From the original post "Obviously there is a dead tree that needs to be removed as well." The jason777 said the tree is dead is there a reson to keep it? Maybe I was't clear on why jason777 should use Tenacity, maybe gsweater didn't read the original post, or maybe he/she doesn't understand Tencity's use as a preemergent herbicide that you can seed cool season grass into. I didn't even address the OP's question about dandelions, you can use 2,4D. By the way gsweater what is it that you recommend jason777 should do? So gsweater I'll lay it out for you in simple chapter and verse since you clearly don't understand the issues with seeding in the what would now be considered late spring,and I'll try to keep it short and use small words so you can keep up. To seed you need to have good seed to soil contact,so you will need to aerify and/or rake up all the dead stuff. Once you've disturbed the soil, seed and then roll. Use Tenacity right after you seed and then again 3 weeks later, watered in with .15 inches of water. Three weeks after the last application of Tenacity apply the low rate of prodiamine or pendamethlin, be careful not to apply to much because your probably going to need to reseed a few spots in the fall. Now after you seed you have to keep the seed wet for around 10 days if your using tall fescue if your using kentucky bluegrass it's more like 21 days, this means watering for a couple minutes every hour or two between the hours of 8 a.m. And 5 p.m. Once the seed has germinated you can back off the water to twice or three times a day until the tall fescue has tillered out a couple of times, or the kentucky bluegrass is starting to put out rhizomes. Also, as soon as the seed germinates you need to feed it some nitrogen something quick release, like ammonium sulfate or urea, so you can get it moving to out compete any weeds. A .5 of a pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet every couple of weeks until the area is filled in. Okay now the area is mostly covered and it's now the end of May or the beginning of June just in time for summer heat and disease pressure. Also, now that the plants are hopefully mature enough you can start spraying any weeds that the Tenacity missed.Take a picture now because by the end of August that area is not going to look like it did in May. The plants that you seeded back in the end of April beginning of May did not have enough time to develop a deep root system and store enough carbohydrates to fight off the heat, drought, and disease pressure that is coming. Now,if you sod you cut out the area,rake, lay the sod,roll if you need to. Give the sod a good soaking once in the early morn. with a hose. The sod should be rooted down in about a week. Once the sod has rooted down apply pendamethlin or prodiamine and water in with .5 inch of rainfall or irrigation. Then one shot of fert at .5 to a 1 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet. Or the best option wait until early fall and resod then and you don't have to worry about preemergent herbicides and the sod has all fall,winter,and spring to develop a strong healthy root system.

Hi All, I am looking to overseed my lawn this fall. I need someone to dethatch, aerate, overseed and cover with 1/2 inch of fine screened compost. Has anyone done this before with a contractor and if so any recommendations for who to go with? I would really like someone who is interested in seeing my lawn get back on track rather than just a job to do. Please let me know! Thanks in advance, Jake,

>"should I apply another round of starter fertilizer or hold off?" I live in VA and did the following: soil test Well, your answer is in your soil test! What did it say about your P (phosphorous) levels?

Fescue will take up 2 weeks to germinate and KBG can take 3-4 weeks. Once germinated it will take the grass another two weeks or so before it is tall enough for the first mowing. It will take until at least the third mowing before plants have had enough time to store food and enough root mass is established to survive the winter. Turf grass growth slows aa the sun gets lower as the season changes. If your past experience with an exising lawn is that it no longer has needed mowing after X date and X date occurs before the new grass will reach a third mowing, I'd say it's too late to successfully seed. But then that is only useful if you have had a lawn in prior years in the same area as your new home. Otherwise your plan is good enough. You should check the NTEP for KBG that does well in areas with similar conditions.