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Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,813 posts, read 34,657,307 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolf Howl
Seems like I did see that at the Southern States store, you've had success with it?
I have the yard from hell. I brought back seed from Delaware 2 years ago & tried different things. The Pennington complete for sun & shade worked like a charm. The mix that's sold here also has tall fescue in it. This mix stayed green until mid August. 95% is back now. My sister brought me some more. The added bonus is minimal mowing.
The yard really does just need to be tilled up, smoothed out and then seeded the right way. Do they make special tillers for this or we talking just a normal push/pull kind you use for the garden? I'll be honest, never seen anyone doing that in their yard! lol I'd be that "special" neighbor! haha Just seems overwhelming but the end result would make it worth it I'm sure.
Most people in newer neighborhoods don't have tillers which is why you don't see it. Tillers are used by people with gardens and most transplants to Charlotte don't seem to care for planting a vegetable garden. You will find them more in the older neighborhoods.
Any real tiller will work. By real I don't mean those little mini-tillers like a mantis or honda. Tilling is the best way to prepare a yard for seeding and it is the method most often used by builders when seeding a new yard.
There are two important things to keep in mind. First, after tilling the yard, don't work the seed too deep into the soil. Second, until it germinates, fescue & rebel seeds have to be kept moist. This amount of time will depend upon the temperature and it can range from a few days to a couple of weeks. During this time you can't let the ground dry out and it can be a challenge to prevent it. Putting down straw helps with this, but then it has to be removed. Unfortunately this is the wrong time of the year to seed a yard with cool season grass and if you do, expect most of it to be dead by September.
I recommend warm season grasses for Charlotte. The installation procedure for that is quite different.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,813 posts, read 34,657,307 times
Reputation: 10256
Quote:
Originally Posted by frewroad
Most people in newer neighborhoods don't have tillers which is why you don't see it. Tillers are used by people with gardens and most transplants to Charlotte don't seem to care for planting a vegetable garden. You will find them more in the older neighborhoods.
Any real tiller will work. By real I don't mean those little mini-tillers like a mantis or honda. Tilling is the best way to prepare a yard for seeding and it is the method most often used by builders when seeding a new yard.
There are two important things to keep in mind. First, after tilling the yard, don't work the seed too deep into the soil. Second, until it germinates, fescue & rebel seeds have to be kept moist. This amount of time will depend upon the temperature and it can range from a few days to a couple of weeks. During this time you can't let the ground dry out and it can be a challenge to prevent it. Putting down straw helps with this, but then it has to be removed. Unfortunately this is the wrong time of the year to seed a yard with cool season grass and if you do, expect most of it to be dead by September.
I recommend warm season grasses for Charlotte. The installation procedure for that is quite different.
While this isn't the best time to plant cool season grass, I put the Pennington mix that I spoke of out last March. The only thing that didn't last was the bluegrass in the mix, which was as I expected. The short fescue & rye are green & growing in my yard right now.
Seems perennial rye would be ok but seasonal would die out as the heat came on. I was mixed up when I first posted as my original plan last fall was to put down seasonal rye and then come back this spring with fescue of some type. Might see about that mix though.
I've used a tiller in the garden before at least. Haha Might just build up my nerve to give it a try after all! Not like I could really mess up what I got now! Haha
Seems perennial rye would be ok but seasonal would die out as the heat came on. I was mixed up when I first posted as my original plan last fall was to put down seasonal rye and then come back this spring with fescue of some type. Might see about that mix though.
I've used a tiller in the garden before at least. Haha Might just build up my nerve to give it a try after all! Not like I could really mess up what I got now! Haha
Don't use a tiller if you have mature trees in your yard though! In that case I'd truck in a few inches of topsoil (4-6").
At this point, in full sun, it will take some incredible fortune to grow a good stand of fescue. I like frewroad's suggestion of considering warm weather grasses. If you have to have green year round you can grow your rye grass in the cold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suncc49
What is the best method of killing clover?
I'd go with a standard broadleaf killer and follow the application instructions.
I bought a large bag of Scotts Haltz w/crabgrass control and put about 1/2 the bag on the yard about 10 - 15 days ago. The weeds/crabgrass/etc. are starting to die.
Can I put out the other 1/2 of the bag now to try to kill the rest of the weeds? (my yard seems to be mostly weeds/crabgrass/etc. - don't seem to have much grass )
What warm season grasses would be recommended for this area? It will get moderate to heavy traffic (kids).
Depends on your soils and sun exposure, but I really like bermudagrass. It's soft, hardy and looks incredible when it's cut. I don't know how well it grows from seed though, I bought mine as sod.
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