Autumn is the best time of the year to seed and re-seed the lawn because soil is warm for the seed to easily germinate and they won't get washed away with hard rains like we have in the Spring.
The best way to lay seed is to first agitate the soil and either use an automatic spreader for large areas or throw the seed by hand. Some grass seed comes with its own fertilizer. It's okay to seed heavily but it's a waste of money. The birds can only eat so much, so straw is not necessary over the seed.
If you decide to use straw, do not substitute it with hay, as it has millions of weed seeds in it.
Water lightly twice a day, if possible, to keep the seeds moist until germination occurs, which is anywhere from 10-14 days.
After germination, water deeply every few days for another few weeks so the roots will grow deeper and provide a stronger blade.
Afterwards, try to keep traffic at a minimum for a while. the cutting should be done when the blades reach about 3" to 4". If the wait is too long, the grass will lay over itself and could possibly die. Do not let leaves lay too long as they will also kill the new grass.
No fertilization should be needed until the Spring.
Have any yard tips and tricks? Email us at EastRosemont@yahoo.com and let us know!
