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Posted: Jun/14/2006 1:03 AM PST
I had my lawn hydroseeded in early April (eastern Washington). The "professional" who did the work did not instruct me properly on watering and after hydroseeding it twice and hand seeding it once, I finally have grass, but not what I thought I would have. He handseeded with what I learned is an "annual" ryegrass which will, if cold enough, die this winter. The hydroseeding was done with bluegrass and it has come up in places. I am told by another professional to weed and feed once a month (the lawn is about one and half months old), water everyday, mow once a week and fertilize and in one month I will have the lawn I expected to have. The lawn I now have has a very broad leaf, not a fine leaf like bluegrass and in some places is full of either quack grass or rye grass clumps. My fear is that I will do what he says, still not have the lawn I paid for and end up replanting everything next spring. It's a mess and I am ready to pack it in and sell my home. I need some good professional advice. By the way, I did not insist it be planted so early due to the cold we were experiencing in April. He was the one in a big hurry. Like I said, it has been a mess all around. I also called several times for watering instructions and was told the morning dew would be sufficient until it rained three days later. Of course, he now says, he gave me implicit instructions to water thoroughly from the beginning. Anyway, enough. I just need some good advice. |
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Posted: Jun/14/2006 1:29 AM PST
Hi Maggie and welcome to GG I had to replace a very section of lawn due to septic problems . I used Scott's sun and shade seed . Prepped the soil and hand spread the seed . I kept the seed moist and when the grass started sending up shoots I continued to water it . Set up your sprinkles and give it about a half an hour in the early morning and a half hour in the late afternoon --like after 6 pm continue watering until the lawn is established . I gave it the first cut after 3 weeks you need the blades of grass to have taken hold and not be ripped up by the mower. I did my lawn in Sept so I only got a couple of months growth on it -- it came back really nice this spring. If you don't think it is the right grass or is not preforming right get another bag of Scott's seed and over seed the lawn . I wouldn't feed it until it is well established. Good luck to you and hope to See you around the threads. swindyi |
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Posted: Jun/14/2006 6:00 AM PST
It sounds like you've been "taken", but there is still hope. A mixture of grass types is the best way to go. A mix of annual ryegrass, perennial ryegrass, bluegrass, and creeping fescue works in most cases, except for deep shade. Stay away from any tall fescue. That may be what your grass with the wide blades is. If the guy new what he was doing hydroseeding should have produced a great looking lawn. Water the grass daily until the seed has sprouted and is well established. This of course depends on soil type........sandy soil requires more watering........clay soil less. Not being there to actually see what you have makes it difficult to give advice. |
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Posted: Jun/14/2006 10:29 AM PST
I have little concept of what your climate is like. But in most cases grass seeding should be done in very early spring or in fall. In my climate, Zone 6, April would be pretty late for grass seeding. Gras seed can withstqand the cold.... Fall planting should be early enough to allow the plants to root deeply enough to avoid "frost heaving" which resuls in poorly rooted plants being lifted out of the ground by the physical expansion and contraction of freeze thaw cyles. Given the trouble you are having, I would take a hard look at your site and soil preparation. Since it is a new lawn can I assume you live in brand new construction? If so soil compaction from construction activites could be a real hindrance to establishing a new lawn. |
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Posted: Jun/16/2006 2:25 AM PST
Yes, I think I was taken, but when my attorney wrote him asking for my money back, he responded with a bunch of lies. I decided it wasn't worth it to take him to court. I just cannot handle the emotional turmoil and want it to be over with. I can see some of the bluegrass is coming in, but I don't think I will have much of a lawn next spring if the field grass dies out like I have been told it will. My thoughts are to overseed it, but I don't really know what I am doing. I guess it couldn't hurt to overseed it, but it could get expensive. There are some areas where button weed and some kind of vine weed have come in quite thick and I thought I would spray those areas with round up to get rid of them, bring in some topsoil and re-seed. It wouldn't be so hard to get smaller areas growing, but I don't know whether to wait until late summer or early fall or do it now. So far, the weather hasn't been too hot and my thinking is that the coarser field grass will provide some protection for the seeds. As you can probably tell, I am not experienced at this. I do have some calls in to other professionals in the area, who I am hoping can take a look and give me some more advice. Thanks for the suggestions. |
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Posted: Jun/16/2006 3:09 AM PST
Maggie, contact your local cooperative extension office and see if they have a master gardener program. If so one of their master gardeners may be available to have a look and advise you. Master gardeners are an arm of the esxtension service and are not trying to sell you anytehing and will give an objective, learned opinion. |
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