Thanks for watching!! Be sure to LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE to be notified of new content. Note that this video is part of a 6-video playlist detailing every step to this point. You can find that playlist here: th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
Loved the video. Saw a lot of videos correcting their method on this one. First 24 hours straight soak after that its re "soak" the bag and change the water don't totally submerge in water for days under water. Bout to attempt this myself and loved this thanks about the Milo info!
You're one of my favorite in lawn caring education. Plus you reply to our comments. Very personable approach with your viewers. It means the world to us. Thank you, Vince. God Bless you and family!
@@TheLawngineer How many days did it take for the pre germinated grass to start showing. did you say you soaked the seed for 3 days.. you wouldnt happen to have any video of the grass seed after that amount of time. curious as to if the radicle was starting to come out of the seed
@@ultratec1 I just went through all my photos on my phone... the time between throwing down the pre-germinated seed and the results I show was from October 16th to November 5th, 2020. I don’t have any in between photos. But it was a 3-week period and things looked pretty thick on November 5th compared to October 16th. Hope this helps.
Just did this with some cheap Pennington KBG. Soaked for 5 days, mixed with Milorganite, spread it out and 7 days later I got peach fuzz action!!! Omg this saved me at least 2 weeks of watering 3-5x day. This was a full renovation so my wife is starting to ask how long will the front yard look like arse. Couple more weeks then add more steroids to the lawn.
Put the scale on a hard surface. Soft surfaces and the scale can’t register the weight on the top. Could maybe have been something under one of the feet too. Just looking out. Super awesome video. Thanks for sharing the info and taking the time.
I did by mixing the seed in lawn soil adding root hormone and fertilizer . didnt have to change water germinated in 3 days just threw the soil dowd in the bald spots and voila 2 weeks later done
Looks great. My KBG has really thickened up in the last couple weeks. I cant wait to try out some DCM products next season and go on a turf plan with peach country tractor.
looks awesome man, I was researching something similar to this for filling in patches and saw you had a video similar. I'm hoping I don't have any bad bald spots in my spring renovation I'm doing but if I do ill be fixing it with a very similar method.
Ever tried to pregerminate zoysia seed ? If so is it any different other than harder to germinate seeds ? I'm going to buy a small bad and kill off grass in one area regardless because seed is cheaper this way and if I fail then its $26 down the drain.
I wish there way to get a slight improvement on my lawn with a tiny budget.... maybe one day you could put together a video on how to improve your lawn on a super tight budget... we don't need perfect lawns, but better would be nice! Just too many bare spots and different weeds growing throughout...
When you get to using the spreader, do you set the spreader like you are just spreading milorganite or do you bump it up a notch to account for the seed mixed in?
You might be interested in the entire playlist leading up to this point. This was last season at the “Project Lawn”. th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
@@anthonykontos7931 thank you so much! And thanks for commenting on the videos! I really like to encourage discussion and want to learn together. I don’t claim to be a professional, but an experienced DIY lawn care enthusiast.
After you put down the pre-derminated seed did you have to continue to water and if so how much how often or are you able to do it less due to the pre-germination
Yes, we did the best we could given our situation with watering at this location. You still have to water, but the seeds are pretty much sprouted. We got lucky with some rain that finally came in. But the reason we pre-germinated in the first place was to reduce that initial watering to constantly keep the seed moist. After we threw down the seed, I told the homeowner to only focus on watering these bare spots. Another thing that helped has been the foggy mornings we’ve been getting.
hey there! I'm planning on pre germinating for an overseeding project but also need to do some leveling - I was planning on using a 50/50 topsoil to manure mix + milorganite to spread the seed - is that a good mix or do you think I'll need some starter fert in there? I was thinking the manure would help w/ that
I would recommend getting a soil test to know exactly what nutrients you need. The Milo and manure is a natural fertilizer and you might be OK with that. But you could benefit from some additional phosphorus for root development.
Love your videos. In this instance, wouldn’t it have been beneficial to top dress w compost to equal out the lawn? Then w the seed growth, the lawn wouldn’t have those low spots? I’m still learning but have seen many guys top dress. Plus it adds a ton of organic nutrients
Thanks for watching!! So this video was the final video of a 6-part series that I put together last year. We had issues with watering which led to the use of pre-germinated seed in this video, but prior to this, we did do an initial overseeding with peat moss (compost works too). Here is the entire playlist if you’d like to check it out: th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
You kind of got to feel it out. The seed and Milorganite stick together in clumps. So the spreader will need to be a bit wider open than just spreading the Milo on its own.
I don’t remember the spreader setting, but was probably on a higher setting like 11 or 12 for this Scott’s spreader. Most important thing is to throw it down evenly. So if you are unsure, start on a lower setting and make multiple passes until you’ve emptied everything out evenly.
I have another question for you when you pre-terminate and I understand you change the water every 12 hours I got that but what benefits if any what it have if you put like RGS or something like that in each water that you change would that soak into the seed and help as well or do you think not?
I’m not sure if that would have any benefit. RGS is more of a soil conditioner that helps chelate the nutrients in the soil to make them available for plant uptake. The seed does not take on any nutrients before it germinates, so I don’t think it will do anything.
Just looking for Clarity on the germinating process. If you were planting Kentucky bluegrass, you would submerged and soak the seed in water continuously for 5 days. However, every 12 hours you dump out the old water and give it new freshwater, and keep it continuously soaking, is that right?
@TheLawngineer I recently tried that exact process with tall fescue, soaking it continuously but changing the water out every 12 hours with new fresh water. The seed never showed signs of sprouting even after 5 days. Could this be because I did this in my garage and the temperature's were sometimes below 50 degrees?
I've tried this method for 3 days and 5 days on Scott sun/shade seed, but no pre-germination (used paint strainer cloth). Tried the similar method of 24hr soak with dipping every 12 hrs and no pre-germination. Changed out water every 12 hrs. Even bought another same seed bag to try. I did only use a large handful of seeds for each attempt, shouldn't matter tho. Any reason to think it shouldn't work with Scott sun/shade seeds? It does grow when planted regular method.
