How and When to Plant Tall Fescue Grass Seed?

If you’re planning to create a new lawn or revamp an existing one, and have chosen tall fescue as your turf type, you’re guaranteed to have a vibrant and beautiful lawn! Tall fescue turf grass can adapt to a range of climates and has good tolerance to heat, cold, shade, and drought. This turf type allows lawn owners to improve the durability and resilience of their lawns and based on your location, tall fescue grass seed can be a great choice for you.

Key Characteristics of Tall Fescue Grass:

• Cool-season grass with a high heat tolerance
• Suitable for transition and northern zones
• Drought, heat, and shade-tolerant
• Disease resistant
• Growth habit of forming bunches
• Limited ability of self-repair

Planting Tall Fescue Grass Seed in your Lawn

When it comes to seeding your lawn with tall fescue grass seed, there are several steps involved that, when followed properly, can lead to healthy turf growth. If you’re a resident of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a reputed lawncare company, like All American Turf Beauty, can help you with the seeding process by following the steps outlined below:

1. Selecting the Seed

The quality of your lawn will largely depend on the quality of the seed you choose. So, the first step to growing a lush tall fescue lawn is selecting good quality seeds. All American Turf Beauty can help you with selecting a high-quality fescue grass seed for your lawn.

A high-quality grass seed will have added resilience, which will enable your lawn to flourish in conditions that other grasses might struggle in.

If you live in an area with limited sun, you should go for a shade-tolerant fescue seed. For tough southern climates, seeds with a high drought and heat tolerance can change the game for your tall fescue lawn.

2. Choosing the Timing

To optimize your seeding project, try aligning the timing of seeding with the natural growth cycle of tall fescue. Since tall fescues are cool-season grasses, the best time to plant tall fescue grass seed is from late summer to early fall when the weather is cool, supporting vigorous growth. The second-best time for planting fescue grass seed is early spring.

The germination of tall fescue grass seed is best when the soil temperature is around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. To seed in the fall, allow the soil to cool down and reach this temperature range before seeding. For spring seeding, you need to wait until the soil warms up. Planting tall fescue grass in these optimal timings of strong growth and cool temperatures allows you take advantage of the spring and fall rains. This, in turn, reduces the supplemental watering and additional labor needed for the process.

3. Testing the Soil

The health and performance of your tall fescue lawn depend a lot on the soil and its nutrients, including the nutrients, added through fertilizer. So, conducting a soil test before seeding is the starting point for grass nutrition and soil improvement.

Soil testing informs you about your soil’s organic matter, pH, and other valuable factors. Lawn care professionals at Cedar Rapids can recommend soil amendments and starter fertilizers to improve your lawn. Following these recommendations can help you get a healthy, thick, and vibrant lawn.

Tall fescue grass can adapt to different types of soil and tolerate a broader range of pH compared to many other grass types. A soil pH between 5.5 and 7.5 works best for this grass because it provides essential nutrients under these conditions.

Soil amendments like elemental sulfur or lime may be needed to ensure nutrient availability and restore pH balance. Before seeding, add all the test-recommended amendments and fertilizers into the top 6 to 8 inches.

4. Preparing the Site

Early site preparation involves removing unwanted grasses and weeds, we recommend using a sod cutter for any existing turf. Another option is using non-selective herbicides that kill grasses as well as broadleaf plants. With many herbicides, multiple applications and considerable waiting periods are required before you can start seeding so you’ll have to begin this process well in advance.

For final site preparation, create a flat, level surface for planting by raking the area. In case of any low-lying areas, fill them up to prevent water accumulation and drainage problems. Rectify any grading issues, to restrict water flow towards your home. Regulate the flow of water, so that it’s easier to mow the lawn. In case of any steep grades in your property, seek the advice of lawn care professionals to prevent potential mowing problems and erosion.

5. Planting Seeds

Quality seed products come with proper seeding recommendations. Get the best results by following the label guidelines about seeding rates. For new lawns, you need almost twice the seed amount than required for overseeding a thin, existing lawn. Seeding at a lower or higher rate than what’s recommended in the label can waste both labor and quality seeds.

Measure the seeding area carefully. Subtract the area of your home and other structures and determine the spreader and seed settings accordingly. Consider using a drop spreader for precision seeding of lawns that are less than 5,000 square feet. A rotary or broadcast spreader is suitable for less precise seeding or for larger lawns. An experienced lawn care specialist can help you successfully accomplish seeding your lawn.

Wrapping Up

Once the seeding is done, your lawn care specialist can assist in post-seeding care, which is needed for healthy turf growth. Our lawn care professionals have expertise in planting tall fescue grass seed at Cedar Rapids and can help you get the beautiful and lush lawn you’ve always wanted! Give us a call at (515) 996-2261 today for a lawn care consultation. These are tough times, but as the trusted lawn care professionals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa we will ensure that your lawns don’t suffer, even in lockdown.

