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Those shady areas, what will GROW?!!??
Funny you ask, but United Seeds has put together a product that other company's cannot emulate. Super Shade is made up of fine fescues, and these are not to be confused with turf type tall fescues, the fescues in our Super Turf products, but they are the true fine bladed fescues, that are even more finer textured than bluegrass. Fine fescues, are very versatile, but have some drawbacks as well.
If you have a situation where there is 75% of more shade in an area, and everything you have tried has thinned out, then Super Shade will work. Listed below are other reasons to use Super Shade:
- The shady area will have limited traffic, fine fescues will not tolerate high traffic
- A low maintenance area is desired, even in full sun, i.e. golf course roughs
- A slow growing turf that loves slightly drier soils, and uses less fertilizer
- An area that you can let grow out and leave as a semi-native area
Do not use Super Shade:
- In areas where high traffic (other than the mower) is anticipated
- In full sun areas, where regular maintenance is anticipated
Who uses Super Shade? Homeowners, cities and municipalities, schools, golf courses and commercial property owners who want a lower maintenance, slower growing and shade tolerant blend that really performs!
Shady areas are not just for hosta's!
Native Grasses and Wildflowers_Part 3
Let us talk native grass establishment, sounds like fun, HUH. Really it is not all that bad. The great thing about native grasses and wildflowers is that they are versatile. Good soils, bad soils, wet soils, dry soils, partial shade, full sun, there is a plant or combination of plants that will adapt to areas and thrive.
Native Grass Establishment
If there was one word that summed it up, the one word that a person needed to embrace before planting and establishing native grasses, it would be.........no not miracle, but patience. Native grasses, and especially warm season grasses are slow to germinate and slow to mature. It is their nature, and when we humans try to rush what wants to go at it nice and slow, the process gets frustrating. So here is what we recommend. Remember, we are talking native grasses this time and later will come the wildflowers.
Assess the situation. What is the condition of the area you want to grow native grasses in? Is there existing vegetation? Bare soil? Dead existing vegetation? Existing vegetation that needs to be killed off first? No one area to be seeded is the same, so we have to look at every area differently. Existing vegetation, whether you want it living or not is not a bad thing. Residue, helps to conserve moisture and if the area can be left undisturbed (not tilled) then that will not only help conserve moisture, but minimize weed seeds that are laying dormant in the soil waiting to be disturbed and create competition for young native grass seedlings down the road.
Seeding methods are important. The most important idea to remember is seed-to-soil contact. Getting the seed into the soil will present the best opportunity to germinate. Why? If the seed is laying on top of the soil, nothing surrounds that seed, better encapsulating it to hold moisture, as well as the soil acting as an abrasive (scarification) on the surface of the seed. Scarification allows moisture to enter the seed and help initiate germination. So seed placement in the soil and not merely laying top will greatly increase the percentage of seeds that will germinate. There are mechanical drills that slice past the existing vegetation/residue to place the seed at an optimal depth. Drill seeders are well worth the money to either rent or have custom seeded. Most drill seeders fit on the back of small tractors. Broadcast seeding can be done effectively if followed up raking or dragging over the soil with a chain link fence.
Seeding dates are very important as the difference in a month can be mean dead seedlings. Cool season grasses, much like turfgrasses can be seeded April through May and Mid August through Late September. Warm season grasses, with their limited growing season, needs a little more consideration. Preferably, warm season grasses need to be seeded April through Late June. If done too late in the season, which is considered past July, then the slower establishing warm season grass, tender in juvenile state can fall victim to frost. The seedling needs to develop enough of a root system, so as to survive a frost. Here is the great part, did you know that dormant seeding (seeding into soil that is too cold to germinate) can be done with both cool and warm season grasses. Some seeds lay in dormancy, waiting for some change in it's physiological state to initiate germination (stratification). And a native grasses that is laying within the soil, overwintering until the time is right to germinate in the spring is a very good way to get a head start in the spring. If nature can do it, so can you!
So there you have it, a guide to planting and establishing native grasses, not so hard after all. Just remember the following concerns:
- What to do with the area to be seeded. Vegetation? Bare soil?
- Seeding method. The better the seed is placed in the soil, the better the germination rate. Seed laying on the soil will not germinate.
- Seeding date. Just remember, cool season and warm season and plant accordingly.
Next time, we will talk wildflowers, which can be interesting, but oh so rewarding!
Native Grasses and Wildflowers _ Part 2
Seeding and establishing native grasses and wildflowers generates a lot of questions, and rightfully so. They are in a class all their own and they need extra attention in order to establish correctly.
In part one, we threw out ideas regarding the decision to integrate native grasses and wildflowers into your landscape, both in town or country, to create a self sustaining, water conserving habitat for likable critters that can be enjoyed indefinitely. In part two, we will summarize the different specie attributes and where they will most likely work best.
As was discussed in part one, the differences between native grasses are many, and even greater with wildflowers. So it our goal that we can add some clarity to helping you decide what to use where.
