Winter Grass

For those of us lucky enough to live in regions with year-round warm temperatures, late September is the ideal time to start thinking about winter grass.

For those of us lucky enough to live in regions with year-round warm temperatures, late September is the ideal time to start thinking about winter grass.

People who enjoy a year-long green lawn generally plant Bermuda grass as a perennial and overseed with rye grass in fall. Bermuda grass begins to go dormant in August – September and starts growing again in spring. When a winter lawn is desired, rye grass seed is planted over the dormant Bermuda grass. Whether you choose annual or perennial rye grass, it will not survive the summer in hot climates, so it will need to be replanted every fall.

To prepare the Bermuda grass for overseeding, mow it as short as possible. Cutting to around a half of an inch in height is usually fine. Next, thatch the Bermuda grass with a thatching rake. Then, sow the rye grass seed using a drop spreader. A thin layer of manure compost mix can be used as a cover to aid with germination.

Water the seeded lawn for ten minutes at a time, twice a day for the first three days. After this slowly taper off to a normal watering schedule. Keep the ground moist, but not soaking wet. Your winter grass will emerge within about two weeks.

http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/lost-cat-from-colorado-found-in-new-york