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One lawn expert recommended to me to fertilize Valentine's Day (with pre-emergent), Memorial Day (with weed control), Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
I've heard that as well. I think hitting using these holidays as milestones is a good general approach. I tend to shy away from the Memorial Day Application simply because it may already be too hot, but I can certainly see how that could work well too. I would definitely not put anything down in June/July/August though!
So doesn't look like my lawn has grubs. The grass looks like it's been completely burnt up by the sun (very dry, brown and crispy - it crunches when I walk over it). Here's my action plan after doing some research.
1. Get someone to come over next week to aerate and overseed.
Following the same plan of action to rescue my dead fescue lawn. Any thoughts on the seed to be used? I am thinking Scotts thermal resistant something.
So doesn't look like my lawn has grubs. The grass looks like it's been completely burnt up by the sun (very dry, brown and crispy - it crunches when I walk over it). Here's my action plan after doing some research.
1. Get someone to come over next week to aerate and overseed.
2. Water it for a week.
3. Overseed some more and fertilize.
4. Keep watering until it germinates.
Any thoughts??
Great plan ..... serious, just plan on repeating every fall forever. After 30+ years of doing exactly that (well I over-seeded myself until last year when I sodded) in my backyard I am going to contact a landscape company and figure out how to turn it natural. Too darn tired and old to keep doing this every fall. Fescue is a beautiful grass in early spring and after over seeding in the fall but it is HIGH maintenance. Go for it and enjoy. Once you retire think natural area.
I want to suggest that you do not simply "overseed", as in casting seed all over the surface of the lawn, and hoping it will germinate and do anything (except perhaps in the small holes resulting from aerating). Seed on the surface of the lawn has nothing to grab onto. My advice to you is to either spread a nice rich compost/soil mix or peat moss over the seed after you have spread it. It does not have to be deep, just 1/4" will do.
I learned years ago in turf management classes taught by golf course superintendents that you may as well spread seed on concrete and hope it will grow, if you just spread it on the existing lawn. Cover it over. In fact, if you can scratch up the existing surface of the lawn with a sharp garden rake first, even better. The seed needs an nice little bed to gain traction and for moisture retention. Then use a starter fertilizer instead of just hoping for the best. You will get considerably quicker results with that. And hope for no torrential rains for awhile.
You have Rhizoctonia brown patch. Starts in June and will last into September. Warm, wet weather exacerbates the problem. You can either put up with it and reseed every fall or spray. Here's a link to help you out: Prevent Brown Patches in Your Lawn
i have fescue here in sanford. it turns brown and hibernates this time of year every year. we have the lawn doctor come by and airate, seed, and fertilize. it doesn't cost too much and the lawn looks fantastic in the early spring.
My good friend and garden writer Pam Beck suggest dwarf mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) if your lawn isn't too large. It's expensive at the outset, but needs very little water or mowing once it's established. Will take a while to grow in from plugs, but sounds like a pretty good solution for smaller yards.
Edit: Forgot to mention that it thrives in part sun to shade, making it ideal for places where regular grass doesn't get enough sun.
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