PREPPING FOR FALL GRASS REPAIR!!
by
Jim Ginas
+2
When is it the best time to spray Weed Killer on the lawn in the fall so I can wait (? ~4 weeks?), THEN DROP NEW GRASS SEED? ........ timing has to be to kill the weeds, aerate & thatch and overseed..... (Grass was doing REALLY WELL without WEEDS, but slowly during the summer, they come back and NOW I have to KILL LOTS of them, so I am THINKING HEAVY WEED KILLER, then wait 4 weeks to aerate, thatch and seed?? THEN Come SPRING WEED KILLER EVERY 3 months, NOT TWICE a season as bottles recommend, as SCOTTS Lawn Service does it every 3 months!
5 answers
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Oh dear, Jim, ma friend. More is NOT better with this stuff. I would suggest aerate and dethatch, first, that will open things up. Then apply your weed killer ( and do follow the directions, if you please! Give you the "eye") Then wait to overseed and fertilizer( and please follow the directions on that bag as well, the Bay will thank you). I would suggest you try some weed suppressor in the spring, apply corn gluten to your lawn just as the forsythias are starting to bud and bloom. And btw, regular old corn meal will do the same thing and is far cheaper. The weed killer is not doing your soil health any good, since it not only is killing the weeds, but is also killing microbial life and earthworms in your soil. Without those you'll find your going to need to use more and more chemical fertilizer, because there's little there to help your grass grow. If you want to try a more environmentally friendly approach, I suggest you do a little research on the use of probiotics, i.e. EM-1 or others and a trace mineral produce called Azomite. I'm sure you have figured out by now, I am an organic gardener. And not exactly a big fan of Scotts or the cousins at Monsanto, either. ^-^
Catherine Smith
on Aug 09, 2013
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I do try and do often try and do the organic thing when feasible. I started a compost this year and am sending my soil to VT for a soil sample eval. I'l have to research the alternative week killing items in lieu of the Bayer Weed Killer. (I find the others not to be as effective.)
Jim Ginas
on Aug 09, 2013
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WTG, Jim. Soil test, don't guess. That will help give you a much more accurate picture of what you need to add and how much in the way of amendments. The ideal ph for grass is about 7, so the closer to that number the better you're grass will do. Overseeding with new grass seed helps smother out a lot of those pesky weed seed as well. You might consider adding some annual rye to your regular grass seed, it germinates more quickly (again it's a smother factor) but dies back in the cold, and adds additional nutrients to the soil. Encouraging the young grass to develop a stronger root system as well.
Catherine Smith
on Aug 10, 2013
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Great tips Catherine. thank you. I actually have the Soil Sample form out and will send out Monday. Again, thank you!
Jim Ginas
on Aug 10, 2013
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Good deal, Jim. That should give you a wealth of information on what's going on with your soil.
Catherine Smith
on Aug 11, 2013
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