Dan Hartung wrote in message ...
JB wrote:
I have(central Indiana) many bald spots in my yard due to mixing a
grass killer in a Roundup sprayer applicator bottle and leaving the
bottle stay around too long and using it. I won't make that mistake
again. My plan is to scrape out all the dead grass and patch it with
a mixture of matching bluegrass blend and top soil. I purchased 40 lb
bags of topsoil and need to know how much seed to mix into the 40 lb
bags. Can you help? thanks.

Relax. Weed/grass killer -- like Roundup -- doesn't destroy your
topsoil. In fact you can seed 14 days after application by the label.

Unless you have very large completely bare areas, use the topsoil evenly
over your entire lawn. It is a good way to "amend" your existing soil.
Do be aware it might have weed seeds of its own.

Seeding should only be done after the topsoil dressing has been allowed
to settle -- at least a week. You'll want to add a starter fertilizer
first, but you can usually seed directly after (I seed the next day).
This is more important than the topsoil.

So, no, you don't want to blend them. The topsoil will actually cover up
the seeds, depriving them of necessary sunlight. Better is to place
straw, light mulch, pea gravel, or landscape fabric, all of which will
help hold the seeds in place while letting sun through. Seeds buried in
topsoil will take much longer to germinate, and those that don't will
simply rot in place.

Next time, make sure you use herbicide in its own container, and keep it
labeled even if empty.


Unless you have a grading problem, no topsoil should be required to
repair what you damaged with Roundup, you're doing a lot of work for
nothing. Just mow the lawn short, then rent a slice seeder to put
down the new seed. You can even overseed any other areas of the lawn
that could benefit at the same time and be done in an hour, for a
reasonable size lawn.