OT: Eternal Lawn Care Thread

[RUDead]

If any of you guys over seeded before is topdressing a must? Same with aerating?

You should think about why you need to aerate and address that problem after you have done it. Aerating works great, but if you have crappy soil and you don't fix that problem then you won't gain much from it. It should be a one time thing for really compacted soil, it's not something you should need to do every year.

 

[Postman_1]

I'm no expert either but I don't believe Topdressing or aerating aren't a must for overseeding. They can help but not a must. The key is soil to seed contact, so as an alternative you need to cut the lawn low , dethach, and us a seeder to get the seeds deep enough into the soil (about 1/4 of an inch deep). Get good seeds too ( I'm doing 4th millennium Tall Fescue this year).

Super important for success - You should prepare your soil by watering before overseeding at least 3 inches deep. After overseeding you must keep the seeds and soil moist for a number of weeks depending on the seed (usually 4-6 weeks) and continue watering until your lawn is established. If this is not done a significant percentage of your seeds will not germinate and your results will not be as good.

You can also put down a started fertilizer with Tenacity in it to prevent weeds while the seeds germinate.

See links below for more information.

https://unitedseeds.com/

https://www.homedepot.com/p/rental/...&appsFlyerId=1608584266044-890638792277666329

https://www.homedepot.com/p/rental/...&appsFlyerId=1608584266044-890638792277666329

Scotts Turf Builder 21.5 lbs. 5,000 sq. ft. Starter Lawn Fertilizer for New Grass Plus Weed Preventer

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Scotts-...New-Grass-Plus-Weed-Preventer-23200/203716573

SKU# 203716573

Thanks for the info. Yup I purchased a dethatcher from SunJoe last week on sale. I've been watching Youtube videos from Ryan Knorr and Lawn Care Nut, very good info there. I plan on cutting lower then usual, then dethatching before over seeding. Gotta water the hell outta it like you said. Water bill will probably triple that month.

I just ordered seed from Hogan Company. I ordered a tall fescue blend consisting of Firewall, GTO, Michaelangelo, ValkyrieLS and Rebounder. All rank pretty high on NTEP top cultivators. From what I read the topdressing is a pain in the *** and a lot of work.

You should think about why you need to aerate and address that problem after you have done it. Aerating works great, but if you have crappy soil and you don't fix that problem then you won't gain much from it. It should be a one time thing for really compacted soil, it's not something you should need to do every year.

Thanks, I have read similar. I tried the screwdriver test in regards to aerating and it does go in and out easy. Only reason I was considering it was if it made a huge difference with over seeding.

 

[Knight Shift]

I am a little disappointed by the performance of Lesco 19-0-7 in preventing crab grass. I am starting see some emerging primarily around the edges of my lawn which may be a sign that I did not apply evenly as I am sensitive about precluding runoff, but there are a couple of other spots that I am pretty sure I covered with the two applications in March and June. Oh well I have manually pulled them out before and I guess I will be doing so again.

We use a service and have a fair amount of crabgrass. It thrives in hot weather.

 

[Knight Shift]

Thanks for the info. Yup I purchased a dethatcher from SunJoe last week on sale. I've been watching Youtube videos from Ryan Knorr and Lawn Care Nut, very good info there. I plan on cutting lower then usual, then dethatching before over seeding. Gotta water the hell outta it like you said. Water bill will probably triple that month.

I just ordered seed from Hogan Company. I ordered a tall fescue blend consisting of Firewall, GTO, Michaelangelo, ValkyrieLS and Rebounder. All rank pretty high on NTEP top cultivators. From what I read the topdressing is a pain in the *** and a lot of work.

Thanks, I have read similar. I tried the screwdriver test in regards to aerating and it does go in and out easy. Only reason I was considering it was if it made a huge difference with over seeding.

Hogan seed is gold. Great stuff.

 

[HPNJRUfan]

Thoughts on best time to aerate and overseed this fall? Landscaper wanted to come this week, but 4" of rain last week with possibly another 4" on the way - thinking of holding off until at least next week.