@@TheLawngineer I started using some plastic containers to transfer the seeds into with soil and fert as it would be on the ground to monitor. There is no reduced time for germination, in fact it is longer and lower success. I even tried warm water in the bucket inside the house to keep a more consistent temp and no joy. I've seen lots of vids on the processes, so I'm not sure what is lacking.
Scotts coats the seed in their 4in1 water smart plus coating. This absorbs water and dissolves when it is in soil. For pre germination you need to use uncoated seed.
@@RedBoneCoonHound47 Thanks for the reply and want to know more please.... --So what exactly is going wrong in the process, is the coating making it absorb too much water thus hurting the seed? --The coating seems to come off after a few rinses, but is that not soon enough?
I don’t remember. But you kind of got to feel it out. Keep in mind the mixture of wet seed with the Milo creates some clumping. So the spreader needs to be a bit wider open than what you might be used to spreading Milo on its own.
I noticed you used Tenacity with Sedgehammer. By putting down the sedge does it work as a pre emergent to prevent/reduce the amount of sedge that appears in June/July?
To my knowledge, no... Sedgehammer does not provide pre-emergent control. And Tenacity’s pre-emergent control does not last long. I still plan on doing a pre-emergent with prodiamine in the spring.
@@TheLawngineer I was just wondering because I wouldn't think there wouldnof been any visible sedge in the lawn in this video. I actually asked that question the other day wondering if there was a way to attack the sedge prior to it growing in mid summer. Very difficult to eliminate. Easy to kill but more of a nuisance.
Would you use this seed again reason I ask is I'm driving to Florida from Virginia in 2 weeks and I'm really thinking about getting a 50 pound of the triple threat plus for my fall overseeding project.
Do you think this method would work with a slit seeder (the tines push the seed into the ground) or would the ratio of milorganite to seed be too high? I want to overseed my existing lawn to increase the percentage of KBG.
I’m not sure. I’ve never used a slit seeder. My initial concern would be that the Milorganite may jam up the machine? If you don’t think it would jam things up, I would think it would be OK.
Hi There, everyone tells me you need to hard rake /till the ground and then add 1/8-1/4 inch of topsoil over seed but you seemed to have gotten away with just throwing seed on the ground. Is this true? Thanks!
Just following up on this... I did make a playlist that shows you everything I did from the very beginning to get to this point. It was a lot of work. I used an electric dethatcher, then I also used peat moss as a top dressing. Here is the complete playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
I don’t recall off the top of my head, but think it was pretty much wide open since the clumping of seed and Milo were a bit difficult to pass through the spreader openings.
I try to keep up with things as the grass is starting to fill in. Usually I’ll just take a handful of seed and gently walk over the newly seeded area. Trying to work as quickly as possible and reduce the amount of time I’m standing on the new grass.
Thanks for this video! I have to put down some Prodiamine this spring because of poa annua, but I also have to remove some poa trivialis and have to re-seed these spots. Do you see a chance making a pre-emergent and seeding work within only a couple of weeks by pre-germinating the seeds in my garage like you showed?
You might be able to use a product called tenacity in this scenario. Just be careful and read the label. You shouldn’t use Tenacity if you see that the seeds have cracked open and started to sprout. Tenacity can give up to 6 weeks of pre emergent control and allow grass seed to germinate. After that (when the grass is established), you can apply dithiopyr (dimension) in its liquid form to control any crabgrass that has emerged in its initial stages of development. It will also give you additional pre-emergent control.
Does tenacity keep poa annua from germinating? I keep hearing that it works on non grass seeds, but since it is an annual type grass would it allow poa annua to germinate?
Scotts sells a starter fertilizer with tenacity in it so it appears to be OK to use in these early stages. Why shouldn't I use tenacity if i see the seeds have cracked open and started to sprout. I dont want to mess this up... thank ;you. @@TheLawngineer
Great video. Thanks for the overview. I’m in Long Island NY and hoping it’s not too late for me to apply. Where else can Triple Threat be purchased? $50 for shipping is hard to swallow. Which alternative seed do you recommend? Thanks
I think it’s only offered by Southern Seeds. Check out Seedsuperstore.com or United Seeds. They should have some good alternatives that are ranked the best among drought and heat tolerant cultivars.
This was the bag the seed came in. You could find something similar on Amazon. See link below: www.amazon.com/dp/B0829VL1VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_TG8DPB1JK0XTP779H36D
@@TheLawngineer thanks. I subscribed. Poa Triv, what a nightmare. About to kill a section of my lawn then start over. Did hear Velocity was released again, but not to residential owners.
@@TheLawngineer Pulled up Heritage. Was it their Pleasantville store? I know it’s expensive. Looking for a small quantity. What size did you purchase and what was the cost. Have you tried it out on Poa T? So glad I found your TH-cam site! I’ve been battling this stuff for 4 years.
@@tedfinkenauer42 I purchased online. They just got the inventory in yesterday. 16 oz bottle… $533 😳. Will be my first time using it, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m happy to be the guinea pig if it results in helping others.
This bag is the same bag that the seed was shipped in. It’s a woven plastic bag that seems to be equivalent to a sandbag, or maybe even a bag used for shipping rice. They seem to be available on Amazon.
@@MrMurfle I would think something like this should work: TerraRight Sandbags - Extra Durable Empty Green Woven Polypropylene Sand Bags w/Ties, Max. UV Protection, 14" x 26" (10 Count) www.amazon.com/dp/B0829VL1VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_TG8DPB1JK0XTP779H36D
@@TheLawngineer Interesting. I would never have thought bags like this were really what I think of as permeable (i.e., put water in them and it leaks out fairly quickly). And especially a seed bag!
@@TheLawngineer I think I'll just try using a piece of cloth sheet. Any reason that wouldn't work? Actually, is there any necessity to use a bag at all?
@@TheLawngineer thanks for the reply. Wouldn’t the seeds already be germinating when you throw them down if you soak them prior?Or you could still throw tenacity down when you put the seeds down even if you pre germinated them? Sorry if that’s confusing
@@cill08 sorry for the confusion, I thought your question was more about the general use of Tenacity. I’d have to test it out for myself to know if you could do it. My guess would be that you’ll likely reduce the overall success rate of the grass rooting into the soil, but I’m not 100% sure. Perhaps if you apply the tenacity to the ground first, then apply the seed that was pre-soaked, but not yet germinated… you might have better success. Might be a good idea for a future video to test out.
The Milo helps so you can spread it through a traditional spreader. If you can find a way to mix it in the compost/soil evenly and spread it thin, that might work, but you don’t want it to be too thick and smother the seed.
Have you tried any Milorganite equivalents? Near me, there is a local waste water treatment plant that sells “Ocean Gro” which is identical to Milo. I know there is another up in Massachusetts that does the same.
Great content. I will use this video to overseed my yard this fall. How much starter fertilizer should be put down with this mix of milo and seed? Can you reco a starter fert to use?
The starter fertilizer will have a square footage on the bag. Use enough to cover your square footage. I just pick up whatever is at the big box store. Scott’s has one with a pre-emergent that’s safe for seeding. I talk about it in my latest video here: th-cam.com/video/ud26LPCxJWU/w-d-xo.html Good luck with your overseed and thanks for watching!
@@TheLawngineer So I can put the milo/seed mix down and then put a start fert right on top at the rate indicated on the bag? I guess I thought the starter fert would be put down at a lower rate given the milo. Thanks for the reply and for helping a newbie
@@brianmiller1229 it’s a lot of nitrogen for sure, but you won’t harm anything. Technically, you should have a soil test to determine your Phosphorus and Potassium needs. But from a nitrogen perspective, they are two separate sources of nitrogen. The starter fertilizer will give you a faster release of nitrogen. The Milorganite is a slower release.
@@TheLawngineer The seed (Black Beauty Ultra) has a seed rate of 1 lb per 400 sq. ft. the milo mixing chart seems to indicate 20lbs of milo to 5 lb of seed for 5k sq ft of coverage. Which rate would you follow? I assume the seed rate of 400 sq ft per 1 lb of seed or 2k of coverage. What do you think?
@@brianmiller1229 you can go heavier on the seed if you need to (and if you have enough of it). Might need to add more Milo to reduce clumping, but you can get a good feel for that as you are mixing the Milo and seed.
next time use a Sun Joe and run it both north / south then east/west on your lawn to rake up all of the crap off the soil and then run your mower on it to clean it up . Now water the ole lawn really good before applying your mix of seed n Milo
Hey, thanks for your video. I can't find any Milorganite anywhere in stock near my area or available for shipping. Is there an alternate you would recommend? I did find a bag of MOOrganite locally (last one left in stock). It seems similar (more organic). Do you think that would work?
@@TheLawngineer Killed my lawn and finished dethatching and scalping. Is there a recommendation for top soil for leveling? I am planning to use peat moss after seeding.
@@izumielliott2951 if you want to level, mason sand is the best if you have minor low spots. If you have deeper areas that need to be filled in, you can use screened fill dirt. You can use top-soil too. Just know that it contains a lot of organic material that will breakdown over time and result in low spots again in the future. Sand is the best for leveling… but also know that sand does not contain nutrients, so you’ll need to make sure you add the appropriate fertilizers.
@@TheLawngineer Done with seeding after soami_g them in water, and I am already seeing baby sprouts! We had rain and some seeds were washed away. A lot of them I can see on the surface. Should I go over with peat moss or top soil to cover the seeds?
@@nickwiarda4022 just be careful... you’ll get excellent weed pre-emergent control with the prodiamine on its own. If you are applying prodiamine, I’m assuming you are doing a blanket application. So sounds like you are using the tenacity for post emergent control? That’s fine, just know that it may bleach things for a while. Not sure what your grass type is, but I have PRG and tenacity bleaches everything for a good month.
@@hktrucker they will eat some, but won’t make a huge difference. Should be OK. If you are concerned, you can cover things up with a thin layer of top dressing like compost or peat moss. Or use a heavy lawn roller to press the seed into the soil. Or a combination of both rolling and top dressing.
Thanks for letting me know. I’m in Charlotte Metro area. I have another question, I am late to the game in the fall yard renovation and am planning to put down my tall fescue seed this weekend but the temps are expected to be in the mid 30s in a few days and it will jump back up after that. Is that an issues and will the mid 30s temps kill my newly sprouted seedlings?? I am pregerminating the same grass seed you have in the video and am 36 hrs in. Any advice on how to manage this situation?
@@davismeeks5557 you’re already all in if you started the pre-germination process. Throw it down and see what happens. What do the soil temps look like? That’s really the most important part. If the soil temps are starting to drop below 55 degrees, you might have some difficulty/slow growth. Cool season turf will check out completely at about 45 degrees.
Soil temps now are 65° but the seeds may sprout before a day of cold weather comes in next week, supposed to be mid 30s then it will warm back up… man I’m stressing lol
everytime I hear you say 5lb of seed to 20lb of milorganite I want to scream FRACTIONS!!! question, would 1lb of seed to 5lb of milorganite work as well?
Thank you! We focused watering on the bare spots. Got lucky with the weather and finally got some rain. Also, had a lot of foggy mornings that kept things damp almost all day.
great vid, but u didn't balance your blade after cutting, as you mite of have taken more metal on one side vs the other rite? how do you know if ur throwing the equilabrium off in the blade/motor....any reason y u didn't u moss to cover the seed mixture......and lastly , how long do u recommend soakin bermuda coated seeds in a bucket? thanks
Blade was balanced, just not filmed. We did not use top dressing this time around mostly due to cost since we had just put down about 20 bags of peat a few weeks before this video. We rolled the dice on that one. The recommendation for soaking is 3-5 days. I don’t know much about Bermuda seed, but sounds like it can take a longer time to germinate (7-14 days). So I would soak for 4 to 5 days.
@@TheLawngineer THANKS for ur reply. do u still hav to soak a coated 'blue' cover seed?and do you hav to put it in one of those bags, b/c i only have 1lb to use, wondering if i can just soak it str8 in a water bucket? and u nver told us where you can find the cheapest milogranite online? thanks!
@@mml1224 you won’t find Milo for cheap online. You are gonna pay a lot for shipping. Also, I’ve only pre-germinated the seed this one time. Never did it before this video. I wouldn’t think coated vs non-coated would make a difference. You don’t need to use this kind of bag either. Use whatever strains well for you.
nice content! doing this very project in the coming week, what are you thoughts on mixing the seed with soil/compost/peat moss and wetting it down. I've seen a few videos where guys do that method instead. Any reason to pick one over the other?
There are pros and cons for each. I like Peat moss for its moisture holding capacity. Compost is good, and contains nutrients… but make sure you are getting good quality compost. Soil is probably my least favorite because it’s the hardest to work with in terms of spreading it out. You can also use sand. Look up a product called Turfmend, it’s the same concept. You’d basically be making that yourself in a sense. Good luck!
Thanks for watching!! Be sure to LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE to be notified of new content. Note that this video is part of a 6-video playlist detailing every step to this point. You can find that playlist here: th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
Loved the video. Saw a lot of videos correcting their method on this one. First 24 hours straight soak after that its re "soak" the bag and change the water don't totally submerge in water for days under water. Bout to attempt this myself and loved this thanks about the Milo info!
You're one of my favorite in lawn caring education. Plus you reply to our comments. Very personable approach with your viewers. It means the world to us. Thank you, Vince. God Bless you and family!
Thanks for the kind message Kerry!! Really appreciate it! Anytime you have a question, please let me know! I’ll try my best to help out!
@@TheLawngineer How many days did it take for the pre germinated grass to start showing. did you say you soaked the seed for 3 days.. you wouldnt happen to have any video of the grass seed after that amount of time. curious as to if the radicle was starting to come out of the seed
@@ultratec1 I just went through all my photos on my phone... the time between throwing down the pre-germinated seed and the results I show was from October 16th to November 5th, 2020. I don’t have any in between photos. But it was a 3-week period and things looked pretty thick on November 5th compared to October 16th. Hope this helps.
@@TheLawngineer thats actually very good seeing how tttf germinates in 10-21 day. id bet you had seeds sprouting within 3-5 days after applying
Man, I went back and rewatched this.... Great results...
Thanks Brian! I really appreciate it!
The ratio of Milo (from Milorganite website) is 4 to 1. For every 1-lb of dry seed, add 4-lbs of Milo.
Just did this with some cheap Pennington KBG. Soaked for 5 days, mixed with Milorganite, spread it out and 7 days later I got peach fuzz action!!! Omg this saved me at least 2 weeks of watering 3-5x day. This was a full renovation so my wife is starting to ask how long will the front yard look like arse. Couple more weeks then add more steroids to the lawn.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing. Happy this worked well for you!
Great job Vince. Never thought about doing a pre-germination of seed. Looks good, real good
Thank man! Really appreciate it.
I love it when Vince pre-germinates some seed!
🤣🤣🤣
Oh yeah!
I also did my lawn last fall and this spring it’s coming in.💚✅🌿
Awesome!
Timely video! I just started per germinating some KBG seed yesterday in prep for reseeding my entire lawn
Nice! Good luck with your seeding project.
Dang bro...what a difference, it speaks for itself! Good job!
Amazing what yesterdays meals on wheels can do ! That's what Milorganite is made from !
LOL
amazing work. i am located in Pitman and have been really active in trying to get lawn top notch. thanks for the vid
Thank you! Good luck with the lawn! If you have any questions, let me know!
i just read the same instructions and wow someone did it. Great job man!
Thank you!
Amazing results!! Truly exceptional looking!
Thank you!!
@@TheLawngineer😊
Put the scale on a hard surface. Soft surfaces and the scale can’t register the weight on the top. Could maybe have been something under one of the feet too. Just looking out.
Super awesome video. Thanks for sharing the info and taking the time.
Great work. I definitely learned something new with the pre germination.
Thank you!
I’m not far from you in the pine barrens. Our Sandy soil makes it tough to grow grass. I’m Definitely going to try this method!
Let us know how it goes!
I did by mixing the seed in lawn soil adding root hormone and fertilizer .
didnt have to change water germinated in 3 days just threw the soil dowd in the bald spots and voila 2 weeks later done
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I did the same, with coco fiber
Those triple stripes are amazing!
Thank you
Daaaaamn! That lawn though.
Looks great. My KBG has really thickened up in the last couple weeks. I cant wait to try out some DCM products next season and go on a turf plan with peach country tractor.
Thank you!
looks awesome man, I was researching something similar to this for filling in patches and saw you had a video similar. I'm hoping I don't have any bad bald spots in my spring renovation I'm doing but if I do ill be fixing it with a very similar method.
Thanks for watching! Hope this helps you out!
Ever tried to pregerminate zoysia seed ? If so is it any different other than harder to germinate seeds ? I'm going to buy a small bad and kill off grass in one area regardless because seed is cheaper this way and if I fail then its $26 down the drain.
Sorry, I have not. Don’t have much experience with warm season turf.
Great job Vince
Thanks man!
Dude does it even matter that you mixed seed and milorganite wrongly? HELL NO!!! I did mine without even measuring anything and IT STILL WORKED🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠
LOL! Worked like a charm!
That is some cool stuff!
I wish there way to get a slight improvement on my lawn with a tiny budget.... maybe one day you could put together a video on how to improve your lawn on a super tight budget... we don't need perfect lawns, but better would be nice! Just too many bare spots and different weeds growing throughout...
What kind of budget are we talking about? And how many SF? I’ll try to come up with something.
Awesome project and journey..... 🥳
Thank man!!
When you get to using the spreader, do you set the spreader like you are just spreading milorganite or do you bump it up a notch to account for the seed mixed in?
