I just closed on my newly constructed house (Oct.1).  It was seeded and hayed (straw actually) on 9/15.

The grass is coming up nicely, I'm putting the water to it pretty hard.  Some spots aren't coming in but I guess the seed wasn't distributed as evenly as it could have been.

The straw is matted down and if I lift it off the topsoil I can see the grass started to grow under it.  It's coming in slower than the areas without the straw.

Question:

Should I remove the straw after a certain date?  Will the straw suffocate the grass coming up?  I'd hate to 'rip' up any new grass without a strong root system yet.  There's some elevation and sloping to my yard and I'd hate to create an erosion problem next spring.  I figure so late in the growing season I should leave it down to create sort of a structurally sound bed for grass next spring.  However, I hear from some folks that you should remove the straw after a month or so.

Any advice?

Leave the straw until spring, at least.  You also should fertilize LIGHTLY now.   Keep the water on it unitl your first hard frost.  Grass will keep growing until it freezes.  OPs

...or you can do what they do in Miami: pave it over with concrete and paint it green.

Quoted: ...or you can do what they do in Miami: pave it over with concrete and paint it green.

lol...

I put some fall-mix fertilizer on it the other week and I'm religious about the watering.  I'm learning that the straw can sort of suffocate the grass, leaving you with 'dead spots' on the lawn.  Maybe I could thin it out a bit......

Hmm.  I'm relatively new to lawn maintenance, usually I've been on the side that "if it's green, it can stay" but with my new house I want it to look shweeeeet.

Hire a professional company to handle the fertilization, aeration, etc...


Best money I've ever spent.

Quoted: Hire a professional company to handle the fertilization, aeration, etc... Best money I've ever spent.

I'd have to agree. WAY too time consuming and technical for you to do it part-time, especially if you have a large yard.

Grass in Maine?

I thought it was all tundra.

We just put down sod a couple of months ago. I hope it makes it through our 50 degree winter without having to plant rye.

We planted BOB (Bank One Ballpark) Sod. The stuff is in quite a few major arenas across the country. Supposedly it's hardy grass.

just seeded  mine too (new construction)  did not use hay or anything- kept it watered. of couse it seems slow at first but then the shit does nbot stop growing and ya have to cut it twice a week.  I had spots that did not grow here and there- just seeded some more and put a little good soil over it.  also used "seed starter" fertilizer- DO NOT use weed/feed or weed control fertilizer on it.  As far as the hay- I would leave it unlss you have it too thick.  should only be a thin layer.  it will decompose soon enough. if not your mowere will grind it up good.

Quoted: Quoted: Hire a professional company to handle the fertilization, aeration, etc... Best money I've ever spent. I'd have to agree. WAY too time consuming and technical for you to do it part-time, especially if you have a large yard.

+1  I did this and 6 years later I still have one of the best looking lawns in the neighborhood.  It sure is not because I take care of it.  Its not like you will have to pay them forever, the grass will grow.  I agreed to a two contract because of all the work they had to do up front.

put a fence around it and get a goat ...

then post pics on peta ....

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Hire a professional company to handle the fertilization, aeration, etc... Best money I've ever spent. I'd have to agree. WAY too time consuming and technical for you to do it part-time, especially if you have a large yard. +1  I did this and 6 years later I still have one of the best looking lawns in the neighborhood.

]


Me too.  I went from worst lawn (builder's weeds) to best lawn in no time.

Throwing straw out on bare ground is by far the cheapest way to "seed" any lawn, this is why building contractors do it that way. Problem is there is no way to control what kinds of seeds are in the straw.

This is a great way to get a lawn that is at least 40% weeds with 3 - 4 different kinds of grassy weeds but little to no fescue grass.

Fescue is the type of grass you want in Maine.

As long at the GROUND TEMPERATURE is above 55 degrees, get yourself a bag of fescue seed and spread it around with a drop spreader.

I'd have to see it to give you more specific advice, soil test, etc........

Good luck.

of cours my theory is-    if its green, i don care what the hell it is....

Quoted: We planted BOB (Bank One Ballpark) Sod. The stuff is in quite a few major arenas across the country. Supposedly it's hardy grass.

