Seeding and preemergent

[PikeTipper]

I need a plan,

I want to overseed my lawn this spring but I've had issues with crabgrass in the past. Can I do both in the spring or is that a no no?

[PikeTipper]

After reading more about it I should probably wait until fall for overseeding. It just seems so dry in the fall to get the seeds to germinate. How do people get by watering restrictions?

[fishersofmen]

You will be fine if you do it now I just seeded today myself. I prefer doing an over-seed in the fall but have had plenty good success in the spring as well. Get the pre-emergent down after it germinates and your good to go.

[Tom7227]

I'm not a lawn contractor but I would bet that if you wait to put down something to control crabgrass until after you're new seed has germinated the crabgrass control won't control crabgrass. It will have already germinated.

[RebelSS]

I've always overseeded in the Fall AND Spring, mixing my selected seed with my fertilizer. This gives me a thick,dense lawn. Years ago, you could not do this, as the Crabgrass control formed a barrier over all emergents, including new seedlings.

Scott's does have out a new crabgrass control that you supposedly CAN use with new seeding. However, I prefer to go ahead and overseed and not worry about Crabgrass control until later, if needed. Getting the turf established, then going after the bad stuff is the way I prefer. If I happen to see some, I will treat it at that point with a liquid application of some of the new crabgrass controls that are out there. Make sure it really IS crabgrass you have; I think all the advertising hype has everybody believing they will or do have it, when it may be Quackgrass, Dallisgrass, Goosegrass, etc. Have a pro take a look at it before you treat. I have not used any form of crabgrass control in years, with proper aeration, fertilizing with the right formula, at the right time, proper watering, and using good cutting practices involving proper height, time of day, and good equipment, and I love my yard. Common sense and good turf practices go a long way, and anyone can have a great looking,healthy lawn with some common sense and a little work.

[PikeTipper]

Thanks for the responses. The more I read the more confused I am. I of M says don't fertilize in the spring but I normally do a preemergent and feed.

RebelSS do you have a general outline of what you do throughout the seasons? What kind of seed and fertilizer do you use? Your lawn looks fantastic

[RebelSS]

Thanks, Pike! I learned "old school" by taking classes and reading every turf book/book on weeds, etc., I could find. I guess I've never heard of NOT Fertilizing in the Spring; that grass needs food/nutrients to grow/recover after a hard Winter.This is what works for me, others may not agree....

I start in the Spring as soon as the ground is dry, and give the yard a light raking with a Turf rake (wider plastic teeth type) I use Scott's Turfbuilder, the

"regular" stuff, and I mix in Schultz "Hardy Lawn" seed, which is the best mix I've found for my yard, which receives daily sun of about 80%. I drop spread this at half recommended setting by April 15th, and usually the first week or so in May the Turfbuilder at recommended setting. I will spot spray with a liquid weed killer during the summer if needed. I just don't get weeds, fortunately. Deep watering as needed in the early am during the hotter months. Cut with mower at about 2 1/4", never taking off more than a 1/2". Keep blade sharp. About the first week in July I do a light feed. Later July and August when hot turf goes into a dormancy stage. Aerate and rake in Fall, last thing is fertilize late Fall after raking/aeration. I've tried many, many, fertilizer's, and bought seed and made my own mix; which is a good way to fly if you know your yard conditons/types of turf you desire. The Scott's and Schultz outperformed all I've used before consistently Oh, and a soil sample sent to the U of M is also very helpful too. This is just basics without going into detail of what works for me. Hope this helped a bit. Good luck!

[fishersofmen]

Looks good rebel. You have it figured out, keep your lawn that thick and healthy and you don't have to worry about weeds and crabgrass.

[RebelSS]

Looks good rebel. You have it figured out, keep your lawn that thick and healthy and you don't have to worry about weeds and crabgrass.

Exactly. Some folks just don't understand that. Thick and healthy doesn't give weeds a chance. I still have some spot spray/hand spray bottle of weed control from 2 years ago. Boulevard along the street always likes to pop up those nasty weeds.....

[delcecchi]

Then there is my plan. Every year or so, I put on a bag or two of Fleet Farm lawn fertilizer in the spring. I mix up some stuff in the sprayer and try to keep the thistles and some of the dandelions down.

Then I go fishing.

Too much fertilizer and water makes the grass need mowing way too often.