@@Jerry-LZ it’s maxed out
@@TheLawngineer cool thank you, i was wondering how that worked.
Thanks for the video just quick tip always mention to the time of the year on the type of the grass and why you doing this thank you very much
Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback.
You might be interested in the entire playlist leading up to this point. This was last season at the “Project Lawn”. th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
Would you still use a peat moss covering for protection as well with the pre germinated seed?
Wouldn’t hurt
I love experimentation!
Great job and effort...
awesome video going to do this for my Kentucky blue grass.
Thanks for watching!
@@TheLawngineer just subscribed to your channel and looking forward to your advice along the way
@@anthonykontos7931 thank you so much! And thanks for commenting on the videos! I really like to encourage discussion and want to learn together. I don’t claim to be a professional, but an experienced DIY lawn care enthusiast.
Doesn't matter if it's 20lbs Milorganite to 5lbs or seed, or 100lbs of Milorganite to 25lbs of seed. Either way it's a 4:1 ratio.
You got it!
😂
After you put down the pre-derminated seed did you have to continue to water and if so how much how often or are you able to do it less due to the pre-germination
Yes, we did the best we could given our situation with watering at this location. You still have to water, but the seeds are pretty much sprouted. We got lucky with some rain that finally came in. But the reason we pre-germinated in the first place was to reduce that initial watering to constantly keep the seed moist. After we threw down the seed, I told the homeowner to only focus on watering these bare spots. Another thing that helped has been the foggy mornings we’ve been getting.
hey there! I'm planning on pre germinating for an overseeding project but also need to do some leveling - I was planning on using a 50/50 topsoil to manure mix + milorganite to spread the seed - is that a good mix or do you think I'll need some starter fert in there? I was thinking the manure would help w/ that
I would recommend getting a soil test to know exactly what nutrients you need. The Milo and manure is a natural fertilizer and you might be OK with that. But you could benefit from some additional phosphorus for root development.
Excellent job
Love your videos. In this instance, wouldn’t it have been beneficial to top dress w compost to equal out the lawn? Then w the seed growth, the lawn wouldn’t have those low spots? I’m still learning but have seen many guys top dress. Plus it adds a ton of organic nutrients
Thanks for watching!! So this video was the final video of a 6-part series that I put together last year. We had issues with watering which led to the use of pre-germinated seed in this video, but prior to this, we did do an initial overseeding with peat moss (compost works too). Here is the entire playlist if you’d like to check it out: th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
Thanks for the reply. I’ll check out all of them.
How do you know what spreader setting to use for the mixture? I'm sure the overseed rate and the milorganite rate are very different.
You kind of got to feel it out. The seed and Milorganite stick together in clumps. So the spreader will need to be a bit wider open than just spreading the Milo on its own.
Looking forward to doing this for my front yard reno this fall! What spreader setting did you follow, the milorganite rec?
I don’t remember the spreader setting, but was probably on a higher setting like 11 or 12 for this Scott’s spreader. Most important thing is to throw it down evenly. So if you are unsure, start on a lower setting and make multiple passes until you’ve emptied everything out evenly.
Looks great, how does the thing make the stripes, never seen that before.
@@str8chevys913 stripe kit
I have another question for you when you pre-terminate and I understand you change the water every 12 hours I got that but what benefits if any what it have if you put like RGS or something like that in each water that you change would that soak into the seed and help as well or do you think not?
I’m not sure if that would have any benefit. RGS is more of a soil conditioner that helps chelate the nutrients in the soil to make them available for plant uptake. The seed does not take on any nutrients before it germinates, so I don’t think it will do anything.
@@TheLawngineer thanks a lot for your knowledge buddy appreciate you
Just looking for Clarity on the germinating process. If you were planting Kentucky bluegrass, you would submerged and soak the seed in water continuously for 5 days. However, every 12 hours you dump out the old water and give it new freshwater, and keep it continuously soaking, is that right?
Yes
@TheLawngineer I recently tried that exact process with tall fescue, soaking it continuously but changing the water out every 12 hours with new fresh water. The seed never showed signs of sprouting even after 5 days. Could this be because I did this in my garage and the temperature's were sometimes below 50 degrees?
@@StevenClark-f7w probably, you can go longer with the days.
Great job brother
Thanks
So can you use this method if you have a tall fescue and ky bluegrass mix and if so, would you then do it for 4 days then?
I think you’d be good with a 4-day soak
How long did you dry your seed before mixing it with Milorganite?
@@blaiseducdaumont1280 didn’t dry at all
Awesome video. For math simplicity, seems like it’s 4lbs of milo for every lb of seed.
Sounds about right. Thank you!
I've tried this method for 3 days and 5 days on Scott sun/shade seed, but no pre-germination (used paint strainer cloth).
Tried the similar method of 24hr soak with dipping every 12 hrs and no pre-germination. Changed out water every 12 hrs.
Even bought another same seed bag to try. I did only use a large handful of seeds for each attempt, shouldn't matter tho.
Any reason to think it shouldn't work with Scott sun/shade seeds? It does grow when planted regular method.
I’m not sure. When you planted it, did the grass establish faster?
@@TheLawngineer I started using some plastic containers to transfer the seeds into with soil and fert as it would be on the ground to monitor. There is no reduced time for germination, in fact it is longer and lower success. I even tried warm water in the bucket inside the house to keep a more consistent temp and no joy. I've seen lots of vids on the processes, so I'm not sure what is lacking.
Scotts coats the seed in their 4in1 water smart plus coating. This absorbs water and dissolves when it is in soil. For pre germination you need to use uncoated seed.
@@RedBoneCoonHound47 Thanks for the reply and want to know more please....
--So what exactly is going wrong in the process, is the coating making it absorb too much water thus hurting the seed?
--The coating seems to come off after a few rinses, but is that not soon enough?
You're not supposed to use coated seeds. Use pure seeds. Seeds that don't have a green or blue color to them.
This is great info!! However, what’s the main reason behind changing out the water every 12 hours?
