OT: Overseeding a New Lawn

[TheWizardofCamelot]

I just moved my family into a new construction home at the end of June in WPA. The builder provided an initial landscaping package which included lawn installation- a hydroseed/Penn state seed mix.

In 7 weeks, the lawn has come in well but with expected areas needing work. There are areas of the lawn that see sun most of the day which have gotten a bit dried out, regardless of my regular watering patterns.

I’m planning on overseeding this September in hopes of filling out the grass a bit more, with the possibility of doing it again in the spring. With overseeding as the plan for next month, I have handful of questions that are confusing me with all the opinions online:

Do I need to aerate, or is it too young of a lawn to do to?

Best topsoil/manure to add to the surface? Mushroom manure seems to be what most lawn and garden services recommend. The topsoil surrounding the house isn’t the best, as is most of the soil surrounding the new neighborhood.

Any ideas and help are appreciated, I’m hoping some PSU alumni could drop some knowledge. Here’s to hoping I’m doing this project on a Sunday with the team looking at an early 3-0 or 4-0 record. Thanks all.

 

[Woodpecker]

My Lawn Is Crap
Here Goes
Question for Turfgrass Majors
Landscapers Grass Seed Mix

 

[psu7113]

I just moved my family into a new construction home at the end of June in WPA. The builder provided an initial landscaping package which included lawn installation- a hydroseed/Penn state seed mix.

In 7 weeks, the lawn has come in well but with expected areas needing work. There are areas of the lawn that see sun most of the day which have gotten a bit dried out, regardless of my regular watering patterns.

I’m planning on overseeding this September in hopes of filling out the grass a bit more, with the possibility of doing it again in the spring. With overseeding as the plan for next month, I have handful of questions that are confusing me with all the opinions online:

Do I need to aerate, or is it too young of a lawn to do to?

Best topsoil/manure to add to the surface? Mushroom manure seems to be what most lawn and garden services recommend. The topsoil surrounding the house isn’t the best, as is most of the soil surrounding the new neighborhood.

Any ideas and help are appreciated, I’m hoping some PSU alumni could drop some knowledge. Here’s to hoping I’m doing this project on a Sunday with the team looking at an early 3-0 or 4-0 record. Thanks all

 

[BW Lion]

I just moved my family into a new construction home at the end of June in WPA. The builder provided an initial landscaping package which included lawn installation- a hydroseed/Penn state seed mix.

In 7 weeks, the lawn has come in well but with expected areas needing work. There are areas of the lawn that see sun most of the day which have gotten a bit dried out, regardless of my regular watering patterns.

I’m planning on overseeding this September in hopes of filling out the grass a bit more, with the possibility of doing it again in the spring. With overseeding as the plan for next month, I have handful of questions that are confusing me with all the opinions online:

Do I need to aerate, or is it too young of a lawn to do to?

Best topsoil/manure to add to the surface? Mushroom manure seems to be what most lawn and garden services recommend. The topsoil surrounding the house isn’t the best, as is most of the soil surrounding the new neighborhood.

Any ideas and help are appreciated, I’m hoping some PSU alumni could drop some knowledge. Here’s to hoping I’m doing this project on a Sunday with the team looking at an early 3-0 or 4-0 record. Thanks all.

1) I am a graduate of PSU, but not an agri-graduate. That said, for reasons I'd rather not go into, I have learned from experience that the PSU seed mix is the best for most PA lawns (it is high in Kentucky Blue Grass seeds; hence why it's more expensive than the mixes dominated by other faster-sprouting yet more fragile rye seeds).

2) Don't panic....most PA lawn varieties don't thrive under high heat and low rain. Unless you have an irrigation system, it's not unusual for full-sun spots in PA lawns to get dried out.

3) It's too early to aerate with a conventional aerator. They would be too rough on your nascent lawn. You can, however, treat the challenged areas with a less violent prong/probe and then lightly top cover with a seed-friendly topsoil before reseeding.

4) You should purchase an inexpensive ph-Meter and test your soil at various locations, especially the challenged ones. It might be a case that since your house is a new build, the soil has been subject to masonry contractors dumping out buckets of mortar / thinset or cleaning acids that will assuredly, but temporarily , alter the natural pH of your soil.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

I just moved my family into a new construction home at the end of June in WPA. The builder provided an initial landscaping package which included lawn installation- a hydroseed/Penn state seed mix.

In 7 weeks, the lawn has come in well but with expected areas needing work. There are areas of the lawn that see sun most of the day which have gotten a bit dried out, regardless of my regular watering patterns.

