Lawn Experts, help needed

[saint]

I'm getting ready to seed our lawn and was looking for some feedback. We have/had fescue, and although it's not the best choice for the heat in NC we have to plant it due to the HOA. We are renting this house but I agreed to take care of the yard. The fescue took a beating this year with over 100 days with temps 90 and above. I had bermuda weed infiltrate the strips b/w the sidewalk and street and I had to do a mass kill with roundup as you can see from the picture.

I cut it as short as my mower will go and used a thatch rake to get up up as much as the dead stuff as possible. However there is still a lot of dead fescue there.

I was planning on using an aerator tomorrow and just going multiple passes in these sections to churn everything up. Do you think that, in addition to over seeding and fertilization will get things going again? Is there something else I should be doing in prep?

Thanks

 

[PocketAces]

It would help to loosen the soil up. I would till that area up and start over.

Lots of water and you'll be all set.

 

[saint]

It would help to loosen the soil up. I would till that area up and start over.

Lots of water and you'll be all set.

I'll need a tiller to do that, right? I'm renting an aerator...do you think I'd need to do both or will tilling take care of it. I'll need to aerate some other areas that are still hanging in there, I'm trying to avoid 2 trips to the store for 2 different rentals.

 

[vinnie]

I'll need a tiller to do that, right? I'm renting an aerator...do you think I'd need to do both or will tilling take care of it. I'll need to aerate some other areas that are still hanging in there, I'm trying to avoid 2 trips to the store for 2 different rentals.

yea u need a tiller but I would wait until old school sees this there are water saver grass seeds out there

 

[saint]

I was reading a NC lawn forum and they spoke highly of Lescue and Rebel Fescue blends. I'm interested to hear what Old School has to say.

 

[saint]

The only thing I'm wondering is if I can till with this green mesh under the lawn. It's showing in just a few places but I'm afraid the tiller will get damage if this stuff gets pulled up into it:

 

[PocketAces]

I wouldn't try to till that. What is that anyway?

 

[Old School]

will tell ya at half time..

easy fix...

 

[saint]

will tell ya at half time..

easy fix...

Thanks man :hail

 

[Old School]

screw halftime..

area is cleaned up good from what I can tell..never hurts to rake a little more thatch out if ya got the manpower..wives work real well here. just give them rake..

ok ..once cleaned up..the aerator will tear it all to hell just like a tiller..just poke holes in the mothertrucker til you are tired of the machine whippin' ya ass..believe me they do..water the area before you aerate..just get it moist enuff to pull good size plugs out..

overseeding and ferting a must..you will have run-off next to the sidewalk so be prepared to spot seed for a few weeks or even more..plenty of time for it to come in including over the rest of the fall and winter..lotta seed will sprout come spring as well.

watering will be critical..moisten at least three times a day and 4 or 5 if ys can...

use straw to cover if ya want to..I no longer use straw because it is so much of a pain in the ass to cleanup..

use a quality seed...as close to 0% trash as possible..

since it is middle of Oct. go ahead and use a starter fert to begin w/and then follow up[about 7-10 later] with a fert somewhere around 18-24-12. Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potash.worked great for me this year

going to watch a little and then give ya some more tips

 

[saint]

Thanks Old School.

I picked up the following:

I was going to apply the seed first and then the starter on top.

How long should I continue to water 2-3x/day? Assuming about 10 min a pop?

In this area below, what should I clip the existing fescue to before plugging and seeding? 1.5"??

What number should seeder be at??

Thanks man :toast:

 

[Old School]

was going to apply the seed first and then the starter on top. doesn't matter

How long should I continue to water 2-3x/day? Assuming about 10 min a pop?
that will be to much more than likely..you will have to see how the soil absorbs the water..my guess is around 5 or 6 min. around 4 times a day..you do not want puddling..it causes seed to bunch up and you have bald spots to fix ..do it by hand the first couple of times and time the watering ..you will figure out exactly what will work for that soil..rule of thumb is keep it moist..a couple of weeks will give ya a decent base..then be sure to spot seed..fert and water as necessary..appears we will have termps at least in the mid 60's thru Oct so watering to keep it moist at least for a few weeks will be crtical...

