Thread: Lawn experts, I need help!

I just planted a 40m^2 patch of that 10-day grass. I prepped the ground well, covered it with seeds, raked'em over, gave it another seed coverage, another raking and some more seeds on top of that for good measure. After that came the watering and the fertilizer solution. Therefore the patch is set to grow... My question is:
How often do I need to water it? It's regular spring weather here, sunny, no showers, but not hot yet.

I recommend pouring cement and painting it green. Maintenance only comes around every 5 years or so!

RT

I wish I could, especially since there are a couple of women-drivers who don't think a double-width driveway, widened by two additional concrete slab parking pads is enough room to turn a car around. However, that much concrete would cost me an arm and a leg. The grass only cost me an afternoon's work and $10 for the seeds/fertilizer. On top of that some of my neighbors have the city hall on speed dial and an encyclopedic knowledge of city bylaws, so they'd report me in for who knows what. If I ever find out who reported me for keeping an unplated car over there (one of the reasons I'm planting grass lol) I'll hire kids to egg their house on a weekly basis.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

I wish I could, especially since there are a couple of women-drivers who don't think a double-width driveway, widened by two additional concrete slab parking pads is enough room to turn a car around. However, that much concrete would cost me an arm and a leg. The grass only cost me an afternoon's work and $10 for the seeds/fertilizer. On top of that some of my neighbors have the city hall on speed dial and an encyclopedic knowledge of city bylaws, so they'd report me in for who knows what. If I ever find out who reported me for keeping an unplated car over there (one of the reasons I'm planting grass lol) I'll hire kids to egg their house on a weekly basis.

If we were close enough, I would do it for free! It's been years!

RT

The heat in the soil will help germination of the seeds but water is also required but not so it's drenched. The water will actually help and aid the sun in heating the soil.
The top may look dry but check a few inches down where it counts. Same for when you water, sometimes it looks wet but it's only on the surface..especially after a long hot spell as a "waterproof crust" developes.
Also water is needed for fertilizer, it can be too harsh and will not activate properly without it.
If your lawn goes belly up don't blame me though..

Gary

Don't let the soil dry out for 30 days. Don't drench it, but a light watering a couple times a day is optimal when your trying to get grass seed to take.

Jeff

Thank you gentlemen. I'll give it a quick/light one right now and a slightly more substantial one (*) in late afternoon.

(*) Enough to make the soil nice and moist without turning it into a swamp.

This damage is actually a result of 2 factors:
1) Parking a car there for a couple of months (while waiting to get rid of it) and 2 women turning their cars around. The rest of the back lawn and the front lawns are ok and maintenance free... All I do is mow them with my $20 mower like once a week and leave the clippings there. Been doing that for 8 years now.

P.S. When will the root system stabilize the soil enough for the first mowing of the patch?

I'm thinking you should switch that regime. I've always been taught that you never want to let water sit on your lawn or in your lawn root systems overnight, it can cause fungus to grow in your root system.

Water heavily in the morning so it has time to soak everything up through the day. Give it a light watering in the evening if you have to but don't drench it.

-- Gary F.

I will agree with gfoster on that point. Another option is not watering
at all if its still even slightly damp.


Terry

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

I recommend pouring cement and painting it green. Maintenance only comes around every 5 years or so!

RT

That's what we do here in NYC only we don't paint it.
Saves on the water