Sodded my Backyard

[gitapik]

Brooklyn row house. Built 1875. Changed things around in the back yard, this past year (neighbor still has his clothes line ladder...I wanted to keep that). Remaining lawn section was an absolute mess of a mud puddle...so I prepped and sodded it over. Pretty happy considering it's a first:

Still got some work to do, leveling the stone in the foreground. Staying on top of the watering and hoping the weather warms up a little!

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Nice work. Just be sure to keep it wet for a while. Sometimes Sod can be a bear to get rooted. Good luck.
BTW, I feel for ya living in such an area. I'm in Colorado Springs in the city and my side yard between my house and my neighbor is bigger than that. To each their own. Some like lots and some like little.

 

[Jim99]

The yard looks great! Sod is the way to go for an instant lawn. It will require a lot of water until it is firmly established. I think you had the same downpour we had in my neighborhood last night, so that should help. I do like the stones and the plant arrangement.

 

[ColtRevolver]

A couple of years ago a guy down the street rented a sod cutter and did about s 24' × 50' area for a parking pad. He did a great job rolling up the sod. I figured he was selling it or had it promised. I would have loved to have had it to put down on part of my backyard. A couple of weeks passed with it still there. After it turned solid brown he put a "free" sign on it...lol. He ended up having to pay to have it hauled off.

 

[Toothpick]

That makes a big difference! I bet the more you make it “yours“ and looking good the more you’ll want to sit out there and enjoy it. Nothing beats a cold drink in the shade of a tree on a warm Summer evening. Nice looking spot!

Also…1875!? That’s one old house!

 

[gitapik]

Nice work. Just be sure to keep it wet for a while. Sometimes Sod can be a bear to get rooted. Good luck.
BTW, I feel for ya living in such an area. I'm in Colorado Springs in the city and my side yard between my house and my neighbor is bigger than that. To each their own. Some like lots and some like little.

Colorado Springs is beautiful!
We sold 20 acres of beautiful land with a view, in Vermont to get the down payment for this place. It was a hard decision but these 25 years have been great.
Would love a bigger yard but the house is all ours, we bought it as a fixer upper before the neighborhood took off (and boy did it take off!), and it’s a wonderful community. No regrets.

The yard looks great! Sod is the way to go for an instant lawn. It will require a lot of water until it is firmly established. I think you had the same downpour we had in my neighborhood last night, so that should help. I do like the stones and the plant arrangement.

I checked the moisture a few times today. It was the first day I didn’t water since I put it down. Yeah, that downpour really did the trick. Plus it was cold today. I’ll water twice tomorrow…as I’ve done from the gitgo. Thanks. I do the stonework. Made a lot of changes this spring. My wife’s a professional gardener. She’s very good and will be happy to hear the compliment.

That makes a big difference! I bet the more you make it “yours“ and looking good the more you’ll want to sit out there and enjoy it. Nothing beats a cold drink in the shade of a tree on a warm Summer evening. Nice looking spot!

Also…1875!? That’s one old house!

Thanks! It’s a sweet little nook. And very solid.
The houses on this block were built for the overseers of Greenwood Cemetery, which is about 3/4 of a mile away.
There are houses in this area with lots of original detail. This ain’t one of ‘em (except for the stone foundation/coal shoot/and tree stump posts and beams)(since replaced w steel I beams) in the cellar.

 

[ajkel64]

A little late in here. That is a great improvement to your backyard. Nice backyard to by the way.

 

[gitapik]

A little late in here. That is a great improvement to your backyard. Nice backyard to by the way.

Thanks. It’s knitting together nicely and I just finished painting the furniture a dark green. Will post some shots soon.

 

[gitapik]

Here’s where it’s at, now.

My wife, Rachel, is a pro gardener. Everything’s coming up nicely. Sod’s just beginning to knit together.

I was going to paint the furniture with the usual Rustoleum but chose a Sherwin Williams outdoor latex enamel. “Jasper”. Almost went with white but I like this look. Blends in nicely.

 

[Jim99]

Here’s where it’s at, now.

My wife, Rachel, is a pro gardener. Everything’s coming up nicely. Sod’s just beginning to knit together.

View attachment 1447754I was going to paint the furniture with the usual Rustoleum but chose a Sherwin Williams outdoor latex enamel. “Jasper”. Almost went with white but I like this look. Blends in nicely.
View attachment 1447755

Let us know how that latex enamel holds up. I’m assuming it’s a brush on. I need to paint my metal patio furniture and picked up a spray can of rustoleum, but it’s not my favorite way to paint.

 

[gitapik]

Let us know how that latex enamel holds up. I’m assuming it’s a brush on. I need to paint my metal patio furniture and picked up a spray can of rustoleum, but it’s not my favorite way to paint.

Will def let you know. I do know that brush on holds up better than spray, as a general rule…but it’s more time and labor intensive. Harder to get into the cracks. But I’m not into aerosols and it’s a tight area. Didn’t want to paint Rachel’s plants on windy days. I did two coats and then an exhaustive touch up sweep.

Was set to go Rustoleum but I really wanted a very dark green in satin. Rustoleum darkest green only comes in gloss. There’s a Sherwin Williams close by so I dropped in and the guy sold me. Very knowledgeable. Even got me to choose latex (much easier cleanup). They had a lot of shades and I chose the darkest. “Jasper”.

But yeah: I’m keeping an eye on it.

 

[ColtRevolver]

I have a set of 4 of those bucket chairs my parents bought in the 70's. Every couple of years, I pressure wash them and spray on another coat of paint. They were originally white. I painted them hunter green in the 90's. For the past 20 years, I have been using black.

 

[gitapik]

I have a set of 4 of those bucket chairs my parents bought in the 70's. Every couple of years, I pressure wash them and spray on another coat of paint. They were originally white. I painted them hunter green in the 90's. For the past 20 years, I have been using black.

My first inclination was black. Wife wanted to continue white. Think I won this one with very dark green. We’re both very happy with it.

 

[eightysixCJ]

Looks awesome! As a fellow Brooklynite I can appreciate such a sanctuary. Enjoy!

Tom

 

[gitapik]

After 15 days I got out the 37 year old reel mower. Did the job pretty well...but the roller crapped out at the very end. First problem I've had with this guy.

I could've gotten a replacement set, but it would've required some jerry rigging (newer models are 14"...not 12"). And, despite my staying on top of them; the blades are starting to pull. So out with the old (well...I'll put it in the basement) and in with the new. Will do a pass with it sometime this week.

Welcome to my mudroom:

 

[Jim99]

After 15 days I got out the 37 year old reel mower. Did the job pretty well...but the roller crapped out at the very end. First problem I've had with this guy.

I could've gotten a replacement set, but it would've required some jerry rigging (newer models are 14"...not 12"). And, despite my staying on top of them; the blades are starting to pull. So out with the old (well...I'll put it in the basement) and in with the new. Will do a pass with it sometime this week.

Welcome to my mudroom:

View attachment 1452626

That looks great and should easily take care of that lawn. All the rain we had this past week should have definitely helped the turf take root.

 

[gitapik]

That looks great and should easily take care of that lawn. All the rain we had this past week should have definitely helped the turf take root.

Definitely rained a ton. Good stuff. Thanks, Jim.

 

[FarmerTan]

The whole project turned out beautifully my friend!

 

[gitapik]

If you’re looking big for a good small reel mower; this 14” Great States is awesome. Excellent cut. WD40 on the blades afterwards. Really impressed!!

 

[gitapik]

Lines are gone. Good stuff!!! Now comes the maintenance.