*bowr?*


How is it so far, and where do I buy it?


My dogs have managed to denude my backyard of any ground-based vegetation. I need something that can withstand three four-legged maniacs tearing ass around the yard all day.

napalm,

We had a rock backyard but decided to add the sod for the lab puppy on the way. There are a couple of patches where the sod didn't take well but it should fill in fine. BOB is a bermuda hybrid. I'm anxious to see how green it stays this winter. I would rather not have to throw out rye seed.

BOB Sod is produced by Western Sod. I think they are in Casa Grande. You can find the stuff locally. Even Home Depot carries it.

www.westernsod.com/index.php?page=bobsod.html

here are some facts you might want to know:

the reason your turf is comming up thin in the uncovered areas is because those areas are drying out too fast.  the straw is acting as a moisture holding mulch that helps the seed germinate.

when you spread turf seed the seed sits on the ground or covered slightly, and you need to keep it wet 24/7 untill it sends out roots.  the reason being is that as the seed germinates it has little to no ability to take moisture from its surrounds.  if the seed germinates and then dries BEFORE it establishes roots it will die.  in other words the amount of water is unimportant -- the frequency is.

you should remove the straw in about 3-4 weeks when the height is about 1-2".  the straw will not "suffocate" the grass.  however, the straw will prevent light from getting to the leaves, thus interfering with the plants ability to feed itself.  as soon as the turf is just slightly higher than your desired height you can make your first cut.

cutting your turf as soon as you can is VERY important to getting your turf to fill in and force strong roots.  if you chose a running grass the cut will force the rhizomes or stolons to grow laterally to fill in, and if you chose a clumping grass the cut will force it to spread by tiller.

for the sloped areas i would pull the straw and then replace it only for incomming large storms.

when you fert you should put a fert high in potassium with low to moderate nitrogen at this point.  the reason is you want the plant's limited energies to go to root production this time of year not top growth.  potassium is a prime element in the creation of the enzymes that force plants to root.

hope this helps

Some good advice so far.  Here's another little tip.  Next Spring, don't cut it right away.  Wait an extra few weeks even if it gets a little shaggy.  Grass roots grow in direct proportion to the leaf.  Letting the grass grow a little high before cutting will "set" the roots deep and help the grass plants grow strong and more resistant to dry spells.  Likewise, when you cut the grass, don't cut it short.  Cut it "high" with your mower set at one of the highest settings.  Your grass will thank you for it and stay much healthier.

Quoted: here are some facts you might want to know: the reason your turf is comming up thin in the uncovered areas is because those areas are drying out too fast.  the straw is acting as a moisture holding mulch that helps the seed germinate. when you spread turf seed the seed sits on the ground or covered slightly, and you need to keep it wet 24/7 untill it sends out roots.  the reason being is that as the seed germinates it has little to no ability to take moisture from its surrounds.  if the seed germinates and then dries BEFORE it establishes roots it will die.  in other words the amount of water is unimportant -- the frequency is. you should remove the straw in about 3-4 weeks when the height is about 1-2".  the straw will not "suffocate" the grass.  however, the straw will prevent light from getting to the leaves, thus interfering with the plants ability to feed itself.  as soon as the turf is just slightly higher than your desired height you can make your first cut. cutting your turf as soon as you can is VERY important to getting your turf to fill in and force strong roots.  if you chose a running grass the cut will force the rhizomes or stolons to grow laterally to fill in, and if you chose a clumping grass the cut will force it to spread by tiller. for the sloped areas i would pull the straw and then replace it only for incomming large storms. when you fert you should put a fert high in potassium with low to moderate nitrogen at this point.  the reason is you want the plant's limited energies to go to root production this time of year not top growth.  potassium is a prime element in the creation of the enzymes that force plants to root. hope this helps

awesome tips guys, all of you, thanks!

Toss out grass seed by the bag-full, dump a few bags of anything with at least a 27% content of  nitrogen in it, dump a few bags of iron on it and water the shit out of it.
You can lay down peat moss over the grass to provide water retention.

Do this at least three times a year.