Questions On Lawn/Grasses

Questions on: Lawn/Grasses

Ron Smith, Horticulturist, NDSU Extension Service

Q: I laid down sod a year ago. I think it is Kentucky blue grass. I cut it once a week. However, the grass doesn't seem to grow very rapidly even though there has been sufficient rainfall. What is the problem and what is your suggestion? (e-mail reference)

A: There are several possibilities. The grass is not fertilized or the nitrogen level is too low. The soil may be too compacted or there is excessive thatch. It could be a characteristic of the cultivar you used or a there was a natural slowdown after seed head formation. I would start by giving the lawn a light application of fertilizer. We do this on our football fields around the end of June to kick up vegetative growth somewhat. If you have a difficult time driving a spade into the lawn, then it could stand aeration. If the lawn seems spongy, then check for thatch accumulation. About a half-inch is normal or something to shoot for. Too little or anything significantly more than that indicates a problem. Another possibility is the excessive use of pesticides.

Q: I have a question about a lawn that won't grow. It's on the north side of my house and gets very little sun. I've tried reseeding. I'm wondering if landscaping the area with stone mulch would be a good idea (less work, more economical) rather than keep trying to grow grass. If so, what kind of stone mulch would you recommend? I don't want it to look like a playground with pea rock. (e-mail reference)

A: I strongly advise you not to use stone mulch. The stones migrate to other areas of the yard and create heat islands. Stone mulch leaves no surface for recreation or relaxation. It also collects dirt where weeds will grow. You have not been using the right grass seed. Look for fine leaf or creeping red fescues because they are the most shade-tolerant grasses. You couldn't have more shade than I have on the northern exposure of my own backyard. The grass is shaded by the house, a large Ponderosa pine and an Amur maple tree. I am successfully growing an attractive turf cover of creeping red fescue in that area.

Q: I am wondering if you think it is a good idea to plant oats with grass seed. Someone recommended this to me as a way to get a lush lawn and protect the grass as it grows during the summer. If so, how much oats would you mix in with the grass seed? (e-mail reference)

A: Mixing oats with grass seed, especially when hydroseeding, is at least as old as I am, which is pretty old! I don't know that there has ever been a formula for how much oat seed goes with grass seed. We just threw a few handfuls into the hydromulcher to get the effect we wanted and get paid faster. If you want a hard figure as a guideline, I would suggest about 1/2 pound per 1,000 square feet of area being seeded.

Q: A few years ago, I noticed some very lush, green grass on my front yard with mushrooms growing in it. Now those spots have died and seem to be expanding. What can I do about it? (e-mail reference)

A: I would rake those spots to rough up the soil surface, overseed and cover lightly with mulch.

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Questions On Lawn/Grasses