Aeration, Topdressing, Overseeding and Starter Fertilizer

[Jared_P]

Like the topic states...I am planning on running the aerator over the lawn in two different directions and then spreading a healthy amount of top dressing over it. I plan to get some good compost/peat moss mix and either spreading with a wheel barrel and shovel or if it is ground up enough I was going to give it a shot in the spreader. After that I am going to load up my drop spreader and go over at a rate of 3lbs per 1000sq/ft with a good sun/shade mix that is a little higher in KBG. After that I am going to put down the recommended dose of starter fertilizer and then water. I was thinking of switching the sprinkler system to twice a day for a third to a quarter of the time it is going now. This should keep the seed from drying out.

Does anyone disagree to the way I am thinking about doing this? I currently mow the lawn at 3-3.5 inches and I have a good sun to shade mix in the yard. I plan to do this in the next two - three weeks. Any other recommendations are welcome...thanks fella's

JP

[fishersofmen]

I will be doing roughly the same thing minus the topdressing. We moved into a new place in April and the lawn was a mess. I have the weeds and crabgrass under control which was my first objective. There is some quack grass too that I will smoke with some round-up before hand. Will probably do this the second week of September. Keep wet for around 10 days.

[Jared_P]

Do you think the top dressing part is a little overkill. I have a very established lawn and thought that the top dressing could help to level out some of the dips and fresh'n up the couple of bald spots. Also thought that the peat moss blend would add a little zip to the lawn PH. I am just kind of shooting from the hip.

If I am currently mowing 3 - 3.5 inches tall now...should I drop the mower blade down a click or two and go shorter before the aeration and over seeding?

JP

[Snag]

Most golf courses do a similar practice on the greens twice a year. They punch to help with compaction on the greens. They never top dress the rough which would be similar to a lawn.

[fishersofmen]

Yeah with the greens they will aerate them and topdress with sand.

Jared you can go the topdressing route if you want but I don't think it would be necessary. I would definitely cut the lawn a bit shorter before you do it just so the seed will get down in there and so you don't have to mow for a while after your done. If you wait until early September things should be cooled down unless that's when we get some major heat wave which wouldn't surprise me the way things have been...

[chasineyes]

Sounds like next week might be heating up to the upper 80's PLUS no RAIN.

What kind of aerator would you be using? Not sure if your basic rental ones will punch a hole deep enough to do a good job of topdressing. Especially since the ground is getting harder and harder.

[Jared_P]

I have a bluebird 424 walk behind aerator. I feel like the ground is actually quite moist since I have up'd my irrigation time. I am thinking it will be the week before Labor day weekend or just after.

I think the top dressing is going to happen where I know I have some low spots that need to be filled or leveled out.

JP