Aerating/Overseeding Help

[BSDeality]

I would recommend getting two aerators. you will have to do double passes and its going to take longer than you think. seeding will take 1/15th of the time it will to aerate.

[joshua]

Turf Grass Science and Managnement by Robert Emmons pg.163 Mowing is necessary when the seedlings reach a height 50% taller than the height to which the grass will be cut. i had that same book in college, emmons must know something.

[BSDeality]

Turf Management For Golf Courses (second edition) by James Beard.

Postplant Turf Care, pg 284.

"Mowing should be started when the grass seedlings reach a height of 2-4 inches depending on the particular species involved. The cutting height generally is in the 2 to 3 inch range. The mowing frequency should follow the rule of thumb of removing no more than 40% of the leaf area at any one mowing."

I have Emmon's book also, but i refer more to my Turf Mgt. book.

[jeffinsgf]

Originally Posted by MarkintheGarden

According to Turfgrass science and management, by Robert Emmons, under post seeding care, he reccomends that seedling turfgrasses be mowed for the first time when they reach a height of 50% greater than the anticipated mowing height.

So if you mow cool weather grasses at 3 inches then the first mow of the seedlings should be at 6 inches. This is an exception to the top one third mowing rule that this author strongly reccomendeds.

Uh, try that math again. 50% more than the anticipated mowing height is 4.5 inches, not 6 inches (100% more than anticipated mowing height).

[MarkintheGarden]

Originally Posted by jeffinsgf

Uh, try that math again. 50% more than the anticipated mowing height is 4.5 inches, not 6 inches (100% more than anticipated mowing height).

OK you caught me, Fuzzy Math, I never was good at math but I sure got confused on that one

So Emmons is reccomending the same cutting height for new grass as any turf, do not know why he chose to word it differently when talking about seedling?

[ACutAboveNC]

WOW...Cutting 2-3in is murder, at least in the south anyways. I cut at a minimum of 3.5 to 4 in all year long. And it is not to late to start aerating. Actually, it is about the perfect time to aerate. You are looking for soil temps in the 60s to 70s. That translates to air temps being around the same. TTTF is a COOL weather grass. That means it likes the cooler weather. Not the August and occassional September heat. You are ok to plant seed still. You will actually see better results now anyways. If you are looking for a solid seed look into Lesco seed. They have given me tremendous results and they are the best bang for my buck. And you should ALWAYS aerate at least twice if not three times in hard packed and bare areas. The point of aeration is not to put holes in the ground for the seed to sprout but to allow AIR into the soil. You will see much better results if you do so. BTW in bare areas look at using 8-10 lbs/m and in thick stands of grass 5-6lbs/m. Hope this is some helpful information to you.

[Dunn's]

Originally Posted by MarkintheGarden

According to Turfgrass science and management, by Robert Emmons, under post seeding care, he reccomends that seedling turfgrasses be mowed for the first time when they reach a height of 50% greater than the anticipated mowing height.

So if you mow cool weather grasses at 3 inches then the first mow of the seedlings should be at 6 inches. This is an exception to the top one third mowing rule that this author strongly reccomendeds.

Acording to what you wrote then you would cut the grass at 4 and a half inches not 6 inches because that would be 100% of the anticipated mowing height. sorry didn't mean to correct you but you counterdicted yourself.

[MarkintheGarden]

Originally Posted by Dunn's lawn service

Acording to what you wrote then you would cut the grass at 4 and a half inches not 6 inches because that would be 100% of the anticipated mowing height. sorry didn't mean to correct you but you counterdicted yourself.

Yeah, I sure did, got pointed out already.

[dcgreenspro]

Originally Posted by MarkintheGarden

Markinthegarden, I have no idea what you meant by "If the grass blades are tall enough to touch in wet conditions this will be the cause for turfgrass disease." No, it will not!

Something I learned when I studied horticulture. Fungal pathogens are active in moist wet conditions, moisture is trapped between blades of grass when they get stuck together, creating an optimum invironment for the fungal pathogens.

This is why we have great results when we mow turfgrass at the minimum height for the species of turfgrass.

But hey, I will take your word for it and ignore what my professor taught and throw away my turfgrass science and management manual based on your post.[/QUOTE]
Mark, Take that manual and read for disease pressure. It would tell you that only certain types of grasses are susceptible to certain diseases. It would also further tell you that diseases need the host, pathogen to be present and the right environment. Many people on this site throw around different disease names that are way off base and have not been identified correctly. The only thing that you will get with leaf blades trapped together is a lack of lite that is necessary for turfgrass germination. Also, pushing mowing heights is not the best thing to do to newly emerged grass. Letting it grow to an acceptable height and then getting it under your regulation mowing heights works very well. but hey, you studied horticulture, so you must be right.

[MarkintheGarden]

Originally Posted by dcgreenspro

Something I learned when I studied horticulture. Fungal pathogens are active in moist wet conditions, moisture is trapped between blades of grass when they get stuck together, creating an optimum invironment for the fungal pathogens.

This is why we have great results when we mow turfgrass at the minimum height for the species of turfgrass.

But hey, I will take your word for it and ignore what my professor taught and throw away my turfgrass science and management manual based on your post.

Mark, Take that manual and read for disease pressure. It would tell you that only certain types of grasses are susceptible to certain diseases. It would also further tell you that diseases need the host, pathogen to be present and the right environment. Many people on this site throw around different disease names that are way off base and have not been identified correctly. The only thing that you will get with leaf blades trapped together is a lack of lite that is necessary for turfgrass germination. Also, pushing mowing heights is not the best thing to do to newly emerged grass. Letting it grow to an acceptable height and then getting it under your regulation mowing heights works very well. but hey, you studied horticulture, so you must be right.[/QUOTE]

Not throwing around anything just passing on what I learned.
leaves trapped together do retain moisture, particularly the dew creating a good invironment for fungal pathogens, that yes must be present. Fungus happens.
I am not sure what you are saying about cutting seedling grass, are you saying you should let it grow taller than you normaly would? Would you let it get tall till it lays down and sticks together?

All I was saying is newly seeded turfgrass should get mowed. Do you think this is wrong?