Does anyone know how to turn an overgrown field into a nice green lawn without major expense?

when our house was put in the weeds in the lot were chest high and they only cleared enough for the house and the driveway. wth the new house and a new child i don't have the money to throw on landscaping the "field"

Does anyone know how to turn an overgrown field into a nice green lawn without major expense?
Mow it down...can make a first pass with a weed wacker if necessary...then rake it up or mulch it.





Put Round up on it. Wait for it to take effect, see directions.





After plants and existing grass is dead. Rent Rototiller and Rototill it





Plant it with a good seed for your area





Keep it moist for fourteen days





Try to keep new grass from drying out until you have mowed it at least four times





Fertilize it in early fall with weed and feed after summer heat is over





Reseed in Mid September





Fertilize again in late October





Next spring aerate and reseed again.
Reply:I faced exactly the same problem as you do presently, when I moved into my current place. I have a house in rural Texas that has 5 acres of pasture surrounding it.





The cheapest way I found to deal with the problem was to hire someone with a tractor and shredder attachment. To get the whole 5 acres of pasture down to a size that my mower could deal with, took the contractor about 5 hours and cost me $175 (you will find that they normally charge by the "tack hour").





The day after he had finished the job, I went out with a ride on and went over the whole lot again. I then left it for a few days and repeated the same thing with the mower. After that, I just kept mowing it about once per week.





I found that within the space of a few weeks or so, I had the lawn type look, that I had originally desired.
Reply:Sorry, but the picture perfect, weed-free, lush green lawn you want is very very expensive to get and maintain. I don't know what you consider "major expense," but renting a bobcat yourself to level everything, seed it and cover it in hay will run you about $1,000 - $2,500 (depending on the size of your lot). Then you need to water, fertilize (seasonally), weed-proof (pre-emergent in the early spring)... Of course, the money you spend on your house will be the best investment you will likely ever make. Wy didn't you budget for this in your purchase?????
Reply:I live 30 miles west of Chicago. We bought this abandoned house with much higher weeds. We got a bush hog from the rental place and took down everything. Yes the field keeps trying to come back but we keep cutting.


Join a garden club. Everybody there has something they have too much of. Your yard now probably has native shrubs brought to you by the birds, dig them up before you bush hog.


If you are on a well you should watch what chemicals you use on weeds. Good luck!
Reply:You say field. A large field ? or more like a city lot ? The cheap way is to rent a large mowing mechine and mow it down. Then there is the issue of seeding then watering then mowing, buying a lawn mower. So there is really no cheap way out. But I understand not wanting to live in a weed patch either. Good luck
Reply:the only thing I could think of his just cut the lawn and add weed killer and get a little grass seed and spread it. I am thinking that just a little of weed killer and grass and a long mole.
Reply:Hose it down with Roundup, wait a couple of weeks, till the surface soil and reseed. I like to apply a thin cover of sphagnahm moss to hold the seed down and keep the birds off.





Astrobuf
Reply:That won't happen - I suggest you start saving and plan on paying a landscape designer.
Reply:Round Up, till it, rake it smooth and reseed
Reply:Astrobuf has the best way. It's the way I paid pro's to do it for me.