I am having the worst luck trying to grow grass in some bare spots in my yard. I did everything they say to do on the grass package. I dug down five inchs all the way around, losing all the soil nicely..and laid the seed on top, and topped it with 1/8 inch of fresh soil. I tried several different kinds of grass seeds. I watered and watered and watered. I prayed. I begged and cajoled. Nothing, Nada..No grass. It's been four weeks now,..I should be seeing something, yes? Where is my grass?

I remember in grade school, we grew grass in a paper cup. It grew a mile high in like a week. If I replace my bare spots with paper cups filled with dirt, will it work? Is there something about paper cups that causes grass to grow betterer?

What is the secret, please share it with me if you've had success! PS...Does putting hay down help..I've seen people do this..why?

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), May 01, 2000

Answers

krit...

.....That's aneasy one... get the hell out of New Jersey!

-- Patrick (pmchenry@gradall.com), May 01, 2000.

Yes, by all means fill the yard with paper cups.

And hay does work by keeping the seed moist, as will burlap.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), May 01, 2000.

And lots of horse manure. Occasionally there is some to be had around here, though not often.

Maybe the bare spots don't get enough sunlight and you need to pick a different variety of grass. If all else fails, get some creeping charlie started. That stuff will grow anywhere. Also Canadian thistle seems to grow well just about everywhere. Not my first choice of ground cover, but at least it's green.

I dunno why growing grass where you want it is so difficult, but at least you can be sure that you are not alone. gud luk.

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), May 01, 2000.

Just turn the whole area into a veggie garden. Lay out places for tomatoes, cukes, ect. You might even plant a few seeds. The grass will come up overnight, and be the thickest, helthiest, and most invasive you/ve ever seen.

Be sure to go out ever once in a while, and audibly moan about all the grass in your loverly garden (it loves that part).

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), May 02, 2000.

Welllll - the problem's simple.

"I dug down five inchs all the way around, losing all the soil nicely..and laid the seed on top, ..."

See? You lost all the soil that used to be there. Now, once you find the soil again and put it back, it will be okay.

Now, about laying the seed afterwords..... I don't know about you (and your partner) but that's a lot of laying to get done. Maybe the seed is just tired. They are, you know, real little, and it's hard to lay them correctly.....maybe a few got it backwards, or it was just the wrong time of the month. Too soon, too quick perhaps?

Now, if you and the fertilizer are willing to try again...just be sure you don't get caught by the neighbors. You and I might be comfortable about this, and can discuss it like adults, but some people just don't understand and are uptight about these issues in public.

'Course you can try the paper cup routine too....but they are usually only needed in the privacy of a doctors office.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), May 02, 2000.

I know you were kidding, Lon, but it dawns on me..that would be a perfect spot for me to put a veggie garden. I wonder if i can get veggies to grow there? And I am absolutely convinced that the grass will grow then, as you say. THAT is how things work in my life.

ps..my typical array of spelling errors were realized after I posted, and I thought of going back and fixing them,..but what fun would that be? Patrick, leave NJ..NEVER..YOU INFIDEL!

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), May 02, 2000.

Plant moss... no mowing.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 03, 2000.

Is that really an option? I wouldn't mind having moss there, ..anything other than dirt works for me. (besides weeds..narf)

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), May 03, 2000.

Moss thrives in a combination of shade, poor drainage, and very acid soil.

What kind of grass seed? Kentucky bluegrass takes forever to germinate, ryegrass is much quicker.

You are old enough to know the answer to your question. You get a picket fence. Then you spread the seed on the other side of the fence. Should do just fine. Jeter would probably approve of astroturf.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), May 03, 2000.

I see baby grasses coming up, finally! Woohoo!

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), May 05, 2000.

Kritter,

Stumbled across your quandry and thought I'd offer up my country 2".

If after this summer your bare spots haven't grown in,wait until late next winter during one of your last'good' snowfalls,prime area by poking multiple 4-6 inch holes with stick or pitchfork,place generous amounts of seed in those spots,cover with snow and pack down.If you get eough snow,pile mounds of snow over spots.

Works like a charm.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), May 06, 2000.

Depends on whose bare spots they are, where are the bare spots, why did the bare spots wear out there they are worn out where they are where they were when they were worn out, and whose watching the spots that are bare when they are barely worn out.....

