Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn =  3lb/k          over seed = 1.5lb/k

 Germination -  5-28 days

Approximate price/k to overseed  =   $6.64

 Approximate price/lb of actual seed  =  $4.42

 Content               Variety                           Germination

19.79%       Bargena creeping red fescue              85%

19.51%       Doubletime perennial ryegrass               85%

14.06%       Pirouette perennial ryegrass                  90%

9.91%        Terrabar Italian ryegrass                 85%

9.71%         Compass chewings fescue                  85%

9.42%           Baron kentucky bluegrass                    85%

4.92%             Bartalon rough bluegrass                85%

4.91%              Hardtop hard fescue                    85%

.

Bargena    wear tolerance, dense turf, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, low maintenance, low growing

Doubletime   low maintenance, winter color, early spring green, traffic tolerant, dark green color, mixes well with warm season grasses
Pirouette  medium green, traffic tolerant, dense growing, early spring green, winter color
Compass  darker green, dense, heat & drought tolerant,  disease resistan, low growing, shade tolerant, low maintenance, early spring green
Baron  dense, rapid spreading , medium green, blends well, some heat & drought tolerance
​Hardtop heat & drought tolerant, does well in shady areas, low maintenance, dark green, tolerates low mowing


Quick tips on lawn overseeding:

1) Cut the grass first - mowing the lawn shorter than normal makes it easier for the seed to get to the soil. Ideally, you want to wait two to three weeks after seeding to mow the lawn again. This allows the new grass time to establish roots

2) Rake bare areas - loosening the top layer of soil makes it easier for new grass to take hold. A very thin layer of soil to cover seed also helps (keeps new seed from drying out).

3) Water - the most important step is to water the lawn. Water two to three times a day until new grass is about an inch tall. you do not need to use a lot of water, just enough to keep the seed moist.

4) Know what type of seed you use - Rye grass usually sprouts in 4 to 9 days. Fescue grass in 7 to 14 days. Bluegrass can take anywhere from 10 to 28 days. This will give you a good indication of how long you will need to water.

5) Starter fertilizer - Phosphorus helps the roots grow and  is the most important nutrient in starter fertilizer, so the middle number should be the highest ( ie 5-10-5,  20-24-4).
​​​

Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn = 3.5 lb/k          over seed = 1.75lb/k

 Germination -  5-28 days

Approximate price/k to overseed  =   $5.26

 Approximate price/lb of actual seed  =  $3.00

 Content               Variety                           Germination

24.47%       Doubletime perennial ryegrass        85%

24.36%       Bargena III creeping red fescue                  85%

19.90%       Terrabar Italian ryegrass                       90%

18.67%        Barrister Kentucky Bluegrass         85%

4.90%         Predator Hard Fescue                  85%

5%            Water saver seed coating

.

Doubletime - low maintenance, winter color, early spring green, traffic tolerant, dark green color, mixes well with warm season grasses
Bargena III  -  some wear tolerance, dense turf, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, low maintenance, low growing

Barrister  - dark green, compact, low growing, dense, heat tolerant, can be mowed short

Predator-  dark green , compact growth, fine textured, high traffic tolerant, winter green, early spring color, drought tolerant, low maintenance

​There are many skills the new gardener must master, but pruning is one of the most essential. Without proper pruning, trees, shrubs, bushes and other plants can quickly get out of control, resulting in a great many problems down the road. Pruning has a number of important advantages, including promoting better flowering, promoting higher fruit yields, improving the appearance and health of the plants, maintaining the desired shape and controlling growth. Pruning also helps to remove dead, diseased and otherwise damaged parts of the plant, an essential part of maintaining a healthy garden.
 
At first blush pruning may seem like an easy job, consisting simply of cutting away the undesirable parts of the plant. Pruning is actually much more complicated than it appears, however, and it takes a trained eye and a steady hand to prune plants and trees properly. It is a good idea for the new gardener to enlist the help of a more experienced friend to learn how to prune most effectively. In addition, garden clubs can be great sources of information for this essential part of the gardening hobby.
 
When to prune can be a challenge, but most non-flowering evergreen shrubs and trees should be pruned once annually, usually in the early spring, just as new growth is beginning to appear. Deciduous varieties of shrubs and trees should also be pruned once a year, generally in the winter when they are still in their dormant stage. It is important to prune those plants before their new buds have begun to appear.
 
