To ensure the best results, please avoid walking on the lawn as much as possible and limit heavy traffic for 6-8 weeks after the service. Foot traffic significantly decreases the percentage of seeds that germinate properly.

Grass seed will be applied using a chest spreader, Humate will be applied with a push spreader, and Rain Maker will be applied with a hand spreader. During the grass seed application, the distribution will not be uniform. We will apply more seed to bare areas, less seed to thin areas, and only a small amount to thick areas. Our goal is to create a lawn that is dense, thick, and even.

Post-emergent weed control is best applied at least one week before overseeding or two weeks after. However, since each weed control product is different, it is essential to read the label of the weed killer before applying it to your lawn.

Different types of grass seeds germinate at various times. Ryegrass typically germinates in about 9 days, Fescue takes around 16 days, and Bluegrass requires approximately 22 days to germinate. Additionally, it’s important to ensure that the soil remains adequately moist, as the seeds will not germinate without sufficient moisture.

The lawn needs to be watered daily for four to six weeks. We recommend watering for 10 minutes with rotary and MP rotator nozzles, and 2 to 4 minutes with pop-up nozzles. Additionally, continue watering deeply according to the 1-2-3-2-1 technique. This means that the lawn will be watered deeply for 1 or 2 days per week, while on the remaining 5 or 6 days, it will receive a lighter watering.

Setting up a sprinkler system for seeding can be complicated, and Organo-Lawn will only guarantee seed germination if Organo-Lawn programs the clock to water correctly.

All of our grass seed types are visually appealing, featuring vibrant colors and a soft texture.

Best Choice – Emerald III consists of 33.3% Jaguar II Turf-Type Tall Fescue, 33.3% Mustang Turf-Type Tall Fescue, and 33.3% Rebel II Turf-Type Tall Fescue. Emerald III is tough and durable, able to withstand low mowing heights, hot weather, and extreme drought with limited watering. It adapts well to moist soils and recovers quickly from heavy foot traffic, performing well in both sunny and shady areas.

Good Choice – Supreme contains 70% Kentucky Bluegrass (Allblue blend), 20% Perennial Ryegrass (Four-Play), and 10% Creeping Red Fescue. This blend has a deep green color, excellent wear resistance, good disease resistance, and winter hardiness; however, it requires more water and frequent mowing. Many people are attracted to bluegrass for its aesthetic appeal.

For Low Maintenance Areas – Ecological includes 20% Hard Fescue, 20% Chewing’s Fescue, 20% Creeping Red Fescue, 25% Kentucky Bluegrass, and 15% Perennial Ryegrass. This mix establishes quickly, creating a dense and low-growing turf that requires less mowing. It has a fine texture, thrives in open sun, and offers good shade and drought tolerance. Additionally, it tolerates poor soil conditions and low fertility but is not recommended for high-traffic areas or athletic fields.

To achieve the best results after seeding, it’s crucial to wait at least 10 days to two weeks before mowing. When it’s time to mow, remember to set your mower to the highest setting to protect your newly grown grass.

Top seeding aims to fill in small gaps and help establish young grass in an older, thinning lawn. With proper watering, only about 50-80% of the applied grass seeds will germinate. Therefore, a second application may be necessary for lawns that are particularly thin.

Fertilizer decreases grass seed germination. Typical rates are 50%-80%. With fertilizer, rates decrease to 10%-40%, as this can overstimulate new seed.

In our opinion.  Emerald III Turf Type Tall Fescue is the perfect grass variety for Colorado lawns. It features a fine texture, a rich dark green color, and a dense, uniform turf that resembles Bluegrass in quality. Emerald III is tough and durable, exhibiting cold tolerance and the ability to withstand low mowing heights. Once established, it requires less fertilization and thrives in hot weather, making it suitable for drought conditions with limited watering. This grass type recovers well from foot traffic and heavy use. It performs admirably in full shade and possesses a wide range of adaptability and pH tolerance. Additionally, it is highly drought- and disease-resistant, making it an ideal choice for Colorado. Notably, two of the three seed cultivars received a #1 rating in their respective categories in 2006.

Yes, you can apply Emerald III over a Bluegrass lawn. However, you might notice a slight difference between the two grass types. Emerald III has a wider blade and a deeper green color. While most people don’t recognize the difference, lawn experts may be able to spot the subtle variations between the two types of grass.

Emerald III is a type of turf tall fescue known for its uniform growth, softness, and traditional lawn appearance. Emerald III is very aesthetically pleasing to the eye and soft of the feet.  In contrast, the unimproved tall fescue that many people consider problematic tends to grow in clumps, feels stiff to the touch, and exhibits an irregular growth pattern.

Once established, an Emerald III lawn requires about one-third less water compared to Bluegrass lawns.

In Colorado, selecting sod is the most effecient way to create a beautiful lawn. Bluegrass is usually the grass of choice because it can be easily harvested and rolled, making installation straightforward and efficient. In contrast, tall fescue, which is known for its clumping growth habit, cannot be rolled into sod strips, complicating the installation process. As a result, seeding is the preferred method for achieving a lush tall fescue lawn. This is why you will predominantly find bluegrass blends in sod rolls throughout the region. Since fescue can only be seeded, most landscape companies install bluegrass sod to provide instant results even though fescue is a better grass type for Colorado.

It is most likely because the bluegrass under your shade tree does not receive enough sunlight per day.  Bluegrass needs a lot more direct sunlight to stay healthy than fescue grasses.

1. Lack of Sunlight

• Bluegrass Needs Light: Kentucky bluegrass requires about 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily to thrive. Under a shade tree, sunlight is often blocked, preventing photosynthesis.
• Dense Canopy: A dense tree canopy can further reduce light penetration, especially during the growing season.

2. Competition for Resources

• Tree Roots vs. Grass Roots: Tree roots compete with grass for water, nutrients, and space. Large, established trees typically win this competition, leaving grass stressed.
• Nutrient Deficiency: The shade tree might be absorbing most of the available nutrients in the soil, starving the grass.

3. Soil Compaction

• Overwatering: Most people overwater underneath trees and this creates severe compaction in the soil.

4. Species Mismatch

• Bluegrass Struggles in Shade: Kentucky bluegrass is not well-suited for shaded environments. It prefers sunny, open spaces and may fail to thrive under a tree.  Fescue is a much better choice for shade areas.

Solutions to Revive Grass Under Your Shade Tree

1. Increase Light Availability:
   • Trim or thin the tree canopy to allow more sunlight to reach the grass.
2. Choose Shade-Tolerant Grass:
   • Replace bluegrass with shade-tolerant species like fine fescue or tall fescue.
3. Improve Soil Conditions:
   • Aerate the soil to reduce compaction and improve root access to water and nutrients.
   • Add a thin layer of compost to enrich the soil.
4. Adjust Watering Practices:
   • Water deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth for both grass and trees.
5. Apply Mulch Around the Tree:
   • Replace grass near the tree trunk with mulch to reduce competition and create a neat aesthetic.
6. Reduce Foot Traffic:
   • Minimize activity under the tree to reduce soil compaction.
7. Consider Alternative Landscaping:
   • Replace grass with shade-loving ground covers like hostas, ivy, or moss in extreme cases.

Unimproved tall fescue grass is a clump-forming variety, which means it grows in uneven patches that can look unattractive. This type of tall fescue can be rough to walk on and lacks visual appeal. In contrast, turf-type tall fescue is an improved variety that is more aesthetically pleasing and softer underfoot.