catoctin wx Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Hey Tombo, The landscaping company's schedule is delayed due to rain and they can't get out to aerate, seed, and compost my yard until "middle to late october." Do you think this is too late? I hesitate to tell them to wait until the spring because I want the grass to be in for a few months before the summer scorching starts again in June. However, I am concerned that if we get an early freeze, the grass won't grow properly if it's put in too late. thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Hey Tombo, The landscaping company's schedule is delayed due to rain and they can't get out to aerate, seed, and compost my yard until "middle to late october." Do you think this is too late? I hesitate to tell them to wait until the spring because I want the grass to be in for a few months before the summer scorching starts again in June. However, I am concerned that if we get an early freeze, the grass won't grow properly if it's put in too late. thoughts? thats pushing it honestly. Last year i seeded in the first week of october and it came out good. Mid to late october is to close for comfort especially if you are paying a good amount for this to be done. If your not or its free id say go for it what do you have to lose. You want atleast 3 mowings of new grass before you go into frost and freeze weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catoctin wx Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 thats pushing it honestly. Last year i seeded in the first week of october and it came out good. Mid to late october is to close for comfort especially if you are paying a good amount for this to be done. If your not or its free id say go for it what do you have to lose. You want atleast 3 mowings of new grass before you go into frost and freeze weather. ok thanks. I left a message on the landscapers machine today telling him that I wanted to discuss it with him. I am looking for some type of assurance that if they come that late to do it, and it gets cold early, that they would come back in the spring to reseed. Dunno if they will be up for that though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 ok thanks. I left a message on the landscapers machine today telling him that I wanted to discuss it with him. I am looking for some type of assurance that if they come that late to do it, and it gets cold early, that they would come back in the spring to reseed. Dunno if they will be up for that though i think thats a smart approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossi Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Tombo, Grass has germinated and the lawn looks good again. I have lots of clover, some chickweed - should I spray or just let it die when we have a frost. Just afraid it will germinate again next spring. Thanks. Rossi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quakertown needs snow Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 My freakin yard is so wet and soggy. Have areas of standing water. Soil / clay can't soak it up anymore. I did seed and now hoping for sun/warm for several days. Fert. to go down by mid Nov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisNJ Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Anyone ever try using a cheap hand aerator? I like to exercise that comes with yard work and do not mind spending 2 days aerating and overseeding. I had bought a hand held, manual aerator. I may tackle the yard this weekend using this. Call me crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Tombo, Grass has germinated and the lawn looks good again. I have lots of clover, some chickweed - should I spray or just let it die when we have a frost. Just afraid it will germinate again next spring. Thanks. Rossi wait till next spring like april timeframe. Those chemicals could damage the new turf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 some more grub damage in the far rough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximum lawman Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 some more grub damage in the far rough Grubs are about the only problem I don't have. Lol, I think you need actual grass to have grubs. Have done two rounds of weed spraying, lawn is probaly 70 % dirt mud. I did two rounds of weed pulling (had this nasty vinelike weed all over the place - I think it was chickweed that was so thick i dont think new grass could have penetrated it even after the weed killer application). I did a couple of rounds of seeding, but I'm afraid most was washed away. So I have a landscaper aerating and re-seeding today. Stupid questions. 1) I know we've had 25 inches of rain the last 6 weeks, but do I need to water the seed put down today to get it going? 2) Can I overseed the landscapers overseeding (my experience is that landscapers can be pretty skimpy with the seeds - basically how much seed is too much? 3) Since I am virtually re-seeding the whole lawn, do I need to cover it with something (it's a pretty big lawn probably half an acre of grassy area so that's not a minor undertaking). 4) Should I fertilize before the first freeze and if so when? Many thanks! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catoctin wx Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Tombo, I am in a similar position to Lawman. I have taken your advice about what to do so far and the process had begun. I just had a landscaper come and put down spray weed control yesterday. He will be coming out early next week to double core aerate and overseed. He'll also be putting down about 0.25 inches of fine black compost, 20 tons of topsoil to level out parts of the yard, fertilizer, and lime. I have some of the same concerns as Lawman. The landscaper said he will be putting down fertilizer, which I assume will be the starter fert, but do I also put down winterizer after my last mow (assuming mid-to-late November)? Is it worth it to overseed if it doesn't look thick enough? Once the spring rolls around, I would like to put down the crapgrass preventer, but is the new grass ready for that? I've heard the rule of thumb is that you should allow 3 months of growth before treating new grass with anything. Thanks for all the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Grubs are about the only problem I don't have. Lol, I think you need actual grass to have grubs. Have done two rounds of weed spraying, lawn is probaly 70 % dirt mud. I did two rounds of weed pulling (had this nasty vinelike weed all over the place - I think it was chickweed that was so thick i dont think new grass could have penetrated it even after the weed killer application). I did a couple of rounds of seeding, but I'm afraid most was washed away. So I have a landscaper aerating and re-seeding today. Stupid questions. 1) I know we've had 25 inches of rain the last 6 weeks, but do I need to water the seed put down today to get it going? 2) Can I overseed the landscapers overseeding (my experience is that landscapers can be pretty skimpy with the seeds - basically how much seed is too much? 3) Since I am virtually re-seeding the whole lawn, do I need to cover it with something (it's a pretty big lawn probably half an acre of grassy area so that's not a minor undertaking). 4) Should I fertilize before the first freeze and if so when? Many thanks! J 1. Yes, you still have to keep it moist. 2. Well i would look and see what it looks like after he is done. Yea their is a limit on how much you can put down. The more you put down the more competition each seed will have to aquire the adequate nutrients to survive. 3. Ideally covering it is good because it will cut back on the amount of watering you have to do and also will create a warmer environment. That would probably cost a good amount in our yard. Just make sure you have good seed to soil contact and water. 