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Planting Grass in February in Vancouver
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Posted by markus2010 Vancouver (My Page) on Mon, Feb 1, 10 at 12:12
| I'm re-doing a 1/2 acre lot on the North Shore, and am almost ready for grass. It has been scraped, I'm going to add 3 inches of sand, 2 inches of top soil. My preference is to seed, rather than sod, can I do this in February? If so, what type of seed should I use, and what should the process be? Thanks in advance, Markus. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Planting Grass in February in Vancouver
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| It would be a waste of time and money. Both soil and ambient temperatures are not high enough to encourage good germination and it's often too wet. Seeding a lawn in the PNW is best done in April. You can lay sod at any time, however. I assume you will be incorporating your additional soil/sand into the existing soil? Layering various media is not a great idea and proper soil prep is the key to establishing a thick, healthy lawn with deep root penetration (less watering, more drought tolerance). Ideally, a soil bed of 6-8 inches of a loose sandy loam is recommended, so I'd work your additions into the existing soil at least to that depth. Wouldn't hurt to add a little screened compost into the mix as well. This should be allowed to settle for several weeks before raking to level and then seeding. Preparation of the soil is exactly the same for seeding or laying sod. NW lawns are best served by a seed blend - your local garden center or nursery should have a selection of blends formulated for this area. Pick the type that is appropriate for your situation - high traffic blends (good with kids or pets), shade blends (a bit misleading, as turf grasses do not do well in shade but some do better than others) or the golf course fairway type. |
RE: Planting Grass in February in Vancouver
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| It's a bit early still, but it's been so warm this year that I think you'll be able to do it soon. If it continues warm like this, you could probably do it safely in March. Weed seeds are sprouting already, so lawns won't be far behind. |
RE: Planting Grass in February in Vancouver
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| Make sure soil temperatures are warm enough first. Even though air temps seem balmy and are above normal for this time of year, an increase in soil temperature lags. Best seed germination will come when soil temps are 50F or above, which typically corresponds to late April or early May in this area, weather depending. FWIW, many weed seeds sprout normally in late winter. |
RE: Planting Grass in February in Vancouver
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I've had great success planting at odd times in the winter around here, even Nov. & Dec. It's obviously going to start slow & grow slow for awhile, but when the heat of summer comes you will have a stronger, more established lawn. I usually use perennial ryegrass with a sprinkling of peat over it and a little lime & starter fertilizer. Maybe go a little heavy on the seed this early.
I'd plant it. By late April you'll already have a full lawn.
- Tom
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