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

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

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

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 gfoster

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.

Ughhhh it goes against everything I've learned about grass... From what I know you're NOT supposed to water it in the morning b/c that can lead to scorched grass. Does anyone have a take on that?

The only reason I'm doing this is b/c city bylaws demand a lawn and the patch of bare earth was looking very ugly. I'm not one of those fanatics who declare war on dandelions and install a $5000 sprinkler system. In the 8 years that I've lived in this house, I only watered the lawn twice (when we had a long hot dry spell, which was scorching all of the grass) and never fertilized it. The reason I'm being so absessive now is that I want to have this grass grow properly and not worry about it any more other than spending 45 seconds once a week, mowing it.