Yard advice - New grass - more seed?
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Just looks like poor compacted soil to me. Might try adding some organic material into that area to see if the helps.
I'd kill the weeds with 2,4-D (or just pull them if you're feeling energetic) and loosen the soil with a rake then seed with a mix of fescue and perennial ryegrass. Straw overtop and water daily-ish. I throw ryegrass in because I kind of hate watering a barren patch of straw and dirt for 2-3 weeks while waiting for fescue to germinate this time of year. Can use annual ryegrass+fescue if you want to end up with mostly a single type of grass, but if the contractor used a landscaper/contractor mix you've probably already got 2-3 types of grass in the yard.
What was the depth of the top soil which was layed down? If if was more than a "top dress" which would be more than around an inch, you have to let the top soil settle for a couple weeks before applying seed. Why you ask? The newly applied seed will settle too deep in the loose soil and may not germinate. Also a starter fertilizer would have helped a lot too. You will have to reseed.
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Okay. Firstly, don't use straw. I prefer to use peat moss or old grass clippings, but when seed starts to grow, remove it.
Make sure the soil is not too compacted.
It is also possible that the heavy rain has washed a lot of the seed away.
Also make sure you are not mowing too low. Most cool season in the summer should be cut 3-4 inches long.
Make sure you are not using some cheap "blend" of grass seed.
Make sure the soil is not too compacted.
It is also possible that the heavy rain has washed a lot of the seed away.
Also make sure you are not mowing too low. Most cool season in the summer should be cut 3-4 inches long.
Make sure you are not using some cheap "blend" of grass seed.
Man, where to start. Donald will come along with some excellent advice. First, to rub some salt in the wound without knowing what you did here to establish the grass (LOL, in fun, not derogatory) . This is one of those jobs that pays to put in the time, effort, and material costs at the outset to avoid what you now have to correct. But, (again not knowing what you did/happened) weather can ruin even the best efforts (flooding rain, extreme heat, not enough irrigation). You are in the southern border of cool season grass species, so proper grass choice is/was the first step. Soil prep including proper tilth, fertility, etc. all matters. The light/dark areas in your pic suggest fertility issues. Mid summer is the worst time to establish grass (heat, drought, more weed germination) - you have both broadleaf weeds and crab grass coming in.
Options now? You can over seed bare areas. Spots still with straw - sprinkle grass seed on, rake lightly with the leaf rake upside down to work the seed below the straw and irrigate daily. Bare soil areas - kill/remove the weeds. Rough up the top inch with a steel garden rake, sprinkle seed in, lightly rake with leaf rake to cover seed, restraw, and irrigate daily. Probably should top dress fertilize the entire area with a low rate of about 1/2 pound nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.. Use 12-12-12 or whatever to introduce the other key elements (not knowing what the soil test is).
You could rent a slit seeder to over seed if you wish.
You have to wait several weeks after seeding to use broadleaf herbicide (check the label) to start getting those under control. Just keep after it and hopefully this fall it will fill in and thicken with the cooler temps..
Here's shots of tree/stump removal areas I reseeded last fall using straw mulch. Then...... and today. (more salt in the wound, LOL) I'm waiting
for the relentless rain to let up and will apply a low dose of fertilizer soon.
EXCELLENT advice here from your local land grant university: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/ukturf/lawns.html
Options now? You can over seed bare areas. Spots still with straw - sprinkle grass seed on, rake lightly with the leaf rake upside down to work the seed below the straw and irrigate daily. Bare soil areas - kill/remove the weeds. Rough up the top inch with a steel garden rake, sprinkle seed in, lightly rake with leaf rake to cover seed, restraw, and irrigate daily. Probably should top dress fertilize the entire area with a low rate of about 1/2 pound nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.. Use 12-12-12 or whatever to introduce the other key elements (not knowing what the soil test is).
You could rent a slit seeder to over seed if you wish.
You have to wait several weeks after seeding to use broadleaf herbicide (check the label) to start getting those under control. Just keep after it and hopefully this fall it will fill in and thicken with the cooler temps..
Here's shots of tree/stump removal areas I reseeded last fall using straw mulch. Then...... and today. (more salt in the wound, LOL) I'm waiting
for the relentless rain to let up and will apply a low dose of fertilizer soon.
EXCELLENT advice here from your local land grant university: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/ukturf/lawns.html
I would not mess with it until Sept. It's really hard to get grass started in middle of the summer. The seed needs to be kept moist until it germinates. That might mean watering 3x a day in July.
Between now and then put down some garden fertilizer like 10-10-10. Or 15-15-15. Spray broadleaf weed killer on a day when below 90F. Putting down lime will also help.
In early Sept rough up the soil with rake and spread grass seed, throw some peat moss or compost or top soil over it. Just enough to cover the seed. Better yet rent a seed slitter to put down the seed. Water daily, maybe 2X a day if gets hot.
I am not impressed with grass seed at HD or Lowes. You buy 10 lbs of seed and half the bag is fertilizer or compost. Look at seedsuperstore.com. May seem expensive but it's pure seed, no coating or fertilizer or compost. Key in zip code and whether shady or not.
Cut grass at 3.5" to 4".
Deal with crabgrass early next spring using a crabgrass pre-emergent containing Barricade or Dimension.
I avoid buying Scotts anything. Overpriced and there is better quality.
Get a soil test and plan for next year.
This is just a start. There is more you can do if you want neighborhood envy.
Between now and then put down some garden fertilizer like 10-10-10. Or 15-15-15. Spray broadleaf weed killer on a day when below 90F. Putting down lime will also help.
In early Sept rough up the soil with rake and spread grass seed, throw some peat moss or compost or top soil over it. Just enough to cover the seed. Better yet rent a seed slitter to put down the seed. Water daily, maybe 2X a day if gets hot.
I am not impressed with grass seed at HD or Lowes. You buy 10 lbs of seed and half the bag is fertilizer or compost. Look at seedsuperstore.com. May seem expensive but it's pure seed, no coating or fertilizer or compost. Key in zip code and whether shady or not.
Cut grass at 3.5" to 4".
Deal with crabgrass early next spring using a crabgrass pre-emergent containing Barricade or Dimension.
I avoid buying Scotts anything. Overpriced and there is better quality.
Get a soil test and plan for next year.
This is just a start. There is more you can do if you want neighborhood envy.
I've had good luck watering with Miracle Gro. It will help slightly patchy grass fill in.
Don't put a herbicide (weed killer) on a newly planted lawn. Pull the weeds by hand or let them alone (thick/established turf will drown them out). Overseed some more, put a little fertilizer on it, and keep it damp. Put your lawnmower at the top setting.
I just added a couple of inches of topsoil and reseeded in the spring. The grass germinated well but the soil was loaded with weeds including crabgrass and lots of nutsedge (terrible stuff). I’ve been looking into weed killers and have decided to use Tenacity. It covers a broad range of pre- and post-emergence weeds including crabgrass and nutsedge. For heavy nut sedge they recommend three applications 3 weeks apart to get all the rhizomes. It’s a spray on weed killer. You mix it in water in a garden sprayer with a surfactant and a marking compound. The best part is it can be used on seedlings according to all of the literature.
With all the crabgrass crowding the seedlings, I’ll overseed in the fall.
With all the crabgrass crowding the seedlings, I’ll overseed in the fall.
Damp is key. That’s why it’s sometimes a pain in summer. Once the seed dries out it’s as good as dead.
A pallet of fescue sod is $100 here. Id be tempted to just throw sod down in the late fall/winter and be done with it
, it's a new house and the yard was done by the builderAgree with all the above. You might have to wait until the early fall because everything dries out too quick.
Not much to do now, except lime it a bit, to change the soil by mid sept. Grass will come up fast this time of year, but has no roots and will die quickly. Unless you are home all day everday and can water every 3-4 hours, its likely to die if planted now.
Sept, decompact that area of soil with a small tiller, till in 10-10-10 and some lime. If in needs organic material do that as well , as long as its well broken down. I.E. not fresh manure.
Seed it , cover with some straw and keep it wet. As it comes up keep it wet, after about 2 months cut back on the water so it builds deeper roots water when it needs it.
Aerate and over seed the whole yard when you do this area, hit it with 10-10-10, slow release if they have it.
Sept, decompact that area of soil with a small tiller, till in 10-10-10 and some lime. If in needs organic material do that as well , as long as its well broken down. I.E. not fresh manure.
Seed it , cover with some straw and keep it wet. As it comes up keep it wet, after about 2 months cut back on the water so it builds deeper roots water when it needs it.
Aerate and over seed the whole yard when you do this area, hit it with 10-10-10, slow release if they have it.
I dont understand how it's as good as dead when it dries out. It sits in a dry bag when you buy it.
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Because it doesn’t germinate in the bag
we installed a brick patio this year and have been trying to grow grass as well. The second application of seed was accompanied by peat moss to help enrich the soil. We have had a nice mix of rain and sun in Iowa this year so it has really helped.
Just my $0.02
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