Even more lawn questions (pics included)!

[Scoot]

OK, I realize this is my third round of lawn questions, but I'm really starting from scratch and greatly appreciate the experience and knowledge of you fellers. So, here's the deal...

If you look at my lawn from a distance, it looks pretty darn good.

Even up close, most of the yard looks pretty good considering it was seeded in June.

However, some spots look really shabby and thin.

What would you folks suggest for these thin spots? Should I spot seed now, rake in the seed by hand, and keep it nice and wet. Or... should I wait until Sep before I start to fill in the thin spots (given the heat we're having and likely will have for the next month)?

Also, weeds!!! I can't take it anymore. You can't see them in the pics above- that's the front yard. The back yard is a jungle! I understand that I can't spray the lawn with any herbicide to deal with the weeds, but the weeds are thick in spots. They're also going to seed too. I gotta at least mow over the top of it to knock down some of the weeds. It looks pretty disgraceful in spots... I plan on mowing with the blade up about 3 1/2 inches- that'll keep it up above the new grass height no problem. I assume this is fine to do?

[LABS4ME]

You can mow the weeds which will definitley remove the seed heads, but generally you can use a BROADLEAF herbicide on grass seedlings that are 6 weeks old. Raed the label of the herbicide to confirm the age the seedlings need to be.

We have suspended ALL seed jobs until the last half of August. Even jobs with sprinkler systems. What happens is the seed germinates and then the seedlings get whacked by all the heat, it heats the ground up and that affects the root, and the tops whither under the sun. The few jobs we have HAD to seed over the last month (to appease the city so they can get there permit final) had their sprinklers set to run 6 times a day for 10 minutes a zone. This is the only way to cool the seedlings off.

When you over seed, loosen up the thin areas with a rake, seed and then rake the seed into the soil. The end of August through September is the best time to seed lawns in Minnesota. It is when Bluegrass and fescue seeds would naturally germinate.

Good Luck!

Ken

[troutstix]

Hi Scoot,

Right now is the worst time of the year to seed a lawn, the best time of the year is right around the corner. Aug 15- Sept. 10 for sun areas with Sept. 10- 20th being a gamble. In areas that are totally void of new grass a stiff garden rake will work the ground up enough (1/4" is all the deeper you need to go). In areas that have some grass, you may want to dice the soil with a flat nosed spade at about 1" intervals, again 1/4" deep (if you start pulling a metal garden rake through areas with grass- you will start pulling up some grass!). Then water about 1/4" a day (put a cake pan out and time how long it takes for your sprinkler to put out 1/4") Bluegrass germination will be the longest at up to 20 days.

The problem with the weeds is, any broadleaf herbicide should not to be used in the heat of the summer, it can burn your grass. Any new grass plants need to have at least three mowings to harden them off or you could again damage the new tender plants. End of Aug/sept. are your prime fall broadleaf killing time. Most broadleaf herbicides need 2-3 weeks before you can seed into the sprayed area, so plan wisely with fall seeding! Good Luck!

[G_man]

Attempting to overseed, fertilize, and apply herbicide is a tricky combination. I would overseed with a heavy coverage rate and fertilize only. Get your lawn growing and that will help squeeze out most of the weeds over time. Hopefully next spring you can use a crabgrass preventer in the spring.

By the way ... I'm no salesman but I think Scott's products are worth every penny.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Here's my humble opinion...

Find yourself a Lesco dealer. There's one in Burnsville, one in Edina, one in White Bear, and a couple more, just can't come up with them right now.

Buy their starter fertilizer, it's an 18-24-18.

When you overseed, use this fertilizer, especially on the thin spots.

Wait to spray right at first frost. First frost is by far the best time to spray, that's when all the weeds are triggered to suck in all their nutrients.

Right now I've got some parks for Wyoming Township that they redid. They want me to spray the weeds, but I've convinced them to let the grass (weeds) grow out some, so with the heat we had, it wouldn't burn up the new grass, then this fall I'm going to spray with the broadleaf.

As a post mentioned before with the crabgrass preventer, only use that if you've got all the grass coming up that you'd like. It'll hold back your new seed as well.

Unless you have crabgrass, you won't need the preventer, and it won't work on your broadleaf weeds anyways, for the most part.

Even if you miss your window for the crabgrass, and it turns out you DO have some, Lesco will have a product called Drive75, which will kill crabgrass even after it's sprouted.

This is a place where alot of professionals get their product, so get ready to bring a thick(er) wallet in as well.

The fertilizers aren't TOO expensive, but if you start getting the chemicals, you'll probably walk back out and head to a big box store.

One last thing. I try to not let people seed anymore, if at all possible. You're going to have to deal with weeds for the first year or two, along with overseeding.

I think some think that they can just seed and their lawn is going to look like a sod field after 1 month. If people would ever go look at a sod farm and realize how much work it takes to get that sod looking that way, most would have much more patience when they seed their own yard.

Not to get on your case or anything, just saying that when you're dealing with a seeded yard, there's going to be a lot of work to get it looking like it was sodded.

[Scoot]

Thanks for the feedback, fellas. I appreciate it!

Lwn, I hear ya. I'm not expecting a miracle in a month or two. I'm just trying to get my yard looking decent in as short a time as possible.

Thanks again,