seeding grass

Two years ago we lost this HUGE mimosa tree that was in the middle of the back yard. Let me tell you right off the bat...DO NOT PLANT THIS TREE! In my opinion, it is ab-so-lute-ly the dirtiest tree e.v.e.a! Yes...it's my personal opinion but we I lived with the dirt for four years. The flowers and scent are beautiful but aside from that...well, you've read my opinion already. After the tree starts blooming, of which there are a ga-zillion blooms, the pods come, of which there are ga-ba-zillion seeds in there that crop up e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e!!! Then the pods dry up on the tree and take months...MONTHS!...to drop. The tree grows really fast which is why they're weak trees, often splitting about the time they have a nice formation.

Anyhoo, enough...I think you get my opinion. :)

While the tree was there, the grass was not so nice and got not so nicer after it was gone. Last September I decided to re-seed the grass and due to the tough wide-bladed grass, it needed to be treated twice and got too late to finish the job. Minus the bird cage, we had this huge brown spot all winter.

As soon as I could I began what seemed like a big project...getting it ready to re-seed. By letting it lay over winter was an advantage because the dead grass was looser and easy to remove. I used the dead grass to put in the flower beds as mulch. The pile on the left is the raked up grass - unraked grass on the right.

The wide-bladed ugly grass was in other spots,
 so I treated and re-seeded that.

The grass was seeded close to the pergola floor, choosing to do that so the pergola will have a 'floating-in-the-grass' look. It also means I will be getting on my knees and hand-trimming around it.

Our son L, is a landscaper and he says the key to a successful grass seed project is water, water, water. So...after it's seeded, girls, WATER, WATER, WATER it! :)

Nine days later, it looks like this...

ooh-la!

April and August are the best times to do re-seeding. The new grass takes longer to sprout in the spring and may need to be watered through the summer if there's a drought. The August planting will be up in five to seven days but will have the winter snows lay on it. Either way, grass is tough and will survive most any weather except a drought. so...water! water! water! if the rains don't come.

...happy gardening!

ox