[scapepro]

I'm thinking about changing seed mixes or switching seed companies, but wanted to ask you guys first.

the seed we use has 50% Kentucky Bluegrasses, 25% Perennial Ryes, 25% Fescue...here's the formula:

20% Ky Bluegrass Sod Quality
20% Newport Ky Bluegrass
10% Park Ky Bluegrass
25% Jasper Creeping Red Fescue
10% Fiesta II Perennial Rye
15% Cutter Perennial Rye

This was the mix I was told to use by my supplier. However, I've had a problem getting customers to follow through with watering beyond the first week or two, and the seed ends up dying some, or just not a full stand of grass (I do what I can to make sure the customer does the right amount of watering - tell them what to do, leave them with instructions, then I do a drive-by after a week or two, telling them if they need to water more).

We were doing a retaining wall for a customer last year and he told me how he used our supplier and seeded the areas close to his house with the mix we use, and seeded the rest of the lot (2 acres) with a general purpose seed (with 20% annual Rye and only 30% Ky Bluegrass). He said he had been watering for a few weeks, then left for a week vacation. The seed got no water during this time. When he returned he saw the general purpose seed looked great, while the ‘nicer’ seed looked awful.

When I looked at the two area, I couldn’t visually pick up a difference in appearance of the blades of grass (color, width, etc), other than one part being more dead and brown.

When you seed, do you use a top-notch blend that requires good cultural practices, or something tougher to make sure they get a good stand of grass growing? Does the seed mix really make a big difference?

[Mojo]

This is a good question and I look forward to seeing someone who really knows answer this one.

[dan deutekom]

That is a good question and I don't think there is a simple answer. I generally like to use about 40% bluegrass, 30% annual rye and 30% perennial rye. I like the annual rye because it germinates fast and gives a quick cover. The bluegrass takes a long time to germinate and cover but in the long run it is a better grass. I guess each case needs to be judged on what you are trying to accomplish. I have even seeded a slope in late fall with 100% annual rye so that it would stop erosion until we could plant with permanent plantings the following season.

In shady poor growing grass areas I use a high annual rye seed just to get quick temporary cover. I seed these areas twice a year. The blue grass just can't survive.

To establish a good lawn it takes more than caring for the lawn for the first 2 weeks. It takes intensive care for about 2 months.

[dougaustreim]

We use 60% blue, 20% creeping fescue and 20% perrennial rye and then tell the customer that our lawns will take longer to rech perfection, but that over the long haul they'll be the best in the neigborhood. This has held up true for me for going on 30 yerars.

Doug
Austreim Landscaping
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[Paul]

We have been using more tall fescues in our mixtures, some of the newer ones have a very fine texture and are more resistant to droughts. They seem to hold up in high heat and are still slow growing enough that they don't need mowing twice a week. Once spring shows it head I'll post pictures of a park we did, that used 100% tall fine fescues. Last year during the dry spell we had it kept it color all summer and needed to be mowed only twice.

[Bill Schwab]

All sod types are available here, the most common is Fescue, as it requires less water/maintenance.

The issue is it will not hold up well to foot traffic. Keep in mind we never drop below 40, nor ever hit over 85. Water is a true commodity here, it has to be piped in from the Colorado river. Big bucks for water.

[jwholden]

Keep in mind we never drop below 40, nor ever hit over 85

Bill,

DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO RUB IT IN!!!

[Bill Schwab]

HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE HEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEE

Ooops, keys stuck...LOL

[Stonehenge]

One of the things that I've found as well is making sure you dump enough seed out there. My supplier has a spec book that says to apply 5# per 1,000 sqft, but we've found that's way too little. We end up putting more like 10-12# per 1,000sqft, so when the clients forget to water (even though they insist that they remember), there are still enough seeds out there to get the job done.