We are in the process of building our cabin, and wanted to plant a little
over 1.25 acres of Kentucky blue on a portion of the remaining land. The
soil is of the sandy type, and we are located in southern Oregon at around
4500 ft. The property originally had pine trees and sage brush. Some of the
pines remain, but I have rough graded the property to rid it of the sage and
tree stumps. We are not expecting to move in until the fall of '04, so we
have time to do everything right.

If any, what would you recommend as a topsoil combination? Best and most
efficient way of smoothing out the rough grade, so no there are no abrupt
changes throughout the lawn? Sod, seed, or hydroseed? Best time of year to
plant? Any other tips that would be beneficial?

Thanks in advance.

John wrote:

We are in the process of building our cabin, and wanted to plant a little
over 1.25 acres of Kentucky blue on a portion of the remaining land. The
soil is of the sandy type, and we are located in southern Oregon at around
4500 ft. The property originally had pine trees and sage brush. Some of the
pines remain, but I have rough graded the property to rid it of the sage and
tree stumps. We are not expecting to move in until the fall of '04, so we
have time to do everything right.

If any, what would you recommend as a topsoil combination? Best and most
efficient way of smoothing out the rough grade, so no there are no abrupt
changes throughout the lawn? Sod, seed, or hydroseed? Best time of year to
plant? Any other tips that would be beneficial?

Thanks in advance.

You might be better off with a blend of various grass seeds rather than relying
solely on Kentucky bluegass. Kentucky bluegrass is not ideally suited to the
west side of the Cascades, although southern Oregon may be more to its liking.
It requires high fertility (a rich soil base and regular fertilizing) and
frequent summer irrigation to perform well. It takes several years to establish,
during which time it is frequently overrun with other, more weedy and less
desireable grasses.

Check with your local extension office or the OSU horticultural sites for
recommendations for your area. Both spring and fall are ideal times to start a
new lawn in our climate and the method you choose depends on how quickly you
want the lawn to fill in and the $$ you have to spend - seed is cheap, sod and
hydroseeding significantly more expensive. All require the same preparation.

Here's a couple of links that might help:
http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/ga.../westlawn.html
http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/garden/Lawn/


HTH
pam - gardengal
PNW, zone 8

This site sounds like an excellent opportunity to grow native Amercian
prairie grasses. And between now and Fall, 2004, you have time for the
stand to get established. I would like to ask you to give this some
consideration.

With native prairie grasses, you would have to do little to your soil
and the graases in turn would do wonders in improving it for you. =


Last week, I seeded a 1/3 acre with 4 pounds of blended native prairie
grass mix. It is exciting to see a prairie become established and to see
the homeowner conservationally conscious.

Native American grass establishment is a small way we can work towards
remnant restoration of what our land was like prior to the Europeans
comimg over and settling on it.

I have provided you with some priairie planting links:

http://www.ionxchange.com/planting_instructions.htm =

http://www-ed.fnal.gov/help/prairie/..._Res/iden.html
http://www.celestialhabitats.com/tn_Dscn0880.jpg
http://www.celestialhabitats.com/tn_Dscn0921.jpg =

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Pag...e/AL2001/alma=
r01.html
http://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/mg...ting_guide.htm
http://www.uni.edu/irvm/web/start.html
http://www.eih.uh.edu/coastalcenter/ - this gorgeous pictures were taken
at the Houston Coastal Center and it is one of the few last true
remaining prairies left today.
http://www.npsoregon.org/ - Native Plant Society of Oregon. They prbably
have a chapter near you.
http://www.npsoregon.org/chap/chap.htm

I have many contacts who are prairie experts in the Gulf Coast area. If
you need any information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Let me know your decision.

Sincerely,

J. Kolenovsky
VP, Houston chapter, Native Plant Society of Texas
http://www.celestialhabitats.com

John wrote:
=

We are in the process of building our cabin, and wanted to plant a litt=
le
over 1.25 acres of Kentucky blue on a portion of the remaining land. Th=
e
soil is of the sandy type, and we are located in southern Oregon at aro=
und
4500 ft. The property originally had pine trees and sage brush. Some of=
the
pines remain, but I have rough graded the property to rid it of the sag=
e and
tree stumps. We are not expecting to move in until the fall of '04, so =
we
have time to do everything right.
=

If any, what would you recommend as a topsoil combination? Best and mos=
t
efficient way of smoothing out the rough grade, so no there are no abru=
pt
changes throughout the lawn? Sod, seed, or hydroseed? Best time of year=
to
plant? Any other tips that would be beneficial?
=

Thanks in advance.

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - commercial
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html

This is the 1/3 acre that I seeded last week with native American
grasses:

http://www.celestialhabitats.com/tn_Dscn0880.jpg
http://www.celestialhabitats.com/tn_Dscn0921.jpg

I ordered my seed from http://www.seedsource.com (Native American Seed).
Excellent seed!

Sincerely,

J. Kolenovsky
VP, Houston chapter, Native Plant Society of Texas
http://www.celestialhabitats.com


John wrote:

=

We are in the process of building our cabin, and wanted to plant a litt=
le
over 1.25 acres of Kentucky blue on a portion of the remaining land. Th=
e
soil is of the sandy type, and we are located in southern Oregon at aro=
und
4500 ft. The property originally had pine trees and sage brush. Some of=
the
pines remain, but I have rough graded the property to rid it of the sag=
e and
tree stumps. We are not expecting to move in until the fall of '04, so =
we
have time to do everything right.
=

If any, what would you recommend as a topsoil combination? Best and mos=
t
efficient way of smoothing out the rough grade, so no there are no abru=
pt
changes throughout the lawn? Sod, seed, or hydroseed? Best time of year=
to
plant? Any other tips that would be beneficial?
=

Thanks in advance.

-- =

J. Kolenovsky, A+, Network +, MCP
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.celestialhabitats.com - commercial
=F4=BF=F4 - http://www.hal-pc.org/~garden/personal.html