I’m not 100% sure (can’t find anything written on it). But think it might have to do with avoiding bacteria and mold from growing.
What setting did you have your Scotts Broadcast Spreader on?
I don’t remember. But you kind of got to feel it out. Keep in mind the mixture of wet seed with the Milo creates some clumping. So the spreader needs to be a bit wider open than what you might be used to spreading Milo on its own.
1 quick question. the milorganite article says to lightly work the seed into the soil. did you work it in or just spread it??
We just spread it! Worked out great.
I noticed you used Tenacity with Sedgehammer. By putting down the sedge does it work as a pre emergent to prevent/reduce the amount of sedge that appears in June/July?
To my knowledge, no... Sedgehammer does not provide pre-emergent control. And Tenacity’s pre-emergent control does not last long. I still plan on doing a pre-emergent with prodiamine in the spring.
@@TheLawngineer I was just wondering because I wouldn't think there wouldnof been any visible sedge in the lawn in this video. I actually asked that question the other day wondering if there was a way to attack the sedge prior to it growing in mid summer. Very difficult to eliminate. Easy to kill but more of a nuisance.
@@SuperTA329 this lawn was full of nutsedge. The sedgehammer is your best bet for killing it. I believe Prodiamine will help prevent it.
Hey man, can you please share the walk pattern to get wider stripes like in this video ? TIA
Yeah. I’ll add to the list.
Would you use this seed again reason I ask is I'm driving to Florida from Virginia in 2 weeks and I'm really thinking about getting a 50 pound of the triple threat plus for my fall overseeding project.
Yes!
Do you think this method would work with a slit seeder (the tines push the seed into the ground) or would the ratio of milorganite to seed be too high? I want to overseed my existing lawn to increase the percentage of KBG.
I’m not sure. I’ve never used a slit seeder. My initial concern would be that the Milorganite may jam up the machine? If you don’t think it would jam things up, I would think it would be OK.
What are some alternatives to milorganite for mixing seed with?
There are quite a few, but not nationally available like Milorganite. Where are you located?
Can I do this in the spring, or should I do this in the fall?
Either time for cool season.
Can you do this with a clover grass seed mix?
Yes. Probably less effort. You wouldn’t want to use anything with the Mesotrione (tenacity) in it. You would likely have other weeds come in too.
Hi There, everyone tells me you need to hard rake /till the ground and then add 1/8-1/4 inch of topsoil over seed but you seemed to have gotten away with just throwing seed on the ground. Is this true? Thanks!
I did dethatch with an electric dethatcher
@@TheLawngineer Nice. Great efficient technique with great results!
Just following up on this... I did make a playlist that shows you everything I did from the very beginning to get to this point. It was a lot of work. I used an electric dethatcher, then I also used peat moss as a top dressing. Here is the complete playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLn-7eoH8JKPBYkKK90c-oSM9YdKugJvSt.html
What did you set your spreader at?
@@johnsidney6240 max
If only we had neighbors that gave a slight f_ck about their lawns
💯
What was your spreader setting.
I don’t recall off the top of my head, but think it was pretty much wide open since the clumping of seed and Milo were a bit difficult to pass through the spreader openings.
Hiya love how the grass came out.how long do you reccomend waiting to reseed again in places you originally missed.
I try to keep up with things as the grass is starting to fill in. Usually I’ll just take a handful of seed and gently walk over the newly seeded area. Trying to work as quickly as possible and reduce the amount of time I’m standing on the new grass.
What’s the temperature to do the overseeding? Spring or Fall if I’m north?
In the spring it’s when the soil temps rise to about 60 - 65 degrees. In the fall it’s when the soil temps drop to about 70 - 65 degrees.
Thanks for this video! I have to put down some Prodiamine this spring because of poa annua, but I also have to remove some poa trivialis and have to re-seed these spots. Do you see a chance making a pre-emergent and seeding work within only a couple of weeks by pre-germinating the seeds in my garage like you showed?
You might be able to use a product called tenacity in this scenario. Just be careful and read the label. You shouldn’t use Tenacity if you see that the seeds have cracked open and started to sprout. Tenacity can give up to 6 weeks of pre emergent control and allow grass seed to germinate. After that (when the grass is established), you can apply dithiopyr (dimension) in its liquid form to control any crabgrass that has emerged in its initial stages of development. It will also give you additional pre-emergent control.
Does tenacity keep poa annua from germinating? I keep hearing that it works on non grass seeds, but since it is an annual type grass would it allow poa annua to germinate?
Scotts sells a starter fertilizer with tenacity in it so it appears to be OK to use in these early stages. Why shouldn't I use tenacity if i see the seeds have cracked open and started to sprout. I dont want to mess this up... thank ;you. @@TheLawngineer
Great video. Thanks for the overview. I’m in Long Island NY and hoping it’s not too late for me to apply. Where else can Triple Threat be purchased? $50 for shipping is hard to swallow. Which alternative seed do you recommend? Thanks
I think it’s only offered by Southern Seeds. Check out Seedsuperstore.com or United Seeds. They should have some good alternatives that are ranked the best among drought and heat tolerant cultivars.
Is it necessary to thatch or other before applying the seed?
@@janthony1342 check to see if you have thatch buildup. It’s important to have good seed-to-soil contact.
where did you get the wooven bag?
This was the bag the seed came in. You could find something similar on Amazon. See link below: www.amazon.com/dp/B0829VL1VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_TG8DPB1JK0XTP779H36D
Awesome. Need to remedy some Poa triv, then will follow up with your plan. Where in Jersey are you? Thanks!
Content on Poa Triv coming soon! I’m in Moorestown.
@@TheLawngineer thanks. I subscribed. Poa Triv, what a nightmare. About to kill a section of my lawn then start over. Did hear Velocity was released again, but not to residential owners.
@@tedfinkenauer42 I was able to buy it from Heritage today. It’s available to the public.
@@TheLawngineer Pulled up Heritage. Was it their Pleasantville store? I know it’s expensive. Looking for a small quantity. What size did you purchase and what was the cost. Have you tried it out on Poa T? So glad I found your TH-cam site! I’ve been battling this stuff for 4 years.
