Need to make sure HOA is satisfied with lawn no more than that.

14 years ago

My goal in growing some new grass is to repair my thin lawn to make sure the homeowners association stayes satisfied. They had sighted me a covenant violation because the corner my lawn with a mailbox was dug up by the water company to get to their pipes and I never replanted their. So I was forced to replant that corner. But I like doing as little as possible to my lawn I have not been watering the other parts of my lawn besides the corner where I grew some new grass for years. Miraculously the grasses found what ever low-water grasses was in the previous owners original mixture and stayed good enough to satisfy the homeowners association. But now since the homeowners association may be looking at my lawn of little closer I am thinking of thickening up the rest of my lawn to make sure it stays within the homeowners association minimum requirements. That's all I care about. I never use lawn or care about it for my own self just the homeowners association. So looking at low maintenance grasses seem to me that the native grasses would be too complicated for me to use since they can take years to get going. So I have been looking at Eco-Lawn and Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed.

I have seen some videos on YouTube that makes me feel it is coming to crunch time if I am to order grass seed over the Internet and have it here by late August which according to these videos is the next planting opportunity for grass seeding. From what has been said on some of the posts I have read on these forums I am thinking of going with "Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed" sold at the site "http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/fescue-grass-seed/legacy-fine-fescue-grass-seed.html."; I am thinking of using this grass seed becuase it is less pricey than Eco-Lawn and I fear I may mess up with anything I try being such a newbie. If anyone who reads this and thinks this is a much lesser grass seed then the Eco-Lawn please tell me now before I order it. Do you think I have it about right for planting this grass as far as timing goes? I mean is late August about right to plant this grass if you live just southeast of Denver Colorado at about elevation 5700 feet. One thing more before ask you detailed questions about planting grass procedures. I have a spot where right next to the driveway in the very front near the mailbox and driveway grass keeps burning out after it's established. The burnout which is in a little brown streek about 3 or 4 inches wide and about 3 and 4 inches right of the driveway happened repeatedly. Once when I planted, what may have bin, Kentucky bluegrass successfully about September 30th then again when replanting seed on my trouble spots about June 30th with grass seed Scotts Turf Buider EZseed , and had it be successful. So I have a trouble spot which I'm hoping to overcome the problems I'm having with it by trying these fescue grasses. Do you think I have a good shot in succeeding this way.

Well there are some very basic questions I have to ask about growing grass since I am such a newbie at growing it and haven't done much work on the lawn for at least 20 years. The website I mentioned above to buy this "Legacy Fine Fescue Grass Seed" is selling on the same page a liquid preparation to get it started called "LazyMan Liquid Gold" which they say about on a link that tells you more about it the following "LazyManÂ Liquid Gold lawn aerator, dethatcher and conditioner is a 3-in-1 easy apply spray-on liquid application to aerate, dethatch, and condition your turf and soil." Well is this necessary and if necessary available in itself or its equivalent in big-box stores so I could avoid having it shipped to me. Will I also need fertilizer in addition to this "LazyManÂ Liquid Gold." Another question is does over seed in means seeding not just over old grass, but with more seed then you would use if planting a new. Still another question is how do I use my grass spreader which I haven't used for 20 years. It has a crank , a compartment where you put the seed in, a trigger button, and 5 numbers next to this trigger button which is some sort of 5 position control. It is called the EZ Handspreader with its little spinning thing that spins out the seed. How high do I hold it? How fast do I crank it? What setting do I put it on? For this particular seed I am thinking of buying? Or how would I find this out if you do not know? Well I have just ask a lot I know. So I would certainly appreciate it is someone here could take the time to answer.

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Comments (9)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
When you choose to live in a place with a HOA you choose to live by their rules. And usually there is some little person running about exercising their pow-wah. Our neighbor was told to do something with their half-dead lawn, and the foreclosed homes sit, weedy. I'm not a fan, and am stuck.

So. You can plant seed now and hope for the best, which is the best you can do after procrastinating for so long. Specific instructions for your product should be on The Google.

As for the specific seed, you can do that too if you want, but it is likely that it is not the same grass as the rest of your lawn. If you don't mind it looking bad and having different heights and water requirements and such, go for it. Far, far, far, far, far easier is to go to the local nursery - Nick's comes immediately to mind - with a small piece of turf and consume the product that matches your sample - likely much less money too.

