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Transcript Brown, lifeless grass is not what you’d like to see in your yard …but to a horticulturist who’s looking for a project… “We actually have a perfect situation to do what we’d call lawn renovation.” Bob Mugaas, with University of Minnesota Extension, is showing us how to take this lifeless-looking lawn and turn it into a thing of beauty. And it starts with getting rid of the old grass or thatch. “What they’re going to be doing here is actually using a vertical mower to prepare the soil, and then we’re going to go back and introduce that seed into the environment so that it germinates and begins to grow.” After raking away the dead grass, Mugaas suggests planting the seed by making a few passes with a planter or drop spreader. Next comes one of the most important steps… “We need to get that good, seed-to-soil contact that we talked about earlier.” To achieve good seed-to-soil contact, Mugaas says a leaf rake, turned backward with the tines up, is a great way to work the seed into the soil. “…and the next step will be to turn on the water.” Along with adequate water, there’s one extra tip on re-seeding …keep your lawn short. Mugaas suggests less than an inch and-a-half to allow sunlight to get to the seedlings. “And right now is the best time to do this. Mugaas says early August to mid September, in the upper Midwest, is the best time to do your over-seeding and re-seeding.” “We have warm soils so we get good germination of the grass seed we introduce, and we get much less competition from our other weedy grasses which are not germinating at that time.” The same thing goes for homeowners who are starting an entirely new lawn …which is similar to the process for over-seeding, plus one extra step. “And then we have what’s called one of these fiber pellet mulches, that has a little bit of starter fertilizer in it that we’re going to be top dressing this with.” The pellets help hold in moisture and feed your new grass plants, so that next spring, your work is rewarded with a healthy, natural lawn. For the University of Minnesota, I’m Justin Ware |
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