Most varieties of spring flowering shrubs and trees should be pruned right after they have flowered. If you wait too long to prune these spring flowering trees their buds will not have time to regenerate before winter arrives. Some examples of these spring flowering trees and shrubs include azaleas, honeysuckles, forsythia, rhododendrons, dogwoods and hydrangeas.
 
Some other varieties of trees and shrubs, such as butterfly bushes, bush roses, cranberry bushes and chaste trees, should be pruned in the late winter while they are still dormant. The procedure for pruning these trees is to pinch off the spent blossoms to help promote more flowering.
 
Hedges should be pruned in the late spring or summer, as soon as the new growth begins to appear. The top of the hedge should be pruned more narrowly in order to allow more sunlight to reach the base of the plant. This pruning will help to reduce thinning at the lower parts of the hedge.
 
Of course before you can do all this pruning you will need to gather the proper tools, and it is essential to have a good set of pruning shears on hand. Be sure that the blades of the shears are clean and sharp, as this will help to prevent damage to the plants. If the blades are dull the stems of the plants could be damaged during the pruning, and if they are dirty disease causing microorganisms could find an entry way into the plant’s interior. Many gardeners like to soak the blades of their pruning shears in a solution of water with a couple drops of bleach. The bleach in the water will help to kill off any bacteria or microorganisms that may have clung to the blades.
 
Pruning shears can be used to trim branches up to half an inch in diameter, while lopping shears will be required for branches larger than half an inch but less than two inches. Branches more than two inches in diameter will require a hand saw or bow saw to trim.
 
Begin your work by pruning back all of the damaged, diseased or dead limbs of the plant, making sure to prune back to the healthy branch. Any unwanted water sprouts and suckers can also be removed from the base of the plant. These fast growing shoots can steal nutrients that would otherwise be directed to flowering and blooming.
 
After the initial pruning has been completed, take a step back and look at the plant to determine if farther trimming is needed. If your desire is to train the plant to grow in a particular direction, be sure to trim the lateral branches to make this training easier. Take your time as you prune, stepping back often to look at the results.

Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn =  6.25lb/k          over seed = 3lb/k

 Germination -  5-28 days

Approximate price/k to overseed  =   $8.56

 Approximate price/lb of actual seed  =  $2.85

 Content               Variety                           Germination

19.90%       Barrobusto tall fescue                85%

19.87%       Bearcat tall fescue                     85%

19.81%       Barvado tall fescue                  90%

19.81%        Barlexas tall fescue                  85%

14.96%         Falcon tall fescue                  85%

4.90%             Barfa tall fescue                    85%

.

Barrobusto - dark green, good for southern transition zone, medium dwarf growth, medium texture, good fall color
Bearcat  -  strong disease resistance, produces a lot of seed, spreads well,
Barvado   - dark green color, deep rooted, drought tolerant,, early spreing green, winter color, traffic tolerant, medium textured
Barlexas-  dark green color, fine textured, low maintenance, drought tolerant, tolerates low cutting, dense, heat & drought tolerant, low growing
Falcon heat & drought tolerant, dark green, fine textured, traffic tolerant, disease resistant

Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn =          over seed = 

 Germination -  5-28 days

Approximate price to seed 125 sq ft =   $17.75
*for bare spots only, not meant to use for overseeding

 Content               Variety                           Germination

%      Wendy Jean creeping red fescue         80%

%       Fenway creeping red fescue                  80%
​
%        Silver Dollar perennial ryegrass          90%

%        Right  kentucky bluegrass                  85%   

%        Juliet  kentucky bluegrass                  85%

%         Uno perennail ryegrass                    85%

50%            Water smart® coating

Water smart® coating - grass seed absorbs twice as much water as uncoated seed. This is to help prevent it from drying out in the event that you miss a day of watering.

Right - dark color, low growth habit, shade tolerant, dense, drought tolerant, low maintenance

Wendy Jean  - Fine texture, dense growth, dark green color, good spreading habit

Fenway - darker green, durable, quick to establish, spreads, blends well with other varieties of seed

Silver Dollar  - finer textured, dark green, quick to establish, dense turf

Juliet- dense, does well in summer, traffic & wear tolerant

Uno - quick to establish, fine bladed, darker green (for rye), dense, lower growth, high traffic
​

11.40Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their lawn & landscape.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn = 9lb/k          over seed = 4.5lb/k

 Germination - 6-30 days

Approximate price/k to overseed  =   $

 Approximate price/lb of actual seed  =  $5.70

 Content               Variety                Germination

19.6%       Brockton tall fescue                         85%

19.6%       Rebel Advance tall fescue   85%

9.7%       double up  perennial rye                   85%




 50% coating materialWater smart® coating - grass seed absorbs twice as much water as uncoated seed. This is to help prevent it from drying out in the event that you miss a day of watering.

