When is it warm enough to sow fine fescue in Canterbury?
We have sprayed out the lawns with Glyphosate twice now over three weeks and are ready to dethatch, scalp, and apply Grub+ this weekend. Water in the Grub+ and then core aerate at some point next week/weekend then top dress ready for seeding with Fine Fescue. I’ve been watching the soil temps but am nervous it’s still too cold. I’ve been told to wait for a soil temp at 10 cms of 15°. I’m watching the soil temps on the NZLA app but wondering if this magical 15° soil temp is the average daily temp or the temp at say 10am?
I'm starting my reno in a week after you but am using MDR so I am hoping the temps we have at the moment are fine for that, I suspect you may be a tad early for fine fescue but don't take my word for it as I'm still learning. One thing I noticed is you plan to put grub plus down before coring, I plan on doing my grub plus after coring and top dressing so the new soil that fills the holes gets treated also. If you treat with grub+ then core you are potentially removing a good percentage of the product?
@David van Schreven thanks for your thoughts. A great point about not spraying for grubs prior to coring. Makes total sense to defer the Grub+ application until after top dressing.
Unless you’re using a frost cloth you are better off waiting for those soil temps to improve. Rye is much more forgiving than fescue with soil temps and will germinate down to 5c.
I would just hold off a couple more weeks with fescue. Labour weekend would be perfect!
@Jonny Hicks thanks for your insight. Do you think pushing the sowing of the Fine Fescue out to the 18th November is too late? Heading off to Australia mid-November for a bit and won’t be able to keep an eye on the watering of the seed while away.
@Tony Dench if you can keep the irrigation up it will be fine sowing then. To early soil temps aren’t on your side and sowing late and keeping it from drying out become difficult. If you have irrigation installed it’s not an issue.
I’ll be doing a full Reno on mine on 10th November.
@Jonny Hicks Thanks. Will hold off sowing till back from Australia. Will only be a week behind your full reno.