Who else is having anxiety about their seed? Shoudl I be?

16 years ago

As you know or probably now, I planted the Elite KBG blend via slit seeder on Memorial Day. Today is Day #10, and I am starting to get kinda nervous. I have grass germinating in certain areas (particularyl, areas where there is a deeper level of compost and areas where there is a little shade or where the soil was uneven and the slits went deeper) but a lot of my lawn looks like there is nothing at all. If I look veyr closely there are areas where there are tons of seeds sprouting and others where there is, well, nothing yet.

I'm thinking I might be a little premature for worrying but I had the water issues in the beginning of this momentous ordeal and had a hard time keeping my seeds watered due to my well. The issue is still there, but luckily we had some rain and I have had a good four days of decent watering now.

Every sprinkler head has a nice ring around it of grass that started to show up on Saturday. when the sprinklers recess they pop a little water on th esurface and apparently that was more soaknig than my lawn was getting cause it looks great there!

Anyway - what's normal for Day 10? My slighly shadier areas are showinig germination, along with all non-direct sunlight areas. I think that is because my lack of water mean thtat these areas stayed the dampest the longest. At what point should I see grass growing everywhere in the yard?

Talk about anxiety. Phew. How are others coming along who planted at the same time?

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Comments (14)

billhill
16 years ago
What ? You have germination at day 10? ThatÂs extraordinary. KGB takes 14 to 21 days to germinate. You must have used some of that there magical grow stuff. Seriously though, Relax a bit Parafly. You may have heard this before regarding initial KBG germination and growth. "YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT." You are going to have a great, fantastic, super, killer lawn by Memorial day 2008. Do not expect more than an inch and one half growth this year. and it will be spotty wilth some thin or bare spots that will fill in before the fourth of July. This is all normal, as is your anxiety.
Bill Hill
rlembke
16 years ago
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lawns/msg081822317136.html

This response is quite expected. LOL
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parafly9
Original Author
16 years ago
Wow I remember that post.... how funny!

I guess I am OK then. I know they say with KBG it's patience. Hehe.

Should I expect to have any mowings this year at all? How many more weeks will my grass "grow" for this year?
rutgers1
16 years ago
billhill....It seems that most people who have planted KBG have gotten growth by day 10.
yardnutnc
16 years ago
I definately have "seed" anxiety! I seeded tall fescue in a small area (couldn't wait to open the bag of seed and get it in the ground>. 12 days later even though it is starting to grow I stand looking over the grass too many times per day wondering if I did everything right! I feel like a mother with a newborn! So, yes I am obsessed too --- and I am keeping my soil damp without an inground sprinkler system. I'm looking forward to get back to normal life again! I think you are doing just fine --- it is a tiresome process!!
billhill
16 years ago
rutgers, You could be right about ten days as opposed to 14 days for some persons first sightings of KBG seedlings under certain conditions. I wonder what the seed producers say about germination times ? Elite KBG takes longer than common bluegrass and popular mixtures. Bill Hill
parafly9
Original Author
16 years ago
Well i'm gonna be on the further end of the germination rate I'm sure because to be honest I really didnt get any water on the lawn untill Day 3 (Tuesday morning... I seed on Saturday). So It's really only been consistently **lightly** watered for like 8 days now. The first day I tried to run the sprinklers but there was just.... really no water. Ugh.
eastpenna
16 years ago
billhill

What ? You have germination at day 10? ThatÂs extraordinary. KGB takes 14 to 21 days to germinate.

Bill is absolutely correct, they list KBG as 14-21 days. I did not expect to even see anything until day 14. I am at day 17 know, there are a few thin patches, but I do not see any reason to panic this early in the game. These area's look like they are just know starting to get some little dudes.

I think that we are all ahead of the game actually. And who knows which of the cultivators we are even seeing. Is it one of them? Or two of them? Has one not even shown it's face yet? Who knows.
parafly9
Original Author
16 years ago
I guess I was panicking because it was realy obivious in some areas and in other areas I literally see zilch. I have a great 20x10 spot in one area and then another 20x10 spot where there is nothing, then I think, did I miss an area, did I not go over it enough, was the slit seeder set right, what if they didn't get enough water and died, what if htey got too much water with the rain and just washed away, what if I have no pressure and can't keep these watered, what if I used too much fertillizer, its cold tonight are they still going to germinate, etc...
eastpenna
16 years ago
parafly,

I know that this is a definitely not a easy process to go through. It's not like we are just overseeding, where what ever takes just adds to your existing lawn. Just keep telling yourself that you are only at day 10.

So kick back and pop open a cold one!
morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
16 years ago
Chill out, dude. I went through the Daddy Wants Lawn NOW phase myself and it's certainly a reasonable thing to do.

Elites, as far as I can see, start to go off at Day 7. It's interesting to note that at day 35 I still have sprout. Some fairly significant sprout in the last week as temps cooled.

On Day 14, I had color but the lawn was non-existent. Day 21 is when I really noticed it filling in.

So call it 7-30 days, and they don't go off like little machines.
zhotster
16 years ago
parafly9, we seeded just a few days apart (Sept 1st for me). Elite KGB, the Mag 3 in my lawn! I have sprouting, just about like you. I can see the new green in some spots and others I have nothing like you!

Let's hope for more in 7 to 10 more days! Mine is sprouting after a few more days than you. Hang in there for more!
quirkyquercus
16 years ago
I'm anxious because we have not had but one rain shower in the last 50 days and without rain I can't kill the turf I'm trying to replace which is mostly dead. If this weather pattern continues I will just not seed this year. I am preparing to actually go a year without grass if you can believe it.
paulinct
16 years ago
Maybe a year of regular spectracide apps is just what your bermuda is asking for. At least you'd be done then.

(?...)

Who else is having anxiety about their seed? Shoudl I be?

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billhill

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