Grass seed and re-seeding/ patching lawns question, nf

[OhioFisherman]

LOL, @ the astroturf, I was driving thru one of our eastern burbs here and a house had green painted limestone for front yard grass.

[Old Ironmaker]

48 minutes ago, chris.brock said:

A neighbor has an astro turf front lawn. No weeds and no lawn mower required. It looks ok from a distance, up close it looks silly.

Hamilton put down fake grass on a few boulevards on Upper James asan experiment where they had planted beautiful flowers a few years back. It took more manpower to hand pick all the paper, plastic bags, Hortons cups etc. off the stuff that was like Velcro than the maintenance to care for the flowers.

[chris.brock]

6 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

 Most Europeans think we are nuts to spend all that time and money on lawn care. The water we waste to keep lawns plush and green is sinfull.

It really is a stupid, keeping up with the Joneses thing. By the end of June I typically say f it, but come next May I'll be at it again, lol.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

16 hours ago, chris.brock said:

It really is a stupid, keeping up with the Joneses thing. By the end of June I typically say f it, but come next May I'll be at it again, lol.

 

I hear ya, happy wife/life thing. I really don't know why our grass is so green and grows like on anabolic steroids? Never water it, ever. I see grass in Hamilton and Caledonia that looks burnt. Maybe we have so much moisture in the air next to the lake and plenty of shade from the big trees on the property. Come to think of it we really don't have grass, more like 5 kinds of green weeds.

[HTHM]

If you are going to seed, do it the last two weeks of August. Otherwise, just sod it,  water initially, every day for the next 7 days, every other day for the next 7 days, then every 3 days for the next 7 days. (At least two inches of water per application) The sod farmers have access to seed and chemicals that the common homeowner simply can't get.

Source: have played in the dirt professionally for over 30 years. 

[AKRISONER]

i spent 3 years working in a cemetery regrowing grass on dug plots...the best method was first of all using the best soil you could by. No triple mix or any of that crap. you need something that is almost like straight manure, no sticks or other garbage...it should pretty much have the consistancy of potting soil. Lay that stuff down tick, then spread your seed on it...then take a roller to roll the seed into the soil. this keeps it exposed but allows it to germinate by not being buried. Then water is your friend, basically keep the soil damp at all times and cool. It doesnt usually work to well if its hot, it needs to be nice and cool out. That might be your problem is that its been too sunny and hot lately to get it going well.

hopefully it works out for you! good luck. Also consider that your soil might have something wrong with it...bad PH or perhaps you are getting a bunch of salt on it from the winter or something? grass never likes to grow near salted sidewaks.

[Old Ironmaker]

See HTHM's post above. Albert knows his stuff. It's imbedded in his DNA.  

[adempsey]

water and then water some more and then water the water and water that water with more water

[Old Ironmaker]

On ‎2018‎-‎06‎-‎13 at 4:30 PM, AKRISONER said:

i spent 3 years working in a cemetery regrowing grass on dug plots...the best method was first of all using the best soil you could by. No triple mix or any of that crap. you need something that is almost like straight manure, no sticks or other garbage...it should pretty much have the consistancy of potting soil. Lay that stuff down tick, then spread your seed on it...then take a roller to roll the seed into the soil. this keeps it exposed but allows it to germinate by not being buried. Then water is your friend, basically keep the soil damp at all times and cool. It doesnt usually work to well if its hot, it needs to be nice and cool out. That might be your problem is that its been too sunny and hot lately to get it going well.

hopefully it works out for you! good luck. Also consider that your soil might have something wrong with it...bad PH or perhaps you are getting a bunch of salt on it from the winter or something? grass never likes to grow near salted sidewaks.

What type of roller would you use Akri? Can't agree more about the best soil. The stuff they sell like Scotts is more marketing than effective. If you have a connection with someone in the Municipality that has public Golf Courses or someone that works at a Golf Course they use the best seeds available, bar none. Grass is their livelihood. The stuff I used to get from my golf course grew on a Bowling Ball I tell ya'. Know any members of a course? They may be able to score you some grass. Not that kind.

[SirCranksalot]

I was tempted years ago to put down astroturf, drill a few holes and put in a few plastic flowers but my wife "talked" me out of it!! 

[chris.brock]

I picked up some burlap today. I'm going to run a little experiment in an inconspicuous spot in the backyard, lol.

