Let's start with the basics. A blend of Kentucky bluegrass and fine
fescue (red or chewings, and not the tall fescue) is normally used,
and frequently there will also be perennial ryegrass in a pre-mixed
blend. The fine fescue is much better in shade, and the perennial
ryegrass will provide quicker cover. The seeding rate is generally 4
pounds per 1,000 square feet in bare dirt seeding. Use 2 pounds per
1,000 square feet in overseeding thin lawns. Of course, this can run
into some real money when doing very large areas. Many rural
seedings are done more on the basis of a pound per 1,000 square
feet. An acre is almost 44,000 square feet, so you can do the math
on this one. Fertilizer is always an area of many questions. The
place to begin is a soil test. This will tell you what you are
starting from. Basic soil test levels for phosphorus, potassium and
soil pH should be in the neighborhood of 40, 350 and 6.1
respectively. Phosphorus and potassium are on a pound-per-acre
basis. This must be considered if you use labs that report in parts
per million, which will give numbers half as large. These numbers
will provide a great environment for grass. Grass will grow in very
poor conditions, but it certainly won't have that "manicured" look
many strive for with their lawns.
Lacking a soil test, or being at recommended fertility levels,
general maintenance applications provide a pound each of nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium per 1,000 square feet of lawn area in May
and again in September. Really lush lawns will usually have twice as
much nitrogen applied in a season, but split among four
applications. Watering is frequently needed during the summer
applications. Fertilizer prices remain high.
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If you decide to try seeding this spring, remember a couple of
things related to weedkillers. First, you can't use crabgrass
preventer in the same season you put down seed. The crabgrass
preventer doesn't know the difference between grass seed and weed
seeds. The second rule is to mow the new seeding at least three
times before trying any broadleaf weedkiller. Generally this means
spring broadleaf control doesn't happen when you seed in the spring.
The end result is if you seed in the spring, you control weeds in
the fall. Seed in the fall, and you control weeds and crabgrass in
the spring.
If you do plan to use a crabgrass preventer, time it so it is on
about the time the forsythia blooms. This would be the approximate
soil and air temperature needed for the crabgrass to germinate.
April 1 is a good guess, but this date can vary widely with the
weather. Many crabgrass preventers last only four to eight weeks, so
plan on repeating the application in June anyway.
To-do list
Watch roses to determine when to start uncovering and pruning.
Many recommend doing your pruning chores when forsythia is in bloom.
Also, if you haven't uncovered strawberries, keep an eye on them.
They should be uncovered when you see green leaves under the straw,
and definitely when you see yellow material -- that means you are
just a little late. Keep the straw handy in case you need to
re-cover them.
[By
JOHN FULTON,
University of Illinois Extension]
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