The countdown to seeding season has begun, have you started planning? We only have a short window of time (the month of September) to seed. So, NOW is the time to start preparing. Here are the top 3 decisions you need to make before September 1st:
How much of my lawn should I seed?
Once you’ve decided you are going to seed, you need to decide how much of your lawn you can handle seeding. Some homeowners choose to seed the entire lawn, while others only seed a section. When deciding, ask yourself two questions, how much can you afford to water and do you have outdoor pets?
Watering your seed is crucial for its survival. During the first 3 weeks, you will need to water your lawn 3 times a day, then gradually work back to your regular watering schedule.
When it comes to your pets, you do not want to seed your entire backyard if Fido will tear up half of it. We suggest setting up a temporary fence in your back yard. This way you can seed half your yard so Fido still has free rein on the other half. Then next year, set up the fence again and seed the other half of the yard.
Do I need to kill out or fill in?
The main reason people decide to kill out their lawn and start over is to achieve a uniform look in the spring. Usually, these homeowners have undesirable grasses, an abundance of hard-to-kill weeds, and/or a mixture of cool and warm weather grasses.
August is the ideal time to kill out a lawn because it takes 2-4 week. A non-selective herbicide, like roundup, is used to kill anything green and growing. This means it won’t work on a dormant lawn or seed that hasn’t begun to grow.
If you are thinking you need to kill out your lawn, now is the time to make a game plan with your Lawn Coach. You will need to have this process done before you can begin seeding. Otherwise, an overseed works well for many homeowners to thicken up their lawn and achieve a desirable look.
What brand of seed should I use?
When choosing a seed, the most important thing to do is read the label! When you look at the label you need to make sure that is says 0% “weed seed” and 0% “other crop”. (Learn more here about why those numbers are important.) By ensuring you are only planting desired grasses, you are cutting down on your maintenance for next year.
If you are unsure of how to answer these questions, contact your Lawn Coach today. Making these decisions now will ensure you are ready for September!