This blog will focus more on native grasses. For practical purposes, native grasses are classified as cool season and warm season, which defines when the plants active growing season occurs. Some of the more common native grasses are classified warm and cool season below:
Warm Season Grasses (summer vegetative growth)
Cool Season Grasses (spring and fall vegetative growth)
- Canada Wildrye
- Virginia Wildrye
- Western Wheatgrass
- Slender Wheatgrass
- Intermediate Wheatgrass
It is a good idea to have a well balanced mixture of warm and cool season native grasses, to extend the growing season from spring until fall. A well balanced mixture will also allow for more areas like: partial shaded areas, wetter areas, outlying areas, smaller areas and larger areas. Considerations for desired height are also important as well. Classifying the above listed species with regards to height are as follows:
Warm Season
Short (.25 to 1.5 feet)
- Buffalograss
- Blue Grama
Intermediate (1.5 to 3 feet)
- Little Bluestem
- Sideoats Grama
Tall (3 to 7 feet)
- Big Bluestem
- Indiangrass
- Switchgrass
Cool Season
Intermediate
- Canada Wildrye
- Virginia Wildrye
- Western Wheatgrass
- Slender Wheatgrass
- Intermediate Wheatgrass
Careful planning ahead of time is recommended to achieve the look and objectives that you have for your own unique situation. United Seeds can help you plan, and help you get the native grass setting that you desire.
In our next blog, we will discuss the actual planning, planting and establishment of native grasses. Shortly after that, we will give wildflowers the time they need.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.
Until next time, go native!
Native Grasses and Wildflowers_Part 1
We are going to start a new mini blog series on establishing NATIVE GRASSES AND WILDFLOWERS. We at United Seeds feel it is important to offer as much information about the products we sell, after all if we cannot communicate what it is needed to establish and maintain our products then we shouldn't even sell at all. So, with the fine print out of the way, let us get down to the nitty gritty.
Why Native Grasses and Wildflowers?
- Low Maintenance: Native grasses and wildflowers offer the ultimate in low maintenance once established.
- Native grasses and wildflowers offer beauty that lasts season long.
- Native grasses and wildflowers provide food and protection for wildlife.
- Native Grasses and wildflowers capture dirt and debris and control erosion and suppress weed encroachment.
So the question is, why not integrate native grasses and wildflowers into your acreage, farm, or small urban landscape?
Amongst the native grasses, there are virtually every height from 4 inches to 8 feet. Aggressive root systems to bunch types and native grasses that offer awesome winter color.
There are hundreds of wildflowers that offer different colors, heights and bloom periods, and once established, offer unparalled beauty in various settings.
In our next blog post, we will talk about how to select the right native grass and/or wildflower mix with regards to height, type of application and level of aesthetic value.
Until next time, plant some grass!
That's not Dandy!
Look out, this spring and summer could be dandy for Dandelions, and of course other weeds. Because of the mild winter and now, warm spring the weeds are going crazy. So how does this affect your seeding plans? Well, generally seeding and weed control is tricky, but there are methods to help keep ahead of the weeds and still get your seeding project done.
For controlling weeds in a newly seeded yard, controlling by mechanical means involves mowing. Pre-emergents cannot be used, other than a product call Tupersan (a.i. Siduron). Tupersan will prevent grassy weeds like crabgrass and foxtail and certain broadleaf weeds from growing in newly seeded lawns. Tupersan is expensive and most consider toughing it out the first year a better and cheaper alternative. Newly seeded grass needs to be mowed at least three times in order for post emergent herbicides to be used. If the weeds are few and far between, then spot spraying with a 3-way broadleaf herbicide can be used and at the same time not injure young grass seedlings.
A thick, healthy lawn is a weed free lawn. Give weeds an opportunity to flourish and they will.
United Seeds tries hard to buy and process the best grass seed available, and seed that is Blue Tag Certified and weed free. So you can focus on your grass, not weeds.
Until next time, enjoy your lawn!
Get the most out of your seed!
Overseeding can be tricky proposition. But to give your seed the best chance for survival, consider the following ideas:
- Consider dethatching before seeding, this clears out all the dead matter that only acts as a safe haven for disease and insects, but most of all, from an overseeding perspective, acts as a barrier to getting seed into soil. Thatch can also have a hydrophobic effect, shedding water away instead of letting the water percolate down through the soil to the roots. Fertilizers, and pesticides that are meant to be broken down by soil microbes in the soil can get caught and suspended in the thatch become useless. Generally, bluegrass lawns need de-thatching more than fescue lawns, simply because of their root structure.
- Core aeration can be valuable tool to getting the most possible seed to germinate. Seeds can fall into aeration holes and begin to grow within the protection of the aeration hole. The seeds grow into the soil and not the thatch layer. Make two, three or even four passes to increase the number of plugs that are pulled. If you have heavy clay soils, consider adding a soil amendment after aerating to increase the organic matter in the soil. Remember, the more organic matter that is in the soil, the better water and air holding capacity there will be and the healthier the grass will be, because roots need oxygen!
- Watering is very important in the seedlings juvenile state. The soil needs to be kept moist for 6-8 weeks to allow the root to develop. If, at any time within 6-8 weeks the soil is allowed to dry out, the seedling will dry up and die. This where a mulch or straw covering can help retain moisture, so watering can be more evenly and done more sparingly. Take into account windy and hot days that dry up soils more rapidly.
- Avoid pre-emergents when seeding, and avoid spraying post-emergent herbicides to control annual grassy and broadleaf weeds until the new grass has been mowed at least 3 times.
Of course, we recommend buying certified seed, like the seed UNITED SEEDS INC sells, to ensure, the more grass seed and not weed, crop and inert matter is in the bag.
Give that seed every chance to make your lawn the best on the block.
Until next time, seed right!
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