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An Existential Quandry

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Zimbabwean farmer, Gamba Ndlovu writes:

Dear Scott’s Miracle-Gro Corporation,

I have tried many of your lawncare products, but still find my grass to be patchy and listless.  I have sold all the livestock and the childrens’ medications to purchase your products, but am yet unsatisfied with the results.  Perhaps, I have used too much Turfbuilder.  My lawn shames me.

                          Respectfully,

                                       Gamba 

One response to “An Existential Quandry”

  1. Cathy Furrow Avatar
    Cathy Furrow

    Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors.
    Mr. Ndlovu, established lawns can be overseeded to thicken the existing turf. For best results, the areas should be gone over with a slicing machine to provide a lodging place where the seed can make contact with the soil. These machines can be rented from many equipment rental stores as well as some lawn and garden stores.
    The seed should be spread using either a hand-held or push type spreader to allow even coverage. We recommend the lawn be fed the same day with Scotts Starter Fertilizer. Mulching is not required, although the soil in the seeded areas must be kept constantly moist until the new seedlings are well established.
    Another option is a winter overseeding. The cold winter months of December, January and February are good times to sow grass seed. Dormant seeding can be done any time the soil temperature remains consistently below 55 degrees.
    When planning a dormant overseeding soil should be prepared by aerating or power raking prior to the ground freezing. Any soil amendments for adjusting the pH, such as lime or sulphur, should also be applied prior to the cold weather. Starter Fertilizer is recommended in the spring, when new seedlings emerge.
    One benefit of dormant seeding is the freezing and thawing of the earth creates crevices in the soil and makes an ideal seedbed. Once conditions are just right in the spring, since the grass seed will already be in place, chances of germination are much improved. This may be beneficial for areas that experience frequent watering bans.
    In some southern states, overseeding with annual ryegrass is a common practice. Overseeding in the South is commonly known as winter seeding, or seeding with winter rye. Although Bermudagrass is almost always overseeded with annual ryegrass, it can also be used in lawns of St. Augustine and other grasses that tend to go dormant or slow down in growth. The appropriate time to overseed with annual ryegrass in the south is mid-September through mid-November, depending on your location. For example, in Georgia, we recommend mid- to late-September for overseeding; in southern Florida, early November is a good time to overseed. Annual ryegrass will die out in the spring when temperatures begin to climb.
    We recommend the following steps when reseeding bare spots in your lawn:
    Prepare the soil. The soil must be worked up to a depth of approximately one inch to provide a lodging place for the grass seeds. In small areas, this can be done using any sharp garden tool. On large areas, a power slicing machine can be rented from most equipment rental stores.
    Sow the seed evenly. Seeding of the area can be done using any Scotts lawn spreader, either drop-type or rotary. On very small areas, the seed can even be spread by hand, although the tendency here is to apply more seed than is necessary.
    Be sure to fertilize. Apply Scotts Starter Fertilizer the same day you seed, to get the seeding off to a fast, strong start. (This is an extremely important step, although it doesn’t matter which you apply first.)
    Watering is critical. Keep the seedbed constantly moist to start germination. Water often, rather than deeply. Only the top inch of soil needs to be kept moist. Once germination starts, keep the area moist until the seedlings are well established.
    Early follow-up. Begin mowing as soon as the seedlings are about 1-1/2 inches tall. Do not mow when soil is so wet as to allow the mower to damage young plants. If weed seeds that were in the soil start to grow, do not use a weed killer until the young grass plants have been mowed four times.
    Long-term follow-up. As soon as the new seeding is established, the lawn should be started on an Annual Lawn Program for best results.
    I have also attached some additional information on reseeding your lawn and products to use to help thicken your lawn.
    Again, thank you for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be of assistance.
    Cathy Furrow
    Consumer Response Representative
    The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries
    14111 Scottslawn Road
    Marysville, OH 43041

    Like

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  1. Cathy Furrow

    Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors.
    Mr. Ndlovu, established lawns can be overseeded to thicken the existing turf. For best results, the areas should be gone over with a slicing machine to provide a lodging place where the seed can make contact with the soil. These machines can be rented from many equipment rental stores as well as some lawn and garden stores.
    The seed should be spread using either a hand-held or push type spreader to allow even coverage. We recommend the lawn be fed the same day with Scotts Starter Fertilizer. Mulching is not required, although the soil in the seeded areas must be kept constantly moist until the new seedlings are well established.
    Another option is a winter overseeding. The cold winter months of December, January and February are good times to sow grass seed. Dormant seeding can be done any time the soil temperature remains consistently below 55 degrees.
    When planning a dormant overseeding soil should be prepared by aerating or power raking prior to the ground freezing. Any soil amendments for adjusting the pH, such as lime or sulphur, should also be applied prior to the cold weather. Starter Fertilizer is recommended in the spring, when new seedlings emerge.
    One benefit of dormant seeding is the freezing and thawing of the earth creates crevices in the soil and makes an ideal seedbed. Once conditions are just right in the spring, since the grass seed will already be in place, chances of germination are much improved. This may be beneficial for areas that experience frequent watering bans.
    In some southern states, overseeding with annual ryegrass is a common practice. Overseeding in the South is commonly known as winter seeding, or seeding with winter rye. Although Bermudagrass is almost always overseeded with annual ryegrass, it can also be used in lawns of St. Augustine and other grasses that tend to go dormant or slow down in growth. The appropriate time to overseed with annual ryegrass in the south is mid-September through mid-November, depending on your location. For example, in Georgia, we recommend mid- to late-September for overseeding; in southern Florida, early November is a good time to overseed. Annual ryegrass will die out in the spring when temperatures begin to climb.
    We recommend the following steps when reseeding bare spots in your lawn:
    Prepare the soil. The soil must be worked up to a depth of approximately one inch to provide a lodging place for the grass seeds. In small areas, this can be done using any sharp garden tool. On large areas, a power slicing machine can be rented from most equipment rental stores.
    Sow the seed evenly. Seeding of the area can be done using any Scotts lawn spreader, either drop-type or rotary. On very small areas, the seed can even be spread by hand, although the tendency here is to apply more seed than is necessary.
    Be sure to fertilize. Apply Scotts Starter Fertilizer the same day you seed, to get the seeding off to a fast, strong start. (This is an extremely important step, although it doesn’t matter which you apply first.)
    Watering is critical. Keep the seedbed constantly moist to start germination. Water often, rather than deeply. Only the top inch of soil needs to be kept moist. Once germination starts, keep the area moist until the seedlings are well established.
    Early follow-up. Begin mowing as soon as the seedlings are about 1-1/2 inches tall. Do not mow when soil is so wet as to allow the mower to damage young plants. If weed seeds that were in the soil start to grow, do not use a weed killer until the young grass plants have been mowed four times.
    Long-term follow-up. As soon as the new seeding is established, the lawn should be started on an Annual Lawn Program for best results.
    I have also attached some additional information on reseeding your lawn and products to use to help thicken your lawn.
    Again, thank you for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be of assistance.
    Cathy Furrow
    Consumer Response Representative
    The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries
    14111 Scottslawn Road
    Marysville, OH 43041

    Like