Grass Planted - When Will I See It

[MikePA]

The pasture grass seed that I planted consisted of the following types;

40% - Tetramax Perennial Rye
35% - Troy Kentucky Bluegrass
10% - Triple G Annual Ryegrass
9% - Climax Timothy
6% - Ladino Clover

It has been 1 week (planted the evening of Thursday, April 18th). When will the grass pop its little stalks above the ground? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[DVerbarg]

<font color=blue>When will the grass pop its little stalks above the ground?</font color=blue>

Probably when you leave for a two week vacation! And it will be 1 ft tall when you get back! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Depending on how you planted it, the temp., the moisture, etc. you should normally see grass seed germinate in 5-14 days if conditions are optimal. If conditions aren't optimal or there wasn't good penetration you could lose seed to birds and animals or heavy rains and you may see little or no growth. If conditions aren't good, say cold or really hot weather and no moisture then the grass seed will stay dormant until the conditions improve and then germinate.

 

[TonyC]

The annual ryegrass will come up first...should have been up by now. If the nights are cool that will slow it down. Make sure it's getting plenty of moisture. That will help it spring up. And quit starin' at it!/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

 

[Carl_NH]

Mike,

It's been cool most of the last 7 days in the east, seeing you're in PA maybe a little warmer, but, by Monday next week with a few 60+ days you should see results. Seeds don't germinate when ground temp is 45-50.

Interesting tho the seeds don't rot they just stay in a dormant state until the right conditions come along. I have planted some in the fall when I'm transplanting stuff and tear up the yard late Oct early Nov and the next year the grass comes in fine.

Carl

 

[MikePA]

Thanks for all your replies! It has been cool here in PA for the last week and tonight they are calling for temps in the mid to upper 30s. The moisture has been good, rained a couple of days and I have not seen all that many birds. So, based upon all your comments, it sounds like all that's needed is a couple of warm days. I will try not to stare at it! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif But this field has been in corn, soy beans, everything but grass before we bought it. So I am anxious to see 'our' pasture and not someone elses crop. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

Hang in there Mike. It'll pop up. When I built my first house, I planted Scotts grass seed. As I recall, the guarantee stated that if I didn't grass within 12 - 14 days (I think that was the time frame), I could get a full refund. Well, I followed all the directions to the letter. I hand watered so that it wouldn't puddle, I spread it in opposing directions, etc. Meanwhile my neighbor had seeded his lawn the same day I did mine, and he barely watered the lawn with a sprinkler! after 14 days, he's ready to start mowing the grass and I'm still hand watering! /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif. So I take a polaroid picture of the lawn...er...mud field, and go storming over to the lawn and garden center where I'd purchased all the product. Happens there's a SCott's rep there that day. I show this guy the picture and all my receipts and ask him what he's going to do. He says I'm right, the product did not perform as promised, and all my money was refunded! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

About three days the lawn came in like gang busters! /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

So be patient. It'll come! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[pennwalk]

The next question will be Grass growing when will it STOP?. This will probably come to mind after a couple of weeks of mowing every three days. You did use plenty of fertilized didn't you /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Chris

 

[MikePA]

We had a soil test done and all it needed was lime, 2 tons/acre. Our horses will have no trouble keeping the grass 'mowed', although we'll have to slowly introduce them to their new food source so they don't have problems.

 

[kevincook]

I say Sunday at 2:40 pm!

Sounds about right to me. Any other guesses?

 

[Spencer]

Mike,
It's my understanding that it is always best to plant grass in the fall.

Spence

 

[Alan L.]

<font color=blue>It's my understanding that it is always best to plant grass in the fall.<font color=black>

Down here in Texas, the only grass you would plant in the fall is rye. Bermuda you plant in April or May to get it good and established before winter.

 

[MikePA]

<font color=blue>It's my understanding that it is always best to plant grass in the fall.</font color=blue>
That would have been my preference, but the farmer did not harvest his corn crop until the end of November, way too late to plant grass here in PA.

 

[Bird]

Alan, the last time I bought a new house in town (moved in July 4, 1977), I had the yard hydromulched with common bermuda the next week). The instructions that came with it said to mow and fertilize after 28-30 days, but it was so tall and thick I had to mow it in 21 days. When they next 3 houses around me were completed, the owners came over to ask how I got such a pretty lawn so quick, and called the same company to do theirs. Costs a little more than seed, and about half the cost of sod, but sure did work well.

 

[cowboydoc]

Falls a good time to plant if you can get the seeds in the ground. If you can only broadcast them they have a good chance of being washed away. Early spring works well to plant grass, probably about just as good if you do it right.

 

[TerryinMD]

Mike,

I had the same problem as you. Planted my fescue and ryegrass about 4 weeks ago and it didn't germinate until we had that week of 90 degree weather. And then, we got a cold spell and it slowed down. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

It's doing just fine and will be ready to mow by mid-May.

Patience, Grasshopper..... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Terry

 

[MikePA]

Well, the grass has started to come up. In fact, some of it could be cut now.

When can the grass be cut without ripping up the roots?

When can I move the horses on it without them ripping up the roots?

 

[TerryinMD]

Hmmm... that's a good question. I can only speak for grass that will be used for lawns not pasture.

I try to stay off of the lawn grass untill its thick and dark - especially if you're going to run your tractor over it.

Maybe a message to CowboyDoc - he may be able to shed a little light on this.

Terry

 

[rf33]

In order to keep horses or cattle from damaging a newly planted pasture, a figure I have heard is usually 3 months from the time the seedlings emerge. I suppose that it depends alot on the type of grass and the soil conditions, but it sure would be a shame to have them tear all of that grass out by the roots or to trample it before you got a good stand.

 

[MikePA]

Thanks for the info. My wife was 'bugging' me to start installing the fence and I was reluctant to start driving the tractor over the new grass, particularly with all the back and forth, as well as other activity associated with using the PHD, moving/storing posts, etc. So now, if she asks why I haven't started the fence, I'll say 'cuz TBN said not to! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif