Gardening Tips - Summer

Kansas Lawns

So, you've looked over your "lawn" and you don't like what you see. Gard'N'Wise Kansas Premium Turf Mix has been proven to be the best for our area. This fescue grass blend consists only of grasses that have received the highest marks in Kansas State University testing. Starting over isn't all that hard either. Here are the steps for a new lawn:

1. Spray an all-purpose herbicide like Hy-Yield Killzall over the areas that you want to seed. Take cares not to allow the spray to drift on to plants and areas you don't want to clear. You might need to repeat a few days later as you find areas that were missed.

2. If the growth in the sprayed areas is high, take your lawn mower and cut at as low as you can.

3. Now is the time to rototill. This step will need to be repeated two or three times. You do not want any clods of dirt that are larger that a quarter.

4. Next is the step you've really wanted, seed application. You want to apply the seed at a rate of 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet or 14 seeds per square inch. Also at this time you'll want to apply ferti-lome New Lawn Starter for the best chance for total success.

5. Rake to cover the seeds with soil. Do not overdo. ¼ of an inch is about right.

6. Water. This is very important to do it right. Keep the seed bed moist not wet (yes, there is a difference).

7. When the grass is tall enough, mow. However, just take a little off the top. The new grass is not all that tough and needs to be treated with care. The careful mowing should last for four times. After that, the grass should be ready for just about anything.

8. Apply ferti-lome Winterizer so the new grass will get off to a great start next year.

Remember: Timing is everything! You have to wait for the hot weather to break, and you want to have your fourth mowing done before the first hard frost. Your window usually closes around mid-October.