Brockton  - fine textured, dark green, high traffic, heat tolerant, drought tolerant

Rebel Advance - fine texture, dark green, drought tolerant, sun to moderate shade

 Double up -  dark green, winter color, traffic tolerant, drought tolerant, quick to establish


 ie 5-10-5,  20-24-4).

When you're considering best practices for your lawn, it is important that you review all the things you need to do each season. One particular practice we condone and encourage for our customers in Evansville is lawn aeration. Not only is this a way to reinvigorate your lawn, but it also sustains your lawn through the season changes.
​
What is Lawn Aeration?
Lawn aeration is the process by which you bring air or oxygen to your lawn. This involves using an aerator or aerator shoes. The holes created by these devices allow air to circulate, water to hydrate, and roots to expands all within your lawn. This process is encouraging of your lawn's healthy and well-being. 

Lawn aeration is necessary for your yard if it gets a lot of foot traffic or consistent use. Be it that your family plays sports on the lawn or is prone to drying out. When a lawn becomes dry, it is unable to soak up nutrients that air and water can provide. Aeration is the conduit to a healthy lawn. Period. 

Advice on Your Lawn & Landscape
No matter if you're a long-time homeowner with a healthy, nourished lawn or if you've got a tiny plot that has brand new grass, we at Evansville Lawn & Landscape are ready to help. Our professional team of lawn techs care about your grass, really! 

Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their lawn & landscape.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn = 5 lb/k          over seed =2.5 lb/k

 Germination -  6-28 days

Approximate price/k to overseed  =   $6.08

 Approximate price/lb of actual seed  =  $4.86

 Content               Variety                           Germination

17.27%       Evening Shade perennial ryegrass                       90%

11.98%       Gulf annual ryegrass                             90%

9.72%       Kent creeping red fescue           80%

4.87%        Bluecoat kentucky bluegrass          85%

4.86%        Intrigue chewings fescue              90%

50%            Water smart® coating

Water smart® coating - grass seed absorbs twice as much water as uncoated seed. This is to help prevent it from drying out in the event that you miss a day of watering.

Evening shade -  dark green fine bladed, low growing, winter color, low maintenance, dense

Kent  - fine bladed, early spring green, 
Gulf - coarse textured, lighter green color, quick to establish, grows in temeprate & cooler weather, fades out in warmer, summer months,can be used as a temporary cover to allow harder to establish blends to grow

Bluecoat  -  dark green, fine/medium texture, dense, heavy traffic

Intrigue - low maintenance, shade & drought tolerant, dark green color winter color, early spring green, 

Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.

( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet)

Seed Rate - new lawn = 8 lb/k          over seed =4lb/k
​
 Germination -  7-10 days

 Approximate price/k to overseed  =   $12.63

 Approximate price/lb of actual seed  =  $4.21

There are several thing to consider when deciding whether to seed a lawn or to use sod, but the most important two are how patient you are and how much money you want to spend on your new lawn . If it is important to you to have a lawn that can be used and enjoyed within a short period of time, then spending the money for sod is the way to go. If all the proper prep work is don, sod will root quickly and can be ready for use in less than a months. Sodding can be done at almost any time of the year once winter is over, though it’s best to avoid hot midsummer temperatures.

If you are not in a hurry and would prefer a less expensive method, the cost of seeding is reasonable. Of course, you don’t get something for nothing. To save money, you’ll have to wait longer for the grass seed to establish .

What is Lawn Aeration?

Lawn Aeration is the naturally occurring process of air exchange between the soil and its surrounding atmosphere. Lawn Aeration helps reduce soil compaction without excessive injury to the grass plants. Core tines penetrate and eject cores onto the surface of the lawn. Practically speaking, aeration is the process of mechanically removing small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn to improve soil aeration.

What are the benefits of Lawn Aeration?

