Here are some tips on buying grass for your lawn this fall. The Hardin County Extension Office advises:
Cool weather grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescues are the grasses that should be grown in our area. These grasses grow in the spring and fall when temperatures range between 65- 80 degrees. The best time to plant is in the fall. These temperatures allow plenty of time for germination and growth before winter.
There are several considerations when buying grass seed. First, buy from a reliable dealer. Make sure you read the bag label and it has the following information: The date tested should have a germination rate at least 85%. There is inert matter in the seed that could be chaff from the grass plant. There can be soil as well as “other material.” This inert matter should not exceed 2-3%. Grass mixtures can be weed free but contain seeds listed as “crops not weeds.” These other seeds may be brome, orchard grass, and timothy. Make sure the package says “no weed, other crop or noxious weed seed.”
Grasses can be resistant to a disease or an insect. They are blended so they can be sowed in the sun, partial shade, or shade. Calculate the amount of square feet using the formula length (ft) x width (ft) = square feet in the area you are planning to seed. If the area is irregular, divide it into geometric squares and add together. If you have an area that is 2500 square feet to seed and the package says 7 pounds covers 1000 square feet, multiply 2.5 x 7 to get 17.5 pounds of seed to cover the area.
