Source
r/lawncare•
CBruce

My plan for the weekend

Temperatures are starting to drop here in central Illinois (5b), so I think it's time to start some fall maintenance for our new home's sorely neglected lawn (4-5 years of very minimal care from previous owner). I've spent the summer trying to cull some of the weeds and managed to knock out big swaths of creeping charlie but we still have a good deal of broadleaf weeds and crabgrass spotting our lawn. Looking ahead, we're expecting rain this weekend, so I thought it would be a perfect time to get some new grass seed out and hit the lawn with a weed & feed.

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So, my plan is:

  1. Mow to 2 1/2"-3". Lower than usual 4", but not super low.
  2. Overseed, focusing on bare spots where big patches of weeds have died off
  3. Cover those areas and any low spots with top soil
  4. Lay down fertilizer/pre-emergent (ideally one that will address crabgrass and be safe for new grass seed)
  5. Let the weekend rain do my watering

My questions are:

  • What kind of fertizer/pre-emergent should I use?
  • How much rain is too much rain for pre-emergent or new seed? We might be looking at 2-3 days of rain.
  • After this weekend, how often should the lawn and new seed be watered?
  • What else am I missing? Lawn probably needs to be dethatched and aerated, but I'm more concerned about getting the weeds back under control and filling in bald spots than having the perfect thick, lush, green grass right now. I plan to do those things this spring.

Posted Aug 22, 2018, 2:45 PM UTC

37
lordpiglet6b•

You can buy the scotts starter fert with weed control. I plan to try that this weekend.

3
Catchthatcat•

Yea pre-emergent should be more of a spring based on my research.

As far as watering, I’ve read keeping the seed well watered with 2-3 times per day for the first week is good so I plan to do that and than dial back after 7-10 days.

2
Mearbert•

You can use Tenacity as a pre-em when seeding. Use Scott's starter fert with Tenacity in it

2
jaber65b•

Suburbs of Chicago here, while it has gotten a bit cooler, temps are going to shoot back up next week. Might be a bit too soon, no?

I plan to pull any weeds by hand and overseed first week of September (pending temps) and sometime 2nd or 3rd week apply fert.

2
shane0307165b•

Not really an expert.

But from what I know, if you put seed, don't put pre-emergent, or if you put pre-emergent, don't put seed.

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But correct me if I'm wrong.

1
CBruceOP•

Hmmm...maybe I'll just do pre-emergent on the already established areas, and then only seed the bare areas.

1
AdamPBUD1•

It’s a little cooler right now but I fully expect some more summer like days ahead, even Indian summer days in October - I’m in Ohio. Sounds like a solid plan any motion is better than no motion right? I need to dethatch my yard and try to level it out some it’s bumpy

1