypsum - Calcium Sulfate - will only improve soil when you have excessive amounts of Sodium in your soil, usually caused by chemical fertilizers. Skip the Gypsum.

Sand will mix with Clay to give you a perfect parking lot. It makes the ultimate hard-pan. You cannot grow grass in hard-pan.

For more information on fertilizer labels, I recommend you read Rutgers WSU Extension publication: "Understanding Fertilizer Labels" (http://www.rce.rutgers.edu/pubs/pdfs/fs871.pdf). You'll need Adobe Acrobat to view it.