| Author |
Message |
    
Jersey_Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 1730
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 12:31 pm: | 
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How often should I cut my lawn, and how short, to organically discourage weeds? |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 9254
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 12:40 pm: |
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Hell if I know; we poison the •••• out of ours. |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 925
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 1:35 pm: |
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to organically discourage weed growth, the frequency of cutting depends on how fast and long the grass is growing. when it gets unbearably long, then you cut it. the longer it stays, the harder for weeds to grow. even when you cut it, you're supposed to leave it long. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 9256
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 1:39 pm: |
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Seriously, didn't someone say something about milky spore for beetles recently? What was that about? |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 927
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 - 1:41 pm: |
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milky spore is for grubs. |
wunderdog
Citizen
Username: Wunderdogny
Post Number: 126
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 10:03 am: |
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I seeded my yard this summer (I was too late for spring seeding but thought I would give it a shot anyway). Some grass came up, but it remains quite spotty. Can I reseed in the Fall or do I have to wait til next Spring? If so, when is the best time in the Fall and how do I do it - do I have to aerate the dirt or can I just spread the seed and water the crap out of it? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12538
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 5:30 am: |
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Fall is the best time for growing grass. Starting now would be a good idea.
While a lot of people don't like them I am going to rent a dethatcher in the next week or two and then overseed. The dethatcher roughs up the soil so the seed has a better chance of taking root.
Some people don't like dethatchers because they feel it gives weeds a better chance of growing, although I think a nice preemergent lawn care product in the spring will take care of this. |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 744
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 9:07 am: |
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If you use organic fertilizers, it's suppose to prevent thatch. |
AngelaK
Citizen
Username: Angelak
Post Number: 115
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 7:19 pm: |
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What's thatch? |
AngelaK
Citizen
Username: Angelak
Post Number: 116
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2006 - 7:21 pm: |
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What does "overseed" exactly mean? What is the correct amount of seed for a given area? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12548
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 4:22 am: |
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Thatch is a layer of dead organic matter. It builds up over time and prevents water and nutrients making it into the soil.
Overseeding is spreading seed on an existing lawn and is usually done after dethatching or using an aerator plug machine. The seed package tells you the correct amount to use, which is usually half the new lawn rate. |
SOrising
Citizen
Username: Sorising
Post Number: 748
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 7:36 am: |
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I thought thatch was dense roots that are too shallow, caused by too much of the wrong kind of fertilizer. You might be able to google it and read about it, Angela K. A layer of dead organic matter should decompose, as in compost in the making, no? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12549
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, September 1, 2006 - 7:41 am: |
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Here is the definition:
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/lazylandscaping/g/thatch.htm |
Melonious
Citizen
Username: Melonious
Post Number: 120
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, September 4, 2006 - 9:10 pm: |
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I have learned that the KEY to growing grass from seed is HAY. Lots and lots of it, to cover the newly seeded patches. Prevents birds from eating it all, keeps moisture and warmth in.
Also, water it EVERY DAY. Even if it is "supposed" to rain. Even if it rained the night before. Don't have to flood it, but make sure it is moist enough in the morning to stay moist all day, kwim.
Also, I've found that Scott's PatchMaster is not worth the effort. It's seed, fertilizer, and paper mulch (very fluffy) that is supposed to be one-step. The stuff is so fluffy you have to be careful it doesn't blow away, and they say you must NOT put down layers thicker than 1/4", AND you must water it TWICE a day for 7-14 days. I did all of this, plus all the dethatching and spot-composting, and got very skimpy results about a month later.
For less effort, handfulls of seed and generous hay-ing gets me seedlings in less than a week.
OK, that's my grass rant. |
wunderdog
Citizen
Username: Wunderdogny
Post Number: 130
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 - 9:51 am: |
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THANKS for the rant, Mel, I think I didn't water my lawn enough after I seeded it this summer. After all this rain we just had, it's really filled in, which tells me a lot. |
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 769
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 10:04 am: |
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Bob K: Is a de-thatcher easier to use than an aerator? We once rented an aerator from HD...........and let me tell you, that was a giant PIA. Even my 6'1" 200 lb husband could barely maintain control over that monster machine. I couldn't manage it at all.
I wish I had a video of him getting pulled around the back yard by it. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 12587
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 6, 2006 - 10:21 am: |
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A power rake, dethatcher, is lighter than an aerator and I haven't had a problem using one. |