@@tedfinkenauer42 I purchased online. They just got the inventory in yesterday. 16 oz bottle… $533 😳. Will be my first time using it, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m happy to be the guinea pig if it results in helping others.
Like the idea. Unfortunately, I have no idea where to get a permeable bag like that, so I can't even get started.
This bag is the same bag that the seed was shipped in. It’s a woven plastic bag that seems to be equivalent to a sandbag, or maybe even a bag used for shipping rice. They seem to be available on Amazon.
@@TheLawngineer Amazon link?
@@MrMurfle I would think something like this should work: TerraRight Sandbags - Extra Durable Empty Green Woven Polypropylene Sand Bags w/Ties, Max. UV Protection, 14" x 26" (10 Count) www.amazon.com/dp/B0829VL1VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_TG8DPB1JK0XTP779H36D
@@TheLawngineer Interesting. I would never have thought bags like this were really what I think of as permeable (i.e., put water in them and it leaks out fairly quickly). And especially a seed bag!
@@TheLawngineer I think I'll just try using a piece of cloth sheet. Any reason that wouldn't work? Actually, is there any necessity to use a bag at all?
Your lawn looks great my question is once you mix the seed with Milorganite will the Milorganite camouflage the seed to keep birds from eating it?
Milorganite does stick to the seed, but not sure it’s effective at deterring bird from eating the seed.
Hi guys i have questions can i use milorganite 6-4-0? Thanks
Yes
Curious about a tenacity with this seeding process? Would you put it down when you put down the seed still?
You can apply immediately after seeding, but before the seeds germinate.
@@TheLawngineer thanks for the reply.
Wouldn’t the seeds already be germinating when you throw them down if you soak them prior?Or you could still throw tenacity down when you put the seeds down even if you pre germinated them?
Sorry if that’s confusing
@@cill08 sorry for the confusion, I thought your question was more about the general use of Tenacity.
I’d have to test it out for myself to know if you could do it. My guess would be that you’ll likely reduce the overall success rate of the grass rooting into the soil, but I’m not 100% sure.
Perhaps if you apply the tenacity to the ground first, then apply the seed that was pre-soaked, but not yet germinated… you might have better success.
Might be a good idea for a future video to test out.
@@TheLawngineer I may have to test it out also. Thanks again!
Where did you get the bag
The bag was from a bag of seed I purchased. It’s a woven bag. You can use anything that will allow water to drain but hold the seed.
, please tell me where to buy the triple threat grass seeds
There is a link in the description. www.southernseedsinc.com/store/p2/Triple_Threat_%22Blue_Tag%22_Tall_Fescue_Blend_-_50%23_Bag.html
Cant find any milorganite atm, can I use regular compost/soil as the medium?
The Milo helps so you can spread it through a traditional spreader. If you can find a way to mix it in the compost/soil evenly and spread it thin, that might work, but you don’t want it to be too thick and smother the seed.
Have you tried any Milorganite equivalents? Near me, there is a local waste water treatment plant that sells “Ocean Gro” which is identical to Milo. I know there is another up in Massachusetts that does the same.
Great content. I will use this video to overseed my yard this fall. How much starter fertilizer should be put down with this mix of milo and seed? Can you reco a starter fert to use?
The starter fertilizer will have a square footage on the bag. Use enough to cover your square footage. I just pick up whatever is at the big box store. Scott’s has one with a pre-emergent that’s safe for seeding. I talk about it in my latest video here:
th-cam.com/video/ud26LPCxJWU/w-d-xo.html
Good luck with your overseed and thanks for watching!
@@TheLawngineer So I can put the milo/seed mix down and then put a start fert right on top at the rate indicated on the bag? I guess I thought the starter fert would be put down at a lower rate given the milo. Thanks for the reply and for helping a newbie
@@brianmiller1229 it’s a lot of nitrogen for sure, but you won’t harm anything. Technically, you should have a soil test to determine your Phosphorus and Potassium needs. But from a nitrogen perspective, they are two separate sources of nitrogen. The starter fertilizer will give you a faster release of nitrogen. The Milorganite is a slower release.
@@TheLawngineer The seed (Black Beauty Ultra) has a seed rate of 1 lb per 400 sq. ft. the milo mixing chart seems to indicate 20lbs of milo to 5 lb of seed for 5k sq ft of coverage. Which rate would you follow? I assume the seed rate of 400 sq ft per 1 lb of seed or 2k of coverage. What do you think?
@@brianmiller1229 you can go heavier on the seed if you need to (and if you have enough of it). Might need to add more Milo to reduce clumping, but you can get a good feel for that as you are mixing the Milo and seed.
Can you do this with centipede grass?
I believe you can. I can’t speak from experience though, but the process should be the same.
next time use a Sun Joe and run it both north / south then east/west on your lawn to rake up all of the crap off the soil and then run your mower on it to clean it up . Now water the ole lawn really good before applying your mix of seed n Milo
We took care of that in a previous video leading up to this one. You can find that here: th-cam.com/video/o5sUNbBibys/w-d-xo.htmlsi=OeoU0g7XthQ6vhht
@@TheLawngineer perhaps you should have done it again and lower the settings so you can see the dirt !
Do you use TOP dressing for new seeds
I do
@@TheLawngineer what kind?
@@Trent52 i prefer peat moss. Very thin layer.
Hey, thanks for your video. I can't find any Milorganite anywhere in stock near my area or available for shipping. Is there an alternate you would recommend? I did find a bag of MOOrganite locally (last one left in stock). It seems similar (more organic). Do you think that would work?
That would work. Also, there is one called Ecoscraps that I have seen at Home Depot near me.
@@TheLawngineer Thank you. I just found the Ecoscraps and its on its way!
Will this pre-germination be good also for renovation? Planning to do a full renovation from grass seeds. I enjoy your videos.