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), May 08, 2000.

I know this thread was active two years ago, but I just had to weigh in. Take the paper cups and run them through a wood chipper...that way you have the benefits of their healing properties without having to bury each paper cup individually.

Or, you could try making sure you've got a good fertilizer in there as part of your soil preparation, and water religiously several times a day until the seeds take. I've also found it's good to use a little more grass seed than I think I'll need--don't bury your lawn in grass seed, but make sure you've got good coverage going.

-- Sean Herriott (toddbrundle@yahoo.com), May 05, 2002.

This thread is now almost 2 years old ...

And still we don't know how bare you are getting along.

Hmmmmn.

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), May 06, 2002.

LOL I so totally Relate. I have spots in my yard that have been hexed by some evil Grass Gypsy too. The last two years I have had great sucess though. As posted before me try shaded varieties if this area doesn't get full sunlight and if it does get Fs use regular seed. Also try different types of Grass depending on where you are located . Fescue is my favorite but you might like to use kentucky Blue grass etc. Now also are these areas where animals or dogs cats have urinated? if so you might want to lime them good first as well. Good luck. About the four weeks depends on your soil temperture for Germination. If your soil temp is 55' and above you should have germination within a week to two.

Storm

-- Storm (Jerryreedjr@msn.com), May 07, 2002.

Do you know that spot in my yard still won't grow grass properly? I was JUST thinking about when I planted that grass today, cause I was out there mowing. There is still a big patch of brown earth, and right in the center is a HUGE tuft of grass.

I have NO idea why it only grows in that one circular area in the middle upwards and not sideways. :)

I did manage to shred an empty pudding cup somewhat close to there, appearently something one of the dogs decided to remove from a garbage bag and hide for later inspection amongst the weeds. Maybe that will help ;-)

-- kritter (kritter@comcast.old), May 11, 2002.

Grass circles. A natural extension of crop circles. Prepare to be assimilated.

-- helen (tin@foil.hat), May 11, 2002.

Prepare to be assimilated.

Assimilate.....

Isn't that some kind of noodle that never cooks in time?

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), May 11, 2002.

I just had to add my 2 cents to this thread. 2 weeks ago I set out to grow a "lawn" where grass has never grown before. Everyone said - you're crazy...you can't grow grass there! Semi-shaded area under some pine trees and to boot - it's mostly sandy, crummy, looks-like- dust type of soil. I seeded a "quick mix" on this hiddeously bare area over the soil after mixing in handfuls of peat moss, a shaker full of seed starter and within 1 week...yes 1 WEEK, we had grass long enough to cut. Watering it 3 x/day seemed to help of course, but now we have a sea of green and I couldn't be happier. Good luck! M

-- M.H.-CT (nat.apoth@snet.net), August 19, 2002.

See?

All that work and now, after weeks of effort, you have to go cut the grass ......

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (racookpe@earthlink.net), August 20, 2002.

nononononononononononononononyesyesyesyeyseyesyeyseyesyesyeysyesy

-- dudu (guitarboy@hotmail.com), October 29, 2002.

Maybe?

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (racookpe@earthlink.net), October 29, 2002.

Yes, definately.

-- indecisive much? (k@a.n), November 05, 2002.

No Answer - another question........ Is it too late to plant grass seed? I am in Hiram, GA.... is there a rule of thumb on when to plant or over seed????? thanks - Kerry

-- Kerry (KerryCan5@aol.com), November 19, 2002.

Kerry, I'm no expert, but here's some ideas.

You might want to buy a seed mix with some rye. The rye will sprout and grow over the winter, holding the soil and the other seeds in place. I think germination has more to do with the available sunlight than the temperature, but in Georgia, you should have growth of Bermuda and St. Augustine by early spring.

Also, you might want to talk to someone about some of the "Centipede" cultivars. They are slow-growing and prostrate, and have some advantages for those of us in the south, where our lawns tend to turn into jungle if not mowed for a week.

-- Lon (lgal@exp.net), November 20, 2002.

woosh..

-- kritter (k@a.n), November 25, 2002.

woosh? Aw, Kritter, just when I was gettin' excited about Helen having her own fan club!

-- Lon Frankenstien (evil@the.bayou), November 25, 2002.