4. Put a starter down as soon as you see the first germination beginning. Then after a mowing or to come back with a normal fertilizer that is heavy in nitrogen and not phosphorous like the starter fertilizers. Then after the last mowing put your winterizer down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Tombo, I am in a similar position to Lawman. I have taken your advice about what to do so far and the process had begun. I just had a landscaper come and put down spray weed control yesterday. He will be coming out early next week to double core aerate and overseed. He'll also be putting down about 0.25 inches of fine black compost, 20 tons of topsoil to level out parts of the yard, fertilizer, and lime. I have some of the same concerns as Lawman. The landscaper said he will be putting down fertilizer, which I assume will be the starter fert, but do I also put down winterizer after my last mow (assuming mid-to-late November)? Is it worth it to overseed if it doesn't look thick enough? Once the spring rolls around, I would like to put down the crapgrass preventer, but is the new grass ready for that? I've heard the rule of thumb is that you should allow 3 months of growth before treating new grass with anything. Thanks for all the help! You wont get a hundred percent germination with the seed, if you get a 75-80 percent take consider that a great start. I would wait and see how things look coming out of winter. If you have bluegrass in your seed mixture the undeground rhizomes will pop new grass seedlings in the bare areas. You may also have broadleaf issues. If you have some bare areas in spring, just don't put the crabgrass preventor in those areas so you can grow some grass, though you may fight the crabgrass issues also. You will be fine with putting down the crabgrass preventor in the spring. By the time you put that down you will have a good amount of mowings under your belt. You can get away with putting down crabgrass preventor till early may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisNJ Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I dont have anything large like that, but the damn squirrels are always picking at my yard and making little holes and digging up soil. Not sure what they are after. some more grub damage in the far rough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 I dont have anything large like that, but the damn squirrels are always picking at my yard and making little holes and digging up soil. Not sure what they are after. prob burying food for the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catoctin wx Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 You wont get a hundred percent germination with the seed, if you get a 75-80 percent take consider that a great start. I would wait and see how things look coming out of winter. If you have bluegrass in your seed mixture the undeground rhizomes will pop new grass seedlings in the bare areas. You may also have broadleaf issues. If you have some bare areas in spring, just don't put the crabgrass preventor in those areas so you can grow some grass, though you may fight the crabgrass issues also. You will be fine with putting down the crabgrass preventor in the spring. By the time you put that down you will have a good amount of mowings under your belt. You can get away with putting down crabgrass preventor till early may. Sounds like a good plan to me. So judging by your advice to Lawman, I am ok with putting down a winterizer after my last mow this year, even though it is new grass? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 Sounds like a good plan to me. So judging by your advice to Lawman, I am ok with putting down a winterizer after my last mow this year, even though it is new grass? Thanks yea you will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximum lawman Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 1. Yes, you still have to keep it moist. 2. Well i would look and see what it looks like after he is done. Yea their is a limit on how much you can put down. The more you put down the more competition each seed will have to aquire the adequate nutrients to survive. 3. Ideally covering it is good because it will cut back on the amount of watering you have to do and also will create a warmer environment. That would probably cost a good amount in our yard. Just make sure you have good seed to soil contact and water. 4. Put a starter down as soon as you see the first germination beginning. Then after a mowing or to come back with a normal fertilizer that is heavy in nitrogen and not phosphorous like the starter fertilizers. Then after the last mowing put your winterizer down. Will do, many thanks Tom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUCK JOE BIDEN Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Finally was able to do my fall overseeding last saturday. The cores were too wet to rake up as originally planned. Instead I lightly topdressed with sand and then ran the slit seeder in 2 directions. Went with a rye/blue/fescue mix (first time since buying the property 3 years ago) I am going to fertilize once I see some fescue germinating (hopefully before the end of oct), so the fert will be there for the fescue and blue before the rye takes it all in and crowds out the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMolineuxLM1 Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Has anyone ever used burlap sacks for protecting their grass seed from being eaten or washed away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisNJ Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Is 2 inches short enough before beginning the aeration/overseeding process? I just mowed to 2 inches today and will complete everything else the next 3 days. Also, if I have unopened seed from earlier in the year, would it still be good or is it garbage? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quakertown needs snow Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 freakin yard is still like walking on a wet sponge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisNJ Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 good time to aerate freakin yard is still like walking on a wet sponge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUCK JOE BIDEN Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Is 2 inches short enough before beginning the aeration/overseeding process? I just mowed to 2 inches today and will complete everything else the next 3 days. Also, if I have unopened seed from earlier in the year, would it still be good or is it garbage? Thanks. 2 inches is fine. the seed will be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUCK JOE BIDEN Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 good time to aerate unless the soil is so wet it won't pull plugs or the aerator gets stuck (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quakertown needs snow Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 good time to aerate way to wet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisNJ Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Still that wet? Lack of sunshine? My soil is damp, but not too wet. way to wet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombo82685 Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Still that wet? Lack of sunshine? My soil is damp, but not too wet. that combined with lower ET rate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FUCK JOE BIDEN Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 center valley closed....kinda shocking...I liked that course with the links front and traditional back nines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisNJ Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Think I am going to give in and have a local company aerate my lawn. I just hope they can do it in the next few days. Waiting on an estimate because I have no clue how much it costs? Anyone else have this done and what was the cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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