Need Advice - New Lawn

[Mach1]

We built a new home last year. After the dirtwork was done and the sprinkler system installed, it was late. The yard did not get planted until Oct.1.

I hired a guy to plant for me. He harrowed the dirt 'till it was a powder, then applied starter fert. and the seed (which was UAP Sahara Fescue mix) then drug it over smooth.

We got a pretty decent stand of grass last year, but not everywhere. This spring, it is all green already, and I have bare spots and weeds are coming fast! I contacted the local lawncare place, but have not heard back from them. They talked about interseeding and some other options. I know they're busy, maybe they'll call me yet.

I would like a really nice yard for this new home, but am unsure what I should be doing with it at this point. I need help and am starting to panic! Can anyone suggest a course of action in case I have to go it alone?

Thanks, Joe M.

[LawnsRUsInc.]

I would have it fertilized and liquid weed controlled asap this spring one time and then reseed those areas if they are small just wait it will fill in with time. I wouldn't recommend mixing and applying liquid yourself. Call anotherr person yea its busy in the landscape ind. but i would try another firm.

[Mach1]

If I have to go the DIY route, which chemicals and applications would you recommend specifically? My wife works for a fertilizer company, so I have access to professional chemicals and liscenced guys (that she works with) to mix and apply them.

Also, how exactly do you recommend to do the re-sseding? Should I just just throw more seed in the bald spots, rake it over, airate or what?

I apologize for the newbie questions, I do not have much of a green thumb!:help:

[LawnsRUsInc.]

Well in nebraska i dont know if your weeds really started to pop up yet and if they are not actively growing you wont really be able to kill them. So maybe start off by putting down some dimension and then in a month put down a 2 4 d product.

[Mach1]

It took a couple of weeks, but I got an estimate in the mail today from the local lawncare place. The estimate is for innerseeding the lawn with UAP Sahara Fescue blend. My lawn is somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 square feet.

They want $895.00 to do it. This includes the seed and starter fertilizer. They also have a estimate for a 5 step fertilizer application program @ $101.66 per application.

What is innerseeding? I understand it is some sort of machine that places the seed in the dirt? Can someone explain this to me? The folks where my wife works thinks this estimate is too high, and we should rent their machine and do it ourselves.

The wife thinks we should belly up to the bar, pay the $$$ and let them do it. I'm tending to agree with her. Does $895.00 seem like a high estimate to the pro's here?



Joe M.

[DiyDave]

I don't want to get in the middle of anything that I don't have the specifics on, but here in Md, my price for 12k lawn would be closer to $500. This would be for powerseeding, and fertilizer. What a powerseeder does is to cut a small groove vertically down into the lawn surface, then drops seed into the groove, and some cover the seed, some just leave the seed in the groove, depends on the make of the machine. The important thing to do is to ask your contractor for references, and follow up by asking questions of the references. Were you satisfied, was the crew professional, DID THEY MISS AREAS?, how many times are they going to go over the lawn with the machine? The more you know the better the decision you can make.:waving: :waving:

[Mach1]

Thank you Dave!! They said they criss-cross the application, meaning they go one way, then cross it at 90 degrees. I thought the estimate seemed high too. The contractor is a local one, who has been in business for a very, very long time. They have an excellent reputation and not much competition.

I trust these guys and know they will do a good job if I choose to go with them. I may seek a quote from on of their competitors.

Thanks again!!

Joe M.

[1turfguy]

my price in ma would be $725.00 so their in the ball park.i usually go in 3directions to avoid the "corn row" look, 2 directions is normal. my app price is 75/app.

[leejp]

We built a new home last year. After the dirtwork was done and the sprinkler system installed, it was late. The yard did not get planted until Oct.1.

I hired a guy to plant for me. He harrowed the dirt 'till it was a powder, then applied starter fert. and the seed (which was UAP Sahara Fescue mix) then drug it over smooth.

We got a pretty decent stand of grass last year, but not everywhere. This spring, it is all green already, and I have bare spots and weeds are coming fast! I contacted the local lawncare place, but have not heard back from them. They talked about interseeding and some other options. I know they're busy, maybe they'll call me yet.

I would like a really nice yard for this new home, but am unsure what I should be doing with it at this point. I need help and am starting to panic! Can anyone suggest a course of action in case I have to go it alone?


The first thing I would do is to fire the guy who put the lawn in if he didn't try to talk out of it. You're in zone 4/5. I would not have planted a lawn from seed on Oct 1 and expect to have much left in the Spring. The rule of thumb is fully germinated and growing tall enough for 2 cuts prior to first frost. I live in zone 5~6 and we plant grass generally around labor day.

