We are quickly approaching the best time to overseed your lawn, but I also know that many people don’t have a choice and need to get their lawn done sooner than later. This can present a few potential problems, but I will give you a few ways to help you get healthy turf if you need to drop seed this weekend. The best time to seed is when night time temperatures dip into the high 60’s, and we start to cool off a little bit during the day. It is always nice to be out of the 100’s before beginning the overseed process, but it’s okay to start prepping now in order to get ready for the season. A couple weeks ago I gave you the easy 1,2,3 fertilizer and seed steps, and today I want to talk a little more about what needs to be done with the prep work.

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We’re getting closer to the overseeding process! I am sure many of you reading my blog have started to see perennial ryegrass arriving in stores by the truck full, but we are still a little early. It isn’t too early to start some of the initial prep work, but it is still a little hot to drop seed. I realize that some of you won’t have a choice in the timing of overseeding, but if you do have a choice it is best to wait. Today’s blog is going to give you 10 easy steps on how to overseed and establish a great lawn for the winter. I have also attached a short video on doing so. http://www.youtube.com/ Read the rest of this entry »

I have had a lot of requests lately to post some updated versions of an optimal fertilizer program and to tailor it to bermudagrass and paspalum, so I will lay out a monthly plan for everyone to follow. I have added a few agronomic practices that should be done during certain time periods. As you read through the lists I am not saying to aerify or verticut every month but giving you good windows to do each. Read the rest of this entry »

My beautiful overseeded lawn has turned brown over the last couple weeks. Do I need to apply a fungicide, insecticide, or is this normal?

It is not normal for your entire lawn to go brown at the same time. What you are seeing is the quick die off of the ryegrass. Normally we have a month to two month long gradual transition period and the ryegrass dies slowly and gives way to the bermudagrass or paspalum. This year we had a mild spring and then were blasted with a heat wave causing the ryegrass to shrivel up. If you have a small lawn, lightly rake up the dead material and give the warm season grass a place to grow or lightly verticut to remove the material. I posted a short video on how to verticut last week if you didn’t get a chance to watch it. Read the rest of this entry »

I am pretty sure that I have utterly confused a lot of people about just how to verticut your lawn, and why I only suggest dethatching or power raking every few years. I put together a little video talking about the basics of verticutting and showing how and what machine to use for this process. Read the rest of this entry »

I guess you can say that I have been slacking on the blogs lately so I will try and catch everyone up on where you lawn should be at this time of the year.

We’ve had some unusual weather which has resulted in a very slow transition of the ryegrass over to our warm season turf. People with non-overseeded turf probably noticed that it took much longer this year to get their lawn actively growing. Read the rest of this entry »

As we inch closer to temperatures that are in the overseeding range, it’s important to be ready and prepared for the process.  I am going to draw out a step-by-step process for you today on how to overseed, and attach a short video on doing so.  I think everyone can have a successful lawn this winter, and next summer if you follow these instructions.  A thriving overseed can be accomplished when the nighttime temperatures are in the 60’s, high quality seed is used, and you don’t get too aggressive with the scalping of the lawn. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you put off installing grass over the last few seasons or has your turf become a little weak over time?  Did you know that there is not a bad time in the southwest to renovate your lawn.  We are lucky to have a year round grass season here and there are several options depending on what works best for you.  

While you often see most golf courses and landscaping jobs installing the majority of their grass in the summer months, it is attributed to a slower time of the year for them.  There is very little play on a golf course during the summer months and it allows them to tear up areas and redo them before the majority of people come back to the club for the season.  The other reason we often see summer renovations is because it is optimal bermudagrass and paspalum planting weather, and before they get golf cart traffic, players, and the everyday wear and tear it is necessary to have a nice bermudagrass or paspalum base.  Golf courses can struggle a little bit with overseeded grass because of the traffic, while homeowners don’t have to deal with these issues.  So why do I bring all that up?  My point is that when these projects are not going on in the summer it leaves many more contractors available to do good quality work at your home. Read the rest of this entry »