John Andrews Gardening Thoughts

It is late summer. Time to overseed the lawn. Keep in mind my lawn is huge in the back and OK in the front. I picked up 50 lbs of Pennington Kentucky 31 grass seed the other day at Sam's Club. 50 lbs does not cover the full lawn, but it will do the front and a good part of the rear. The front is reseeded over the crab grass and foxtails and other noxious weeds. There is new fertilizer on the front, too. The remainder of the grass seed was spread on the back where the weeds were obvious and around the perimeter of the lawn and around the tree mulched areas. This should give a better look to the edges of the lawn in the spring. The crab grass will die in the winter and the new grass should replace it. With new grass in place and proper fertilizer it should grow thick enough to shade the crab grass seed and at least slow the growth of the dreadful stuff.

In other work, I have some new plants to put at the end of the sun room. The sun room is the addition to the house and the end generally faces southwest. I am digging up the bed in preparation to planting the area. I have to do this to remove the deeply rooted bermuda grass in this area. Remember, this area used to be the main lawn. I am sifting all the soil and removing the rizhomes by hand. I made a sifter by nailing some chicken wire to some 2x6 board pieces that hang over the sides of the garden cart. The soil in placed into the sifter and broken up to find the bermuda grass. Then the soil only is replaced. I am putting dog food into the dirt to feed the worms. Still trying that trick. More on this later.