NEED TO SEED YOUR LAWN?
So the lawn is thin and has a bunch of weeds? Do you kill the weeds first, then seed or vice versa? Sound familiar? We’re asked this all the time at Soil Service Garden Center.
SEEDING STARTS NOW!
Now, as in RIGHT NOW is the time to seed your lawn. Here’s why. Warm days and cool nights in September and October are ideal to grow Soil Services’ KC Marathon fescue/bluegrass mix and KC Endurance fescue blend, and we need to take advantage of every day possible to build a mature plant before next summer’s stress hits. If you have shade, don’t waste another minute to get the seed down and if the area is sunny, you have a little, but not much more time.
- Forget about controlling crabgrass. It’s a warm season summer annual that will start to die with the first frost. Instead plan on using Ferti-lome For All Seasons Lawn Food Plus Crabgrass and Weed Preventer with lawn food next spring before the crabgrass germinates. Seeding now also avoids the conflict in spring when you can either seed or use crabgrass preventer, but not both.
- Mid-October to early November is a fabulous time to control a big bunch of broadleaf weeds. Broadleaf weed control products have seeding restrictions and seeding early gets around these restrictions for the best weed control application timing. Come see us at the Garden Center to figure out which product best fits your needs!
- More mature grass has larger and stronger roots that better withstand leaf raking or blowers. Some leaves on the yard are OK but wet matted leaves left too long on the lawn can kill grass, and especially new grass!
LAWNS NEED TO EAT TOO!
It just kills us when customers come in to say their new grass was up and going but then started to fade away and eventually die, even though they continued to water. When asked what was done to feed it we often get an awkward silence (think crickets!)
SEEDING ON SLOPES IS A CHALLENGE
Establishing grass on slopes can be frustrating if untimely rains wash seed away before it establishes. Here are some ways to increase your odds for success:
SEEDING ON SLOPES
- If the area is small try a wood tomato stake to punch holes with the stake and hammer to simulate an aerator. Punch holes about 2 inches deep. Again, the more the better.
- If the area is somewhat large, core aerate and then seed. The seed washes into the holes and germinates like little plugs. The more holes the better so making 2-4 passes works just fine and grass fills in more quickly than if a single pass is made.
- Use Seed Aide pelletized mulch widely used in the professional turf industry. Seed Aide has a tackifier (think glue) that holds the mulch and seed in place to minimize seed washing. Best of all it doesn’t cost any more than other seed mulches. Seed Aide bags cover app. 1000 sq.ft.
- DeWitt Straw TackSak is a sack of straw seeding mulch designed to stop erosion and speed up germination. TackSak is made of finely processed straw, cut twice and processed with a bonding agent that gives straw a tackiness which holds it together and protects grass seed from heavy washout, runoff and wind. TackSak conserves water, naturally biodegrades and is safe for pets and children. It also makes great bedding for livestock. Easy to use, handle and clean up. Covers up to 500 sq. feet.
- You can use erosion control blankets that are rolled out like a carpet over the seed. Dewit Straw Guard Natural straw fibers for fast germination, seed doesn’t wash away, prevents soil erosion, saves water, non–toxic, biodegradable, lightweight and easy to use, 4 ft. x 50 ft., 200 sq. ft., single photodegradable netting on top of straw fibers, safe for home, children & pets and the larger version of this, Curlex, covers 450 sq. ft.
NO WEEDS JUST BROWN?
Well it looks like summer just does not want to leave us here in Kansas City. Oh and look my lawn is turning yellow or wait, brown. What is going on? This could be abiotic stress could be affecting your lawn.
Click Here to read about Abiotic Lawn Stress
DINNER TIME FOR FESCUE AND BLUEGRASS LAWNS
When it comes to feeding fescue and bluegrass, about 2/3 of the annual need for nitrogen fertilizer should be applied in the fall. Use high nitrogen Ferti-lome Lawn Food + Iron in September and in late October into November, use Ferti-lome Winterizer when the grass is still green but you’re about done mowing. Think of those fertilizer bags as bags of energy that grass takes in and stores in roots to survive next summer’s stress.
If you are seeding larger areas and not just little spots, be sure to use Ferti-lome New Lawn Starter Fertilizer the same time you seed. Starter fertilizers are mostly phosphorus (the second number on the bag) because newly germinating seed has a high demand for this nutrient. Then 2-3 weeks after germination it will be hungry for the higher nitrogen products mentioned above. Just like people, grass needs to eat to keep up its energy and the key to a healthier, thicker lawn!
WATERING SEED AND SOD- UGH!
Watering a newly seeded or sodded lawn is no fun, but if you’ve come this far in your quest for lawn perfection here is a must read excerpt from The University of Missouri lawn watering guide.
CLICK HERE For : Watering New Lawns from MU Home Lawn Watering Guide
MOST WEED CONTROL PRODUCTS HAVE SEEDING RESTRICTIONS. IF YOU USE A LAWN CARE COMPANY.
Since most herbicides can hurt seed germination, we urge you to check with the lawn care company to see if they recently applied or will soon apply weed control. This means they need to know your seeding plans. Since 1990 Soil Service Garden Center has had lawn programs for the do-it-yourselfer that take the guesswork out of seeding issues. They are simple and highly cost effective. You can sign up now for this fall and next year, save $$$, have fun and take pride in a beautiful lawn that YOU grow! Come by the Garden Center to discuss how we can help meet your goals for a beautiful lawn.
LAWN RENOVATION WITH OUR LANDSCAPE CREWS
SOIL SERVICE GARDEN CENTER LANDSCAPE CREWS AERATE, VERTICUT AND SEED – The fall schedule fills quickly so we urge you to call ASAP.
Thank you for your business and
Let’s keep growing!!