Lawn Seeding/Crabgrass preventer

[pops02]

Its getting to be that time of year again, and as usuall im clueless about the steps to take first. Any help would be apprectiated. I would like to overseed my lawn this year, but i need to apply crab grass preventer as well. Would i want to overseed first, let the seed germinate, and then apply the crabgrass preventer, and if yes, when should i overseed.......or, do i apply the crabgrass preventer first, which i assume will have to be one that i can use while reseeding, wait some time, and then overseed the lawn ? How long will it take the seed to germinate ? If its 4 or 5 weeks, then im thinking if i overseed first, then i would have to do it around the beginning of April, to be able to get the crabgrass preventer down in time to be effective.......Again, any help would be appreciated.

[Raven]

get some grass seed and experiment with it....

you can get grass seed to spout anywhere in three days....
the secret is to pre-germinate it...

thats what those big green spraying hydroseed companies do
and you can do it on a smaller scale...

you can soak it and then after the seed swells you can dry
out small batches on a window screen ....until it's just able to
distribute again ...the vitamin b1 root stimulant
(1 or 2 drops per gallon increases root growth by 100 times normal



) then it's already growing....ready to take root.
thats real good for small area's....

large area's you have to use the traditional spreader....but " if " your
having to many crab grasses then grow your lawn taller to shade
out the crab grasses easily ....til they've lost the battle....
then you can start cutting it.... shorter and shorter.

[Goose]

As you may already know crab grass preventer does not kill crab grass it kills crab grass seed and that includes grass seed too. If you lay your seed in soil that previously had crab grass then your results of seeding grass will be over run with crab grass when summer comes. This is what I suggest and it involves a little labor for best results. Scape that top layer getting up as much lose material as possible, then apply crab grass preventer, then spread about 2" of loam then seed as you normaly would. If you think you gave a big job on your hands then rent a thatcher and lower the machine so that it cultivates the soil, then remove lose material (grass, roots rocks ect.) again lay down preventer then fresh soil and seed...that also includes starter fertizer, rolling it firm & watering. I would wait till may.