Overseeding brown lawn patches
 

"Ray K." wrote in message
...
If the patches were caused by fungus, and I don't first treat the
fungus, will it prevent new seeds (tall fescue) from germinating?

The patches are irregular areas, several feet in each dimension. They
developed in mid August. Due to extreme heat and humidity in early
summer, fungus has been a lawn problem here in central New Jersey, so
I'm assuming that's my problem too.

I overseeded on September 6, and water daily for 10 or 15 minutes at
10:30am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm. Germination is not very good in the
original brown areas, which happen to be the sunniest areas. So maybe
I'm not watering enough.

Thanks,

Ray

There wasn't enough detail in your message for me to be definate.

Grass seed must be in contact with soil and kept moist for 7-21 days (7 is
about right this time of year) to germinate. If you did not rake and remove
the brown stuff to get to bare soil your seed is just feeding the birds.
You can use the dead stuff you rake off in leiu of straw to provide shade
and mositure retention. Without straw or shade you must water heavy twice a
day to get germination. It is far easier to provide the shade or straw.

I am not a lawn expert but I doubt that the fungus is the problem. There
are chemical remdies.


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Colbyt
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