Paul, I like what you've got there. As far as seding, it looks great so I wouldn't be worried about too much. I only put 2.5 lbs/1000 sq feet myself and have overseeded some.

I'd just be patient myself and wait for it to fill in! Great job!

Paul,

That is really looking good!! I will let the experts answer your questions.

Hey thanks Zhoster, I just saw your photos, and your front yard looks a lot like my project, I just can't seem to get it to show right in the pictures, since apparently I suck at photography.

Anyway, I was very glad to see how your front pics track what I am seeing, and to note that you seeded at a lower rate. Did you slit seed or aerate?

Whatever you did, nice job!
Paul

I once made the mistake of seeding too heavily on much of my front side of my lawn. I definitely saw some growth stall, fungus (dollar spot) and some die back in those areas. The following spring, there was still definitely too much density so I simply core aerated and put down some cracked corn for good measure and it developed fine after that.

4lbs/1000sqft. is not that much more so I think you will be fine. If you think some patches are too dense (you should try to imagine each seedling full size), get a turf hound core aerator and thin those areas out...maybe even sprinkle some compost on there for added security.

Hey thanks Zhoster, I just saw your photos, and your front yard looks a lot like my project, I just can't seem to get it to show right in the pictures, since apparently I suck at photography.

Paul, your photography looks just fine!!! It's funny, the back of my yard doesn't look as bad as my photos show it, the shading is hiding the green. Your lawn pictures look very much like my front yard, no doubt about it. We're both Sept 1st seedings, so it's nice to see progress!

Anyway, I was very glad to see how your front pics track what I am seeing, and to note that you seeded at a lower rate. Did you slit seed or aerate?

I dethached, core aerated, spread seed, then rolled it. How about yourself Paul?

Whatever you did, nice job!

Your lawns looking sharp also, we just need patience now!!!

Hey Zhoster,

I rounded up twice in two weeks, power raked (with flails - an amazing machine), filled some low spots and lowered some high spots, raked out the debris, seeded with a handheld spreader (many passes), rolled with an empty roller, mulched with the greenview penn mulch, gave it all a good soaking, and started watering 10 minutes 3x/day right away.

Thank you for the compliment! Yes, the patience part is killing me now too - I really want to get out there and mow, mostly to goose the tillering, but also to knock down some of those weeds!

Paul

Thanks eastpenna! I think we are in the same arc here, though it sounds like you at least have done something about the tree rats!

Subywu, thank you for the encouragement and obviously good advice! Do you remember how heavy you went with the seeding that caused you trouble?

I'm also curious what cultivars you planted. Someone else on these boards mentioned that it was the same as mine (Award, Bedazzled and Moonlight), but looking at the archives I am not sure that is correct. Also, any recent pictures? I'm sure all of us newbie renovators would get a kick out of them!

Thank you again!
Paul

I probably went 5 and maybe even 6lbs/1000 in some areas in front. I got done with the slit seeder earlier than expected and had seed left over so killed some time with seeding the front some more. I was actually planning to do about 4lb/1000.

I have Midnight/Moonlight (60/40%) with some Award at the very back of my yard. I haven't taken any recent pics but suffice it to say that I have been very pleased these past two years. It was a lot of work and worry but worth it!

Nice job Paul. That is going to be beautiful next year

Amazing. The sides of my house look like that but my front doesn't even compare. I am offcially worried now

Dlenart, I thought your photos looked good! I wouldn't be too concerned if I were you. Besides, you still have all the new seed from your reseeding that should just start showing soon!

Paulinct,
Took some pics today of my Midnight/Moonlight:
{{gwi:118466}}
{{gwi:118467}}
I did not seed the he11strip in front of the sidewalk.

Subywu!

That looks great!

Subywu,

That looks pretty amazing!

Would you mind sharing your maintenance schedule, and the products that you use with us?

Thanks!

