Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers of Buncombe County

fescue grass

What to Know Before You Buy That Grass Seed for Your Lawn

Is your lawn in need of replacing or repairing? Here in Western North Carolina, we recommend using cool season grasses—and August 15 to September 15 is the best time to plant!

Grass Seed

Seeding after these dates increases the chance of failure caused by winter injury. If you don’t accomplish seeding cool-season grasses in the fall, your best alternative is mid-February to early March.

Recommended grass species:

Tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescues—such as creeping red, chewings, and hard fescue—are cool-season perennial grasses used for lawns in the mountains. These grasses perform best in spring and fall and have a tendency to show signs of stress in the summer. Recommended rates of seeding for these grasses for new lawns/reseeding are between 1.5 to 2 pounds of seed per thousand square feet for Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass and 6 pounds per thousand square feet for tall fescue.

 Understanding the label:

Grass Seed Label

Much like a label on pesticides you purchase, the label on a bag of grass seed provides invaluable information about:

  • The seed variety or varieties: In the example given, ‘Grand Slam GLR’ is the variety of perennial ryegrass, ‘Midnight’, ‘Everest’ and ‘Bewitched’ are the varieties of Kentucky bluegrass, and ‘Radar’ is the variety of chewings fescue.
  • Purity: Purity is the percent by weight of each seed component (variety or species) in a mixture and is a measure of “seed quantity.” In the example given, 24.06% is pure ‘Midnight’ Kentucky bluegrass, 19.93% is pure ‘Radar’ chewings fescue, 19.73% is pure ‘Grand Slam GLR’ perennial ryegrass, 19.71% is pure ‘Everest’ Kentucky bluegrass, and 15.63% is pure ‘Bewitched’ Kentucky bluegrass.
  • Germination percentage: Germination is expressed on the seed label as the percentage of pure seed that is capable of growth. Germination declines with age of the seed and therefore seed older than 9 months to 1 year may be less viable than fresh seed. The date when the seed was tested for germination is included on the analysis tag as an indication of freshness and to protect the buyer. Purchase only the freshest seed of the highest purity and germination.
  • Date: The date when the seed was officially tested. It is January (01) 2019, in this example.
  • Other crop seed:Crop seed content is the percent by weight of all seeds identified in the bag that are grown as an “agricultural crop.” These must be specified by name if they exceed 5% of the weight of the seed bag. Look for the lowest possible crop seed content. In this example it is 0.08%.
  • Weed seed: The percent by weight of all seeds in the container that have not been identified as pure seed. In the example, this value is 0.0%.
  • Noxious weeds: Expressed on the label as the number per pound or per ounce found in the seed lot. Weeds classified as noxious can vary by state and are difficult to manage even with proper chemical and cultural practices. In this example, none are specified, which is the best!
  • Inert matter: The percent by weight of all material in the seed container that will not grow. This value should be as low as possible because seed cost is based on bag weight—inert material contributes to bag weight but does not contribute any value in term of seed quality or purity. In this example, it is 0.86%.

Know before you buy!

Reading the label will help ensure that you not only get the best value on the seed you buy but that you will minimize the number of unwanted weeds in your lawn!

Article by Bob Wardwell, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

 For More Information:

Replacing your lawn:

https://www.buncombemastergardener.org/lawn-replacement-lawn-new/

Carolina Lawns: A Guide to Maintaining Quality Turf in the Landscape https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/carolina-lawns

 

 

Lawn Maintenance: How Much is the Right Amount?

How do you keep your lawn looking respectable year-round? You know you have to mow, but how much else do you need to do? Do you want a great lawn or a “good-enough” lawn? Here are tips on how to have the lawn you want.

Photo by Joey Williamson, Clemson Univ ExtensionMowing
Mowing is key to keeping your lawn presentable, no matter what! Your goal: keep your cool-season grasses three inches tall, mowing off no more than a third of the height at a time. Never let your lawn get above five inches. Grass may need mowing anytime of the year that temperatures get into the 70s.

Lawn growth varies wildly and individual lawns need individual evaluation. Overheard last week: “We’ve had so much rain that my husband is mowing the lawn every four days!” “Well, we’ve had so little rain that I haven’t mowed in three weeks!” Plan accordingly—fixed schedules won’t work!

Grasscycling
Many mowers will bag your cut grass, but you can save time and money—including on fertilizer—by leaving the clippings on the lawn. Mulching mowers keep the clippings small so they quickly dry out. Turf specialists estimate those clippings provide about 25 percent of the nutrients your lawn needs each year.

If your mower leaves clumps of cut grass, you may need to mow more often, or be sure the lawn is drier. Break up clumped clippings to avoid smothering the remaining lawn. If you bag or rake clippings, use them elsewhere in your garden or compost—hot composting will kill weed seeds!

Core Aerate LawnCore aeration
Aerating helps root growth in compacted soil and is worth doing, especially in years you overseed your lawn. Aerate this fall or when growth starts up again in the spring. Rent equipment that brings up small cores of lawn or hire someone to do the aeration. Just poking holes in the soil creates more compaction! Cores gradually break down—rake to break them up if they bother you. Mark irrigation system emitters and hoses so you do not damage them!

Watering
Lawns in active growth need consistent watering—an inch a week from rain or irrigation. Cool season grasses go dormant and brown up in the heat of summer. You may want to encourage dormancy to minimize maintenance. Dormant lawns may be able to go without rain for six weeks, but it is best to provide some watering every three weeks. Turf specialists advise that as little as ¼ inch may be enough.

Liming
Grass can’t effectively use nutrients if your soil is too acid. Many WNC lawns desperately need lime, but only a soil test will tell you how much. Lime takes awhile to work on soil pH—don’t expect immediate results. Test again in two or three years before liming again.

