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Stark-Billings County |
Extension Spotlites
May 15, 2008
Spring Lawn Care
Is your lawn “hurting” this spring from winter kill, dog damage, or other problems. Now is the time to do something about it. Dead spots or thin areas in your lawn can be repaired by replanting specific areas or inter-seeding the whole lawn. Bluegrass seed should be used when correcting these problems. If these areas are shady, creeping red fescue would give you better results.
When replanting the dead spots or inter seeding your lawn, just work the soil slightly with a garden rake. Spread the grass seed over the area and rake into the soil gently. Be careful not to damage the existing grass if you’re inter-seeding. If thick thatch creates a seeding problem, use a garden rake to remove some of it. Thatch will serve as a barrier against moisture evaporation and as mulch for protecting the new grass seedlings. The replanted areas must be kept moist until the grass seed has germinated and become established.
Damaged grass will need fertilizer to get it growing. When you fertilize your lawn don’t apply more than one pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet at one time. This would be five pounds of 20-10-5 fertilizer or three pounds of 34-0-0 fertilizer. The three numbers indicate the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Lawn fertilizer should normally have at least 20 percent nitrogen. Don’t fertilize your lawn in mid-summer. Use a fertilizer spreader to apply fertilizer. You’ll be much happier with the results. Don’t apply fertilizer to damp grass. Apply to dry grass and then water it in thoroughly. This washes the fertilizer off the leaf blades without burning them. Areas which you have replanted or inter seeded not be fertilized until early fall. Fertilizer tends to damage germinate grass seeds and young grass seedlings. One last thing, don’t use lime or ashes on your lawn. It will make the soil more alkaline (salty).
Also see Lawns and Landscaping
For more information contact:
Kurt Froelich,
Extension Agent
NDSU Extension Service
Stark-Billings County
1340 W. Villard St.
Dickinson ND 58601-4646
(701) 456-7665