 

[Postman_1]

Thoughts on best time to aerate and overseed this fall? Landscaper wanted to come this week, but 4" of rain last week with possibly another 4" on the way - thinking of holding off until at least next week.

Per Rutgers the best time is now to start.
You can do it later but they say the earlier the better. Regarding the rain sadly I overseeded on Saturday. I’m praying it dosent get washed out. I cut low then dethatched and scarified applied my seed then top dressed with peat moss in the thin spots. Also leveled some spots with top soil. Was a ton of work for me. Hopefully the rain dosent kill it all.

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs584/

 

[HPNJRUfan]

Per Rutgers the best time is now to start.
You can do it later but they say the earlier the better. Regarding the rain sadly I overseeded on Saturday. I’m praying it dosent get washed out. I cut low then dethatched and scarified applied my seed then top dressed with peat moss in the thin spots. Also leveled some spots with top soil. Was a ton of work for me. Hopefully the rain dosent kill it all.

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs584/

This is really why I'm planning on waiting till next week - give it a chance to dry out a bit and cut it again beforehand.

 

[miket007]

Thoughts on best time to aerate and overseed this fall? Landscaper wanted to come this week, but 4" of rain last week with possibly another 4" on the way - thinking of holding off until at least next week.

I need to do this ASAP **** I have a yard full of crabgrass which totally overran my yard. Something drastic needs to be done. Thinking of going the aerate and overseed process for a yard that was never cared for until I bought it a year ago.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

I need to do this ASAP **** I have a yard full of crabgrass which totally overran my yard. Something drastic needs to be done. Thinking of going the aerate and overseed process for a yard that was never cared for until I bought it a year ago.

The crab grass will die with the first frost. If it is totally infested You can seed with Mesotrione and make sure you do a pre emergent in the spring. It’ll likely be a a couple year battle but crabgrass is actually easy to control with a spring pre emergent.

 

[rurichdog]

Found a couple of patches of kyllinga in my front & back yards. I'm not sure how it re-established itself, but I've already hit it with some leftover Sedgehammer I had laying around from the previous war. This is also when I discovered my tank sprayer has a cracked gasket again; these things are so frakin' cheaply made.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

Found a couple of patches of kyllinga in my front & back yards. I'm not sure how it re-established itself, but I've already hit it with some leftover Sedgehammer I had laying around from the previous war. This is also when I discovered my tank sprayer has a cracked gasket again; these things are so frakin' cheaply made.

I’ve been very happy with the My4sons sprayer. I was using an Earthway s25 push sprayer before but it was on continual problem in terms of the pump breaking and inconsistent coverage. I’d had various cheaper 2 gallon backpack sprayers but they don’t last in my experience.

https://my4sons.com/

 

[Knight Shift]

Could this just be excessive heat of the past several weeks? Never had a problem before with sprinklers or areas not getting enough water. Have 2-3 areas like this, maybe about 20-40 feet square.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

Could this just be excessive heat of the past several weeks? Never had a problem before with sprinklers or areas not getting enough water. Have 2-3 areas like this, maybe about 20-40 feet square.

It very well could be excessive heat and dryness. Aside from Henri, it’s been pretty dry. Are those areas in the sun all day? How long do you run your sprinklers in those zones and how much water do they put out. You need about 1” per week and people often underestimate the time it takes to get an inch sans rain. Could also be a fungus.

 

[bac2therac]

Fungus..too much water. Its rained 8-10 inches not only July and August

Why are you running your sprinkler after Henri

 

[koleszar]

Thoughts on best time to aerate and overseed this fall? Landscaper wanted to come this week, but 4" of rain last week with possibly another 4" on the way - thinking of holding off until at least next week.

I found it works best in another week or two but we are doing pastures. I need it to get cooler so the ground holds water longer. It seems our summers have been extended by a week and last year I still got growth well into November. This will be my second time doing it as I'm trying to turn 3 acres of previously woods into sparsely wooded pasture(just left old growth trees).

We put down OceanGro fertilizer and seed at the same time right after aerating. The Ocean Gro is really slow release and will take roughly 6 to 8 weeks to dissolve so it won't burn the new pasture. With aerating, the area is on a slight slope so the seed and fertilizer works it's way into the holes instead of down at each end of the property.

 

[Knight Shift]

It very well could be excessive heat and dryness. Aside from Henri, it’s been pretty dry. Are those areas in the sun all day? How long do you run your sprinklers in those zones and how much water do they put out. You need about 1” per week and people often underestimate the time it takes to get an inch sans rain. Could also be a fungus.

The zones are all on the same run time. That area gets no more sun that the greener areas around it, and one of the other brown patches in another area gets very little sun.

Fungus..too much water. Its rained 8-10 inches not only July and August

Why are you running your sprinkler after Henri

My sprinklers are on a rain guage, and they do not run during or after rain. But you are probably right about too much water.

 

[koleszar]

Could this just be excessive heat of the past several weeks? Never had a problem before with sprinklers or areas not getting enough water. Have 2-3 areas like this, maybe about 20-40 feet square.

In your case I think concrete would be your best option, Mr. Brown thumb, problem solved.

 

[Phi_1055]

I agree that it looks like fungus. It’s a persistent problem in my front yard that I have to stay on top of.

 

[CincinnatiLion]

Could this just be excessive heat of the past several weeks? Never had a problem before with sprinklers or areas not getting enough water. Have 2-3 areas like this, maybe about 20-40 feet square.

In my opinion, this looks like Brown Patch. It’s bad here in Cincinnati due to the high humidity and moisture.

 

[RU Golfer]

Could this just be excessive heat of the past several weeks? Never had a problem before with sprinklers or areas not getting enough water. Have 2-3 areas like this, maybe about 20-40 feet square.

Could be heat, but I would probably lean towards fungus it has been real humid and wet the past month. I usually have an issue in my front yard with the fungus too. I tried to catch it early and spray before it got out of control. I just raked out and seeded those areas last week and topped with some seeding straw.

 

[Knight Shift]

In your case I think concrete would be your best option, Mr. Brown thumb, problem solved.

BTW, that Prosoco Salt Guard stuff we put on the concrete is fabulous. Water beads off the concrete around the pool like a waxed car. Maybe I should spray that stuff on my grass if it is too moist, to cause the water to bead off it and keep it dry!

 

[miket007]

The crab grass will die with the first frost. If it is totally infested You can seed with Mesotrione and make sure you do a pre emergent in the spring. It’ll likely be a a couple year battle but crabgrass is actually easy to control with a spring pre emergent.

I was hoping there was something i could do before the 1st frost which more then likely won't happen until sometime in November down here. I put down crabgrass control back in March and planned to put some down in june/july but it was so hot i thought better of it.

 

[bac2therac]

The zones are all on the same run time. That area gets no more sun that the greener areas around it, and one of the other brown patches in another area gets very little sun.

My sprinklers are on a rain guage, and they do not run during or after rain. But you are probably right about too much water.

There was alot of rain in July and August. The sprinklers should have been totally turned off

 

[RUDutch]

On the way to work one of my neighbors had his sprinklers on (after 6 inches of rain last night).

 

[bac2therac]

guess what people, turn your sprinklers off for the rest of the season, call for blowouts, you wont need them, your grass is green enough and you will save money.

 

[Knight Shift]

It very well could be excessive heat and dryness. Aside from Henri, it’s been pretty dry. Are those areas in the sun all day? How long do you run your sprinklers in those zones and how much water do they put out. You need about 1” per week and people often underestimate the time it takes to get an inch sans rain. Could also be a fungus.

