Full Version: Hey all you landscape -type people...............
When ,in your experience, is the best time to overseed up here? Ive got it all raked out,and its about 50% greened up.Lows are running 40's, highs 60's,rain from fri thru tuesday. I know most people out here dont care much about lawns, but I have this thing about haveing a good looking lawn in blow sand!
My uncle was a bigtime lawn installer, and he wanted me to wait until after memorial day to seed my new lawn. I guess freezes are real hard on fresh grass blades that have just surfaced. 
With out getting super goofy technical. Basically air temp means little. You need some moisture along with soil temps in the 60-80 degree range is best. Stay away from over 80 probally 50 will sort of work on the low side. To help it along a nice fertilizer should be put down and more balanced mix the better example 20-20-20 work great for seed starting and promote root growth than a 28-3-10. Also with the seed do not put any weed control or a preventer type fertizer down, just straight fertilizer. 2nd choice after the balanced would be one with a little iron in it would be good. A cheap pool thermoter works pretty good for getting a soil temp, with the sand makes it pretty easy to put it in the ground. With the sand basically just spread the seed around and rake into the soil. Ideally you want to get it covered by some sort of dirt. So spread the seed, drink a beer or 2, rake it in or whatever, have a another beer or 2, then spread the fert and finally a few more beers. Then hope for a nice steady rain then a few days of sun and repeat for 3 weeks or so.
Help on the fert, take the recommended rate and cut it in half, 3 weeks later do another half rate. In other words if the rate is 3lbs per 1000 sq feet put it down at 1.5lbs per 1000.
Yes a freeze is very bad for Newly sprouted grass, so have to look at the weather well in advance. It is fine if it hasn't started above the ground yet so the 6-10 range after seeding isn't bad it is the 2 week area that is most critical. Once the grass is at 2" it will be fine and first citting can take place at 3". Avaoid cutting new grass in heat of day, evening is best.
Help on the fert, take the recommended rate and cut it in half, 3 weeks later do another half rate. In other words if the rate is 3lbs per 1000 sq feet put it down at 1.5lbs per 1000.
Yes a freeze is very bad for Newly sprouted grass, so have to look at the weather well in advance. It is fine if it hasn't started above the ground yet so the 6-10 range after seeding isn't bad it is the 2 week area that is most critical. Once the grass is at 2" it will be fine and first citting can take place at 3". Avaoid cutting new grass in heat of day, evening is best.
QUOTE(mikef7 @ Apr 23 2008, 10:52 AM) 
With out getting super goofy technical. Basically air temp means little. You need some moisture along with soil temps in the 60-80 degree range is best. Stay away from over 80 probally 50 will sort of work on the low side. To help it along a nice fertilizer should be put down and more balanced mix the better example 20-20-20 work great for seed starting and promote root growth than a 28-3-10. Also with the seed do not put any weed control or a preventer type fertizer down, just straight fertilizer. 2nd choice after the balanced would be one with a little iron in it would be good. A cheap pool thermoter works pretty good for getting a soil temp, with the sand makes it pretty easy to put it in the ground. With the sand basically just spread the seed around and rake into the soil. Ideally you want to get it covered by some sort of dirt. So spread the seed, drink a beer or 2, rake it in or whatever, have a another beer or 2, then spread the fert and finally a few more beers. Then hope for a nice steady rain then a few days of sun and repeat for 3 weeks or so.
Help on the fert, take the recommended rate and cut it in half, 3 weeks later do another half rate. In other words if the rate is 3lbs per 1000 sq feet put it down at 1.5lbs per 1000.
Yes a freeze is very bad for Newly sprouted grass, so have to look at the weather well in advance. It is fine if it hasn't started above the ground yet so the 6-10 range after seeding isn't bad it is the 2 week area that is most critical. Once the grass is at 2" it will be fine and first citting can take place at 3". Avaoid cutting new grass in heat of day, evening is best.
Help on the fert, take the recommended rate and cut it in half, 3 weeks later do another half rate. In other words if the rate is 3lbs per 1000 sq feet put it down at 1.5lbs per 1000.
Yes a freeze is very bad for Newly sprouted grass, so have to look at the weather well in advance. It is fine if it hasn't started above the ground yet so the 6-10 range after seeding isn't bad it is the 2 week area that is most critical. Once the grass is at 2" it will be fine and first citting can take place at 3". Avaoid cutting new grass in heat of day, evening is best.
The lawn has been in for 1 to 4 years,depending on the area.I just want to overseed to help fill it in.Waiting for 50 degree soil is a good idea,that would be not in the sun temp too.Dont use any weed/feed,just granulated on the grass.We chop the mule shit up for everything else,the roses love it!
In the early fall. Deff dont spread crabgrass preventer and then overseed. The crabgrass killer wont let the new seed germinate.....
buy sod!!! unroll add water.
other than that we've waited till like august-september up at our place around houghton lake to seed.
other than that we've waited till like august-september up at our place around houghton lake to seed.
i threw some seed down a week ago with a little topsoil on top and have been watering it daily and its already an inch tall. that's down here though where it hasn't been below 45...
