When you choose to live in a place with a HOA you choose to live by their rules. And usually there is some little person running about exercising their pow-wah. Our neighbor was told to do something with their half-dead lawn, and the foreclosed homes sit, weedy. I'm not a fan, and am stuck.

So. You can plant seed now and hope for the best, which is the best you can do after procrastinating for so long. Specific instructions for your product should be on The Google.

As for the specific seed, you can do that too if you want, but it is likely that it is not the same grass as the rest of your lawn. If you don't mind it looking bad and having different heights and water requirements and such, go for it. Far, far, far, far, far easier is to go to the local nursery - Nick's comes immediately to mind - with a small piece of turf and consume the product that matches your sample - likely much less money too.

Dan

One low water seed mix I found recently is the Cabin Mix at Wheatland West. It's designed to be used at cabins where it is left unwatered and unmowed. If it isn't watered or mowed, it will probably go dormant during the summer, but if you water occasionally and mow when it gets to 4 or 5 inches, it will probably stay green. It's a combination of sheep fescue, crested wheatgrass and streambank wheatgrass, so it will take very little water to keep it green.

You may want to consider dormant seeding if you don't want to water to get it to germinate. With dormant seeding, you wait until it is too cold to germinate and put the seed down. The snow and freeze/thaw cycles will help bring the seed into contact with the soil and when it warms up int he spring, the seed will germinate with the natural spring moisture.

Thanks you Bpgeen - those were just the kind of suggestions I was looking for. Have you ever used this seeding company you link me to "wheat landwest seed." It appears order this seed by filling out a form for them to contact you, is that how it works? If you use these people how long did it take to get you see by normal delivery if you use that? Also can I order enough seat now to do a patch as well as do this dormant seeding later? I am not aware of how long seed lasts.

bbmarc, We seeded with Kentucky 31 from Walmart, but it's an early season grass, meant to be sown in spring. It's a fescue blend and is a really nice grass. It's a little different than bluegrass, much more drought resistant but has that nice lawn look. I agree with Dan, though. If you're going to make the effort, why not do it right? Aerate your lawn and put some compost down before you overseed. But first find out what kind of grass you have and match it. It's going to look funky if you plant a different type of grass. I know because we have a patch of low rye grass at the edge of our fescue that's been in since way before I moved here, 20 plus years. The fescue can't out compete it. So we have our nice, tall, thick pretty fescue with a border that looks more like moss, different heights and color. We don't have neighbors and aren't within 3 miles of an HOA (thank you lord, I'd be in trouble all the time)! Good luck!

Our HOA doesn't know what to do with us and respond to us gape-jawed most of the time. Still haven't turned in my request/plans/Photoshop to replace treelawn turf with a xeric bed, but that's coming soon...

Nonetheless, I'm reminded of one of my favorite phrases: "there's never enough time and money to do it right the first time, but there's always enough time and money to do it right the second time."

Dan

Well in regard to the post by treebarb I have been in trouble with the homeowners association more than I would like to mention but not over grass except this last time. I have about 4 x 4 yards of Kentucky bluegrass in the corner near my mailbox. That patch or whatever you call it met the homeowners association requirements even though it doesn't look anything like the rest of the lawn. I certainly don't want to do my entire lawn in Kentucky bluegrass. I may consider pulling out that patch eventually. I really liked the dormant seeding suggestion above them looked on these forums for thread where people were talking more about it but as of now I haven't found a thread in our rocking Mountain regional forum. Consequently yesterday I did a post on Dormant seeding -- Now in the north? thread. I am wondering if somebody here good luck at the link I have just given an answer my question either here or there. I would certainly appreciate that. Does anybody know of a dormant seeding thread for this region? My search didn't yield anything.

Treebarb--you like K31 fescue? I think it's kind of ugly. Wide bladed and clumpy, grows faster than the other grasses, etc. It is very hardy, though. I suppose if it's seeded by itself, it wouldn't stick out so much, but I'm not a fan.

Bbmarc--I gave them a call and talked with them for a while. They're less than 10 miles away from me, so my plan was to drive up there. But when I talked to the guy on the phone, he was really interested in what I'm doing with my lawn and the fact that I'm using more western wheatgrass, so he wants to see my lawn. When he calls to come by, I'll order the seed I want and he'll bring it with him.

I think if I were you, I'd give them a call, explain what you're doing and tell them that you think the cabin mix will fit your needs and then order over the phone. That way, if it's not really a good choice for you, they can tell you and maybe suggest something different.

If you don't want grass there, why not put something else in? Lay down some landscape fabric and cover with colored gravel or bark and throw in a few bushes or flowers. No grass to mess with but it will still look attractive. Some bushes are quite drouth hardy once established, such as junipers, so you really wouldn't have to water them much in your climate, either.

"If you don't want grass there, why not put something else in? "

Three letters. HOA.