Okay, so my partner has told me that I MUST obtain some zebra grass for our little homestead. I can't dissappoint her, so I'm in the market for some zebra grass. I hope someone out there has some-a lot, its a good time to divide grasses, and dividing them will do them some good right now. If you have this, or fountain grass - or really any kind of grass or grass seed that I could get as an offering for my partner for all she's done for me - please contact me to work out a trade, I'm sure I have something you'd like. Looking forward to hearing from you! Doc

Any type, Large, small zebra etc..

If others in your neighborhood grow Bermuda, and it seems to do well there, then yours should too. With lots of sun, tall fescue will also work, which I personally prefer over Bermuda. It's less invasive, stays green all year when healthy, and because it grows long puts down a deeper root system. It also looks really nice when "striped." It's been many years since I researched Bermuda, but my memory tells me that it's pretty difficult to grow from seed, albeit not as hard as Zoysia. Fescue is easy to sow, though I wouldn't do it until the fall. Your plan of cutting short, topdressing, sedding, topdressing sounds viable to me. I would add compost (I like Black Kow) to the topdressing as well. You should also press the seed into the soil. The flat side of a garden rake works fine for relatively small lawns, although you'll want to rent a roller for anything of real size. Good luck.

Okay, that puts everything into perspective. Whew! I got scared for a moment there. Your lawn only goes dormant when it turns brown like that. It's a defense mechanism to keep itself alive. When moisture and favorable temps are available, it greens back up. BP explained irrigation to keep it green and prevent dormancy. Don't try to correct one way or another though. Too much water is more detrimental than not enough. Keep to the one inch once a week and you'll be fine. On especially hot days, give it a sprinkle to cool it off just like you want to be cooled off. During a heat wave, divide the one inch by half twice a week. So, irrigate half an inch one day and the other half 3 or 4 days later. In any case you want to preserve water or are on township restriction and you do let the grass go dormant, it still wants moisture so give it a sprinkle ever so often during drought. Just a sprinkle won't green it back up again. You can purchase compost from anywhere. In fact, you might not have to purchase it at all. Many cities offer it for free through the works department (water and sewage department). That'll do you, too. If you do buy it, be careful not to get dehydrated manure or a mixture of that and compost. Just want to clarify from above, you really do want to topdress your seeds with compost or peat moss.