Get the most out of seeding your lawn

The best time of the year for seeding lawns started last week and it runs until Oct. 15. You can prevent problems and get the most from your seed investment if you consider some of the jargon involved.

Blend:

A package of grass seed composed of multiple varieties of a single species of grass. Two examples are Winning Colors and The Rebels, both of which are tall fescue blends.

Germination:

Development and growth of a young turf grass plant from a seed.

Germination rate:

This data is found on the package of seed and it should indicate a germination test within the past year. The minimum rates you want to see on the seed label are 85 percent for tall fescue, 75 percent for Kentucky bluegrass and 90 percent for perennial ryegrass.

Inert matter:

The amount of it in a bag of seed is listed on the label. Included are stones, stems, dirt and other unavoidable contaminants introduced in the seed production process.

Mixture:

A package of grass seed composed of multiple species of grasses. An example is 90 percent tall fescue and 10 percent bluegrass, the mixture I routinely recommend for lawns in partial to full sun.

Nitrogen:

A major plant nutrient essential for leafy growth and dense grass. Try to go easy on nitrogen fertilizer at planting time because the germinating seeds could be burned by excessive amounts.

Other crop seed:

Seed labels mention other crop or simply crop seed, which is just another name for weed seeds. It may include orchardgrass, which is a valuable forage species in a pasture but not exactly what you want sprouting among your new tall fescue plants.

Phosphate:

Another nutrient often used at planting time. Along with nitrogen, it is a prime cause of water pollution where applied improperly.

Renovation:

Improvement of an existing lawn through liming, fertilizing, weed control, cultivation and over-seeding. Renovation sometimes extends to killing all vegetation, including lawn grasses, in an effort to eradicate wiregrass or similarly tenacious perennial weeds.

Seeding rate:

The amount to plant per 1,000 square feet is 8 pounds for tall fescue, 3 pounds for Kentucky bluegrass and 5 pounds for perennial ryegrass.

Sodding:

Planting an area with pieces of sod to get an instant lawn. This practice is gaining in popularity but it remains more expensive than growing a lawn from seed.

Starter fertilizer:

A fertilizer product with a low nitrogen and moderate phosphate content. A common example is 5-10-10.

Straw mulch:

Where irrigation is not possible, a light covering of straw is helpful. The amount to use is one and a half to two bales of straw per 1,000 square feet, and it can be carefully raked out of the new grass when it is two inches tall. Some straw has more weed seeds than other straw, so be careful about the straw you use.