Too late for sod or overseeding in maryland?

[recycledsole]

Hello guys
wondering if its too late for sod install or overseeding a new property in maryland (climate zone 6b/7a). I think i still have enough time, just want to make sure. Yard is fairly shady.

Thanks so much i really appreciate all the help i get on this site

[Smallaxe]

Seed may or may not work for you I couldn't say, but here we will sod right up into November as long as everything is wet and the ground hasn't frozen yet... this is KBG sod...

[olmod]

Not to late for sod. Heck the best sod I have ever laid was one winter we were landscaping a apartment complex and the sod was froze so we had to thaw it out so we could unroll it. That stuff looked awesome in the spring. I am sure the sod guy hated us by the time we were done that winter. I would lay sod anytime of year as long as there is no snow on the ground.
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[orangemower]

You could easily do sod now. Seed might not germinate if the soil temp gets to low. Md has seen frost already so it's hard to tell. I'm sure it would take on as long as the temps don't drop to fast. The 60-70 degree temps during the day will allow grass to grow.

[recycledsole]

hmmmm i hope to find some fine fescue sod then for the shady area! it does some more light towards the center of the lawn, but towards the edge, i dont think it gets much at all.
general question for fertilization- do you apply fert to sod?
for new seeding when do you apply fert? before or after?
thanks so much i really appreciate it

[LHS Lawns]

Originally Posted by recycledsole

hmmmm i hope to find some fine fescue sod then for the shady area! it does some more light towards the center of the lawn, but towards the edge, i dont think it gets much at all.
general question for fertilization- do you apply fert to sod?
for new seeding when do you apply fert? before or after?
thanks so much i really appreciate it

It's not too late. I'm getting ready to overseed my own lawn and a customers next week. I think my cutoff would be the end of October which I'm pushing up against. Just had the customer call me yesterday so I'm renting the 3 pt overseeder and using it on mine too.

Probably wouldn't have gotten the overseeder just for myself.

If overseeding, the grass that is there will offer an insulating factor. Fert before or after you seed whichever is the best time for you but do it the same day and be done.

Wait too long and if you had alot of rain that would keep you off the lawn the seed could germinate and you don't want to be running on the lawn then.

If bare ground seeding I'd be inclined to blow some straw on it if it was applicable. Again an insulating factor.

Never worked with sod.

Eastern or Western Shore of MD?

[K & K Mowing]

Did a small seeding job in central Maryland (Carroll County) two weeks ago. A large part of that was matted to help get it going before it would have a chance to wash out. That was two weeks ago with some showers here and there and I checked on it yesterday and still no germination. I don't think we've gotten enough rain yet although it's comming down pretty good right now. We've had a couple nights of good frost the last two weeks but this should have nothing to with it. The ground is stilll pretty warm. As above stated if your going to sod the only bad time of year is mid summer. If your going to seed and mulch I would do it before the end of this month to have some chance of germination before the ground freezes.

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by recycledsole

hmmmm i hope to find some fine fescue sod then for the shady area! it does some more light towards the center of the lawn, but towards the edge, i dont think it gets much at all.
general question for fertilization- do you apply fert to sod?
for new seeding when do you apply fert? before or after?
thanks so much i really appreciate it

The major trick to forestlawns(shade) is to NOT fert or irr. too much... if you try to do high maintenance as suggestted by the Pros, then you'll end up with the same attitude about shade as the Pros, "It can't be done"...

how many times have you heard that it is impossible to grow turf in the shade???

anyways the answer to the question about fert is a likely, No... most soils have adequate fertility for shade lawns, at least for now... I'd check it after a couple of mowings in the Spring then leave it alone until the Fall... If you think about getting a 'brite green' the first year you'll likely kill it, depending on the intensity of the shade...
Vinca minor, groundcover is about the pleasantest 'brite green' there is and will do excellently in the shade... I prefer it to vinca major...

[recycledsole]

sweet guys thanks. im over near DC.

[orangemower]

Originally Posted by recycledsole

sweet guys thanks. im over near DC.

You have plenty of time. Get-r-done. If you seed, use some "starter" fert. If you sod, you shouldn't need to fert but just water it. Remember, sod is already growing and doesn't need to germinate. All it needs to do is grow and root in to the soil.