How to fix this yard?

[Plant]

Hi, My lawn is full of dandelions, crabgrass, and bald patches from raccoon and rabbit visitors.
I've attached a photo of a portion of the lawn (located in Toronto, Canada). My budget is very tight right now...what is the best cost-effective option?
Thank you!

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Looks like you lawn is on the dry side. I would keep it watered and let the grass what there is of it grow taller before mowing it. You can feed it with fertilizer that's high in iron to green it up and help it grow. the taller the grass is the less the dandelions will grow. I don't think that the raccoons or rabbit are harming you lawn, I have rabbits in my yard year round,they help to keep the dandelions growth down, plus they add a little free fertilizer to the lawn.

 

[alp]

I was told that if you plant Fritillaria imperalis everywhere, their skunky smell will deter racoon, rabits and deer. I can assure you they do sink cesspit-y! And you attract tits as pollinators!

 

[alp]

Perhaps, just concentrate on your favorite spot and weed it and then put down cardboards all over the weeded area. You can introduce horse manure (usually free) or bark mulch/ wood chips (put in an ad for free and see it you can source them for free - I did that and relieved a man's garage of wood chips. He said he paid £15 for a whole garage load of woodchips) and then pour them over the cardboard and let the worms drag it down. It will take time, but it is cheap and ecologically sound. NO-dig theory. Or if you're desperate for action, just weed some area and incorporate top soil or compost when you want to plant something.

 

[Plant]

Thanks Fernsdaddy and Alp! I'll try some of those options.

 

[Greenlawn]

Your lawn can be brought back although it will take work. The dandelions are easy to pull up with a weeding tool. I've recovered a lawn much like yours. I am not an expert but I did it by removing as many of the weeds as possible by hand or tool, then add soil and seed. Water enough for the seed to take and use Weed-be Gon, as directed on the container. The secret is really just a lot of manual weed pulling. Being in Canada we know we can't use the weed killers that we used to use years ago, which is a good thing.

Good Luck

 

[Marck]

This is the beginning of a lovely, low meadow, but you can make it more diverse by scattering wildflower seeds. Top with a thin layer of compost to give the seedlings better establishment. Keep mowing, but not too low. Aim for three inches of height. This will also select for wildflowers that are amenable to mowing. A few that spring to mind include Lawn Daisy (Bellis), Clover (Trifolium), Buttercup (Ranunculus), Speedwell (Veronica), Strawberry (Fragaria), cinquefoil (Potentilla), trefoil (Lotus), but there are many, many more.
Also plant low-growing Spring bulbs such as Crocus and Grape-hyacinths (Muscari).

 

[mac1911]

Hi, My lawn is full of dandelions, crabgrass, and bald patches from raccoon and rabbit visitors.
I've attached a photo of a portion of the lawn (located in Toronto, Canada). My budget is very tight right now...what is the best cost-effective option?
Thank you!View attachment 37223

If your looking for just the lawn look , you have some work to do.
1. Start by getting rid of what ever the skunks are going after. If its grubs they will only flourish in any lawn improvement you do.
2. Im not a fan if crabgrass but don't mind the looks of the other flowering weeds
3. Even a simple soil test will help.
Especially PH , I thought I was putting down plenty of lime .
4. Watering, i don't have irrigation so I have to take what nature gives. Usually on water restrictions anyway by the time my lawn needs secondary watering so it is what it is. I just try to over seed with draught tolerant varieties…. Which often turns out to be weeds! Lol
5. The least expensive thing I did for my tall fescue based lawn was raising the mower height. Its close to 4” now and that alone helped a good amount.