By the NGA Editors Meadows aside, what if you're faced with a pale, thin -- dare we say it? -- boring lawn? In most regions, now is the time to reinvigorate your existing lawn, or plant a new one. Lawn regions of North America Your climate determines the kinds of lawn grasses you can grow and the fall maintenance required. Turfgrasses are broadly grouped as "warm" or "cool" season, based upon their optimum temperatures for growth. Generally, it's best to use warm-season grasses in southern areas (best growth above 80 degrees F) and cool-season grasses in northern areas (best growth between 60o and 75 degrees F). After determining the kind of grass, have a soil test done. Your local nursery or Cooperative Extension agent can help you do that. Turfgrasses prefer a near-neutral soil pH of 6 to 7. A soil test will show how much limestone is needed to increase soil pH, or how much sulfur or other acidifier is needed to lower it. Generally, if you live east of the Mississippi River, you'll need to apply ground dolomitic limestone. Throughout most of the West, apply an acidifying fertilizer. In most regions, apply fertilizer in fall. Be careful not to overdo it -- too much can make grasses more susceptible to winter injury, not to mention the pollution caused by runoff. Spring and fall are best for sod, but any season of mild weather is fine. In this region, cool-season grasses such as fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and turf-type perennial ryegrass thrive. In northern regions west of the Mississippi, blends of tall fescue perform well. Sow seeds in early September for healthy seedlings before cold weather. Or if snow cover is reliable, sow seeds late and they'll germinate in spring. Keep leaves raked. Mow higher than normal through the season, but shorter than normal for the last mowing. If possible, alter grade to eliminate low spots where water collects and freezes. Lawn grasses such as Bermudagrass, centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass thrive here, usually without extra water. Rent a power rake and coring machine to remove thatch and improve air and water circulation around roots of Bermudagrass. Consider overseeding winter-dormant lawns with perennial ryegrass. Turf-type tall fescue (improved versions of tall fescue that are especially vigorous under heat and drought) grows well here, too, particularly in northern stretches of this region. Bermudagrass is the dominant turfgrass throughout this region, though St. Augustinegrass, buffalograss, turf-type tall fescue and zoysiagrass are used occasionally. All need water in addition to rainfall, but Bermudagrass, buffalograss and the improved tall fescues need the least. Use a power rake and coring machine to thin turf or prepare it for overseeding. The hardy grasses such as fine fescue and Kentucky bluegrass grow well here, but only with supplemental irrigation. Turf-type tall fescues are often a good choice, too. Lawns of hardy native grasses that require less water, such as buffalograss and blue grama, thrive here. Sow seeds in March or April. Remove leaves before snowfall, and modify grade to eliminate low spots. Mow high until the last mowing of the season. Fertilizing A slow-release fertilizer is the best choice for lawns. Use a slow-release inorganic or an organic fertilizer such as Milorganite. Its analysis is 6-2-0. Here's how many pounds of Milorganite to use per 1,000 square feet. (Native grasses, such as blue grama and buffalograss, do not need fertilizer.) Bermudagrass (20) Buffalograss (10) Carpetgrass (10) Centipedegrass (10) Fine fescue (15) Kentucky bluegrass (20) Perennial ryegrass .(20) St. Augustinegrass .(20) Tall fescue (15) Zoysiagrass (20) If you choose another fertilizer, the amount to use is most likely listed on the bag's label. If not, adjust the amount in proportion to the percentage of nitrogen, the first number listed in the product analysis. Milorganite has 6% nitrogen, so use half as much of a fertilizer that has 12% nitrogen, for example, or twice as much if it has 3%. Buying Seed Buy only top-quality seed. It will cost a bit more, but is a small part of your investment in your lawn. How to recognize quality seed? Look for the following: a variety name, such as Nugget Kentucky bluegrass, instead of generic "Kentucky bluegrass" and weed and other crop seed content of 0.5% or less. The highest-quality seed is free of weed and other undesirable crop seed. Germination percentage of Kentucky bluegrass should always be 85% or greater; germination of all other grasses should exceed 90%. Overseeding for a Winter Lawn If your lawn is Bermuda-grass or zoysiagrass, you might want to sow seed now for an attractive winter lawn while the permanent lawn is dormant. The best time is before the summer grass is fully dormant, usually mid-October. Use the fast-germinating perennial ryegrasses. Mow permanent turf about 1/2 inch high. If you live in the South or Southwest and the warm-season turf is so thick your mower won't cut into it, use a power rake to thin it before seeding. If you live in the Midwest (in or near Kansas City or St. Louis, for instance), mow the permanent turf to the normal height prior to seeding and don't use a power rake in the fall. Improved perennial ryegrasses are best for overseeding. They germinate fast (usually within a week), and are attractive, widely adapted and cold hardy. Although annual ryegrass is less expensive, it requires more mowing and is weedier in spring. In general, avoid sowing seed of any annual grasses into a lawn of perennial grasses. When overseeding, it is best for most home gardeners to sow seed more heavily than normal. Use 10 to 20 pounds of ryegrass seed for overseeding. Seeding a New Lawn
1. Rototill.
2. Roll.
3. Sow seed. Overseeding or reinvigorating an old lawn
1. Thin turf with power rake.
2. Core.
3. Apply seed and fertilizer. Provided by NGA Reprinted with permission HouseNet, Inc.
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