RU actually works better when plants are actively growing. It's not near as effective when things are sort of dormant or stressed and not really moving nutrients to the roots.
So...if you cut your lawn a little short in August (NC)......then sprayed with RU.....do you think the plant would be trying to get nutrients to the roots? Wouldn't it suck ANYTHING liquid straight down? Don't know.....just asking.
I've had the best luck with RU when I've waited about week after mowing when the grass/weeds are really starting to get growing. I was told this a few years ago and it's worked like a charm.
NY, you want to be my landscaper? I live 5 miles from the Dover (Monster Mile) Speedway and would treat you to a Nascar weekend for payment.
Jeff, What you're gonna do will work fine. Round up the area that you want to redo, wait at least 2 weeks. Work the soil up somehow and get it seed ready. Seed needs good seed to soil contact to germinate. Depending on how perfect you want it, you can go about it different ways. If you're looking for perfect you'll want to till the area to bust up the soil and break loose the dead vegetation and then remove that dead vegetation with a drag or landscape rake. drag the area to smoothness and overseed. If you're not looking for perfect then round up area, wait 2 weeks, go over the area with an aerator many times creating as many holes as possible. (Kinda of works like a surface tilling if you go over it enough). then overseed. Leave the old dead busted up vegetation there as 'cover' for the seed and new grass plants. Rules are the new seed should always be kept moist. Most people fail at this and have poor seeding results because of it. Lime and starter fertilizer can go on before, during or after seeding. Seeding should be timed out for the fall season as early fall is generally best time to seed.(at least in midwest). Don't apply any weed controls until spring of the following year. I strongly recommend getting the pre-emergent weed control on the following spring to prevent any annual from getting germinated in the new seeding. Needs to be on before the soil temps reach 55 degrees. Also you would have to work very hard to 'overlime' a severely acidic lawn. Keep liming! Tough to bring a lawn from the 5's to 7 and keep it there. Hope this helps.
I was wondering what the heck Dan was talking about. I thought he was talking about Johnny Miller ... not Johnny Miller
Forgot to touch on the round up subject. You won't get good round up results if the stuff you're trying to kill is in moisture stress. You definitely need actively growing plants to get a good kill. So generally not a good idea to round up when very hot and dry. Not sure about your weather down there but here in central WI i would round up in late aug. and do my seeding in early/mid Sept.. Play the weather if you have to. You have a much bigger seeding window down there than we've got up here.