Fertilizer
Yearly nitrogen is a given, but some lawns need phosphorus, too—check your soil test! A lush lawn may require 2.5 to 3 pounds of nitrogen a year, but you can certainly use less, especially if you leave your grass clippings on the lawn. Plan to apply at least one pound of nitrogen every September and possibly another pound in October or November. If your lawn is still struggling, provide the remaining half-pound or pound in February. Fertilizing any later may lead to even lusher growth, but may make your lawn susceptible to fungal diseases come summer.

Dandelion weed in lawn
Dandelion weed in lawn

Weed management
With proper maintenance, you’ll find weeds aren’t as much of a problem. Identify your weeds. Pre-emergent herbicides can prevent crabgrass—an annual weed—from sprouting in bare spots. Decide if perennial weeds justify treatment. White clover may be a desirable addition to your lawn if you don’t need a uniform stand of grass. If you have a few dandelions, or other broadleaf weeds, try digging them out. Pervasive aggressive weeds may justify broadleaf herbicides.

Diseases and insects
There are many lawn ailments and pests, but with proper maintenance, damage is minimal, especially if you employ proper lawn maintenance practices. North Carolina State University provides many resources for identifying and treating lawn problems.

Article written by Debbie Green, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

Photo of woman mowing lawn courtesy of Joey Williamson, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University,
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/lawns/hgic1203.html

Free Lawn Care App:
http://www.lawncare.ncsu.edu/
Maintenance Calendar:
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/turfgrasses/fine-fescue/lawn-maintenance
Organic Lawn Care:
http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/Files/Turfgrass/Articles/Bruneau_A/2008/Organic_Lawn_Care__A_Guide_to_Lawn_Maintenance_and_Pest_Management_for_North_Carolina.pdf
Weed ID:
http://turfid.ncsu.edu/

Lawn Replacement: More Lawn or Something New?

You can see your lawn is beyond renovating, but what to do about it? Once you’ve killed off the struggling grasses and the rampant weeds, your choices are to start over with a new lawn or to replace it with one of many alternatives.

How to decide
First, assess the area where you had your lawn. Be realistic about where you can expect grass to grow. Eliminate those areas that are too shady, too wet or dry, or too steep and concentrate on what remains.

Next, think about what purpose(s) your lawn space serves. Do you need a recreation area for sports, a play area for children, or space for your pets to roam? Does your homeowner’s association require you to have a lawn?

Finally, do you like the look of a lawn and enjoy maintaining it—or don’t mind paying someone to do so? If yes, you’re ready to start over and do your lawn right this time! If not, go back to the reasons you have a lawn and consider ways to achieve your goals with little or no lawn. 

Cutting back lawn area
Consider keeping a lawn only in those areas where you really want or must have one. Instead of lawn, consider mulched soil, areas planted with groundcovers, or paved surfaces. Increasing impervious surfaces can cause stormwater management problems, though, so consider using gravel or other permeable materials where practical.

New lawn: seed or sod?
Now is the time to plant cool season fescues and Kentucky bluegrass, but you have a choice of seed or sod. If you choose to seed, study the seed bag label and buy certified seed. Cheap seed mixes may have less desirable grass varieties and some percentage of noxious weeds. You can find tall fescue and fescue/bluegrass sod grown in North Carolina from several sources. Check that your sod is certified, too. Whether you seed or sod, you will need to prepare your soil.

Photo by Joey Williamson, Clemson Univ Extension
Till to prepare soil.

Soil preparation
Once you have killed off your grass and weeds and have your soil test results, remove any obvious debris, and work your starter fertilizer and lime into the top six to eight inches of the soil surface. This is one of the few situations where rototilling is useful! Rake the surface smooth before seeding or sodding.

Seeding
Use a lawn spreader to apply your seed evenly to your prepared soil surface and then gently rake to cover the seed just barely. Mulch lightly with a weed-free hay or straw and keep the soil watered to a depth of at least 1.5 inches, being careful not to wash the seed away! This may require watering more than once a day to keep the seeds moist enough to sprout. As the grass begins growing, water less frequently, but more deeply. Let your plants reach about 4.5 inches before you mow to 3 inches. Fertilize your lawn again about six to eight weeks after it sprouts, using your lawn spreader.

Photo by Joey Williamson, Clemson Univ Extension
Lay sod in brick-like pattern.

Sodding
Be sure your prepared soil is well-watered, but not muddy. You may want to seek professional advice about how to estimate the amount of sod you’ll need and consider having a professional install it. Time your sod delivery so you can lay it within 24 hours and keep it in the shade so it doesn’t dry out. Start laying sod from a straight edge, using a brick-like pattern. You may need to stake the sod to keep it from slipping. Always lay strips lengthwise, or across the slope, even on gentle slopes. Use a lawn roller to ensure good contact with the soil and then water.

Not happening? Consider alternatives to lawn
Now that you know what it takes, maybe you’ll consider planting trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables, and herbs instead of lawn! University of Delaware Extension personnel call lawns “turf grass madness” and make a strong case against them as high maintenance, water-using, polluting, and of low wildlife value. Some increasingly popular alternatives are edible landscaping, moss lawns, and pollinator gardens.

To learn more, visit the following websites: 

Article written by Debbie Green, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.

 Photos courtesy of Joey Williamson, HGIC Horticulture Extension Agent, Clemson University, http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/lawns/hgic1203.html

Contact Us

Buncombe County Extension Office
49 Mount Carmel Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Helpline 828-255-5522

Events

Keep up with our events by subscribing to the blog or checking our Events Calendar.

Explore the Archives

Back to Top