Brothers, I’m in need of some help. Everything I’ve read says to put down pre emergent right now, but I feel like half of my lawn is just dead. Should I overseed instead? Zone 5b
by GunsAndCoffee1911
Brothers, I’m in need of some help. Everything I’ve read says to put down pre emergent right now, but I feel like half of my lawn is just dead. Should I overseed instead? Zone 5b
by GunsAndCoffee1911
9 Comments
Depends on if weeds like crabgrass were a big problem last year. Personally I would prep the soil and seed if not
Isn’t the point of pre emergent to put it down when everything is dormant so when it wakes up and tries to grow it can’t?
What have you normally done? Did you seed in the fall? Problem with spring seeding is you’re probably just gonna end up with crabgrass by end of summer. And most the seed you do now will just die. I would rather not get crabgrass and have a thin lawn until I can aerate and seed in Sept.
Can you irrigate. A big issue with seeding in the spring is the grass doesn’t get established enough to survive a hot dry spell in the summer. If you are able to keep it watered in July and August you might be able to keep it alive and the overseed again this fall to help thicken it up
Use a pre emergent that still allows for seeding. Scott’s triple action for seeding for example. Seeding will be easier in the fall though.
Remember it’s called PRE emergent. So u put it down PRE things emerging. If u wait till its all green it’s too late
Given the amount of bare patches I’d focus on seeding.
The number one this is to use the correct grass seed.
I would aerate and seed right now.
I’m a big believer in putting down seed 2-3x so that the germination window is decent.
https://preview.redd.it/l3ru7daruzrg1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe1ace95d197cf241a4f72489765f2c668a53481
I’m in Iowa this is the seed I use. I don’t like the fescue stuff that looks good to fill in then dies over winter.
4 hours and a rake. You got this. All that dead needs to come out first.
I would rent a slice seeder, use it to dethatch the entire yard. Rake it and discard thatch, then sow in some seed and water it. Or just deal with a crappy looking yard this summer and do that in the fall. I have a dethatcher but I’ve used slice seeder this way too and it worked good.