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I regularly get bags of seed from a major supplier that also do not germinate. We use it as overseed, so a bag usually goes on several jobs, so it cannot be down to site conditions. The current climate is perfect for growth, and the seed alledgedly new. Its very frustrating and the answer why not obvious. Time to change supplier????
Gents - what cultivars are you using ?
How are you sowing it ?
When was it sown and what are the weather conditions in your area when it was done ?
A mix of fescue, bents & perenial rye as we are usually trying to blend into an existing lawn. This year we have sowed from March when it was dry but soil temps were up thro till now when conditions have been ideal for moisture. We have overseeded at least 15 different jobs on a variety of soils. Some just small areas where we have mixed a fine soil or compost with the seed & larger areas broadcast & fine raked in. The only commom factor to me is the seed. It was bought as the "managers choice", so you wonder if it was an item they wanted to shift, yet they claim its a best seller.
If a bare area from a couple of centimetres up to around 2 mt sq I will loosen the surface soil and then apply seed in both directions then again give a light rake so as some goes under the surface, if area is much larger I will also top dress with 2-3mm of fine soil, I will instruct the customer to give a light watering in an evening if no rain that day.
Sometimes the seed does sit ontop of bare unbroken soil.
The weather in the Northwest at present is raining, most days you wake up to a good dew on the ground even if no rain.
I sometimes (not always) put a lawn feed down at the same time as the seed, never a selective weed killer.
On over seeding I apply with a Scotts handy spreader walking in both directions ie North to South / East to west
I have been sowing this last couple of months.
Jim Davidson said:
Can you test the seed? Sow some into a seed tray of compost and note how much germinates...
The problem with grass seeding is that it is subject to many factors outside your control. If the customer doesn't do their bit then good germination will suffer.
Broadcasting seed without top-dressing does work but only if the seed is kept moist and it is warm enough.
I think this year any seed put down in March will have suffered because it was so hot and dry and any seed put down in April / May will have suffered because the ground conditions are still quite low.
It's a little late in the year to be worrying about frosts, but there are now some good seeds out on in the market that can germinate in very low temperatures
http://www.pitchcare.com/shop/grass-seed/low-temperature/johnsons-j...
If you have issues about germination then you need to check its viability, if you have access to a magnifying glass or something suitable spread some seed on your hand or place it onto some paper, then look at it. it should appear boat shaped and depending on the seed size a large boat or a small boat !!!!
At one end of the boat you should see a filled in end, that should be the actual seed.
if the seed is there then you should have a viable seed, if there are non then no seed and therefore not viable.
There is also the option to hedge your bets with the seed, and that is to 'chit it' before sowing.
1. get a black bin liner.
2. get a 1 ltr plant pot and fill with the seed ( make sure you've mixed the seed up a bit.
3. a bag of compost
4. fill the bin liner 3/4 with compost. then mix in the seed from the plant pot.
place into a shed / garage nfor 4 - 10 days.
5. check the seed /compost mixture and when you see ( with you magnifying glass) the seed germinating the spread over the area you want to overseed. spreading with the back of a rake of Lute.
6 Keep watererd
having already germinated the seed then it will not be attractive to birds.
the mix above should cover 10m sq.
Also usually the recommended dossage for over seeding is about 35 - 50grammes per Sq M. id go for the 50 gpm.
But the conditions as stated have to be right.
The other thing to consider is the grass seed mix. if overseeding. you probably dont want to put Rye grass into the mix but put in fescues and bents and meadow ( Poa ) as they are a mixture of finegrasses,clump forming and Rhyzome spreading (Poa). Rye grasses usuallly grow bright and shiny green and can look out of place if sown in a separate area of a lawn. ( one of my customers had sown rye into his lawn in a particular area. it was always shiny, bright green and higher than the rest of the lawn.!
If seeding a new lawn try to use a Poa, Fescue, Agrostis(Bent) and Lolium (Rye) all 4 have different growing characteristics which infill areas and will spread above and under the soil and be clump forming.
Kevin
Kevin Barnett Garden Design, Garden Coaching