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Newbie here..need help with choosing grass seed and prepfor Western PA

8 years ago

Hi there!!

I have a large patch in my yard that needs to be seeded but I am becoming very overwhelmed with choosing which seed to use. I'm in Western PA. I'm new to the area and my neighbors tell me we have clay soil, but it does not look it to me at all-- the area that is bare is dry and cracked however..and becomes super soggy after it rains (the whole lawn does). I spent today removing rocks the best that I could..by hand and a plastic shovel. I'm thinking by using a metal shovel to break up soil before seeding would be a smart thing to do?

So if anyone could please give me some advice on what seed would work best for spring seeding, that would be great :) We are having a small function at our house in June and it would be great to have some grass in that area!

Thank you!

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Comments (4)

User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I've been avoiding responding in an effort to not compromise myself :), but as you've received no response, here goes:

A permanent solution is going to need a lot more information and, honestly, some considerable commitment on your part. Including ID of the problem through performing a soil test and jar test, photographs and answering a lot of questions from people on this site.

To the "quick and dirty": If your concern is limited to getting some grass coverage for June, the fastest and easiest remedy (pretty much fool proof) is to use Scotts EZ seed. $50 will cover about 450 sq ft of soil. Select a product with rye and fescue rather than KBG. Just follow the directions to a "T" and you should have decent coverage by June. Keep in mind this is just a "fast and dirty" solution to get grass coverage for June. It is VERY unlikely survive through August. It probably wont match your existing lawn, but it will be grass and green.
joannacox1010
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you so much for helping me out @yardtractor1 :) I appreciate you feeling bad for me, haha!

OK great, I am totally committed to having a perfect lawn and would be happy to post photos which I can take this evening when I get home from work! I will get a soil test and figure out how to do the jar test Pronto.

Again I appreciate your advice on the seed for a quick fix!
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User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
NP

I would recommend Here for the soil test. Reasonable price ($25) for a very accurate and comprehensive test. See their site for directions on how to take a sample. Search on this site or google "jar test."

As you've indicated a commitment to a "perfect" lawn, do keep in mind that the EZ seed is just a short term solution and may be a bit counterproductive to your disired final goals. Lawn renovation (reseeding, etc) is a late Summer project. After the test results come in, you can begin any needed adjustments to the soil throughout the Summer. Sooner the better. For your location, I would strongly recommend you consider a KBG blend or mix, but that will depend on what you are working with and your preferences. All that can be considered and addressed.
dchall_san_antonio
8 years ago
When you say perfect, does that mean you want the nicest lawn on the block? That kind of perfect? Or perfectly green? Are you willing to water deeply up to once per week in the heat of summer?

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