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Old 03-02-2003, 09:09 AM
Warren
 
Posts: n/a
Default Scott's and Marathon on same lawn-need help

Me wrote:
Thanks for your response Warren. I live in the foothills of Los

Angeles, in
the San Fernando Valley.
The lawn is 90% marathon, which seems to be a popular brand around

here. I'm
a new homeowner and learning as I go along.
I want the lawn to be 100% marathon.

According to the Marthon box, it says
Variety:
Hubbard 87 Tall Rescue Purity (64.91) and Germ (90%)
(Turf Type)
Baja Tall Fescue (34.95) and Germ (90%)
(Turf Type)


The Scott's box says
88.70% Gulf Annual Ryegrass Germ (90%)
9.00% Shining Star perennial ryegrass Germ (90%)
1.3% other cropp seed
.7% inert matter
.3% weed seed

Hopefully that gives you the information.


Ryegrass will generally grow faster than fescue, but in the long run,
the fescue will take over, especially if you *don't* fertilize. The
fescue is slower growing, but stores more in it's root system than
ryegrass. While you'll need to water a lot initially for the new grass
to become established, after the first year avoid even hinting at
overwatering during the dryer months. When the rains come again, the
fescue will come back stronger than the ryegrass. It may take three to
five years, but eventually you won't notice the patch as much. But if
you're looking for it, and know where to look, you'll still be able to
see it.

Of course you could tear-out the patch of ryegrass, and re-seed with the
fescue. The patch won't be as hardy as the established lawn for a year,
or maybe two. You may also need to do more weeding, as the ryegrass
won't be there to choke out the weeds while the fescue is establishing
itself.

Or a third route you could go is to add ryegrass seed to the rest of the
lawn, and fescue seed to the patch of ryegrass, and overseed both areas
with a mix next year. The right combination of ryegrass and fescue will
have the diversity to handle different conditions. At different times of
the year one or the other grass may dominate.

Lawns are hard to maintain. Things are much easier if the lawn is just
the space between various beds. Then it doesn't matter as much what mix
of grass you have as long as you keep the edges trimmed. If you've got
kids that need a big yard to play in, you can go with whatever mix will
regrow fast, and take some wear, but you'll never have that polished
look to the lawn.

I get the feeling that since this patch is of such concern that you want
a big, even looking lawn. If so, you will want to start doing research
on lawn care. Different types of grasses have different preferences in
water, fertilizing, and mowing. You can also face a big challenge if
part of the lawn is always in bright sunlight, and other parts are
usually in shade. In many ways, caring for a large lawn is harder than
caring for large garden areas, and is almost always more expensive
water-wise.

I would also suggest that you study up on fertilizing. Using too much
fertilizer eventually affects the streams in your area, and using "weed
and feed" instead of just plain fertilizer is also a waste of chemicals
that eventually end up in the streams.

There's a lot involved in caring for a lawn, and you won't be satisfied
with your results if you just go blindly forward. (Well, maybe you'll
get lucky, but the odds are against it.) So if you really want that
perfect lawn, start reading. (And don't take anything at face value,
either. Read enough and you'll find conflicting opinions on everything.)

And stop looking at brand names. The company that put stuff in the bag
is almost always irrelevant. It's what's in the bag that counts.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.