Continue watering once a day. Your seed should start germinating in the next 2-3 days. Your watering should be applied lightly...if water puddles in an area, you have applied too much in that area. Remember, your goal at this point is only to keep the seed moist; After germination, continue watering once a day, unless you get rainfall. Your first mowing should be when the seedlings are 3-4 inches tall, and set your mower at the highest setting; and MOST IMPORTANT, your mower blade should be sharp for the first 2-3 cuttings!!! Otherwise, instead of cutting the grass, you will be pulling the tender grass seedlings out of the ground. A couple of questions: #1. Did you use a cover such as straw, or was there already enough vegetaion left in place from the last seeding. Just want to know if there is something in place to help keep the seed from moving or washing. #2. Did you put down a starter fertilizer when you seeded this time? I'll help any way that I can.

Neal, NCCTP

The normal recommendation is 3x per day, 10 minutes each time, for 3 weeks. Then when you get 80% germination, you can back off. How long were you watering back in Sept and how long are you watering now?

Yes you might have missed the sweet spot for seeding, but you cannot predict the weather. According to my sources, the humidity in Athens dropped from the 80s to the 60s in Sept. Couple that with the continuation of high temps and that was probable the problem. Hot and dry requires a lot more frequent water to keep seedling plants going.

Although I agree with Neal in that you should have a sharp blade, I can't agree with his cutting height advice for the first few mowings. Tall fescue is generally mowed for the first few times when it reaches 3 inches, and you cut it down to 2 inches. Setting the mower at the highest setting (around 4 inches for most mowers) is too tall for the first cuts. Young tall fescue is a lot thinner and less rigid than mature tall fescue. If you let it get too high it will lay over on itself.

I can only tell someone what works for me. I have used the same process for growing-in newly seeded turfgrass for a long time. It may be one of the reasons why perfect strangers are constantly contacting me wanting to know what I did to make their neighbors lawn look so perfect so quickly. What works for me may not work for someone else.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

To address your questions:
-yes I did apply a starter fertilizer and also about 2.5 bales of wheat straw.
- In september I was watering 2-3 a day for almost 3 weeks and had good germination. Eventually though, the unrelenting heat and a bit of slacking on my part did them in.

Since my post, I've still been watering only once a day but still trying to not completely saturate the soil anyway (I know moist is the key word). Its very humid and very overcast between that, good soil contact and the hay, I'm hoping that going with my gut (and not watering needlessly) will work out.

Then again, this is my 3rd straight year doing this. I'll let you all know if/when I see some germination. Thanks!

Well, looks like you're going to get a reprieve from having to water for the next 2 days. Enjoy the time off!

So, if you seeded more than 7 days ago, you should be seeing seedlings coming up out of the ground by now. Well, are you? Inquiring minds want to know...Lol.

HA!... No.
My problem this time must have been leaving a $90 bag of seed in my crawl space for way too long.

I'll get it right eventually. Or start trying another grass.

Well, I'm disappointed to hear that you did not get any germination.

Thanks for your concern. There's always next spring. And the following fall, etc...

UPDATE:

I'm happy to report that last monday (nov. 21st) I noticed right before I was leaving for a two day trip that some grass started to germinate! I had given it up for dead, so before leaving I watered well and blew off the accumulated leaves to reveal that indeed I had germination beginning.

I returned to even better, almost full yard, germination. We've had perfect conditions since with rain but its getting colder. WHAT TO DO NOW?

- How long until the fescue does its "spreading" (capilitering?) ? Will that happen before spring or will it get too cold and go dormant before it has a chance?

-Parts are getting about 1 inch and other previously bare spots are filling in and shorter still. I will wait until it all gets about 3 inches to mow.

-Should I/Can I fertilize again?

-The 10 day calls for highs in the mid 50's and lows in the thirties. Even going below freezing a few times. I know its soil temp that matters and not air temp but I'm TERRIFIED that my miracle seedlings will not get a chance to toughen up before it gets too cold and they'll die. Advice on this front?

-Should I disperse more hay and or let the scattering leaves lightly top the grass to insulate the seedlings from the cold or should I be blowing them off so they can get more sun.

Lots of questions, sorry. I'm just amazed at my luck finally and am so scared I"ll screw it up somehow. Hopefully I get great and helpful feedback like before!