Repairing Summer-Weary Lawns
Free Lecture on Fall Lawn Care
Sept. 4 and 5
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Chalet Nursery
3132 Lake Street
Wilmette
www.chaletnursery.com
Lawn Renovation Tips
Our desirable turf grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass and shade grasses like the fescues come out of summer dormancy and respond to the cooler temperatures and increased rainfall that generally come between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15. On the other hand, seeds of almost all lawn weeds (like dandelions and crabgrass) germinate and start growing in the increasingly warm temperature and warming soils of spring, but slow down in September.
Better to seed or sod?
It's not really a matter of better. It's a matter of time and money. You can get equally good results from either as long as the preparation is done properly. And the preparation is the same for both. With sod, you get immediate results. Seeding takes longer to get the same results, but is a bit easier on the budget. The other thing to remember: it is virtually impossible to find shade sod (the fescues). That's because there is so much less demand and the root system of fescues (unlike Kentucky Bluegrass) is more sparse and just doesn't hold together very well for harvesting and then transport.
\What preparation is needed for seeding the lawn?
If you're doing a totally new area, make sure that all weeds have been removed. You may want to use a product like Roundup to remove weeds. Work the soil to a depth of at least 4" and rake it level. Put down seed correctly -- not too heavy, not too light. Here's where most people make their mistake and cover the seed with peat moss. Don't do that!! If the peat moss gets dry, it makes a hard crust the little grass shoot can't get through. Or, if you keep the peat moss wet enough, the seed may root in the peat moss rather than the soil and there will be trouble every time the peat moss dries out.
What next?
Just take a rake and lightly move the soil back and forth, covering the seed with the tiniest dusting of soil possible. Tamp lightly and start watering once or twice a day. Definitely fertilize either with a starter fertilizer or your favorite fertilizer (just make sure there is no weed control product in it) that will affect germination. Within two to three weeks, your grass seed will have sprouted and you'll be on your way to a beautiful new lawn.
Free Lecture on Fall Lawn Care
Sept. 4 and 5
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Chalet Nursery
3132 Lake Street
Wilmette
www.chaletnursery.com
Lawn Renovation Tips
Our desirable turf grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass and shade grasses like the fescues come out of summer dormancy and respond to the cooler temperatures and increased rainfall that generally come between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15. On the other hand, seeds of almost all lawn weeds (like dandelions and crabgrass) germinate and start growing in the increasingly warm temperature and warming soils of spring, but slow down in September.
Better to seed or sod?
It's not really a matter of better. It's a matter of time and money. You can get equally good results from either as long as the preparation is done properly. And the preparation is the same for both. With sod, you get immediate results. Seeding takes longer to get the same results, but is a bit easier on the budget. The other thing to remember: it is virtually impossible to find shade sod (the fescues). That's because there is so much less demand and the root system of fescues (unlike Kentucky Bluegrass) is more sparse and just doesn't hold together very well for harvesting and then transport.
\What preparation is needed for seeding the lawn?
If you're doing a totally new area, make sure that all weeds have been removed. You may want to use a product like Roundup to remove weeds. Work the soil to a depth of at least 4" and rake it level. Put down seed correctly -- not too heavy, not too light. Here's where most people make their mistake and cover the seed with peat moss. Don't do that!! If the peat moss gets dry, it makes a hard crust the little grass shoot can't get through. Or, if you keep the peat moss wet enough, the seed may root in the peat moss rather than the soil and there will be trouble every time the peat moss dries out.
What next?
Just take a rake and lightly move the soil back and forth, covering the seed with the tiniest dusting of soil possible. Tamp lightly and start watering once or twice a day. Definitely fertilize either with a starter fertilizer or your favorite fertilizer (just make sure there is no weed control product in it) that will affect germination. Within two to three weeks, your grass seed will have sprouted and you'll be on your way to a beautiful new lawn.
