# Different colors of grass - Help a newbie



## LuckyHusker2 (Jul 13, 2019)

Hi, I'm new to the forum and have some questions about a plan of attach for my yard this fall and going forward.

Some basic info:
Live in eastern Nebraska. I purchased my house just a little over a year ago. It is primarily a KBG and some Perennial Rye grass. I did have some weird spots with a fine fescue in my front yard last year that I removed and seeded brand new with a 50/50 KBG & Ryegrass mix. This was recommended at my local seed store for overseeding. Last fall, I also aerated and overseeded the entire yard with this same seed.

I have adopted a 6 step fertilizer program combined with milorganite from a local fertilzer dealer that I apply myself. Had to apply some fungicide to front yard this year due to what looked like dollar spot.

I have a few things I wanted to address going forward with my yard:

1. From what I read, most don't encourage overseeding KBG. However, I have some areas of my yard that have either a lighter color or just don't look as lush and nice as other areas, so I thought overseeding would be needed. The yard is fairly thick with no bare spots. You can see from the pics:



2. The seeded areas I did last year that were bare are much darker than the rest of my yard. They also have quite a bit of brown mixed into the green blades as well. I don't know if some of the seed didn't take or what? It didn't look like this last fall after seeding. When I inspect the grass blades, I can't tell if it is the Rye or KBG that survived. One thought I had was maybe I seeded too heavily? Was also wondering if I needed to dethatch the areas as the brown blades just pull right out, don't appear to be dormant.





 3. I have a lot of various patches of dark green which may be due to me overseeding last fall?



4. I also have a lot of areas with very bright light green grass which I don't like as well. I don't know if this is just a type of bluegrass? It stays like this all season, so I don't think it is annual bluegrass.





In summary, I really want to have as nice of a yard as any in my neighboorhood, but I don't like the inconsistency of my grass colors. It looks much better in the fall, but most of the spring & summer, I have varying shades of green and that was why I wanted to overseed in order to introduce the same grass.

Any tips on how I should go about improving my current grass, overseeding, etc.?

Thanks for your help!


----------



## LuckyHusker2 (Jul 13, 2019)

Edited original post. Added pictures.


----------



## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@LuckyHusker2 Hi, First of all you may have some meltdown (fungus) as I can see from a closeup picture. Lime green spots are probably Poa, but you need to attach closer shots and even plants digged out. For consistent color you always use same seed type. That may not have been the case. When you overseed bare spots you always overseed all as well to blend in.
M


----------



## Guest (Aug 2, 2019)

Wouldn't POA be dead from the heat this time of year?

I have a similar problem from where I overseeded parts of the lawn with ky-31 fescue when I moved in. Didn't know better at the time. It looks a lot like your yard actually lol. I'm spraying Roundup where I see it and overseeding next month.


----------



## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@macdawg In normal conditions Poa annua yes, Poa triv, will lay down and be weak. Poa annua will produce very particular seed heads before the heat, that may grow lower than your HOC. Poa triv, not necessarily. Both will 'flash' (turn white) with Tenacity (no kill). I do that in spring and know what I am dealing with for the rest of the season.
Poa annua may be managed. Thicken your grass, mow low and bag affected areas.
Poa triv, if it becomes a problem (take pictures every 2 weeks and compare) maybe be only nuked (2-3 applications 2 weeks apart) with Glyphosate and reseeded.
M


----------



## Guest (Aug 2, 2019)

Thanks, and I think that sounds like a good strategy.

Because I am adamant about putting down two doses of prodiamine in the spring, I'm not that worried about POA annua.


----------



## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

@macdawg POA a does die in the summer under some conditions. It mainly involves heat stress from temperature and drought. If you keep your lawn irrigated and green thru the summer, it will survive. This year we had a rainy summer, so that helps it survive more.

Further POA a drops seed that germinate in the fall as soil temperature drop. You want to apply a prem around August to help prevent it. The spring prem normally wears out around August. A split app of prodiamine in the spring does help but it will still wear out.

If POA a is not a problem in your lawn, then skip it.


----------



## Guest (Aug 2, 2019)

Thanks g-man.


----------



## Blackshirtproud (Apr 7, 2018)

Welcome from Grand Island (originally from Millard)

Personally, since you have had pretty much the same weather and lawn as mine, I think what you are seeing is chlorosis in the light green color. I had quite a bit of it this year and started applying the iron/ammonium sulfate spray and it is now gone.

I know the company you are talking about for the fert and they seem legit.

If you haven't soil tested, get it done with Midwest labs. They are in Omaha and one of the recommended by Ware, in the soil test thread.

Also, thank God it's almost football season. GBR!


----------



## LuckyHusker2 (Jul 13, 2019)

Thanks for the responses all.

I have only lived in the house for 1 year, so I'm not sure what the previous owners did for grass seed, fertilization, etc.

I do need to get my soil tested, so that is something I will look into.

A lot of people in my neighboorhood have this light grass in areas, but it doesn't seem to last year round.

Here are some close ups:





One other thing to note, it looks like the light green blades are all from the same plant as some darker green blades as well. But the light green ones grow much faster.

Also, I'm not familiar with meltdown fungus. A google search didn't bring up much info either.


----------



## LuckyHusker2 (Jul 13, 2019)

One other follow up question: Should I keep overseeding with new grass seed each year to try and help with the consistent color issues?

And if I do overseed, should I go full KBG, or a mix with PRG as well?


----------



## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@LuckyHusker2 I am q bit puzzled, but the plants on the second pic look like KBG. If you can confirm on multiple place the light green is actually KBG you may have a nutrients issue. The fastest way to know is to throw some chelated iron. What is your fertilizer schedule? pH? If you are above 7, all metals are locked in to the H+ ions.
As discussed many times, overseeding a KBG with KBG is not very successful, except for big bare spots. KBG will crawl and fill in incredibly well given the right conditions. I have a hard time keeping it away from my garden beds.
M


----------