The post How and When to Plant Tall Fescue Grass Seed? appeared first on All American Turf & Beauty.

Find a Better Way to Apply Spring Lawn Fertilizer in Cedar Rapids

The pandemic has taught us that there’s no lockdown in nature. Spring has already made its way to our doors and we can almost feel the green surge. It’s the time when you should be ready for the first feed of fertilization. Spring lawn fertilizer application in Cedar Rapids becomes much easier when you have the right experts to guide you. Here’s something useful from All American Turf Beauty.

When to fertilize lawn in spring?

In most parts of the country, including the Midwest, the first feeding should take place between mid and late April. You still have time to feed your lawns with fertilizers. Let the soil warm up to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and you can start your spring lawn fertilization schedule.

Often, we make the mistake of fertilizing our lawns too early in spring. In early spring, grasses put a lot of energy into root development. Allow the grass to strengthen the roots and let them prepare for the first feed in late spring when the grasses have a growth surge. Fertilizing in early spring can encourage lush top growth at the expense of root growth.

Plan your spring lawn fertilizer application: 5 applications are a must

After the first feed, wait for second feeding which can happen around mid-May. Continue to fertilize your lawn in Cedar Rapids every 6 to 8 weeks after May. The schedule should continue until October. For the third feed, choose organic fertilizer like manure. It’s proven that organic fertilizer works wonders for your lawns.

Don’t leave your lawn unattended during fall as the grass will continue to grow throughout the season. As the roots dig deeper, they will require more fertilizer to sustain. According to our experts at All American Turf Beauty, fall application is probably the most crucial in the entire year. Choosing a fall fertilizer that is rich in phosphorus and potassium will strengthen the grassroots.

Fertilize your lawn in spring, but don’t overdo it

Don’t let your enthusiasm for seeing your lawn green overpower your reasons. Look at the color of the grass in your lawns. Does it already have a light shade of bright green? It seems that your lawn is healthy. Continue with your lawn care schedule in Cedar Rapids and soon you will see a lush growth.

If you notice a deep, almost blackish-green tinge, it’s most likely that your lawns are heavily fertilized. The dark green comes mostly from excess nitrogen. It’s tough to determine how much fertilizer is required for your lawns if it’s your first year. That’s where our lawn care experts come in. As part of our lawn care program in Cedar Rapids, Iowa we look at the different variables before zeroing down on an application schedule specific to your lawn.

Rethink how to fertilize lawn in Cedar Rapids

When we spoke to homeowners about the lawn fertilization program, many have spoken in favor of using a single turf builder application in early fall. In a way, they are correct, as fall is one of the best times to build the root system. But, they prefer to omit all other fertilizations during summer and spring.

In our experience, however, we’ve found 2 to 3 light applications in each growing year, 1 in spring and the other at midsummer can be helpful. It’s better not to miss your spring fertilizer application. Of course, timing is important and so are other details like the kind of grass found in your region and soil condition.

Balancing weed control with spring fertilization

Now that you know that the best time to fertilize lawn is late spring, maybe you can speak to our turf specialists about weed control. Weed control and fertilization can be done together. Crabgrass, for example, starts to germinate before May. To manage crabgrass and avoid early fertilization, you can use a pre-emergent herbicide. But this must be applied before the seeds germinate.

But not all lawns need crabgrass control. A thick lawn is the best protection against weeds as it reduces light penetration in the soil, covers the crabgrass seeds and prevents germination. Our lawn care specialists recommend a pesticide when required. It’s best not to go for the blanket application while applying spring lawn fertilizers.

Remember this

• Spring lawn fertilizers are recommended. But, if you have fertilized in the previous fall, the slow-release function of the fertilizer will still linger. Wait for late spring to spruce up your lawns.
• Be careful about applying fertilizers; choose a slow-release lawn fertilizer which breaks down nutrients over a longer period of time. With this type of fertilizer, it’s possible to wait between applications.
• Go for granular application of spring lawn fertilizers. It’s easier to have an even, consistent application across the lawn.
• The more you water your lawns, the grass grows. The more the grass grows, the more it needs nutrients/fertilizers. Water your lawns regularly, but look at the fertilizer label to know how much water is required.
• Trust our turf experts for best lawn care services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

We are getting a lot of calls from our homeowner friends about the first feed of fertilization in April. A lot of them are worried about the condition of their lawns after the snow. Questions on the best time to plant grass seed in Iowa and details about warm-season grass keep popping up.

As we cannot meet you directly, you can call us or contact us through our website. And we promise that we will come back with answers to all your queries in this section. Till then, stay at home and stay safe, we have got you covered with our best lawn care service in Iowa.

The post Find a Better Way to Apply Spring Lawn Fertilizer in Cedar Rapids appeared first on All American Turf & Beauty.