QUOTE(mikef7 @ Apr 23 2008, 10:52 AM)
With out getting super goofy technical. Basically air temp means little. You need some moisture along with soil temps in the 60-80 degree range is best. Stay away from over 80 probally 50 will sort of work on the low side. To help it along a nice fertilizer should be put down and more balanced mix the better example 20-20-20 work great for seed starting and promote root growth than a 28-3-10. Also with the seed do not put any weed control or a preventer type fertizer down, just straight fertilizer. 2nd choice after the balanced would be one with a little iron in it would be good. A cheap pool thermoter works pretty good for getting a soil temp, with the sand makes it pretty easy to put it in the ground. With the sand basically just spread the seed around and rake into the soil. Ideally you want to get it covered by some sort of dirt. So spread the seed, drink a beer or 2, rake it in or whatever, have a another beer or 2, then spread the fert and finally a few more beers. Then hope for a nice steady rain then a few days of sun and repeat for 3 weeks or so.
Help on the fert, take the recommended rate and cut it in half, 3 weeks later do another half rate. In other words if the rate is 3lbs per 1000 sq feet put it down at 1.5lbs per 1000.
Yes a freeze is very bad for Newly sprouted grass, so have to look at the weather well in advance. It is fine if it hasn't started above the ground yet so the 6-10 range after seeding isn't bad it is the 2 week area that is most critical. Once the grass is at 2" it will be fine and first citting can take place at 3". Avaoid cutting new grass in heat of day, evening is best.
Help on the fert, take the recommended rate and cut it in half, 3 weeks later do another half rate. In other words if the rate is 3lbs per 1000 sq feet put it down at 1.5lbs per 1000.
Yes a freeze is very bad for Newly sprouted grass, so have to look at the weather well in advance. It is fine if it hasn't started above the ground yet so the 6-10 range after seeding isn't bad it is the 2 week area that is most critical. Once the grass is at 2" it will be fine and first citting can take place at 3". Avaoid cutting new grass in heat of day, evening is best.
Use a starter fertilizer (13-26-12 or similar), broadcast seed at a heavier rate than normal seeding. If your soil is sand/crappy, use a mix that has fescues in it. They will hold up better since they have 3-4 foot roots. They're good in heat/drough/non-irrigated lawns and will work in shade.
QUOTE(unchained @ Apr 23 2008, 02:03 PM)
In the early fall. Deff dont spread crabgrass preventer and then overseed. The crabgrass killer wont let the new seed germinate.....
Listen to this guy...
Crabgrass is a seasonal issue, anyone who says they have crabgrass early in the year is seeing something else...a fertilizer w/ crabgrass preventer is a pre-emergent. It will stop any new seeds from germinating (crabgrass or the new seed you put down).
QUOTE(jjkGURU @ Apr 24 2008, 09:06 AM)
i threw some seed down a week ago with a little topsoil on top and have been watering it daily and its already an inch tall. that's down here though where it hasn't been below 45...
Probably some ryegrass..?
Germination Estimates:
Kentucky Bluegrass 21-28 days
Perennial Ryegrass 7-10 days
Fine Fescue 10-14 days
Tall Fescue 9-14 days
[quote name='revegade' date='Apr 23 2008, 11:37 PM' post='3929966']
buy sod!!! unroll add water.
good idea,but 1 1/2 acres of sod and sprinklers is a bit more than I want to get into!
buy sod!!! unroll add water.
good idea,but 1 1/2 acres of sod and sprinklers is a bit more than I want to get into!
If you just raked the lawn, it is a good time to overseed. Do it today before the rain hits. Two days of rain on loose soil with grass seed = perfect conditions. A little snow is possible tomorrow, that will not hurt anything. Some people call these late snows the poor man's fertilizer.
I had some damage due to grubs late last fall. I sprayed for the grubs last fall and again this spring, raked out the old dead grass and added topsoil, seeded and rolled 2.5 weeks ago. It's just starting to come up. Not rye.
QUOTE(revegade @ Apr 23 2008, 11:37 PM)
buy sod!!! unroll add water.
"Buy sod" says the guy who works for a sod company, what a shock
I used up the old seed yesterday just before the rain started,40# only did about 1/4 of it,but now we will see what happens!
QUOTE(shoelessJoe @ Apr 25 2008, 02:10 PM)
"Buy sod" says the guy who works for a sod company, what a shock
job security man!! i tried but i know if i had a 1+ acre area id seed it
QUOTE(SpeeDWerX1000 @ Apr 24 2008, 09:09 AM)
Probably some ryegrass..?
Germination Estimates:
Kentucky Bluegrass 21-28 days
Perennial Ryegrass 7-10 days
Fine Fescue 10-14 days
Tall Fescue 9-14 days
Germination Estimates:
Kentucky Bluegrass 21-28 days
Perennial Ryegrass 7-10 days
Fine Fescue 10-14 days
Tall Fescue 9-14 days
Mixing some extra rye in with a good Michigan mix is good to get things going as the Fescues, etc get going. The rye will die off but by then the others have germinated and are established.
QUOTE(unchained @ Apr 27 2008, 10:18 AM)
Mixing some extra rye in with a good Michigan mix is good to get things going as the Fescues, etc get going. The rye will die off but by then the others have germinated and are established.
Depends....
Perennial will not die, annual will.
Turbo ya need to quit messing with the mule shit, that stuff is only half ass. Llama doo is the good poo
QUOTE(Woodscat600 @ May 1 2008, 07:34 PM)
Turbo ya need to quit messing with the mule shit, that stuff is only half ass. Llama doo is the good poo
I'll bring my dump box on monday,you can take it home and load up 3 1/2 yds,OK ?
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