[PikeTipper]

What's your watering routine after overseeding?

[Tom7227]

What do the pros think about the value of overseeding vs. a carefully planned and executed program of fertilizing? When I bought my house the lawn was in terrible shape, full of weeds. I took a class and learned what to do and did it and in a year the neighbors were commenting how good it looked. No seed used. If you get the grass growing it doesn't take much to get things under control.

[delcecchi]

What's your watering routine after overseeding?

Easy, since I don't overseed, I wait for rain.

[PikeTipper]

How long ago was that? From what I've read grass only has so many good years of growth so overseeding not only keeps it thick but keeps it young. I had a few really good years just using a good fertilizer routine but now my yard is starting to thin in places. 3 kids running around probably doesn't help either but that's what the yard is for.

[Tom7227]

How long ago was that? From what I've read grass only has so many good years of growth so overseeding not only keeps it thick but keeps it young. I had a few really good years just using a good fertilizer routine but now my yard is starting to thin in places. 3 kids running around probably doesn't help either but that's what the yard is for.

I did it 25 years ago. Since then I have had a major rework of the area due to sewer work and redid the yard about 8 years ago. I don't know about grass having a life expectancy but it hasn't croaked on me yet.

[RebelSS]

What's your watering routine after overseeding?

Since I mix my seed with my fertilizer, I do it right before a good rain, and let nature take it from there. No lack of rain in April...yet.

[gunner55]

Quite a few seasons(10+) on the local golfcourse along with a few in the lawncare/snow removal business & I think Tom has the right idea.Some timely feeding,a little areation so it doesn't get compacted,& maybe breaking up the thatch once in a while for a healthy lawn.That will keep the weeds down without all the chemicals.Not so sure about life expectancy,seed maybe,deal either.

[fishersofmen]

Everything has its time and place. Environmental conditions vary greatly from lawn to lawn. Sodded vs seeded, many trees vs no trees, irrigation vs no irrigation, varying soil conditions. I think a good fertilizing program is highly beneficial. I have been working in the application business for over 15 years. Many of the larger companies offer a ton of applications and they are obviously money driven. I usually tell my customers to go with 3-4 applications per season. I have some that only do 2 and their lawn looks great. Lawns that do not have an irrigation system and don't get enough water will thin out, as will a lawn that has several large trees on it. If you need to seed then put some down. Look at it from a golf course perspective. They have very few trees, plenty of sun, plenty of water from irrigation, and plenty of fertilizer. I also aerate my lawn every year.

[RebelSS]

Had my first mow today. Fertilized and overseeded ten days ago; filling in those "squirrel digs" nicely; nice and lush. Makes me happy!

[delcecchi]

You must live in the warm part of rochester. Nobody in my neighborhood has mowed that I could tell. It was 27 degrees this morning, slows the grass right down.

[RebelSS]

That's what constant lawn care will do for ya. Cool-season grass will grow well in 40's-50 deg weather, especially with proper feeding and care. That spot of the yard yard gets sun all day, too. Proof is in the pics. My neighbor is mowing right now... we compete for the nicest yard. I'm in the lead.

[bobberineyes]

Looks good rebel, even the Boulevard after all the salt from the winter. The neighborly comp never gets old. Next time he says his yard looks good, tell him looks good from far but far from good....always got my neighbor going.

[delcecchi]

That's what constant lawn care will do for ya. Cool-season grass will grow well in 40's-50 deg weather, especially with proper feeding and care. That spot of the yard yard gets sun all day, too. Proof is in the pics. My neighbor is mowing right now... we compete for the nicest yard. I'm in the lead.

Whatever gets you through the night. Whatever floats your boat.

It's all foreign to me.

[RebelSS]

Looks good rebel, even the Boulevard after all the salt from the winter. The neighborly comp never gets old. Next time he says his yard looks good, tell him looks good from far but far from good....always got my neighbor going.

Thanks! I'm gonna remember that one, that's great! He's been poking and working at his yard for about three hours. I've got him whipped. While the ground is still frozen with some snow, I get as much sand/crud off of it as I can, then when it's thawed out and the snow is gone, I take the leaf blower to it...that gets about all the sand and junk blown off of there. Then follow with the Spring raking and the rest of the stuff. Really not too hard to do.

[th64]

When you guys over seed do you water for 2 weeks like when you are fixing a bare patch?