Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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bolson32
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Joined: May 27th, 2021, 10:10 am
Location: St Paul, MN
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Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by bolson32 » June 9th, 2021, 2:09 pm

Hi All,

I have 1.5 acres of lawn in Minnesota, about 1/3 of it around the house is in pretty good shape with a typical northern blend. This area was hydroseeded a few years ago and is good and thick. The back yard is pretty expansive, probably 40,000sq ft, and is in pretty rough shape. I'll be working to level some parts and reno/overseed in the fall. I have no irrigation and have no plans to install any. So I've got a couple of questions.

1: What would you recommend for seed? From what I've gathered, TTTF would probably fit the bill for its ability to stay green with minimal water. Minnesota can get real hot and dry through bits of the summer. I do have a pretty strong clay-type soil, and it can hold moisture for weeks at a time once the sod is established, so I'm open to other recommendations as well. But right now I'm leaning towards a decent TTTF with SRP or LS ability.

2: If TTTF is the recommendation...where do you guys find this stuff? Most of the seed stores around here stock mostly KBG and Fine Fescue blends. They will occasionally have some TTTF blends but they're super limited. Twin Cities Seed is a wholesaler in the area with a few TTTF cultivars that would fit the bill. But they don't do retail.

Thanks!

Farmerdave60
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Joined: June 8th, 2021, 10:26 pm
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Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by Farmerdave60 » June 9th, 2021, 2:53 pm

I use websites such as seed barn or a site that has free shipping. I always research the better type of seeds and then make sure I’m not over paying. Sometimes sites with free shipping tack it onto the product.

Seedbarn and Amazon sometimes have some good deals. As far as brands im sure you could get some good feedback on this forum in terms of the types. I try and look seed that has for “0” weeds and “0” noxious weeds on the seeds I buy.

JeffreyLebowski
Posts: 39
Joined: April 15th, 2021, 8:57 am
Location: Monmouth County, NJ
Grass Type: TTTF
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
Level: Some Experience

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by JeffreyLebowski » June 9th, 2021, 6:22 pm

Seedsuperstore is popular. There is also GCI Turf TTTF available on Yard Mastery. Its actually a 90/10 TTTF KBG blend which is common to add diversity and spread.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
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Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by andy10917 » June 9th, 2021, 7:10 pm

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to spend a little more money and time to locate and buy "sod quality" ("gold label") seed, instead of buying on price alone.
I try and look seed that has for “0” weeds and “0” noxious weeds on the seeds I buy.
This will NOT save you from seed that is tainted with Poa Trivialis - which is shown as "Other Crop" on the tag.

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MorpheusPA
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Joined: March 5th, 2009, 7:32 pm
Location: Zone 6 (Eastern PA)
Grass Type: Elite KBG
Lawn Size: 10000-20000
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Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by MorpheusPA » June 9th, 2021, 7:27 pm

Other crop, other crap, either way, you'll regret it.

I had incursions of P. annua and P. trivialis in my new lawn. Was it from the seed or in the lawn? Probably both. Either way, I spent three years getting rid of it. Nowadays, Year 15 or so, it's long forg...well, no, I remember that distinctly and will never do it again if I don't have to.

Just buy sod quality seed.


Farmerdave60
Posts: 14
Joined: June 8th, 2021, 10:26 pm
Location: Maryland
Grass Type: Fesue KBG rye
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Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by Farmerdave60 » June 9th, 2021, 8:17 pm

Can you reference some of your recommendations on sod quality or gold label seed? I am also interested in overseeding this fall. In the past I used Jonathan green black beauty and Oligers/fairlawn brand from am Leonard.

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andy10917
Posts: 29739
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 10:48 pm
Location: NY (Lower Hudson Valley)
Grass Type: Emblem KBG (Front); Blueberry KBG Monostand (Back)
Lawn Size: 1 acre-2 acre
Level: Advanced

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by andy10917 » June 9th, 2021, 8:33 pm

I use Preferred Seed (Buffalo NY). You're not going to find these guys advertising or putting it in nice boxes. You have to find them. The Sod Farmers know where they go. The good stuff takes work.

bolson32
Posts: 203
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Location: St Paul, MN
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Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by bolson32 » June 10th, 2021, 11:19 am

Okay, so it's semi-difficult to find and I'll need to beat feet to find the right stuff. That's fine, I can take that from here.

Does anyone have any recommendations on TTTF vs KBG in my use case? Any specific cultivars?

flyin-lowe
Posts: 322
Joined: September 30th, 2012, 9:13 am
Location: Indiana
Grass Type: TTTF
Lawn Size: 2 acre-5 acre
Level: Some Experience

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by flyin-lowe » June 10th, 2021, 6:45 pm

I was in the same boat as you on a larger scale. I am in Indiana and had 5 acres to level and re seed. I did it on acre at a time and used TTTF. I would do one acre and then wait a year or two before I would start the next. I would round up an acre in July and the till it several weeks later. Then I would either drag it or use what our loan rental place calls a "soil preparater" on a tractor to smooth it out. Doing an area that large I always wanted to be ready by the first week of August and just watch the weather looking for a week or so with high rain forecasts. The first acre I did was perfect, put the seed down and it got rained on every day for almost 2 weeks. The second acre I did not so much. Weather man was calling for rain one week and it rained the first day then not again. I had to redo that one the following fall. The last acre I had was last year. I tilled it in July and it didn't rain all fall. It was literally bare dirt until this spring. I got sick of looking at an acre of dirt so I seeded it early this spring. So far we have had plenty of rain which is good but I've got a ton of weeds to deal with. The seed I used was just under $1,000 per acre so it sucks if the weather man screwsup. I prefer the fall but relying on Mother Nature you have to adjust things.
I had an old thread documenting the first acre I did years ago I'll see if I can dig it up.

flyin-lowe
Posts: 322
Joined: September 30th, 2012, 9:13 am
Location: Indiana
Grass Type: TTTF
Lawn Size: 2 acre-5 acre
Level: Some Experience

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by flyin-lowe » June 10th, 2021, 7:23 pm

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15214

Here is the thread from my first acre reno.

bolson32
Posts: 203
Joined: May 27th, 2021, 10:10 am
Location: St Paul, MN
Grass Type: Northern Mix
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Level: Not Specified

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by bolson32 » June 13th, 2021, 11:43 am

flyin-lowe wrote:
June 10th, 2021, 7:23 pm
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15214

Here is the thread from my first acre reno.
Very interesting read, thanks!

bolson32
Posts: 203
Joined: May 27th, 2021, 10:10 am
Location: St Paul, MN
Grass Type: Northern Mix
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Level: Not Specified

Re: Seed Recommendation - MN - Large Lawn - No Irrigation

Post by bolson32 » June 17th, 2021, 3:58 pm

For anyone that comes to this thread down the road and is looking for a good retailer in Minnesota. Twin City Seed appears to be the ticket. While they're a wholesaler, they'll sell to anyone. So it's just a matter of calling and placing your order, and picking it up. I haven't ordered yet, but they appear to be sellers to golf courses and sod farms and I'm fairly certain they're 100% seed, no other crop.

https://www.twincityseed.com/

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