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#41
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I dumped out all the containers and found another interesting fact. The grass that had successfully germinated 8 days ago already had roots about 3 inches long going all the way to the bottom of the container, that's about 0.4" of root growth a day. That is quick root growth. Lastly, even though I won't be using it this year, the year old Rebel seed I had in the garage in an open bag still had an excellent germination rate , 90%+ and seems to be excellent seed to use in residential lawns , I would definitely recommend using Rebel. |
#42
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I think the key is to not let those germinated sprouts dry out (I also think this is a large part of just spreading to on top of the ground, it doesn't stay moist) |
#43
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After much research and testing the time has finally come this weekend to get my lawn overseeded. I will share the process and lessons learned for posterity and anyone else looking to overseed this fall. I have about 10 thousand square feet of lawn and used 50# of tall fescue seed and 50# of starter fertilizer. The whole process took about 10 hours, 80% of which was spend raking and moving thatch off the lawn.
Materials and tools used: ----------------------------- - 50# of bullseye tall fescue - 50# of Lesco starter fertilizer - Cub Cadet 1450 - Craftsman steel blade dethatcher - Craftsman self propelled mower - Cardboard box with rope as redneck yard cart The process: ----------------------------- Just like painting, it's about 95% preparation and 5% actual seeding. The goal is to obtain maximum seed to soil contact. I cut the grass as low as possible on my 1450 , which tuned out to not be low enough. Did another pass with my push mower on the lowest setting leaving about 1 inch of grass. At this point I had a ton of clippings on the lawn which were raked and removed.I then proceeded to verticut the entire lawn, which pulled an insane amount of thatch and also created shallow grooves into the soil. Again , spent quite a bit of time raking and moving thatch. Verticut once again at a 45 degree angle to the initial pass. Again, spent quite a bit of time raking and moving thatch. At this point, the existing grass had taken a serious beating, but all thatch was removed exposing the soil for the seed. Proceeded to spread starter fertilizer and seed at the recommended rates. Spread some of the thatch that I had pulled off the lawn back on the lawn in really bald areas to prevent the seed from blowing/washing away. On to watering for the next 7 days. Lessons learned and observations: ----------------------------------------- - Seed matters. In my seed tests , I noticed the Bullseye seed grew differently than the Rebel seed , in that it already had about 2 inches of roots after only 5 days, and little to no blade growth. The Rebel seed was not as agressive in root growth but grew blades much faster, so exactly the opposite. Check NTEP tests for your area and try to find a top performer rather than using 20 year old cultivars from big box stores. - Get a lawn sweeper. It will save a lot of back breaking work. - When verticutting, it looks like you're destroying your lawn. Don't be afraid to get in there and try to find the depth that removes the most thatch without tearing out your grass. - Don't dethatch / verticut unless your grass is cut very short. The steel blades catch the grass blade and pull out the grass by the roots if not short enough. - I don't think I would dare to aerate at the same time , it may be too much all at one time for your existing grass. |
#44
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This is all very interesting to read. I live on a farm and we typically mow our grass once a week and do nothing else, if it dies it dies and it'll grow back next spring. Interesting to see what others do to their yards.
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I lost track of what I own a long time ago! |
#45
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Some people need to, have to , or just want to spend time and money on their lawn. That's fine by me. Best of luck with the outcome, j4c11.
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Cub Cadet 129 48" deck - grass mowing 38" deck - backup deck 42" front blade |
#46
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Thank you! Speaking of outcome... Next year I'm going to try to get ahold of a mixture of Rhambler and Speedway seed, although as you can see Bullseye is an excellent cultivar. |
#47
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But that dosn't mean I don't know how to do a good job mowing...
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I lost track of what I own a long time ago! |
#48
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Nice job! I miss mowing on the cub, I have to mow for at least another month with my push mower since the grass is still young
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#49
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Oh, of course... mowing. My 129 does a good job. Weeds and all.
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Cub Cadet 129 48" deck - grass mowing 38" deck - backup deck 42" front blade |
#50
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I mow another guy's yard once a week for some extra cash. He lives in a subdivision. His yard has a sprinkler system and he is a real stickler about weeds. I will take some pictures for you guys the next time I mow.
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I lost track of what I own a long time ago! |
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Cub Cadet is a premium line of outdoor power equipment, established in 1961 as part of International Harvester. During the 1960s, IH initiated an entirely new line of lawn and garden equipment aimed at the owners rural homes with large yards and private gardens. There were a wide variety of Cub Cadet branded and after-market attachments available; including mowers, blades, snow blowers, front loaders, plows, carts, etc. Cub Cadet advertising at that time harped on their thorough testing by "boys - acknowledged by many as the world's worst destructive force!". Cub Cadets became known for their dependability and rugged construction.
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