How Long Does It Take?

[clallen03]

I just seed my lawn with fescue on the 8th of October after killing the entire lawn. I got a soil sample and followed the suggestions from UGA. Aerated the lawn really good, applied started fert, spread fescue seeds in the lawn, covered with light hay.

Im writing this to ask when should I start to see result? The temp has been high as 78 and low as 40 and it has been raining like every other day. Just trying to figure out if I should be concern or am I just a bit impatient.

Thanks for your help.:)

[rodfather]

Fescue takes longer than other type grass seed like rye or blue to germinate. It's only been 9 days which is not all that long. Temps down into the 40's don't help as well. Personally, I would have left off the hay to get more sun contact on the seed unless heavy rain and possible erosion was an issue.

Be patient :)

[John Gamba]

Fescue takes longer than other type grass seed like rye or blue to germinate. It's only been 9 days which is not all that long. Temps down into the 40's don't help as well. Personally, I would have left off the hay to get more sun contact on the seed unless heavy rain and possible erosion was an issue.

Be patient :)


So true. You need warmth and wet to germinate

[rodfather]

So true. You need warmth and wet to germinate

yup, less daylight hours and intensity of the sun too John

[John Gamba]

yup, less daylight hours and intensity of the sun too John


You got it Mr Rodfather:weightlifter: :waving: no frost:cry:

[rodfather]

You got it Mr Rodfather:weightlifter: :waving: no frost:cry:

new tub ya got there john? where are the ladies too? :cool2:

[olderthandirt]

You put hay on it your going to have a parture not a lawn

Straw is what you supose to use

[John Gamba]

You put hay on it your going to have a parture not a lawn

Straw is what you supose to use


Cash crop:laugh:

[John Gamba]

new tub ya got there john? where are the ladies too? :cool2:


Thank you for noticing:) I'll get banned if i post them:cry: You have a invite anytime you like:cool2:

[rodfather]

Thank you for noticing:) I'll get banned if i post them:cry: You have a invite anytime you like:cool2:

that or a skillet up alongside your head from the g/f too :laugh:

[John Gamba]

that or a skillet up alongside your head from the g/f too :laugh:


She is in some of them:dizzy: but not alllllllllll:cool2:

[JimLewis]

Well, it's only been 9 days. So don't expect to see anything at this point.

The guys are correct, fescue takes longer to germinate than many of the other kinds of turfgrass. In our area, it takes 8 weeks to reach full maturity.

One of the main tricks to successful seeding is keeping the seed damp throughout the germination process. You don't want to let the seed ever dry out. So in this area we get best results by setting the irrigation system to come on 4 times per day, for short durations. For instance, 8 a.m. for 3 or 4 minutes. Then again at 11:00 a.m.. Then again at 2:00 p.m. and then again at 5:00 p.m. Each time, short durations like 3 minutes. Just enough to get the seed damp again. If the soil has been prep'd correclty and you've fertilized and seeded correctly, and there is no run-off then it's a no-brainer. Just keep it damp.

Like the other said, though, temperature are also key. And it's ground temperature that you're concerned with, not air temp. Ground temp is often 5 degress less than air temp.

[clallen03]

Thanks guys for that I was starting to think I was wasting my time and money. I like to try new things on my yard before I start trying to sell it to my clients. I need to know what to tell them to expect so they wont be impatient like me.

Thanks

[John Gamba]

Thanks guys for that I was starting to think I was wasting my time and money. I like to try new things on my yard before I start trying to sell it to my clients. I need to know what to tell them to expect so they wont be impatient like me.

Thanks


Let us know

[DuallyVette]

I would be a little extra patient. Round-up says that it doesn't leave a residue, and you can seed right away. From my experience, thats not quite true. The sprayed areas always come in s l o w e r than the rest of an over seeded lawn.

[clallen03]

Well yesterday I notcied some really green grass growing in the lawn in patches. Today it start to fill in a bit more but not all over the lawn.
Is this the way the grass will come in, or should I be doing something to help it along?

[rodfather]

Best thing you can do is water it frequently and stay off it...pets and kids (if any) included.

[lawnpro724]

Alway's test lawn for soil ph if you have had problems before and ad what is needed. The best time for seeding a new lawn is in the spring, lots of rain and warm weather and lot of sun. We alway's test soil for correct ph and ad what is needed along with starter ferilizer, til up, level off, seed with good quality grass seed or plug and roll it down for good contact with soil. We never have and never will apply straw let alone any other type of covering to a newly seeded lawn and have never had a problem. Straw contrary to most, is nothing but a messy problem, it blows in neighbors yards, get matted down in the future lawn to be leaving bare spots not to mention its a mess to clean up.

[somo1]

Here's some information for you, Fescue takes 10-14 days to germinate in good weather. Bluegrass 30 days. Ann. Rye 3-5 days. Want to see quicker results add ann. rye, but not too much maybe 5%. Adding too much makes a lawn look brown when it dies out. Good luck. I wouldn't worry about the weeds from the hay, you can spray for those, or use round-up and spot treat or dab it with a sponge.

[eruuska]

I wouldn't worry about the weeds from the hay, you can spray for those, or use round-up and spot treat or dab it with a sponge.

Any weeds from hay will be grassy weeds. Depending on what species it is, it might be hard to find a selective herbicide to kill it.

[househitter]

Fescue is going to take about 3 weeks to germinate under Ideal conditions

[birdsnbirdies]

I disagree. Turf type tall fescue under ideal conditions will germinate in less time than was posted. It takes considerably less time than Ky. blue. Also, I would not seed annual rye. Use perennial ryegrass. It will germinate in a short time and look much better than the annual rye.

[clallen03]

This lawn is now almost full. There is a couple of spots in the lawn that is still thin but Im continuing to keep water on it and Im seeing results from it. The hay is still showing a little but it is mostly covered by the fescue turf. So it does take about 3 weeks with temps between 40-70 degrees and plenty of water in this zone.

My son has been walking on some spots and I have noticed that it has slowed the growing process down in those areas. So my question is when can I start to treat the lawn and when can I start to mow the lawn.

Thanks for all your help:)

[rodfather]

Personally, I wouldn't treat it with anything for the rest of the year. As for mowing it, use as small a mower as you have with the deck as high as it can go until the season ends. A large commercial mower with high lift blades at full RPM can stress the roots that are trying to develop under the surface.

Glad to hear things are going well.

[dcgreenspro]

get a 22 w/ sharp blades and a bag of organic fert. (earthworks or milorganite) or put down what your soil test said.