[Old Ironmaker]

The last time I was on Astroturf I dislocated my knee. Tore MCL, ACL and PCL. Limping for the last 40 years, Astroturf is dangerous stuff. The 1st generation stuff at Ivor Wynne in Hamilton was brand spankin' new in HS and was like sandpaper, it would scrape the 1st 2 or 3 layers of skin off and glue got in there and you got a nasty infection.

Edited June 15, 2018 by Old Ironmaker

[Headhunter]

16 hours ago, chris.brock said:

I picked up some burlap today. I'm going to run a little experiment in an inconspicuous spot in the backyard, lol.

I think you are going to like the results Chris! Just be sure to keep it wet.

HH

[aplumma]

I have been using a product call grass seed mats from a landscape company. I lay it out and once the grass pokes thru I gently lift it and use it on another area. It is the only thing I have found that keeps the chickens from scratching for the grain. I also have a friend who works for a golf course and the seed mixes they use are the bomb.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ez-straw-grass-seed-germination-blanket-4-x-50-ft-200-sq-ft

 

Art

[Old Ironmaker]

I stopped at our Golf club today for lunch and practice putting. My back is tight from freeking putting, putting!!!!

The point is that the Grass Boss gave me a grocery bag of seed. I don't know where you are Chris but you can have it. I asked what the combo is and John told me it would be like KFC giving out the secret chicken recipe. It's a mix of Fescue, Kentucky Blue Hybrid for our climates and a Bentgrass seed. The % and the exact seed DNA is the secret. Seeds have a Diribonucleic Acid? I remember grade 10 Biology in 70' but can't remember what I had for lunch today.

[chris.brock]

3 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

I stopped at our Golf club today for lunch and practice putting. My back is tight from freeking putting, putting!!!!

The point is that the Grass Boss gave me a grocery bag of seed. I don't know where you are Chris but you can have it. I asked what the combo is and John told me it would be like KFC giving out the secret chicken recipe. It's a mix of Fescue, Kentucky Blue Hybrid for our climates and a Bentgrass seed. The % and the exact seed DNA is the secret. Seeds have a Diribonucleic Acid? I remember grade 10 Biology in 70' but can't remember what I had for lunch today.

Thank you, very generous OI. I'm in Oakville but I visit in laws in Waterford. We'll have to figure out the logistics.

I redid at little section of my side yard. I have 4 plots, 2 different types of seeds, with burlap and without. Initial observations (lol)- I can see why it's best not to seed in summer, the strong sun can dry out the burlap pretty quickly. I'm guessing the burlap still retains more moisture in the soil because the soil isn't in direct sunlight.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Glad to help Chris. PM me and if I'm going to Simcoe maybe I can drop it off.

[chris.brock]

On 6/15/2018 at 11:43 AM, Headhunter said:

I think you are going to like the results Chris! Just be sure to keep it wet.

HH

Even this late in the season, the burlap gave me the best results I have ever had. The interesting thing was it was a cheaper brand of seed under burlap that did great, Scotts waterguard under burlap was still sparse. 

[Headhunter]

Keep the burlap on the grass until you see the blades of grass peaking through the burlap. Wait until you see lots of grass. Keep watering it every day so that the ground stays wet. You can cut it when you are ready.

HH

[BillM]

You wanna overseed in the fall, overseeding in the spring really isn't what you wanna do.    Fall seeding grass takes so much better.   We're talking October/November!  

[chris.brock]

37 minutes ago, Headhunter said:

 Wait until you see lots of grass.

HH

Too late, lol.

I think I could have left it on for another couple days. I did see lots of grass poking through. The good thing is the coverage is good and uniform, not many sparse areas.

I have seed and dirt leftover from the spring so I'm just playing around, trying to refine my techniques. I will over seed in the fall too Bill when it looks like we are going to have a stretch of rainy weather. 

[BillM]

Chris, astroturf is also an acceptable solution, lol!  

[ketchenany]

I was on a patio on the weekend with a pool, huge gazebo with a wood burning oven and living space. . .  Small bungalow lol

They had an inground hot tub and wasn’t used, so they ripped it out. Couldn’t match the flag stone so they installed Astro turf and put  huge lounge with a retracable  top.

The Astro  stuff looks unbeliable real. BUT how do you keep it clean?

[misfish]

43 minutes ago, ketchenany said:

I

They had an in ground hot tub and wasn’t used, so they ripped it out.

Would of made a great BBQ pit. 

[Raf]

OI, do you still have the magic beans.. err I mean grass seed?