Think bac may be correct, but per my note below, the wettest areas of my lawn do not have this issue.
When is a good time to overseed- now? And if I don't want to order a new bag of seed from Hogan, what is my best option (brand) for overseeding without making it look like crap?

guess what people, turn your sprinklers off for the rest of the season, call for blowouts, you wont need them, your grass is green enough and you will save money.

Raked out those areas yesterday. Seems to be too much water, but it is strange that some of the wettest areas of my lawn where there are low spots and it is soft/slightly muddy after rains do not have the brown patches.

 

[miket007]

Fellas i want to aerate this fall so i was at home depot yesterday looking for something to rent. What they had only punched holes in the ground, i was always under the impression that an aerator also p;ants seeds into every hole made. Regardless i need to do something to choke out this crabgrass. Would it be best for me to get an Overseeder?

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

Think bac may be correct, but per my note below, the wettest areas of my lawn do not have this issue.
When is a good time to overseed- now? And if I don't want to order a new bag of seed from Hogan, what is my best option (brand) for overseeding without making it look like crap?

Raked out those areas yesterday. Seems to be too much water, but it is strange that some of the wettest areas of my lawn where there are low spots and it is soft/slightly muddy after rains do not have the brown patches.

I would seed now. Personally, I think you should order seed from Hogan or Superseedstore or some others. I don’t buy seed unless the label says 0% weed seed and 0 percent other crop..

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

Fellas i want to aerate this fall so i was at home depot yesterday looking for something to rent. What they had only punched holes in the ground, i was always under the impression that an aerator also p;ants seeds into every hole made. Regardless i need to do something to choke out this crabgrass. Would it be best for me to get an Overseeder?

I think you are thinking about a slit seeder than puts grass down into slits made in the soil. An aerator makes holes but doesn’t drop seed. You can rent a slit seeder. Aeration is one of those topics that some people swear by and others swear at. I don’t aerate my lawn but some do and that’s fine. The crab grass will die at the first frost if you can wait. Then put a good preemergent down in the spring.

 

[RUAldo]

Fellas i want to aerate this fall so i was at home depot yesterday looking for something to rent. What they had only punched holes in the ground, i was always under the impression that an aerator also p;ants seeds into every hole made. Regardless i need to do something to choke out this crabgrass. Would it be best for me to get an Overseeder?

Aerate…top dress with compost…overseed…water. Started doing it 3 years ago and my lawn has gone from zero to hero and I don’t even have sprinklers.

 

[Postman_1]

I overseeded last Saturday. The problem is I have partial washout from Ida now. This sucks! I used Hogan TTF blend. I had germination is some spots by Friday 6 days after seeding. Since then only a little more has grown in. If I dont see any more germination by this Saturday I guess Im gonna have to just spot seed the thin areas? It seems the areas were the peat moss didn't wash out has the best germination. Hopefully some more grows in.

 

[phs73rc77gsm83]

I overseeded last Saturday. The problem is I have partial washout from Ida now. This sucks! I used Hogan TTF blend. I had germination is some spots by Friday 6 days after seeding. Since then only a little more has grown in. If I dont see any more germination by this Saturday I guess Im gonna have to just spot seed the thin areas? It seems the areas were the peat moss didn't wash out has the best germination. Hopefully some more grows in.

TTTF germinates pretty quickly so you could give it another week or so and see how much more germination you get. You can then drop more seed in areas needed. Peat moss is difficult to spread over a large area (unless you have a spreader) but really works well as a top dressing.

 

[koleszar]

Fellas i want to aerate this fall so i was at home depot yesterday looking for something to rent. What they had only punched holes in the ground, i was always under the impression that an aerator also p;ants seeds into every hole made. Regardless i need to do something to choke out this crabgrass. Would it be best for me to get an Overseeder?

We do aerating and have read that the one's that pull a plug are better than just the punch which compacts the soil. We aerate put down a slow release fertilizer and then seed. I can't water as I'm doing 3 acres of pasture. In another week or two once it's cooler and the ground holds water longer is when I'll do it.

