"I am wondering if you guys think I can get a decent enough germination out of the plain seed to outweigh the hydro mulch." With irrigation you should not HAVE to use hydromulch. It offers some advantages in getting the seed to germinate because of the mulch that goes down with it. However, for that much acreage, unless cost is no object, you should be fine seeding it without the hydromulch. I would suggest you do a search and read, read, read on seeding and overseeding. There is a huge amount of info posted here in the fall (prime time for cool weather seeding) that should be in the archives. Soil prep, various ways to seed, like with a drill, overseeder, broadcast, etc are covered. If you broadcast it you will probably want to roll it. Again, if you don't hire it hydromulched, then size is an issue on an acre. Do you have a tractor or yard tractor to help? As to when in your area you might consult either the archives (usually based on soil temps, I don't know them for annual rye.) Or talk to your County ag agent or local nursuries. Sooner is better because of the weeds that will want to germinate with the rye. Also, you might want to consider sprigging some of the new hybrid versions of buffalo grass instead of bermuda once it gets warm. It likes lots of sun and alot less fertilizer and water.

If the soil pH is really low and there is not enough organic matter in the soil and there is not enough sunlight grass will find it difficult to grow there and any that does will not be sturdy enough to withstand much traffic. Start this whole project by contacting your counties University of Massachusetts USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you know what the pH of that soil is and what to do to correct it to give any plant a better chance of survival there. They can also guide you in selecting something that may grow quite well there. You can also dig in with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what more could be done to make that soil into a good, healthy soil that will grow strong and healthy plants.

Don't do any of those things. Let the grass that has germinated continue to grow. Cut back on the watering frequency but start increasing the volume per session. You want to slowly start transitioning to watering only once a week (and watering for a long enough time to put down 1 inch of water as measured by a rain gage or tuna can). Cut it when it's 3 inches tall to a height of 2 inches; make sure it (and the soil) is dry on that day! After the first cut, raise your mower blade height to the highest setting (ideally 3.5 to 4 inches). That is the height you want the fescue to be maintained at. Never cut off more than 1/3 off at once (so cut when it's about 5 inches tall). Because your lawn is new ... And because you made the big mistake of planting in the spring, you WILL get weed pressure. Resist the urge to apply any herbicide. Your grass will weaken as a result. Resist the urge, resist the urge, resist the urge. Fall is the ideal time to plant fescue, but what's done is done and you will be throwing money away by spraying herbicide. Resist the urge. On Memorial Day, think about putting down an application of lawn food. I wouldn't recommend any Turf Builder or other synthetic fertilizer until the fall, but organics are great. I like Milorganite personally because it's safe for kids/animals and won't burn the lawn. Give it another dose of organic lawn food on July 4th. Once the lawn your put down has established, you might be surprised how well the bare spots will fill in. (Even with fescue.) deep and infrequent watering + mowing high and often is the recipe for success. For any bare spots that you are still unhappy with come September, save yourself some trouble and just buy a jug of Scotts EZ Seed. It should match the Scotts tall fescue that you put down already. It's meant for patching and it's kind of goof proof.

You should be doing the first mow shortly and the second one a week after. If you didn't apply fertilizer at seeding you need to do so, they need to develop properly to survive summer. By day 60 after germination you should have mowed 4-5 times. Use a pre-emergent as described here in spring (since it's perennial, this will not affect already established goosegrass, see below for post control): http://lawniac.com/conquering-crabgrass-and-annual-weeds Use the method described here for post-emergent control( yes, I know it says Bermuda, same combo is used for goosegrass): http://lawniac.com/eliminating-bermuda-from-your-lawn Multiple treatments may be needed to achieve control. Avoid spraying fluazifop in hot weather, it will wipe out the fescue as well.