I would wait until Fall to plant again as it's the best time (vs Spring). Until then you can try fertilizer/weed control. If you have barespots you're worried about just throw some annual grass seed down for cover until you're ready to seed again (with the same fescue variety).

[topsites]

For a 1/4 acre lot even $500 sounds way high, I charge $250-$270 per 1/4 acre for a complete refurbishing (core aeration, fertilizer, calcium carbonate, magnesium, calcium sulfate, and 50 pounds of 90% germ.rate certified seed)... However, the weed treatment is separate and costs $60 so it still comes to a bit over $300, keep in mind weed killer and seed HAVE to be applied at least 30 days apart or the chems will interfere with seed germination and provide less than desirable results.

Further, right now isn't the best time for seeding, fall is, and for Nebraska likely early fall (like 2nd-3rd week of September maybe even earlier but idk), but take care of the weeds now and perhaps wait, or do a spot seeding... You could do this part yourself, get a 25 or 50 pound bag of Fescue at your local Home Depot or Lowe's and simply throw down good and solid handfulls of seed in the bare spots, again don't weed treat / seed but 30 days apart! So you could spot seed and then in a month call a reliable company such as True Green or Scott's for a one time weed treatment and be done with it, likely all for under $200 but idk...

Because I'm not sure here, with a long term guy quoting you a grand and my prices, is the whole story being told or what it is I don't get, but I can not help that without seeing it, perhaps some pictures would help.

Beyond that what I would do is get the phone book (or the Yellow Book - not the Yellow Pages, I said Yellow Book) and go to Lawn Care (right before Lawyers) or Landscaping and call about 4-6 of these companies and get no less than 3 but really 4 estimates.

You may wish to listen to what each has to say, idk, please don't play them off against each other such as to gain a better price but do feel free to pick the one you feel is best for you, base your decision not on price alone :)

[topsites]

Oh, the bs explained:

Overseeding is the process of putting down seed over an established lawn.
Interseeding is seeding into existing vegetation, covering spots in between, or spot seeding.

It's all the same thing, throw down seed where needed, don't let the lingo get you down, perhaps an Lco using terminology that is difficult to understand isn't the best to hire, but I could not tell you for sure, what I do know is when my auto mechanic gets lingofied on me, it's time to find another one who can explain it to me in english (or at least closer to what I can dig).

[Mach1]

Well, I had them come and do the innerseeding for me. Yep, 900 bucks is expensive, but I really trust these guys, very professional outfit. They brought a big innerseeder on the back of a tractor. They said it was for use at golf courses and places like that. Really nice, impressive machine.

They used a smaller walk behind for the tighter spots. So they innerseeded my 12,000 SQFT with 175lbs of seed both ways, put starter fertlilzer on with something called Tupersan. After they were done, they even rolled it flat for me. They'll be back in 3 weeks or so to spray it with Drive 75 DF.

It all went extremely well, and the processes did not tear up what little turf I do have to the degree I thought it would. I brought them cold drinks of their choice for breaktime, they were bustin' butt out there!:drinkup:

All I have to do is crank up the water and wait for the results!

Joe M.

[Mach1]

I just can't get a break. :cry: They did the innerseeding for me yesterday, then last night it starts raining. Then it turns into a gulley-washer. We've got 3.20" now and more coming. I'm seeing washouts and puddles of seed in the yard.

People are telling me that it will be fine because the seed's in the ground. It's hard not to have a negative attitude about it, and it's easy for them to say when it's not their money that just went down the drain.:cry:

Between the seeding last October that didn't work and this one that got washed out, that's $1500.00 down the tubes. I'm so depressed. I suppose I need to call the guys who seeded for me and see what they think.

Joe M.

[leejp]

I just can't get a break. :cry: They did the innerseeding for me yesterday, then last night it starts raining. Then it turns into a gulley-washer. We've got 3.20" now and more coming. I'm seeing washouts and puddles of seed in the yard.

People are telling me that it will be fine because the seed's in the ground. It's hard not to have a negative attitude about it, and it's easy for them to say when it's not their money that just went down the drain.
Joe M.

I never heard of interseeding or an interseeding machine. If it's the same as an overseeder I think you might be OK so long as your yard drains well.

Was the rainstorm a big surprise? You mention you really trust these guys... did they guarantee the RESULTS? If so not to worry. If they were indeed reputable, no way they would have proceeded to seed with the storm in the forecast.

I am having some small trees planted this spring by the local garden center at 2x the cost of what I can get the trees for at the big box retailers. These are small enough so I can easily plany them myself. Why? They dig the hole, put whatever mixture of peat moss/fertilizer required, plant the tree, put mulch around it and guarantee the job for 2 years. Tree doesn't take root and dies during that period, they come out and replace it. I am buying results.

[Nathan Robinson]

anyone who understands turf would tell you to wait untill fall to reseed. Considering the storage factor. with irrigation you can get it to grow and grow somewhat well but I would just call your local independant lawncare guy and jump on a program until then...Nathan

[leejp]

Was the rainstorm a big surprise? You mention you really trust these guys... did they guarantee the RESULTS? If so not to worry. If they were indeed reputable, no way they would have proceeded to seed with the storm in the forecast.

I didn't complete this train of thought...

If they were indeed reputable, no way they would have proceeded to seed with the storm in the forecast unless they felt it was OK to seed.

Agree completely with Nathan Robinson... Fall is THE time to seed. But I wouldn't wait until Oct 1st again. Allow enough time to germinate, grow and get minimum 2 cuts in before winter.

What's done is done... I hope the grass does come up and you have a healthy lawn but I stand by my first suggestion, Fall to plant again as it's the best time (vs Spring). If you have barespots you're worried about just throw some annual grass seed down for cover until you're ready to seed again.

Since it's only ~1/4 acre it's not really that much work/cost to rent an overseeder and do it yourself. For the seed, overseeder rental, starter fertilizer... maybe ~$150... less if you share the overseeder rental with a neighbor.

[Mach1]

Thanks for the replies. I will talk to them tomorrow and post back what they say.

Regarding planting Oct 1, we knew the risk we were taking by doing that. We were so sick and tired of MUD at the building site that we wanted to get something done.

I regards to planting now instead of the fall, the Lawncare place felt it was important to get something in the ground now, and we agreed. We just wanted to get something going.

Leejg,
Yes they used an innerseeding machine. It has the blades that mashes the seed in to the ground. They knew it was going to rain and came a day early to do the job to beat the rain. So we knew it was going to rain, just not 3.20".

I will talk to them and post back what they say. Thanks everyone.

Joe M.

[leejp]

Thanks for the replies. I will talk to them tomorrow and post back what they say.

Regarding planting Oct 1, we knew the risk we were taking by doing that. We were so sick and tired of MUD at the building site that we wanted to get something done.

I regards to planting now instead of the fall, the Lawncare place felt it was important to get something in the ground now, and we agreed. We just wanted to get something going.

Leejp,
Yes they used an innerseeding machine. It has the blades that mashes the seed in to the ground. They knew it was going to rain and came a day early to do the job to beat the rain. So we knew it was going to rain, just not 3.20".

I will talk to them and post back what they say. Thanks everyone.


OK... I've always called it an overseeder... Something like this?

http://www.athleticturf.net/athleticturf/data/articlestandard/athleticturf/172005/157183/jacobsen_ryan_200p.jpg

I think you'll be fine. Chances are the the seed that washed into puddles were the ones that were not driven into the dirt. Now the trick is to keep the seed moist and watered until it establishes itself.

Again... if you're not satisfied, you can innerseed/overseed your 1/4 acre with a rented machine for ~$150. I pay professionals by the job for results and couldn't care if it took them 5 minutes or 5 months.

[Mach1]

Leejp,

Yep, that's what they used. They had two of them, a really big one on the back of a tractor, and a smaller walkbehind for the smaller/tight areas. They called it an innerseeder. I forgot to ask, any idea how deep this thing typically puts the seed in?

I talked to the lawncare guys, and they think I'll be OK. I do have big puddles of seed and some washouts, but they feel that the puddles were from mostly what was sitting on top. They also rolled it flat after seeding, the they think that helps too. He said they used 45lbs of seed in excess of the recommended rate for the size of my yard, so I can afford to lose some of it. They want me to rake the seed puddles so they don't grow in so thick and wait and see that grows. I'm sure my starter fert. and Tupersan are washed off and gone.

The rain's done now, and we got 4.40" in 48 hours. 3.20" in the first 24 and 1.20" in the second. The ground sure is staying wet.

They want to wait and see what grows, and if there's bare spots or issues, they want to fix them in the fall. If I could get a good yard and just have to go fill a few washouts, I'd be more than happy. We'll see!

Thanks!
Joe M.