Lawn Aeration helps the lawn's health and vigor, and it reduces maintenance requirements, and provides the following benefits

1. Improves air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
2. Enhances soil water uptake.
3. Reduced water runoff and puddling.
4. Improved turfgrass rooting.
5. Reduced soil compaction.
6. Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
7. Improved resiliency and cushioning.
8. Enhanced thatch breakdown.
   

There are many different types of grasses & seed to choose from when deciding when deciding what to use to plant or overseed a lawn. The abundance of options can make the task of choosing somewhat overwhelming. Here we list a few of the more popular grass types with pros and cons with the goal of making a choice a little simpler.

   The  'transition  zone' is an area in the middle of the country  where both cool season & warm season grasses tend to grow. Definitions vary but the northern edge covers the middle of Illinois across lower Pennsylvania to the east coast. The southern edge can go as far south as northern Louisiana and across middle Mississippi & Georgia to the east coast. We will concentrate on 5 varieties that do well in this area.
Cool season grasses tend to start growing in early spring & continue until the heat of late summer may cause them to go dormant and turn brown. Growth starts back up with the cooler weather of early fall & some may stay green through winter.Warm season grasses typically start their growth later in spring & thrive during the summer months. Dormancy start in the early to late fall & stays on through winter. The pros and cons listed here are just generalizations for each type of grass. Different 'cultivars'
of these grasses have be bred to overcome some of their flaws. and we will break down each group in greater detail in subsequent posts.
 
Cool Season Grasses


         Fescue -  most common in our area. 2 main groups fine leaved  &   broad leaved or 'tall turf fescue'
                      -  relatively quick & easy from seed. 10-14 days to start. may appear   clumpy until lawn fills out
                      - can be sodded if done properly
                      - performs well in shady areas
                      - will go dormant (brown) in extreme heat but recovers well when     cooler temps prevail
                      - pest resistant (bugs) but does better in lawns that have a weed   control program
                      - better drought resistance than other cool season grasses
                      - does reasonably well in high traffic areas
 
     Ryegrass -  2 types - 'perennial' - used as a turf grass. 'Annual' - used as a   temporary ground cover
                         only, not as a turf grass
                      - starts quickly & easily from seed - 3 to 7 days - fills in quickly, is  bright green in color & grows
                         thick - especially in the springtime
                      - perform well in slightly shaded areas but not in intense shade
                      - drought tolerant for short periods of time but needs regular watering to stay green
                      - goes dormant (brown) in the summer but recovers in the fall ( not as quickly as fescue)
                      - low to moderate traffic
                      - good choice to maintain a green color in the winter months
 
    Bluegrass - grows well from seed but takes time to start - 2 to 4 weeks - does  ot fill in as  quickly as rye
                         but does spread much more evenly than  fescue - starter fertilizer is helpful to the process
                      - commonly used as sod & does well if installed properly - prep work   is important
                      - lush beautiful finely textured grass but requires more maintenance than   most
                      - no drought tolerance - regular watering in warmer temps a must -  needs more water than
                        fescue & rye
                     - does poorly in shaded areas
                     - weed control program beneficial to bluegrass lawns as is leaving the  grass taller
                     - small amounts of fertilizer help as well but too much nitrogen will burn  up lawn
 
Warm Season Grasses


    Bermuda - grows well from seed or sprigs - not seen often as sod unless it is a  hybrid
                    - rarely needs reseeding
                    - good for high traffic, often used on golf courses & sports fields
                    - prefers full sun - grows patchy in any amount of shade
                    - grows faster in the hot summer months but stays dormant & brown for  most of the cooler months of the year
                    - can be overseeded with rye for year round color
                    - low growing wiry grass - spreads in an aggressive manner- will take  over landscape beds if not
                       kept in check
                    - drought tolerant - needs less water than most but stays greener with  regular watering
                    - somewhat susceptible  to pests & a weed control program is   recommended
 
      Zoysia   -  grows from plugs & spreads slowly - takes considerable time to establish
                    - grows very densely & chokes out just about everything once it is  established
                    - From seed (plant in late spring for Southern Indiana) 14-21 days to start - 12 weeks to fill in if planted properly
                     - will spread into landscape beds if not kept in check but not as  aggressive as bermuda
                    - likes full sun - does not do well in shade but better than bermuda
                    - somewhat drought tolerant but preforms best with weekly watering
                    - tends to stay dormant from early fall to late spring -does not mix well with any other grasses
                     - stay brown for more of the year than any   other transition zone grass
​