Don't skimp on the seed. You will regret it. You can go with cheap fertilizer and be a-okay.

What tools do you need? Do you have a sprayer? Rake?

 

I think seed is perhaps the only place where I would not compromise. It doesn't have to be gold tag but as long as its 0.0% weed and other crop I would be happy using it. Spend the money there. It wont be much.

For 5k you need 10-15 pounds of bluegrass seed or 40lbs info TTTF. You will see the price is closer than you think. It depends on what you like.

The other major cost is tenacity but you can split with someone to decrease cost. Starter fertilizers are not expensive especially straight fertilizers. Your tenacity will be your preemergent.

Peat moss bills can go astronomical depending on how you spread it cost more than the seed but only a light covering is needed.

 

When do you plan on seeding? I think a lot of people make the mistake of seeding too late when they hear the word Fall. Late Summer is likely more accurate for the Northeast and much of the midwest. I would try to get your seed down before end of August, if possible, especially if planting KBG.

*edit* for my terrible spelling and grammar

 

If it's 2 weeks until you're graded, you are very tight for time, and this allows no time for fallow+roundup.

Rye might be your only choice this year.

 

When do you plan on seeding? I think a lot of people make the mistake of seeding too late when they here the word Fall. Late Summer is likely more accurate for the Northeast and much of the midwest. I would try to get your seed down before end of August, if possible, especially is plant KBG.

EXACTLY,

I see people all over the facebook pages in michigan and other NE locations that are waiting until the end of september to drop seed. I cringe, because our first frost date is early october usually. It will be very hard for an overseed that started late september to be established by then end of october without getting hit with a frost

 

I will be seeding on Sept 3rd or 4th. I know it's later than ideal, but I'll need to put something down. I'm leaning towards something like this or this, and then over seeding with more bluegrass next spring and again in late summer. Our first frost is normally mid October, so I would have about 6 weeks.

I might rent a peat moss spreader, but I have a sprayer, rake, and broadcast spreader.

Would it be worth it to get something like Soil Moist Seed Coat or Hydretain to help keep the seed wet or is peat moss / ez-straw plenty?

 

Don't get the second one. Has chewings and red fescue. Not great grass choices.

First one will be fine. I wouldn't overseed with KBG. Germination time is too long and the existing grass out competes the new seedlings.

Timing is what it is. Totally understand.

 

The first has CRF in it, too.

@Krispers Curious what attracted you to those mixes. Something specific about your property?

 

The first has CRF in it, too.

@Krispers Curious what attracted you to those mixes. Something specific about your property?

Price? I don't know but that site should be ashamed of themselves. Those pictures are awful.

 

@gm560 After looking through a few dozen mixes from different companies, those ones had great prices, some KBG, and no Tall Fescue. All of which appealed to me. Since my front yard is shaded for most of the day, I thought a sun & shade mix would make things easier, and all of them that I have seen have some type of Fescue in them. Here are a couple others that I looked at for my front yard: SeedSuperStore, Hancock, Natureseed

Is there something better I should be looking for?

 

Do they give you an analysis on those mixes? I couldn't find one, but if there's any weed seed or "other crop" or noxious weed seed... you're going to spend more money on post emergent control of those weeds than just ponying up for a 0% mix. I would spend a good amount of your budget on seed and based on your location you have a lot of options. For the front yard you have just enough sunlight make most grass work. Almost any of the GCI Turf blends will work except the Bermuda Heat Wave. If you don't like TTTF, KBG is going to be your ticket, but I think a mix with Mazama *** will work well, especially in the front yard. If it were my $500 to spend, my first purchase would be this.

What I like about this mix is the Mazama. In the front lawn, it's going to thrive in the shade and take over where the others might fall short. The fine fescue will also do well there. For the backyard it's still going to do well, but the PRG is going to give you rapid germination and then the KBGs will takeover. The fine fescue won't succeed as much back there, but those KBG blends are going to thrive.