Lawn and Landscape

For that slope you will probably need to include straw mat to prevent seed wash off.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
I put some contractor mix down last spring with no prep and got the results I probably deserved.
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:laughing: Been there, done that!

I'd recommend winter rye NOW to hold the ground in place and get some roots established. Great thing is it will come up and germinate and grow well through about April. That's what I had to do in a section beside my house last fall because fescue just wouldn't stick with it and come in thick enough to help stabilize the grade. Then plant the cheapest fescue you can find (typically Kentucky 31 from Rural King) in abundance, and water it as best as you can. But that's better to do in the fall, so maybe a warm season grass would be better to try to start in spring just to get something down to hold it all in place.
 
@YotaOnRocks Right now and in the next 3-6 weeks (sooner the better) you're in the perfect time to redo this and get good results. But I'm talking about prepping it, seeding, and fertilizing and strawing it all at one time. Use a very light shallow disk, or something to cultivate the top 3" of soil that leaves it somewhat smooth. Use starter fert (usually covers 10-12K ft per bag) or 17-17-17 (@10 lbs per 1000) or even 10-10-10 (@20 lbs per 1000) (most expensive) at the recommended rate, seed at 8 lbs per 1000 sq ft of area and straw fairly well. You can't prep the soil and then allow it to rain on it and then come back and finish. Same with strawing it, it's got to be done immediately after seeding and before rain. Use turf type fescue or even K31 from Ag supply. Don't use contractor mix and don't add rye. Excelsior netting is what Ron is talking about and it would help on that slope for sure. You can even stripe it with netting so you dont have to cover the entire area. You'll need sod staples to hold down the netting and they need to be every 4'-6' and it has to be stretched tight. You dont have to straw under it but it's okay to get some on top of it. If you have a Site One store near you they'll have everything you need.
 
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R Q said:
@YotaOnRocks Right now and in the next 3-6 weeks (sooner the better) you're in the perfect time to redo this and get good results. But I'm talking about prepping it, seeding, and fertilizing and strawing it all at one time. Use a very light shallow disk, or something to cultivate the top 3" of soil that leaves it somewhat smooth. Use starter fert (usually covers 10-12K ft per bag) or 17-17-17 (@10 lbs per 1000) or even 10-10-10 (@20 lbs per 1000) (most expensive) at the recommended rate, seed at 8 lbs per 1000 sq ft of area and straw fairly well. You can't prep the soil and then allow it to rain on it and then come back and finish. Same with strawing it, it's got to be done immediately after seeding and before rain. Use turf type fescue or even K31 from Ag supply. Don't use contractor mix and don't add rye. Excelsior netting is what Ron is talking about and it would help on that slope for sure. You can even stripe it with netting so you dont have to cover the entire area. You'll need sod staples to hold down the netting and they need to be every 4'-6' and it has to be stretched tight. You dont have to straw under it but it's okay to get some on top of it. If you have a Site One store near you they'll have everything you need.
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Should I go over the fertilized and seeded area with anything before strawing, or just leave it on the top of the soil?
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Should I go over the fertilized and seeded area with anything before strawing, or just leave it on the top of the soil?
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If you're talking about something like a roller, you can but its not common practice around here. If you're talking about cultivating the seed in, no. If that were a job I was doing I would pulverize it, fert, seed and straw kind of heavy, but don't leave clumps.
 
R Q said:
If you're talking about something like a roller, you can but its not common practice around here. If you're talking about cultivating the seed in, no. If that were a job I was doing I would pulverize it, fert, seed and straw kind of heavy, but don't leave clumps.
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Awesome. I really appreciate the help.:beer:
 
R Q said:
@YotaOnRocks Right now and in the next 3-6 weeks (sooner the better) you're in the perfect time to redo this and get good results. But I'm talking about prepping it, seeding, and fertilizing and strawing it all at one time. Use a very light shallow disk, or something to cultivate the top 3" of soil that leaves it somewhat smooth. Use starter fert (usually covers 10-12K ft per bag) or 17-17-17 (@10 lbs per 1000) or even 10-10-10 (@20 lbs per 1000) (most expensive) at the recommended rate, seed at 8 lbs per 1000 sq ft of area and straw fairly well. You can't prep the soil and then allow it to rain on it and then come back and finish. Same with strawing it, it's got to be done immediately after seeding and before rain. Use turf type fescue or even K31 from Ag supply. Don't use contractor mix and don't add rye. Excelsior netting is what Ron is talking about and it would help on that slope for sure. You can even stripe it with netting so you dont have to cover the entire area. You'll need sod staples to hold down the netting and they need to be every 4'-6' and it has to be stretched tight. You dont have to straw under it but it's okay to get some on top of it. If you have a Site One store near you they'll have everything you need.
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No risk of frost doing damage to anything planted right now? I put out some of the contractor mix in March last year and it came up really good, got hit by like three heavy frosts and just seemed to stop growing after that. I definitely could’ve done something wrong but it seemed like the cold had an effect on it.
 
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jcramsey said:
No risk of frost doing damage to anything planted right now? I put out some of the contractor mix in March last year and it came up really good, got hit by like three heavy frosts and just seemed to stop growing after that. I definitely could’ve done something wrong but it seemed like the cold had an effect on it.
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That contractor mix should be banished from the Earth! :laughing: It has a little something that should come up at any time of the year but nothing of value for long term. A little frost is no big deal but yes a hard freeze could be an issue but a hard rain or no rain could also be detrimental. You just have to do the right thing at the right time and hope for the best.
 
R Q said:
I just considered your location and see Madison WI? Location means a lot and of course if you're asking about there this timing and seed is way off. I was considering the climate in Charlotte lol
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Madison, NC NE of WS.
 
R Q said:
I just considered your location and see Madison WI? Location means a lot and of course if you're asking about there this timing and seed is way off. I was considering the climate in Charlotte lol
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WI has some beautiful freeze tolerant grass. It just burns up and dies around 85F...lol
 
R Q said:
I just considered your location and see Madison WI? Location means a lot and of course if you're asking about there this timing and seed is way off. I was considering the climate in Charlotte lol
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I'm in Madison NC, about 25 minutes south of Martinsville VA. I would say it's pretty inline with Charlotte's climate.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
I'm in Madison NC, about 25 minutes south of Martinsville VA. I would say it's pretty inline with Charlotte's climate.
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Sorry. it hit me while I was loading the truck this morning and I popped back in to add that tidbit. I think you're in a bit colder climate that Charlotte so maybe shoot for mid March or so. If your weather matches Charlotte on Weather Underground then maybe get started soon. If I have to seed from scratch and have the timing on my side I choose the last week of February and it works out well.
 
Just started fertilizing the yards...
 

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