# Slit seeding



## jcm412 (Jul 31, 2019)

Hi all. I'm new to the forum. I'm looking to take my lawn up a step next year. My lawn seems to be in pretty good shape, but really got hit hard with crab grass in some spot in recent weeks. I was hoping to get some advice on getting it to the next level.

I'm pretty good with the basics. Proper mowing, proper watering, and Milorganite.

I'm in northern Illinois.

My plan was to core aerate and then slit seed this Aug or Sept using seed super stores SS5000 Sunny Mixture. Looking at the University of Illinois extension this seems to be a good mix with good cultivars. 60% kbg 20% chew fescue 20% ryegrass.

What are your thoughts on that plan and the seed?

Can I use a pre-emergent the following spring?


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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@jcm412 There are two topics (at the top now) for seeding/overseeing written by the masters in this forum. Read them.
I am renovating too. You can look at my posts as well, because of the fine tuning that was brought by the above mentioned 'mentors' .
Chime in after that.
Cheers,
M


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## jcm412 (Jul 31, 2019)

Ok I read the posts. Sounds like KBG may not be a great choice for overseeding. However, how concerned should I be about TTTF surviving northern Illinois winters?

Also, I don't see much about slit seeding to oversees a lawn. Is there a benefit?


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Welcome to TLF, @jcm412!

Is your yard mostly full sun? If so, TTTF or KBG should be fine under those conditions. I think I would pass on a mix if I had the option to do either TTTF or KBG. 
Several forum members in Northern Illinois do really well with bluegrass. Also, I would imagine that TTTF would tolerate your winters. So I suggest it is a matter of which you prefer.

And you are correct. KBG can be overseeded, but you will have much more success seeding bluegrass in bare soil. If you currently have bluegrass in your lawn, you can encourage it to spread this fall (see Nitrogen Blitz). I wouldn't put down bluegrass seed unless you have large bare areas.

TTTF can successfully be overseeded. In fact, overseeding is part of TTTF maintenance.

AFAIK, there is nothing wrong with slit seeding. However, there is some concern about the growth pattern left by using the machine. Instead of using a seed slicer, many of us rough up the soil a little with a dethatcher and then use a broadcast spreader to distribute our seed. That makes for better seed coverage. That is what I do and is what I would recommend. The main thing, however, is to get the seed into the soil. And slit seeding does that -- and that is the main benefit as much as I can determine.


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## FuzzeWuzze (Aug 25, 2017)

Also i'll add, unless your lawn is very level slit seeders can be difficult. I'd consider my yard generally flat , my mower isnt bouncing around, but when your slit seeding your setting the depth at like 1/4" to 1/8", and thats a very small distance so even tiny bumps in the lawn result in you throwing seed on the ground and not cutting slits, and other hills result in you slicing too deep....did it once, wont bother renting again. Money better spent renting a peat moss spreader/roller to cover the seed evenly and weighted roller to push it in..


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## Kmartel (Feb 12, 2019)

social port said:


> Welcome to TLF, @jcm412!
> 
> Is your yard mostly full sun? If so, TTTF or KBG should be fine under those conditions. I think I would pass on a mix if I had the option to do either TTTF or KBG.
> Several forum members in Northern Illinois do really well with bluegrass. Also, I would imagine that TTTF would tolerate your winters. So I suggest it is a matter of which you prefer.
> ...


How does the slit seeder get the seed into the ground? Please explain?


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## Miggity (Apr 25, 2018)

I'm north of you in WI (Go Packers! :thumbup: ) and slit seeded TTTF and KBG last fall, although I did kill everything off beforehand. TTTF survived just fine and recently really took off, but I like its wider blades and no self-repairing abilities less than the KBG. I am reno'ing another area this fall using five different KBG cultivars and no TTTF. Good luck!


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## ForsheeMS (May 21, 2018)

As others have said, overseeding KBG can be very hit or miss. If you're lawn is in decent shape feeding it well this fall should help it fill in. I wouldn't worry to much about the crabgrass unless it has completely taken over. It's going to die the first good frost anyway and the KBG will still be growing and filling in. A good pre-emergent early spring will prevent most of the crabgrass from coming back next year and what little does make it through can be hand pulled.

I would highly recommend posting a photo of your current lawn situation. That would help greatly in putting together a fall plan.


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## social port (Jun 19, 2017)

Kmartel said:


> social port said:
> 
> 
> > Welcome to TLF, @jcm412!
> ...


There may be some inaccuracies in this comparison, but I like to think about a seed slicer as kind of like a dethatcher with a seeding mechanism built into it. As I understand the machines, seed slicers make small cuts in the dirt (much like a dethatcher does if you lower it). Seed slicers also have a kind of hopper that distributes the seed. So ideally, as the spinning blades are slightly opening the dirt, seed is falling into the open spaces.

I think that forum members have had mixed results with seed slicers. Some good. Some not so good. I've never used a slicer, but I have always been interested in using one. If the seeder does a good job with the distribution of seed, then that seed is going into the dirt, and it may also be slightly covered. That targets seed bed prep (loosening dirt)and seed to soil contact in one pass with one machine. And that _could _very well let you bypass peat moss, using a roller etc., assuming all goes according to plan, of course.


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## Kmartel (Feb 12, 2019)

Most slit seeders that are used in residential situations drop the seed first, then the blade engages the ground. I have a hard time believing and seed could possibly make it in the slit except by shear luck.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

Kmartel said:


> Most slit seeders that are used in residential situations drop the seed first, then the blade engages the ground. I have a hard time believing and seed could possibly make it in the slit except by shear luck.


Have you used a slit seeder?

Do you have first hand knowledge of someone who has slit seeded and had very poor results?


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## Kissfromnick (Mar 25, 2019)

Babaganoosh said:


> Kmartel said:
> 
> 
> > Most slit seeders that are used in residential situations drop the seed first, then the blade engages the ground. I have a hard time believing and seed could possibly make it in the slit except by shear luck.
> ...


I rent slit seeder two years ago if your lawn perfectly flat you might try your luck I wasn't happy with the result it was a lot of missing spots. 
I open can of the war this season with Poa A and Poa T. I had a lot of dead spots on the lawn. I did left side of driveway seeding 6 weeks ago right side 1 week ago and backyard will do in 3 weeks. Detach airate peatmoss after broadcast seeding and water water water. For crab grass treatment Tanecity same day with seeding.


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## jcm412 (Jul 31, 2019)

I'll try and get some pictures later today.

After reading, I think maybe I'll try the nitrogen blitz before spending a few hundred bucks on seed.

Should I even bother treating the crab grass this late in the year. If so, would Quinclorac be the way to go.


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## jcm412 (Jul 31, 2019)

Picture 1 is the side. Picture 2 is the back. Picture 3 is the front yard. The side is rough. It's gets full sun all day long and was cooked after the heat wave we had a couple weeks ago.


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## jcm412 (Jul 31, 2019)

Close up.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

I don't see the need to overseed base on these pictures. The side looks like it could use more water. Target 0.5in of irrigation every 2-3 days until we get some cooler weather.

In the last images I think the hoc it too tall for your lawn. You have a lot of what I call floppies. They are falling down.


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## jcm412 (Jul 31, 2019)

I usually cut to 3.5" once a week, so it's do for a cut today.

I think I'll just try a nitrogen blitz.


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