I think it will! Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
@@TheLawngineer Killed my lawn and finished dethatching and scalping. Is there a recommendation for top soil for leveling? I am planning to use peat moss after seeding.
@@izumielliott2951 if you want to level, mason sand is the best if you have minor low spots. If you have deeper areas that need to be filled in, you can use screened fill dirt. You can use top-soil too. Just know that it contains a lot of organic material that will breakdown over time and result in low spots again in the future. Sand is the best for leveling… but also know that sand does not contain nutrients, so you’ll need to make sure you add the appropriate fertilizers.
@@TheLawngineer thank you so much, appreciate the advice! I will try the pre-germination and let you know how it goes!
@@TheLawngineer Done with seeding after soami_g them in water, and I am already seeing baby sprouts! We had rain and some seeds were washed away. A lot of them I can see on the surface. Should I go over with peat moss or top soil to cover the seeds?
Great video, thank you. Can you mix tenacity and prodiamine?
Not sure why you would want to. What were you thinking of mixing for?
After reading the Tenacity label, you can tank mix with Prodiamine.
I was thinking for better control...and I already own tenacity :). Thank you!
@@nickwiarda4022 just be careful... you’ll get excellent weed pre-emergent control with the prodiamine on its own. If you are applying prodiamine, I’m assuming you are doing a blanket application. So sounds like you are using the tenacity for post emergent control? That’s fine, just know that it may bleach things for a while. Not sure what your grass type is, but I have PRG and tenacity bleaches everything for a good month.
@@nickwiarda4022 here is a recent video I did on Pre-Emergents that might be helpful: th-cam.com/video/pB4TWrIZ8hc/w-d-xo.html
Will this work with zoysia seed?
Should work
What is that wide blade grass? K31?
Probably. Not sure what was here before doing this work. It was a mix of a bunch of stuff.
@@TheLawngineer can’t stand that stuff. I’m doing a Reno right now because most of my yard was k31
Will birds eat seeds that are germinated?
@@hktrucker they will eat some, but won’t make a huge difference. Should be OK. If you are concerned, you can cover things up with a thin layer of top dressing like compost or peat moss. Or use a heavy lawn roller to press the seed into the soil. Or a combination of both rolling and top dressing.
Would it okay to use these seeds in Ohio for over seeding?
Yes
What’s the purpose of changing the water?
I think it helps prevent mold/rot, though I’m not 100 percent sure. These are the instructions from Milorganite.
Thanks. I sure wish I’d seen this video before my fall renovation. I’m already looking forward to trying this in the spring!
What city and state is your property located in? Looking to see how your process works in relation to my area.
Central New Jersey
Thanks for letting me know. I’m in Charlotte Metro area. I have another question, I am late to the game in the fall yard renovation and am planning to put down my tall fescue seed this weekend but the temps are expected to be in the mid 30s in a few days and it will jump back up after that. Is that an issues and will the mid 30s temps kill my newly sprouted seedlings?? I am pregerminating the same grass seed you have in the video and am 36 hrs in. Any advice on how to manage this situation?
@@davismeeks5557 you’re already all in if you started the pre-germination process. Throw it down and see what happens. What do the soil temps look like? That’s really the most important part. If the soil temps are starting to drop below 55 degrees, you might have some difficulty/slow growth. Cool season turf will check out completely at about 45 degrees.
Soil temps now are 65° but the seeds may sprout before a day of cold weather comes in next week, supposed to be mid 30s then it will warm back up… man I’m stressing lol
New subscribers here
Thanks!!
Where are you located? Region>
New Jersey
How did you kill that Nutsedge? I'm having a crack of a time trying to kill a serious infestation of it.
A product called Sedgehammer. Read the label carefully though to make sure it’s OK for your grass type.
everytime I hear you say 5lb of seed to 20lb of milorganite I want to scream FRACTIONS!!! question, would 1lb of seed to 5lb of milorganite work as well?
You can simplify it. 😁
Nice work! I am thinking of doing this to mine as well next fall. Question tho, is this lawn irrigated or are you depending on mother nature?
Thank you! We focused watering on the bare spots. Got lucky with the weather and finally got some rain. Also, had a lot of foggy mornings that kept things damp almost all day.
great vid, but u didn't balance your blade after cutting, as you mite of have taken more metal on one side vs the other rite? how do you know if ur throwing the equilabrium off in the blade/motor....any reason y u didn't u moss to cover the seed mixture......and lastly , how long do u recommend soakin bermuda coated seeds in a bucket? thanks
Blade was balanced, just not filmed. We did not use top dressing this time around mostly due to cost since we had just put down about 20 bags of peat a few weeks before this video. We rolled the dice on that one. The recommendation for soaking is 3-5 days. I don’t know much about Bermuda seed, but sounds like it can take a longer time to germinate (7-14 days). So I would soak for 4 to 5 days.
@@TheLawngineer THANKS for ur reply. do u still hav to soak a coated 'blue' cover seed?and do you hav to put it in one of those bags, b/c i only have 1lb to use, wondering if i can just soak it str8 in a water bucket? and u nver told us where you can find the cheapest milogranite online? thanks!
@@mml1224 you won’t find Milo for cheap online. You are gonna pay a lot for shipping. Also, I’ve only pre-germinated the seed this one time. Never did it before this video. I wouldn’t think coated vs non-coated would make a difference. You don’t need to use this kind of bag either. Use whatever strains well for you.
Use safety glasses when running that grinder.
hey how can i reach out 2 you
Right here is best. What’s up?
14:45 Reel mowers make cleaner cuts.
100%
nice content! doing this very project in the coming week, what are you thoughts on mixing the seed with soil/compost/peat moss and wetting it down. I've seen a few videos where guys do that method instead. Any reason to pick one over the other?
There are pros and cons for each. I like Peat moss for its moisture holding capacity. Compost is good, and contains nutrients… but make sure you are getting good quality compost. Soil is probably my least favorite because it’s the hardest to work with in terms of spreading it out. You can also use sand. Look up a product called Turfmend, it’s the same concept. You’d basically be making that yourself in a sense. Good luck!