 

[miket007]

We do aerating and have read that the one's that pull a plug are better than just the punch which compacts the soil. We aerate put down a slow release fertilizer and then seed. I can't water as I'm doing 3 acres of pasture. In another week or two once it's cooler and the ground holds water longer is when I'll do it.

Thank you, I was waiting until the end of September as its still a bit warm down here in Delaware.

 

[RUDead]

Aerate…top dress with compost…overseed…water. Started doing it 3 years ago and my lawn has gone from zero to hero and I don’t even have sprinklers.

This approach is so much easier but not a lot of people do it. I don't get it.

Improve the soil and the lawn will take care of itself.

 

[miket007]

Ok fellas, it was a long hot summer but i'm thinking of putting down weed & feed or triple action since crabgrass overspread my lawn tomorrow. I'll aerate middle of November put down compost or peat moss, overseed and put down starter fertilizer. Please give me your opinions on this! Thanks in advance!

 

[Postman_1]

Ok fellas, it was a long hot summer but i'm thinking of putting down weed & feed or triple action since crabgrass overspread my lawn tomorrow. I'll aerate middle of November put down compost or peat moss, overseed and put down starter fertilizer. Please give me your opinions on this! Thanks in advance!

November may be to late for overseed IMO if you are in NJ (See Below). You want to have the seed establish itself before first frost. I overseeded the last week of August. My problem was about 40% washout from Ida. I still had germination in some spots. As for the crabgrass it will die once the frost hits. A preemergent in the Spring will help. Dimension or Prodiamine. I believe the Prodiamine lasts longer. Quinclorac is a post emergent that is supposed to be good on crabgrass. I spot sprayed some Tenacity on mine when it was in its early stages and it worked well. Also with the herbicides I listed only Tenacity can be used while overseeding the others require a waiting period.

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs584/

 

[miket007]

November may be to late for overseed IMO if you are in NJ (See Below). You want to have the seed establish itself before first frost. I overseeded the last week of August. My problem was about 40% washout from Ida. I still had germination in some spots. As for the crabgrass it will die once the frost hits. A preemergent in the Spring will help. Dimension or Prodiamine. I believe the Prodiamine lasts longer. Quinclorac is a post emergent that is supposed to be good on crabgrass. I spot sprayed some Tenacity on mine when it was in its early stages and it worked well. Also with the herbicides I listed only Tenacity can be used while overseeding the others require a waiting period.

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs584/

I'm in Clayton De (20 minutes north of Dover). We were in the 90s this week which is why i held off. We normally don't get our 1st frost until late October so do you suggest i aerate then fertilize? Or wait until spring to aerate/overseed?

 

[koleszar]

Ok fellas, it was a long hot summer but i'm thinking of putting down weed & feed or triple action since crabgrass overspread my lawn tomorrow. I'll aerate middle of November put down compost or peat moss, overseed and put down starter fertilizer. Please give me your opinions on this! Thanks in advancke @Postman_1 said. I wait and will be doing it next week since I can't irrigate 3 acres. This way the temps are cooler and the ground holds water longer. It worked out well the last time.

Like @Postman_1 said November is too late. I will be doing the aerating, slow release fertilizer(oceangro) and seeding next week. I can't irrigate 3 acres so I wait till temps cool a little, allowing the ground to hold moisture longer. It worked out OK last year, would have worked even better if it wasn't pasture mix. Pasture mix I found is harder to grow then the endophyte fescues.

 

[rcube1994]

I'm overseeding my front lawn soon, probably about 10k to 12k sq ft. I dont have a sprinkler system. Any thoughts on best way to keep it wet?

I see neighbor has several sprinklers split off one hose so was thinking of that approach (guess we have good water pressure). Or am i better getting one higher volume sprinkler. Working from home so i can run out there and move things around, but wanted to see if any better ideas. Do those traveling sprinklers work? Seems like reviews say they tend to fall over or get stuck.

And do you think aerating, or dethatching (hasnt been done in over 10 years) is more worthwhile?