I’m planning on overseeding this September in hopes of filling out the grass a bit more, with the possibility of doing it again in the spring. With overseeding as the plan for next month, I have handful of questions that are confusing me with all the opinions online:

Do I need to aerate, or is it too young of a lawn to do to?

Best topsoil/manure to add to the surface? Mushroom manure seems to be what most lawn and garden services recommend. The topsoil surrounding the house isn’t the best, as is most of the soil surrounding the new neighborhood.

Any ideas and help are appreciated, I’m hoping some PSU alumni could drop some knowledge. Here’s to hoping I’m doing this project on a Sunday with the team looking at an early 3-0 or 4-0 record. Thanks all.

If your lawn is relatively level, I would probably recommend slit seeding over attempting to aerate. You could actually do both both that’s a lot of work. It’s a good idea to perform a soil test.

What seed are you putting down? The same Penn State mix? I’m not sure what this is?

If you have some smaller problem areas, peat moss works exceptionally well. Finally, use a starter fertilizer and water.

Good luck!

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

1) I am a graduate of PSU, but not an agri-graduate. That said, for reasons I'd rather not go into, I have learned from experience that the PSU seed mix is the best for most PA lawns (it is high in Kentucky Blue Grass seeds; hence why it's more expensive than the mixes dominated by other faster-sprouting yet more fragile rye seeds).

2) Don't panic....most PA lawn varieties don't thrive under high heat and low rain. Unless you have an irrigation system, it's not unusual for full-sun spots in PA lawns to get dried out.

3) It's too early to aerate with a conventional aerator. They would be too rough on your nascent lawn. You can, however, treat the challenged areas with a less violent prong/probe and then lightly top cover with a seed-friendly topsoil before reseeding.

4) You should purchase an inexpensive ph-Meter and test your soil at various locations, especially the challenged ones. It might be a case that since your house is a new build, the soil has been subject to masonry contractors dumping out buckets of mortar / thinset or cleaning acids that will assuredly, but temporarily , alter the natural pH of your soil.

There are several varieties of KY Bluegrass. It is a beautiful grass; however, it has its limitations.

KY Bluegrass is not very drought tolerant. It creates a lot of thatch which leads to insects and disease. It also requires a bit more Nitrogen than say, tall fescue, which is more drought tolerant. We’ve been using 4th Millennium Tall Fescue here in the metro Cincinnati area with excellent results. It’s very highly rated for diseases like brown patch, it’s drought tolerant, and works well in sun and shade.

 

[Carl Spackler]

There are several varieties of KY Bluegrass. It is a beautiful grass; however, it has its limitations.

KY Bluegrass is not very drought tolerant. It creates a lot of thatch which leads to insects and disease. It also requires a bit more Nitrogen than say, tall fescue, which is more drought tolerant. We’ve been using 4th Millennium Tall Fescue here in the metro Cincinnati area with excellent results. It’s very highly rated for diseases like brown patch, it’s drought tolerant, and works well in sun and shade.

I agree w/ CincyKid. A good, newer variety of Tall Fescue works well. I mixed several blends for my wife's coworkers and they get raves from neighbors. Tall Fescue roots can reach several feet into the soil vs. inches for some other turfs. BUT, do not succumb to buy a seed named KY 31. It bunches up and has an objectionably wide leaf. It's very cheap but you will hate it.

I've used the improved tall fescues in Harrisburg on a new seeding, best lawn in the development, stayed green in a drought when all other lawns were dormant and brown. I've also had good luck with Perennial Ryegrass, improved varieties. They grow very fast vertically, are prone to red thread in June/July if not fertilized adequately, more than most people think is adequate.

Without really visiting your site it is difficult to give precise recommendations but there was some good info above this post and if you can keep the new seeding moist in the critical germination and early growth stage until you achieve rooting of 1.5 to 2 inches it should be good. Use a starter fertilizer (higher middle number on the label, phosphorus) and hit it with .75 to 1 pound of actual nitrogen in early Dec. when the turf is dormant, this will kick start spring growth to assist in out competing crabgrass, broad leaf weeds, etc. A tip I learned from a consultant years ago, he suggested ammonium sulfate (21-0-0). Good luck and let us know how things turn out next May or June.

 

[GregInPitt]

Good recommendations above.

But if you have areas that have soil showing through due to lack of initial growth and/or damage due to the heat of this summer, even in small areas, I would not hesitate to aerate those spots after reseeding, just to get some soil loosened up and covering the seed. If somewhat bare areas are minimal you could just loosen the soil by hand in those areas. I would also hand spot in some mushroom manure over the seed, using more seed in the more bare areas.

I would not begin the overseeding until the end of the summer heat, mid Sept. at the earliest. At that point there is still plenty of sunlight but less direct sun that dries out the turf & seed........