# Lumpy, spotty grass



## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

I have a really hard time growing grass in my yard. The past several years I've tried various things- tilling it and reseeding, putting soil on top and seeding, etc. In one section it still grows in clumps which results in a really bumpy lawn. In another section it grows from seed then dies in early summer. And in other sections it doesn't grow at all. I've had the soil tested and it's actually really good soil.

I rent, so I'm not super willing to spend a ton of money but I'd love to have a nice lawn! I'm attaching pictures of what it looks like right now. Any advice is welcome about what I should do now!


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## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

Greetings! Do you typically seed in the early fall? Spring? Do you have a lot of shade in your yard?

I would give the Cool Season Lawn Guide  a read. It's a great reference and answers a lot of general questions you may have.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

Thanks for that link! So it says I shouldn't seed now, is there anything i should do to even out the surface? Last year i put some topsoil on the bumpy part and hoped that would help but it didn't seem to.


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## rob13psu (May 20, 2018)

Spring seeded grass can be tough to keep alive during the hot summer months. I learned that the hard way. The best time is about 8 weeks before your first frost date, which for me is mid August.

Check out some of the cool season journals as well. You can see what methods other members have had success with. :thumbup:


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

Is that bluegrass or what type of grass? If it's bluegrass just put some light fertilizer out there every other week and let it spread. The bumpiness is probably from the fact the grass is sporadic. If it was all over, then you wouldn't feel the bumps. Put up your soil test to see too if you have it.


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

In MA, you can seed now with perennial ryegrass. It establishes quickly. Cover with a thin layer of topsoil, and make sure you keep the seed moist at all times. If the yard is shady most of the time, plant turf type tall fescue. Fall seeding is optimal, but don't let the ideal be the enemy of the good. KBG is the best grass, but it's pretty hard to get it established compared to the others. PRG can be very beautiful, and it is super-easy. I'd avoid the sun ans shade blends -- the see what sticks approach never worked for me.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

Thanks everyone! I have no idea what kind of grass it is, its probably all different kinds. The yard gets morning shade then is in sun most of the day until the afternoon. Last year I got an automatic timer for the sprinkler to water in the morning every 4ish days, but that didn't help either. Any specific brand of grass seed?


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

RenterwithaLawn said:


> Thanks everyone! I have no idea what kind of grass it is, its probably all different kinds. The yard gets morning shade then is in sun most of the day until the afternoon. Last year I got an automatic timer for the sprinkler to water in the morning every 4ish days, but that didn't help either. Any specific brand of grass seed?


As far as what you can buy in most neighborhood garden centers and big box stores, I would not use anything but Scott's, Johnathon Green, or Pennington. If you want to take it up another level (mostly for fun), there is a professional place in Peabody called Northeast Nursery, which has some of the prized single varieties of KBG, TTTF, PRG, etc.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

OK, after several weeks of rain here I finally had the chance to get to the lawn. I cut the grass down to about 3", then used a hard rake to loosen up the soil in the spots with no grass. Then I put Scott's Northeast Mix (https://www.scotts.com/en-us/products/grass-seed/scotts-turf-builder-grass-seed-northeast-mix) down with the spreader. Finally, I spread topsoil in some parts that were particularly bumpy, in the other parts I raked the seed in. Here's how it looked at the end, areas 1 and 3 have the topsoil on top.

I didn't water it because it's supposed to rain tonight. Please let me know if there's anything I should do, I'll post updates in a week or so if that's helpful. Thanks so much!


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## JohnP (Oct 24, 2017)

I would maybe give it a light dose of some fertilizer. Some sort of starter fert from your local big box store would work just fine. Follow instructions on the bag but make sure it is not a "weed and feed" you don't want to hurt your seed chances. The only one that would be okay to put that isn't STRAIGHT fertilizer is the one with an active ingredient called Mesotrione in it.


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

Needs to be moist 24/7 until all the seed has germinated, 3-4 weeks if KBG.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

^ +100

Do not trust mother nature. You need to have an irrigation plan (timers with hoses) to ensure germination, but more important to survive the summer heat.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

OK great, I'll get some fertilizer in the next few days. It did rain last night / today so the ground is still wet, but how often do you suggest I water during the germination stage? I know once it's in it's suggested to water for an hour once a week, but I'm guessing more often during the germination stage. My ground does have a hard time absorbing water, it pools on top. But I have sprinklers and a timer that I can set up at least in areas 1-3, 4 and 5 I'll have to do by hand. Thanks everyone!


