Fall Yard Prep Today

BlackGun

Pimpin Ain’t Easy
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So at 6:30 am this morning I found it raining still from the night. Went and got a plugger. Did that. Put down lime and fertilizer (18-24-12). Spread 25 lbs of seed on the front lawn. All while it rained for the first time since Aug 23rd (except for a sprinkle one night that wet the deck.

Its fescue. I will sling some dirt/chicken waste to give it a little cover on the front. Anything else I could do for fall prep?
 
Sounds like a great start to a nice lawn in the spring. I just did mine and my friend’s this past weekend.

The only things I would change or add are:
-Only add lime if you know you need it
-Be sure to water 1-2x daily to keep the soil moist
-As long as temperatures stay moderate and we don’t get a freeze, give another application of fertilizer with lower phosphate (middle number) in 4-5 weeks
 
Sounds like a great start to a nice lawn in the spring. I just did mine and my friend’s this past weekend.

The only things I would change or add are:
-Only add lime if you know you need it
-Be sure to water 1-2x daily to keep the soil moist
-As long as temperatures stay moderate and we don’t get a freeze, give another application of fertilizer with lower phosphate (middle number) in 4-5 weeks
Had no plans to water because I have to pay substantially for both water and sewer when we do it. Hopefully it rains more but I will take the advise and try to keep it moist.
 
You may be OK without watering if the seed remains covered, it’s not too warm or sunny. But it is a bit of a gamble. If seed is wet then dries out before germinating, it dies.
Thankfully we have plenty of rain in the forecast for the weekend.
 
So at 6:30 am this morning I found it raining still from the night. Went and got a plugger. Did that. Put down lime and fertilizer (18-24-12). Spread 25 lbs of seed on the front lawn. All while it rained for the first time since Aug 23rd (except for a sprinkle one night that wet the deck.

Its fescue. I will sling some dirt/chicken waste to give it a little cover on the front. Anything else I could do for fall prep?



You can come to my house and do the trimming. :)
 
With the cool temps and moist ground and fertilizer, the seed should’ve germinate in a week or so. Calling for more rain next week. Let it do it’s thing and don’t over water. Feed it again with a small dose of nitrogen in January and it should be good
 
Man, you guys are creating a lot of work for yourselves.............. Fertilizer + lime + water = more mowing. :eek: My weeds stay green all year without all that work. :p
I’ve saved a fortune not having to buy onions anymore. :rolleyes:
 
Sunday will be my Yard prep day this Week...

1. cut down and clear the Vegetable Garden beds.
2 Start a fire in the watermelon patch to burn out old bug filled fire wood I don't want to bring in the house.
3. blow the leaves that have fallen, across the yard to the hillside.
4 Smoke a pork butt.
 
i plugged mine yesterday since the ground was still nice and damp. I can't afford to overseed or fertilize over an acre for the next owner. I might throw some seed under the trees in bare spots. It only has to look good in April because after that WE GONE
 
Sunday will be my Yard prep day this Week...

1. cut down and clear the Vegetable Garden beds.
2 Start a fire in the watermelon patch to burn out old bug filled fire wood I don't want to bring in the house.
3. blow the leaves that have fallen, across the yard to the hillside.
4 Smoke a pork butt.

Blow your leaves into the garden, mulch and til them in.
 
Next year do the overseeding during the first couple weeks of September.
If you had done that in NC this September, you would have thrown alot of money away or had to have irrigation. Fescue seedlings are pretty hardy in 4 weeks time, and in most of the Piedmont (Zone 7B)our Frost Date is Nov 15th but that's wishful thinking. I've overseeded right up until November and had good results with good seed (not Pennington anything)
 
If you had done that in NC this September, you would have thrown alot of money away or had to have irrigation. Fescue seedlings are pretty hardy in 4 weeks time, and in most of the Piedmont (Zone 7B)our Frost Date is Nov 15th but that's wishful thinking. I've overseeded right up until November and had good results with good seed (not Pennington anything)
Thankfully watering's not an issue for me. Further east in NC a lot of the Fescue dies off during summer, getting them started a couple months early really helps having deeper roots during the heat.
I gave up on Fescue years ago, first hybrid Bermuda, now we're trying Zoysia.
 
Sounds like a great start to a nice lawn in the spring. I just did mine and my friend’s this past weekend.

The only things I would change or add are:
-Only add lime if you know you need it
-Be sure to water 1-2x daily to keep the soil moist
-As long as temperatures stay moderate and we don’t get a freeze, give another application of fertilizer with lower phosphate (middle number) in 4-5 weeks

This ^^^^^^
While we don’t overseed golf courses as much as we used to (thank God) this is pretty much what we follow. If you keep the seed wet you’ll see seedlings in about a week to ten days. I usually don’t hit it with much N until after the first cut which would be at the point where it’s tough to pull a new spike of grass out with your fingers. Make sure mower blades are sharp for the first cut. A seed has all the nutrients necessary for growth for the first week or so after germination contained in the seed itself. After the first mowing then a starter fertilizer is good.
 