Eastpenna: I use organic fert April through September. Chemical for late fall application late October/early November. I also recently applied sulfur and superphosphate based on my soil test.

It does not look this good all year, but seems to look it's best May-June and then late August-Sept.

Like Turf Toes, I owe it all to this Lawn Care forum.

subywu,

It does not look this good all year, but seems to look it's best May-June and then late August-Sept.

Ya, but it looks a whole lot better than what I got! I could live with it! :-)

I am planning on going organic, in fact I was at HD today and they had what seemed to be a good deal on ringer lawn restore, 25lb bag, 10-2-6 for $7.86 so I grabbed a few to atleast get a start next season. I also hear compost tea is real good to use.

I don't think there are any feed stores close by me, so over the winter I will do some looking.

Like Turf Toes, I owe it all to this Lawn Care forum.

I agree, this forum is the best place to get information and help!!

Ringer's is good stuff and you got a great deal on it. Grains are significantly more expensive this year so I went almost exclusively with Milorganite this year with the exception of some locally made stuff (Revita 8-3-3) two weeks ago.

Cool Thanks, I'm am actually glad to hear that you used Milorganite, (I get to see that it actually does work), it is another one that I was planning using. It is easy to get, and seems to be priced decent, in fact if HD lowers the price for winter I will stock up on it as well.

Wow that looks really excellent, you must be very happy with it. Thank you for posting the pics!

Subywu:

Looks awesome. My favorite thing about it is looking at the surrounding lawns in comparison. :-)

Some updated photos:

Day 24:
{{gwi:118468}}

Day 29:
{{gwi:118469}}

Day 35, just after first mowing:
{{gwi:118470}}

Overall I'm very pleased so far, thank you so much everyone for all of your advice! I did get a lot of weeds, but most appear to be annuals and should be cooked soon. I have some bare spots due to anthills and some reeeally hyper squirrels, but they should fill fine. And I am afraid I may have a fungus problem in some spots (I have another thread on that), but I think I can address that. Still this has been the most satisfying seeding I have ever done. Thanks again!

Paul,
that looks great!! You should feel very good about what you have accomplished there! It's hard to believe that's even the same yard from the first photo!

How low did you mow? Bag or mulch?

Thanks Eastpenna!

I mowed at 2.25" with a brand new blade. I intended to mow at 2", but next lowest setting was like 1.5" and I was afraid for the smallest seedlings at that height. Anyway I'm sure the 2.25" will be just fine for the rest of the year.

I bagged, because I read somewhere that bagging produces less turbulence under the deck, not sure if that is true but I bought it, and besides my compost pile could use the nitrogen.

What a relief to have some kind of lawn again going into winter!

Paul, your lawn looks amazing for 35 days! If those little annual weeds weren't in there, it looks like a fully established lawn. I'm surprised by how much the color of your grass has changed, it's definitely a deeper green.

It's amazing how we all were concerned just a few weeks ago in this thread. The concern has definitely gone away on your lawn!

Paul,
That lawn is looking really good! I agree with zhotster about your grass looking lot deeper green!

Hey thanks guys! The color really has darkened, but part of what you are seeing is due to the fact that I photographed later in the day to avoid the shadows. Regardless I didn't expect that kind of color this year either.

Hey Paul, I thought I'd reply to your post in another user's thread about Spectracide's Grass and Weed Killer. You mentioned that it may not kill the roots of quackgrass. Well, I looked at the bottle and it says "kills roots" at the top. I'm crossing my fingers that this is correct. The label says it doesn't include glyphosate either :(. I thought I should reply here, so we don't bomb the other users thread.

Interesting. I poked around a little. Does the product you used combine diquat with fluazifop? (hmm, "fluazifop," I guess all the good names were taken...)

If so it seems that the fluazifop is the systemic, and the early results are due to the diquat, which is some harsh stuff.

Sounds like a lot of people have success with it. I hope it works! Interesting discussion here:

http://turfgrass.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000736.html