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Too late to seed...or not?
Desthemoaner
Posts: 191
Hi All
I scarified and reseeded my sloping lawn about a month ago.
Most of the new grass seed has taken well, but there are a few bare patches. I'd like to have a go at filling in the gaps...but is it too late in the year to expect the application of further seed and top dressing to result in new growth, and therefore best to leave any further seeding till the Spring?
Ta
0
Posts
Having heard the recent frost forecasts I would leave further re-seeding until Spring now.
Okey doke.
Didn't much fancy getting my hands dirty again this side of Christmas anyhow.
Where are you based? I did some of mine in the last 3 days and hoping for germination as it's been 16/17c and sunny here in the SE. Anything you do seed will always come up in Spring failing that, unless it rots with lots of rain.
North Wales, Mark.
Its been fine last few days but we had heavy rain this morning and it's forecast to go colder.
Winter rainfall here tends to come down in skips rather than buckets, so I might just leave it for now.
I'd agree with you Des - not worth doing now if you're in Wales. I certainly wouldn't sow seed up here beyond early/mid September. Our temps are consistently low during the day and seed would rot with all the rain. Better to wait till spring.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks again, Fairygirl.
It was my first attempt at scarifying with a machine, so the attrition to the lawn surface was far more significant than that created by my previous two attempts, when I only used a hand rake.
Despite the lateness of the season the surface is already looking greener and more lush, apart from those few patches, so I've high hopes for the Spring.
Agreed - you may as well wait if you are in North Wales and can time it come April or so. I'm currently having to remove any fallen beech leaves that block sunlight to the patch
it's a daily occurrence!
I re seeded a week ago and shoots are coming through well.
Why not seed some in pots in a greenhouse then plant out when seedlings are strong enough to cope with the weather?
If you do decide to seed now, they have two chances ?
Thanks HH--I've more or less decided to leave it, but you've given me food for thought next time if I leave it this late again. Just the small matter of buying a greenhouse. ;0)
Think maybe next year I'll scarify early September rather than, as I did this year, in the middle of the ninth month. Those extra two weeks seem to have left the germination process hanging off a cliff in some areas.
Mark, I have a similar problem with a silver birch, which is another good reason to scarify earlier before its leaves start to drop.
I think part of the problem was that it was still so dry in September; scarifying here was out of the question until we'd had some rain.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.