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by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January 1998. Scroll to the bottom of
this page to navigate to other Gardening Q&As. Please contact
Rett via e-mail with questions
or
comments in regard to this column.
Answer:
It is probably safe to say whatever cultivar of fescue was planted last fall did not fair well during this long drought. Most of the top performing fescues did poorly this summer unless they were protected by shade or were irrigated. I know of no fescue cultivar that has extra drought resistance. Therefore I would not hesitate to purchase any fescue blend that contains a mixture of the top performing fescues. The key to maintaining a good stand of grass depends on many factors. Proper soil preparation is the most of important of all. We often say that 75% of any plant's problems are usually soil related. Grass is no exception. Because most of our soils are clay they require some type of preparation before seeding. Core aerating or aerovation if done thoroughly will greatly aid in overseeding a lawn. However if the soil is heavily compacted, recently graded, or barren, then a more aggressive approach is needed. Nothing can compare to old fashioned tilling, discing, or harrowing the soil 6 to 8 inches deep. Incorporating lime and fertilizer to these depths aids in rooting and long term survival of the lawn. It is more labor intensive but if you are going to the expense of buying premium grass seed, fertilizer, lime, and straw, then why not do it right. If you expect fall seeded lawns to withstand the rigors of drought and heat then they must be deeply rooted, fertilized properly, and mowed at the right height. If not, you will be buying seed every fall from now on.
Question:
How much seed does it take to overseed a 10,000 square foot lawn?
Answer:
If you have a lawn that has about 75% grass cover then I would recommend around 4 pounds of fescue seed per 1000 square feet. Therefore you need to purchase 40 pounds of seed. There is a real danger in sowing too much seed. Lawns that are planted too thick will look great during the fall and winter but will die out rapidly in the summer from disease. When sowing bare soil to fescue, the rate is 7-8 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet. These rates have proven to be the best for our area of the state.
Question:
I have decided to let my lawn go back to wiregrass. It is the only grass in my lawn to have survived the summer. However, my wife does not like the brown look in the winter. When do I sow ryegrass and how much?
Answer:
Many people have come to the same conclusion. If your lawn is in full sun and you don't have irrigation, then bermuda is the grass of choice. To maintain a green lawn in the winter overseed with ryegrass during this month of September. Sow seed at the rate of 8-10 pounds per 1000 square feet. Do not feritlize at planting to avoid stimulating the bermuda. Wait until the end of October or Novemeber to fertilize the ryegrass. The bermudagrass will be close to dormancy by then. Mow the ryegrass at a 3 inch height. If you have a good stand of bermudagrass then you do not have to aerate or plug the lawn before seeding. The bermudagrass will hold the seed in place while it germinates. Ryegrass will germinate within 5 days of rain or irrigation.
Question:
I sprayed most of my lawn out with Roundup last week. It does not appear to be working. Should I spray it again and how long do I have to wait before I reseed?
Answer:
You must have more patience.
It can take as long as three weeks before you see the final results of your
Roundup spraying. It will start to yellow within about 7-10 days depending on the weather. By the end of the second week you should be able to see areas you missed. Spray those areas. You can reseed 7 days after spraying. But I would wait longer just to make sure you spray job was thorough and successful.
ANTIQUE APPLE FRUIT TREES FOR SALE
The Alamance 4-H program is selling antique apple fruit tree as a fundraiser. For $16 a tree, you can own an apple tree of historical significance. These varieties were widely grown throughout the south from the 1600's to the early 1900's. Southern families depended on them for fresh eating, cooking, cider, and drying. These varieties are time tested and delicious. Varieties available include; Aunt Rachel, Blacktwig, Spitzenberg, Grimes Golden, Newton Pippin, Winesap, Virgina Beauty, and Yellow June. The trees are one year old and grafted to a semi-dwarf rootstock. Delivery of the trees will be in early December at the Agriculture Building in Burlington. Quanities are limited. Call 570-6740 or come by the Agricultural Building to obtain an order form. More information is available on these varieties and their usage upon request.
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If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis