Iowa | Gerald J. - 11/19/2012 14:06
ISU extension says bluegrass plantings in the spring will FAIL 9 times out of ten. That plantings in the fall will work fine with those same odd. My experience is limited. A spring planting DID fail, and the next fall planting worked and stayed nice for the next 39 years I rented that place. This fall being dry will probably be the hardest to get growing. I'd go for grass rye and no matter what I put down, I'd rake a little to cover it by less than 1/4" to hide it from birds and the drying sun. Otherwise the sun will dry it out more and the birds and other seed eating gritters will enjoy your wide spread smorgasbord.
Gerald J.
Bluegrass failing in the spring 90% of the time---That is absolutely not at all true. I have an off-farm business that seeds several thousand pounds of lawn seed annually, about 70% in the spring and we never have a failure if the client keeps it watered if necessary.
I have a close neighbor who is an ISU turfgrass professor- I'll ask him as I know it's absolutely incorrect.
Early fall works really well because the soil is warm (faster germination) and "gully washers" are less common-- but spring is a great time as well.
To answer the original question: we will not sow after October first, but will sow again in late November if we can, because the seed will lay dormant until spring and it gives us a big jump on our spring work.
Our work is lawns. |
Could I sow grass now?
