Which type of grass seed?

[LunkerLover84]

So i'm planning on overseeding my lawn at the end of august and i'm just wondering which type of seed to plant. I'm debating on whether to lay just KBG or just turf style tall fescue. Or a mix of the two. My lawn is currently a mixture of grasses which is starting to give it a patchy look. Any thoughts??

[delcecchi]

You might find these sources of information helpful....

You pay for them, might as well use them

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/lawns/lawn-renovation/

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/turfgrass/repair/

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/turfgrass/

There is a lot of other info on the extension page. 

[Moose]

Depends on what your looking for. KBG is what all sod is made of so if you like that manicured type lawn go with that just be ready to fertilize, water and mow at 3" +. If your not to into taking care of it fescue will do the trick also perennial rye grass seems to be popular lately. Just be prepared for that lighter green grass and some rough spots with the fescue as it tends to grow in bunches.  Most commercial seed products have a mixture which makes the grass look kinda ugly. I would go to the local feed mill and get all one type and go with that. When you mix them one species always wins out and it never seems to be the one you want.

[RebelSS]

I've used about every kind there is over the past 25 years, including a lot of "mix my own" blends, and the best all around one that I really like, far better than some of the big name brands seed, is Schultz's Hardy Lawn mixture, available at that big M box store. Gives me a thick, dark lawn that emerges fast, and tolerates the heat and cold well. I overseed with it mixed into my Turfbuilder in Fall and Spring. I'd wait until mid-September, however. Just my opinion.  Schultz Hardy Lawn Mixture is as follows:

Seed Variety: 40% Perennial Ryegrass Blended, 25% Kentucky Bluegrass, 20% Panterra Italian Ryegrass, 15% Chewings Fescue.

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2015 by RebelSS

[LunkerLover84]

Thanks for the advice guys! I think i'm going to go with an all KGB blend they sell at C and S Supple in Mankato. The last house i owned had a lawn with mixed grasses and like Moose said, one species would stand out over the other creating a patchy look. The house i just purchased has the same problem. KGB spreads fast so within a couple seasons of overseeding it should dominate the entire lawn i hope.

[gunner55]

When I worked on the golf course we used a blend very similar to the 1 RebelSS suggested, unless it was for a tee or green. Then it needed to be bentgrass,either seed or some of the plugs from aerating.

[hotrod1]

Bluegrass will do well if it is a sunny lawn. Mixtures of grass like 70% kbg 30% perennial rye grass is also good to use being if one grass is struggling due to weather, the other can kind of take over until the previous bounces back.

[Powerstroke]

Fescues are best for shady areas. KBG for sunny areas. The rye mixed in is for fast establishment. The KBG takes 21days to germinate, while the rye takes 7days. If you're overseeding, I would go straight KBG and seed heavy. 

[smurfy]

I've used about every kind there is over the past 25 years, including a lot of "mix my own" blends, and the best all around one that I really like, far better than some of the big name brands seed, is Schultz's Hardy Lawn mixture, available at that big M box store. Gives me a thick, dark lawn that emerges fast, and tolerates the heat and cold well. I overseed with it mixed into my Turfbuilder in Fall and Spring. I'd wait until mid-September, however. Just my opinion.  Schultz Hardy Lawn Mixture is as follows:

Seed Variety: 40% Perennial Ryegrass Blended, 25% Kentucky Bluegrass, 20% Panterra Italian Ryegrass, 15% Chewings Fescue.

 

 

 

I bought some of this grass seed tonite. also bought the 22-0-10 winter/ffertilizer. about 3 weeks go I used one of them hook up to the hose weed quack/crab grass killer. man do I have a lot. question, put the fertilizer down then plant the grass seed? I will assume the dead tuff will be gone by spring and I do have SPOTS I want to fill in. or would I be best to wait for spring to put the grass seed down?????? 

[RebelSS]

Spray for your weeds now. In about a week ( I like the weeds dead so they can be raked out) you can mix your seed and fertilizer together and drop spread it. It you aren't sure of how much to mix (ie; enough seed , etc) sow your grass seed, then fertilize right after it. I do this right before a 1-2 day predicted rain, I just did it today. Supposed rain tomorrow and the next day. If you have dead spots, grab a big bag of sterilized soil (so you don't get more weeds) rake out the dead grass, seed it, then cover lightly with the soil. Do the spots like this first, then overseed, fertilize, and wait for that rain. Fall is a great time for the weed-killing and seeding. And of course, you need Fall food to help that turf through the winter and a good green-up in the Spring. The benefit to doing it now, is getting it down and worked in before you have to rake all those leaves up.

Edited September 16, 2015 by RebelSS

[smurfy]

I planted grass seed a while back with the idea it would freeze and not grow. guess what............come home from deer hunting yesterday..........I got new grass coming up. will it survive????????

[Dotch]

My thoughts as one who is more in tune with cool season forage grasses than lawn seeding: If you catch enough snow cover you might be just fine. No guarantees though. If it's an open winter and gets extremely cold for a spell all bets could be off. Had the same thing the year we did our addition. I seeded it, mulched it with straw about November 1st and it froze up. Sweet I thought, then it warmed up again so the grass sprouted. Luckily the straw protected it and the small amount of snow we got that winter protected it. It's still the nicest grass in the lawn after 8 years.

[RebelSS]

I planted grass seed a while back with the idea it would freeze and not grow. guess what............come home from deer hunting yesterday..........I got new grass coming up. will it survive????????

It sure will! Check it out in the Spring! I've also got some new coming up from some overseeding a few weeks back.