It’s been 2 weeks since I aerated and overseeded and about four weeks since I started the lawn renovation process. Now is the time for an update.
I definitely got lucky with the weather from the moment I seeded the lawn. That night and for the next six of seven days we received a decent amount of rain. Although the sun didn’t come out much, it saved me from watering my lawn through my well. Eventually, the rain stopped and the sun did come out.
Fortunately, we did receive some showers over the next several days, sun, warmer temperatures, and decent grass growing weather.
Based on the weather, I was thinking I would have some early germination. I didn’t know if I got bad seeds or what, but nothing was popping up. My existing grass was definitely starting to pop with all the water and the starter fertilizer I put down. It wasn’t until day 10 that I started to see some green shoots.
In fact, I didn’t see any green shoots coming out the aeration holes until day 13. When the weather is hard to describe I guess the key factor here is to be patient.
On the 13th day, knowing rain was in the forecast, I put down a 12-12-12 fertilizer. The amount per bag was for 5000 square feet. I used one bag on the 10,000 square foot lawn so I wouldn’t be overdoing it. In two weeks, if we remain warm, I will add the second bag. This is yet to be determined. The brand of fertilizer was the most generic brand Lowes sells. I got two bags of the stuff for $13. Remember, the goal of this year was to get things going in the right direction. Next year I will spend on the good stuff. This may also prove that the cheaper stuff works as well.
In the images below you can see the lawn as a whole and some of the action of the new tall fescue life.
The Issue with a Late Aeration
I will say that the timeframe I chose was great based on the rainy forecast. However, the winds helped the trees lose some of their weak leaves. Two weeks later I’m starting to see more and more leaves fall. We aren’t near peak yet and I probably have another 7-10 days before that happens. The weather forecast appears to be in the ’50s and 60’s over the next 10 days. This includes rain as well.
The good news is, there isn’t a frost or freeze coming up for the next two weeks. This will give me that 30 days of growth I was hoping for. If I can get two more weeks after that it will really benefit that new grass coming in.
Note – One week earlier is probably the ideal time to start the aeration and overseeding process. It will always be based on the weather for me without having the proper irrigation. Water is the most important factor when it comes to germination.
Here is a Side by Side Comparison from the day I Aerated and Overseeded until Today. 14 Days – Pretty, Pretty, Pretty, Good!
I’ll keep you posted over the coming weeks on the germination progress and root growth of the new grass. I really hope we do get a few warmer days to let those roots develop. I also plan to put down a winter fertilizer to help the early spring growth when that comes. Stay Tuned.
