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Lawn grass very thin, please help!

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mcwlandscaping

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
My dad and i seeded out lawn 2 years ago. It looks really really nice. However, the grass blades in most places seem very thin. What should i do to help correct this problem. Also, what will help it fill in better. Thanks for the responses,
Michael
 
#3 ·
depending on the variety of the grass you seeded, some grass blades are thinner like bluegrass compared to tall fescue, also is this is more of a shaded area? Anyway what have you done, tried any root builder such as a 20-10-10, or even something like the complete fertilizer ratio 2-1-2.which would be a 20-10-20,
 
#4 ·
I was wondering what type of seed you used. Was It a mix? If it was then you probably have different grasses growing which could explain. There are some rare micro nutrient imbalences that could cause narrow plant tissue, but this is unlikely the cause. It's most likely you have shade tolorent grass establishment in shaded areas and sun tolerant grasses in the other parts. Some 20-10-20 would help increase turf density to thicken up the thin spots but check the latest application time up there in Utah. Anyone know how late you can do a Nitrogen application there? The latest I'll do it in Oklahoma is the middle of October.
 
#5 ·
MCW, the individual grass blades are thin or the stands of grass, as in density? As KC said, different varieties have different sized leaf blades, btu you are not going to change that with any fertilizer at any time. If you are talking about the density of a stand, shade, compaction, turf type, nutrients and even mowing frequency and cut height can all come in to play. More info please and RedEarth, you can throw N in the snow if you like, just depends on the product and what your goals are = ) but it's not uncommon to throw a 100% slow release as a winterizer after the final cut and leaf cleanups in mid Nov. if the snow is still off the ground here. KC, I'd never throw a 2-1-2 ration on an established turf here especially with the already high potassium levels existing in our soil, you do know that giant lake in your backyard used to go all the way up to the benches and that they mine the left overs(potassium chloride) out there on the west side of it, right? =)
 
#6 ·
According to soil tests that have been done potassium is the second major nutrient that is needed in our lawns. If you want to thicken your lawn, nitrogen will not do it, in fact in time it will cause thinning out because the focus is on the growth of the blade. We want our lawns to thicken up as well as stand upright and bouce back up after you walk on it, mow it ect.
 
#7 ·
KC,
I didn't say zero potassium, I said at those ratios, equal to your actual lb per thousand of N. you would be applying K at ratios far exceeding the needs in our soil. The Davis County Soil Conservancy District has a nice fat soil analysis prepared for your county and along with info from the USU Extension service, you can find the proper ratios for the general soil conditions in your area. For the record, K has absolutely nothing to do with a turfs ability to "footprint" or take foot traffic. Those things are determined by plant variety, moisture and the overall health/vigor of your stand, which are a reflection of of everything in the growing profile.
 
#8 ·
For the record, K has absolutely nothing to do with a turfs ability to "footprint" or take foot traffic. Those things are determined by plant variety, moisture and the overall health/vigor of your stand, which are a reflection of of everything in the growing profile.[/QUOTE]

Great thing about forums is you can agree to disagree, :rolleyes: but k has everything to do with bounce back. K contributes to vitality and hardiness and wear and tear, which does mean when we walk on grasses or mow our lawns it has the ability to stand upright quicker.
no doubt variety plays a part in it but k is also an important part of that as well, why else would k be considered a macro-nutrient.
 
#9 ·
Phosphorus is also a macro nutrient, yet we aren't pounding that at a pound per thousand. K contributes to root development, which in turn helps support water and nutrient uptake. K does not make superstems, crowns or leaf blades in turf or any other plant material. Aeration can also spur new shoot development, by slicing rhizomes & stolons and allowing new growth points, along with loosening the soil to allow spread. A lawn in drought stress, a soil deficient in iron and available N, compacted, cut too short or too infrequently, etc. cannot be cured through a high dose of K. A 2-1-2 ratio with a nitrogen application of 1 lb actual per 1000 would put you at 1 lb of actual K per 1000. On an established turf in the summer, that is a recipe for chemical burn down of turf with the amounts already in our soil(K). The K needs of turfgrass per growing season is nowhere near the nitrogen levels needed, even on neutral potting mediums. The ratio is my only disagreement here, not what primary, secondary & trace micro and macro nutrients are. I still would like to know if MCW was speaking of individual grass blade thickness or the stand density.
 
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