Dan
bpgreen
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
One low water seed mix I found recently is the Cabin Mix at Wheatland West. It's designed to be used at cabins where it is left unwatered and unmowed. If it isn't watered or mowed, it will probably go dormant during the summer, but if you water occasionally and mow when it gets to 4 or 5 inches, it will probably stay green. It's a combination of sheep fescue, crested wheatgrass and streambank wheatgrass, so it will take very little water to keep it green.

You may want to consider dormant seeding if you don't want to water to get it to germinate. With dormant seeding, you wait until it is too cold to germinate and put the seed down. The snow and freeze/thaw cycles will help bring the seed into contact with the soil and when it warms up int he spring, the seed will germinate with the natural spring moisture.
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bbmarc
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thanks you Bpgeen - those were just the kind of suggestions I was looking for. Have you ever used this seeding company you link me to "wheat landwest seed." It appears order this seed by filling out a form for them to contact you, is that how it works? If you use these people how long did it take to get you see by normal delivery if you use that? Also can I order enough seat now to do a patch as well as do this dormant seeding later? I am not aware of how long seed lasts.
treebarb Z5 Denver
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
bbmarc, We seeded with Kentucky 31 from Walmart, but it's an early season grass, meant to be sown in spring. It's a fescue blend and is a really nice grass. It's a little different than bluegrass, much more drought resistant but has that nice lawn look. I agree with Dan, though. If you're going to make the effort, why not do it right? Aerate your lawn and put some compost down before you overseed. But first find out what kind of grass you have and match it. It's going to look funky if you plant a different type of grass. I know because we have a patch of low rye grass at the edge of our fescue that's been in since way before I moved here, 20 plus years. The fescue can't out compete it. So we have our nice, tall, thick pretty fescue with a border that looks more like moss, different heights and color. We don't have neighbors and aren't within 3 miles of an HOA (thank you lord, I'd be in trouble all the time)! Good luck!
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Our HOA doesn't know what to do with us and respond to us gape-jawed most of the time. Still haven't turned in my request/plans/Photoshop to replace treelawn turf with a xeric bed, but that's coming soon...

Nonetheless, I'm reminded of one of my favorite phrases: "there's never enough time and money to do it right the first time, but there's always enough time and money to do it right the second time."

Dan
bbmarc
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well in regard to the post by treebarb I have been in trouble with the homeowners association more than I would like to mention but not over grass except this last time. I have about 4 x 4 yards of Kentucky bluegrass in the corner near my mailbox. That patch or whatever you call it met the homeowners association requirements even though it doesn't look anything like the rest of the lawn. I certainly don't want to do my entire lawn in Kentucky bluegrass. I may consider pulling out that patch eventually. I really liked the dormant seeding suggestion above them looked on these forums for thread where people were talking more about it but as of now I haven't found a thread in our rocking Mountain regional forum. Consequently yesterday I did a post on Dormant seeding -- Now in the north? thread. I am wondering if somebody here good luck at the link I have just given an answer my question either here or there. I would certainly appreciate that. Does anybody know of a dormant seeding thread for this region? My search didn't yield anything.
bpgreen
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Treebarb--you like K31 fescue? I think it's kind of ugly. Wide bladed and clumpy, grows faster than the other grasses, etc. It is very hardy, though. I suppose if it's seeded by itself, it wouldn't stick out so much, but I'm not a fan.

Bbmarc--I gave them a call and talked with them for a while. They're less than 10 miles away from me, so my plan was to drive up there. But when I talked to the guy on the phone, he was really interested in what I'm doing with my lawn and the fact that I'm using more western wheatgrass, so he wants to see my lawn. When he calls to come by, I'll order the seed I want and he'll bring it with him.

I think if I were you, I'd give them a call, explain what you're doing and tell them that you think the cabin mix will fit your needs and then order over the phone. That way, if it's not really a good choice for you, they can tell you and maybe suggest something different.
Beeone
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
If you don't want grass there, why not put something else in? Lay down some landscape fabric and cover with colored gravel or bark and throw in a few bushes or flowers. No grass to mess with but it will still look attractive. Some bushes are quite drouth hardy once established, such as junipers, so you really wouldn't have to water them much in your climate, either.
bpgreen
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
"If you don't want grass there, why not put something else in? "

Three letters. HOA.

Need to make sure HOA is satisfied with lawn no more than that.

Comments (9)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)

bpgreen

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Need to make sure HOA is satisfied with lawn no more than that.

Comments (9)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)

bpgreen

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