Table of Contents

1. How much should I water my newly seeded lawn?
2. What must I do to get my lawn ready to be seeded?
3. How low should I cut my grass normally?
4. When I normally cut my lawn is it better to bag or mulch?
5. Why is slit seeding better than core aeration and seeding?
6. How come there are bare spots in my newly seeded yard?
7. How often do I need to seed my lawn?
8. What is the fast growing lime green grass that I see in my yard every summer?
9. How do I know if I need the fungicide program?
10. How much and when do I normally need to water my lawn?

How much should I water my newly seeded lawn?

You should water 3 times a day, 20 minutes a zone.  This should be done for the first 3 weeks after seeding.  If there is rainfall, then water 2 times a week for more than a few minutes.

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What must I do to get my lawn ready to be seeded?

Your lawn needs to be cut very short with the grass clippings being bagged and the sprinkler heads must be flagged.

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How low should I cut my grass normally?

You should cut your grass no shorter than 3 inches (normally the highest setting on your lawn mower).

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When I normally cut my lawn is it better to bag or mulch?

It is better to mulch because it helps the quality of the soil improve.

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Why is slit seeding better than core aeration and seeding?

Core aeration only pokes holes in the soil and pulls a soil plug every 2" to 4".  Where the slit seeder cuts grooves in the soil 1/4" to 1/2" and in rows about 1" apart which loosens much more soil thus giving a better seed to soil contact for better germination.

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How come there are bare spots in my newly seeded yard?

90% of the time the reason is because the bare area is not receiving enough water.

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How often do I need to seed my lawn?

In our area lawns will improve by seeding every year.  It just depends how much of a financial investment you want to commit to a thick, green, "carpet like" yard.  Virginia Tech recommends seeding every year in our area.

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What is the fast growing lime green grass that I see in my yard every summer?

The grass is called a sedge.  There are different varieties and they require a special program to control them.  The program consists of 2 treatments, one in early July and one in early August.

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How do I know if I need the fungicide program?

The fungicide program is the preventative measure against brown patch disease.  This is the only way to insure that the disease does not destroy the turf during the summer months (May through August)

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How much and when do I normally need to water my lawn?

You should water your lawn in the early morning hours so that you are done by 9:00 am.  The frequency should be every other day, 20 minutes a zone, in the absence of rain.  Note, every lawn is different and you may need to adjust the duration accordingly.

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Revised: 02/08/09.

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Last modified: 02/21/10