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We had a low area in the yard and with heavy rains water would accumulate. We filled in the areas with dirt that came from someone's backyard when they had a swimming pool installed. The dirt looked like good dirt.
After the leveling not much began to grow. Even weeds would have been better than nothing. The local seed shop suggested clover and that grew nicely. We still need something else to supplement the clover.
Your suggestions where the temperatures the rest of the winter might be in the 30's to the 60's night to day?
What part of the country are you in? It's going to be difficult to get much to germinate this time of year with the current temperatures, which is why not even weeds have grown in the soil.
What part of the country are you in? It's going to be difficult to get much to germinate this time of year with the current temperatures, which is why not even weeds have grown in the soil.
Charlotte area and the dirt was put down "a thin layer of dirt over the existing plants, weeds" before the cold weather and nothing grew through the dirt at all.
Friend has suggested winter rye but she says it will turn brown in the summer.
....... Your suggestions where the temperatures the rest of the winter might be in the 30's to the 60's night to day?
Quote:
Originally Posted by howard555
Charlotte area and the dirt was put down "a thin layer of dirt over the existing plants, weeds" before the cold weather and nothing grew through the dirt at all.
Temperatures are not the only thing you have to factor in. It's just as important to consider how many hours of light exposure the area gets because seeds, roots and living plants respond to light too, not only to temperatures.
Right now your location gets less than 180 hours of light per month. Now is probably not the time to be putting seeds down nor expecting new growth from under the soil since you don't get enough light exposure at this time of year in your location. I'd suggest you wait until March for better results when your location should be getting closer to 250 hours per month of light exposure in March and 270 in April.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by howard555
Charlotte area and the dirt was put down "a thin layer of dirt over the existing plants, weeds" before the cold weather and nothing grew through the dirt at all.
Friend has suggested winter rye but she says it will turn brown in the summer.
Try to get some short fescue & rye (perennial), throw it down, thickly, cover with a bit of topsoil, then throw some hay or some long grass over it. Hand water it every day. It should come up before March. The germination will be slow. I'm near you & I've been patching my yard all winter.
I vote for annual Rye grass in addition to Bermuda.
The rye grass has very deep roots and germinates very quickly. it should provide a little shade for the bermuda grass to germinate and in the winter when the rye grass dies off, the roots will decompose and leave space for excellent drainage and percolation in the soil as well as provide a little nutrients to the soil.
^^^ I wouldn't recommend annual rye grass. It's not nearly as attractive as perennial rye.
Once the heat sets in this summer. the perennial rye grass you put down now will die off allowing you to seed the area with an improved bermuda grass seed. (bermuda grass seed won't germinate and grow now- too cold.)
How about a combo of native sedges and violets? Wild violets are native, spread rampantly and are a host plant for native butterflies. They look wonderful in Spring and like moisture. You can put down the seed you want now. Tamp it in and put down burlap over it.
I'm planning to do something similar to an area where I cut down a big forsythia. You can try Roundstone seed and Prairie Moon nursery. Roundstone also sells clover and native and non-native grass seed. Anything that wants to grow will probably shoot up in Spring.
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