In this area below, what should I clip the existing fescue to before plugging and seeding? 1.5"??..Scald the piss out of it..as low as you can go w/out tearing up you mower..here again you will have run-off so be sure to spot those damn run-off areas until they sprout in..keep in mind when this comes do not cut over 1/3 of the height off the lawn as it comes back in..do not weed it by those street gutters or by the sidewalk..cut it as best you can and let it come in thick and green before doing the manicure in late winter or early spring..

What number should seeder be at??
thick and dense drop..when you scal and aerate to this extreme the key is a heavy drop of seed and fert until the EPA locks you up..:mj07:
Thanks man :toast:

will reread and fill in the blanks after some nachos

 

[Old School]

that phone number for Scotts on your broadcast spreader can solve the selection question..

not knowing the spreader I would guess around 11-13 for seed and fert..

the webbing you see is from sod..

aerator may get some in the tines but no big deal..will pull out or cut out easily.

old sod will sometimes be a pain in the ass to grow new seed thru..just watch for those spots and seed/fert water accordily.

 

[saint]

With a pregnant wife and insane work schedule, is watering 1x/day for 10 minutes going to really put a damper on growth? I could try to get the bare areas by the street 2x/d.

 

[Old School]

find ya a kid in the neigborhood to water.

1 time a day..not good..

dry seed doesn't germanate

if you have to go that route then water heavier ..even allowing a little flooding or puddling to occur..

aerating seeding..fert..require water..

and as I tell my customers..

you want a lawn..somebody gotta water..

either the sprinkler system...OR...you

mother nature never seems to help enuf

 

[Old School]

you may want to use the straw given the watering issues..

it will keep it moist a little longer...

as the grass comes in heavy..slowly but surely get the straw up..

try not to rake the young grass out while cleaning up the straw.

it is a pain in the ass but a help for those not able to water as needed.

straw at homedepot or lowes..

not pinestraw..

Once the grass begins to grow well, you can cut back on the watering, but make sure it gets a drink at least once a day especially in warmer temperatures (your weather will determine this) And "DO NOT" water the newly sprouted grass in the evening or at night! Doing this will cause diseases or fungi to develope on your newly planted turf. You want the grass "dry" before night fall.

 

[THE KOD]

saint

this seems impossible to me

if you can post a picture in the spring of that same area. Will make a believer out of me. I have never been able to get grass to grow right.
good info Old Sch

 

[saint]

Thanks again old school. If we owned the house I'd put a system in but we are renting. I will get it watered 2x/day.

Do you think soaker hoses would work on those long stretches? How wide an area can they cover? Any brand that's reliable? From what I've read they seem to break a lot.

 

[Old School]

those hoses w/the slightly bigger holes that shot a mist about 3 foot on each side would work..especially on a timer..you could use them in the summer as well to help w/the drought times..

can't seem to find a pick of those type hoses..

lowes or homedepot will have them..should be in about 50' ers

not so bad an outlay of cash considering they will help w/summer drought as well.


you need to find you a good kid in the neighborhood who wants to make some nice change..

6-7 bucks an hour ..find him a few hours a week to help you out..

wash and wax the cars..plant flowers..

water lawn...

some of my best helpers have been the 10-15 year olds ..granted now that they are 16+ they ain't worth a damn..

 

[saint]

Okay Old School, I just aerated the shit out of my lawn. We are going to have record highs today and tomorrow, should I hold off and seed on Wednesday, or does it not matter?

As far as seeding, on the thin stretches I was thinking of hand seeding. I've read not to overseed as it causes competition. Should I measure it and weigh out the appropriate seed or does it not matter?