[pinnacle]

I have this lawn (mainly weeds) and red soil (clay type)

I am going to be aerating, over-sowing and top dressing next week and have a few queries, so I'll tell yous how I think I'm going to do it and yous can tell me if it will work.

#1 I am going to apply a selective herbicide to the area to take out the weeds

#2 Apply a liquid gypsum to the area (one of the good ones with a high calcium content.

#3 wait for the herbicide to kick in and scalp cut the area.

#4 Aerate the area

#5 spread a seed (couch) and seed starter fert mix.

#6 Soak the area with water.

#7 Spread a top dressing mix with lots of organic fines in it at around 1/8 of an inch (Is that too thick????)

#8 Set up a temporary Irrigation system and let it do its thing.

I'm thinking this time of the year down here germination time will be 8 - 12 weeks (pretty hot down under)

I was thinking that the temp irrigation system might get stolen?
Has anybody had any experience with thieves and temp irrigation systems? ......................Any solutions????

So there you go.....................sound like the go??.............or not??

 

[locutus]

pinnacle, Sounds like you should be giving tips, Not asking for them. Not Knowing much about the climate/soil of australia I would say you have a pretty good handle on things. I was going to suggest the use of a slit-seeder to increase germination rate, but I think the top dressing will accomplish this. You didnt mention anything about soil ph. Is the gypsum/calcium a base product that will effect soil ph? P.S. a shela friend of mine says that it is not "aerate" she says its " aerify". Just took her word for it.

 

[pinnacle]

You didnt mention anything about soil ph. Is the gypsum/calcium a base product that will effect soil ph?

Yeh the "PH" is in the 4 - 5 region.

Thanks mate..............I think thats pretty right, I just want to be sure before I start (don't want to end up in a hole........ya Know?)

But as I said I'am a "young player" I am learned well in the theory but the practice is another story......

As we know nothing beats hands on experience.

Thanks Loctus

 

[yardmonkey]

Not familiar with couch grass, but I would think most grass seed should germinate (sprout) within 2 weeks.

I have been trying to decide what to do about irrigation on a lawn I am about to seed with fescue. I have a couple of pretty good sprinklers and and some hose and it was my original plan to set that up. And may use a timer. But I'm thinking that there may be areas in the corners that may not get wet. And there may be areas that get too much water and it may wash the seed out. So I'm now thinking of just going by daily and hand watering with a brass nozzle. Probably could not get the customer to pay me what I would like for that, but I could work something out. Not practical on a larger lawn. But I will definitely not trust the customer to water it daily and properly.

Some grass seed needs to be just sown on top of the soil and not buried (nneds light to germinate). Not sure about couch, and not sure if 1/8" is enough to cause a problem anyway, but could be better to topdress first, then seed. Some people like to put down a layer of hay to help keep the seed in place and help keep in moisture.

Some hardcore organic types might recommend adding several inches of compost and tilling it in. This may be the opportunity to ammend the soil. But probably the grass will grow just fine....

Good luck with it.

 

[pinnacle]

Some grass seed needs to be just sown on top of the soil and not buried (nneds light to germinate). Not sure about couch, and not sure if 1/8" is enough to cause a problem anyway, but could be better to topdress first, then seed. Some people like to put down a layer of hay to help keep the seed in place and help keep in moisture.

Thanks mate..................these are the things I need to hear.

So 1/8 might be too much??? So how much is enough???

Dose any body have experiance with couch grass??
Sow on top or underneath??