I put a chicken compost on my front yard in a light application over the seed so when wet it would retain moisture.

I had lunch today and a lesson on seeds, fertilizer, lime, and planting. It was eye opening to say the least. Guy travels the eastern USA for a large distributor who is the expert for the big box stores and turf companies. I have been wasting a lot of money and time. The main thing I learned is more is not better. Here is some high lites:

1. You CAN put too much seed out. More seed can be detrimental to seeding and over seeding due to competing for nutrients. This is the reason for recommended amounts for germination. He said as Americans we always assume more means better. Not so.
2. Lime is huge. Cheap lime would take an enormous amount per acre. Best to use fast acting lime in hundreds of pounds less of the amount. PH 6.8 to 9 will cooperate. Clay acidity is great for weeds but not for turf.
3. Fertilize only when needed but less is better during germination. The three numbers do different things depending on what you are trying to achieve. Root growth is most desirable over a lovely sprouting greenery.
4. Grass dormant state is normal so don’t try to wake up grass in winter. Waste of money and resources. Work on root growth only.
5. Milorganite produces huge success and repels animals such a squirrels, chipmunks, and deer. They don’t like it. Not recommended during winter because it affects dormancy but can be used 365.
6. If you use a herbicide such as Tenacity you need to add surfactant. Can be bought or use dish detergent. If you want to to really fool weeds then add a plant food like Miracle Grow liquid. Leave the plant uncut. The weeds are tricked into wanting the food and absorb the herbicide better. The surfactant affects surface tension on plants.
7. Something I always did. I would mix Round Up much stronger. Not necessary. Kill is kill. There is no benefit what so ever.
8. Best germination and maintenance herbicide- Tenacity. Very expensive but used in small quantity. 8 ozs is $85. Can be used while establishing the lawn and hinders weeds which compete for food.
9. Mow pattern should be changed often. Especially if on a rider.
10. Is soil samples super important? Not necessarily. Brown spots- lime. Kill off- lime. Bare areas- lime.
11. Construction yards are hard to establish. The good dirt has been removed. There are no nutrients in the under layers. Add good soil before planting and mix or fight it forever.
12. Plugging- I’ve done it all in reverse according to him. Lime, food, seed. Then plug with a core machine.
13. 1/4- 1/2 is the best seed depth. Never more. Laying on top- wasted money for germination percentage. Will just die off.
14. Milorganite made from beer byproducts is the bomb.
15. Moisture of soil is important for germination. A seed contains everything it needs to get started if the PH is good. Moisture is the wake up call. But never during frost or freeze. 53 degrees ground, 70’s days is ideal.
16. Perennial rye fine, annual not good. Perennial is very expensive. Annual cheap.
17. He recommended creeping red fescue mix. More the better.

Overload I know but there was more.
 
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I love my zoysia. I sit and drink something cold while watching all the neighbors slave away on their grass. After they have done the sprinkler dance all summer.
 
Every year I revisit the idea of under cutting the grass and laying zoysia sod. The problem is I have two trees that shade the entire front yard most of the day. Both have extensive root systems that reach under the neighbors driveway and the other is under the cities sidewalk. It’s not a matter of just cutting them down. They will sprout every year without the roots removed. Zoysia needs lots of sun.

If the rain lets up tomorrow I am going to plant nine 3’ tall knockout rose bushes in the front between the sidewalk and road. The grass will not grow well due to the massive layers of pavements for decades which is higher than the curb now. Rain drainage runs up into the landscape. With rain comes oil, gas, chemical runoff, etc... Fought it for years. Don’t own the land, can’t block it with pavers so they are getting some nice roses in their right of way. Hope I don’t hit a gas line or the water line. Waterline is located. Power lines as well. Locator never found the gas line. That’s a bit of an issue. All holes will be hand dug with a garden spade.
 
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I plugged and over seeded the front today.
Ain't gonna water anything.

I got a hair to level the pavers that make up our front walk in June/July. Threw down fescue so thick you couldn't see the dirt then raked it in. Watered for two/three weeks it never did a thing, eventually the weeds filled in. Then about the first of October that 15x4' patch is the prettiest most uniform lawn I have ever seen, choked out everything all of a sudden. I had a neglected fall seeding do the similar at the last place. Grass is stupid, I'll quit wasting time and money on it someday.
 
What corse is that @tbafile? Those look nice. Surprised you got that result under the conditions we had this year. Amazing work and knowledge.
 
What corse is that @tbafile? Those look nice. Surprised you got that result under the conditions we had this year. Amazing work and knowledge.

This is the 10th tee on Pinehurst No. 1. course. I only overseed my 9th and 10th tees :). They don’t drain very well and overseeding keeps them from getting muddy in the winter. Used to do the entire 80 acres wall to wall.
 
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