Garden Column for the Salisbury Post
Darrell Blackwelder
September 26, 2003

    Garden shop retailers have confirmed we me this week that grass seed and fertilizer sales have definitely increased from last year. Mild weather and rain (almost too much) has renewed many homeowners faith in obtaining a beautiful lawn this fall. Below are a few questions I posed over the past two weeks about lawns that may be of interest to those trying to renovate their lawns.
    Question: When there still time to over-seed fescue lawns? Answer: Yes, there is still plenty of time to initially seed or over-seed weak lawns. With temperatures as warm as they are now, seed should germinate rapidly. Try to have seed down by the end of October.
Question: What are the seeding rates for fescue seed? Answer: Over-seeding thin areas use about 3 pounds per 1000 square feet. A new lawn or bare areas should receive about 7 pounds per 1000 square feet.
    Question: Can I over-seed with annual ryegrass to have a green lawn over the winter? Answer: Only warm season grasses such as Bermuda grass is over-seeded with annual ryegrass. Ryegrass weakens most turf grasses including fescue.
    Question: How do I kill broad leafed weeds in my yard? Answer: Two applications of broadleaf weed killers such as Trimec, Weed-B-Gon or Spectrum 33+ will eliminate the weed. Applications 10 days apart usually give satisfactory results.
    Question: How soon after I plant my lawn can I use broadleaf weed killers? Answer: The lawn needs to be well established before applying broad-leafed herbicides. Mow your lawn at least 3 times before an application. Post emergence herbicides can be applied almost any time of year.
    Question: How soon after my fescue germinates can I mow the grass? Answer: Fescue should be cut when the newly emerging grass reaches about 4 inches. Raise the mower as high as it will go and mow. Make sure the blade is very sharp.
    Question: Should I use straw mulch on newly seeded lawns? Answer: Yes. Bare ground needs clean, wheat straw to hold moisture allowing grass seed to germinate. Use about one bale per 1000 square feet.
    Question: Why do you always recommend a blend of turf type fescues? Answer: A blend of turf type fescues and blue grass survive brown patch much better than a mono culture or single cultivars.

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