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

whatever it takes to keep it moist (not flooded) 24/7. How often depends on many factors, so just keep moist.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

^ +1 keep it moist. That's all the seed needs, moisture.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

Ok so it's been about 3 weeks since i put the seed down. It's been super rainy here in Boston but on days it hasn't rained I've watered. Here are some updated photos of the first 3 areas. There's not much happening, some wispy new grass sporadically but not the whole area in any of the places i put seed down.

I've had to cut the rest of the lawn twice, i tried to not go over the new grass when i did it but then my neighbor cut it when i was out of town this weekend so i don't think he paid much attention to the new stuff. Should i keep doing what I'm doing? Thank you!


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

Unless this is KBG, I would say your reseeding has failed. 
What varieties are you planting? I don't see specifics in your posts.
Are you using fresh seed?


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

I used scotts northeast mix. Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed - Northeast Mix, 20-Pound (Not Sold in CA, LA) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GXX49N2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_S5j7Cb9G5NE2Q


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

I'm assuming it has a lot of PRG,, which should have germinated much more bu now.
Did the rain wash the seed away?
If the seed was fresh, and kept moist, it has to germinate.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

I don't know that the rain wash the seat away, but it did seem like the seed was still visible on top of the soil for a while after I had planted it even though I raked it in. The soil also doesn't absorb water well, it cools in the low spots very easily. These are all also the spots where I put topsoil down too. What do you recommend I do next?


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

RenterwithaLawn said:


> I don't know that the rain wash the seat away, but it did seem like the seed was still visible on top of the soil for a while after I had planted it even though I raked it in. The soil also doesn't absorb water well, it cools in the low spots very easily. These are all also the spots where I put topsoil down too. What do you recommend I do next?


I would seed again. You have time. The rain appears to have washed off your topsoil. If you see exposed seed after a rain, that's bad; if you see that, cover with 1/4" peat moss. Keep doing that as long as necessary (2-4 weeks; yes, it's a pain, but necessary, Exposed seed will not germinate, I've found.) Score the bare soil with a knife or rake, and don't seed too heavily; a little bit goes a long way. If you overdo it at this time of the year, the seedlings will be vulnerable to fungus. I really do think you will be ok.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

OK great, I'll have to wait until this weekend likely but I'll give it a try! Thanks!


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

So it's been a few weeks and we have some good progress. Still rather spotty in places but the peat moss definitely helped so I'm thinking i can do another round of that where there are still bald spots. It rained all last week, but now i have the sprinkler set for 20 minutes every morning in areas 1-3 and 5. Should i change that timing as the weather gets hotter? Here are the latest pictures. Thanks!


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

Twenty minutes every morning is not often enough for reseeding, and is too often for the established grass. At this point, prioritize the established grass. Twice a week, morning, total of one inch. Any seed you plant now will have a tough time surviving the heat, so I don't think it's worth the effort.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

Got it! Should i be concerned if the water pools during watering? Eventually it gets absorbed, or i suppose it might evaporate too.


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## maynardGkeynes (May 23, 2017)

RenterwithaLawn said:


> Got it! Should i be concerned if the water pools during watering? Eventually it gets absorbed, or i suppose it might evaporate too.


You might try adding a little top soil in the areas where it pools, and slowing the delivery rate, but I don't think it's a big deal. The main thing is to stick with the max 1 inch a week rule (including rain).


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

Okay the result of Summer was a lot of crabgrass all over the lawn which is now started dying. Is it too late in the fall for me to tear that up and plant seed? It's getting down into the 40s at night.


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## NikeFace (Feb 14, 2018)

I'm in MA as well, only about 15 minutes away from you. At this point, seeding is a risk. We literally just turned our heat on 5 minutes ago for the first time.

If you already have seed and it's not KBG, you could throw it down, but you should be mentally prepared for little-to-no germination. It may germinate, but still not survive late fall/winter. But, who really knows with the sporadic weather these days.

Either way, you can still spoon feed it some N on a weekly basis.

If you don't have seed on hand, I wouldn't bother buying it. You've made decent progress to work off of next season.


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## RenterwithaLawn (Apr 19, 2019)

Great thanks, its so ironic I waited all summer for fall seeding then missed it! So maybe what I will do is just rake up all the dead stuff this fall then get ready to seed in early spring? When's the best time to do that?


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