I figure I'm about half to 3/4 of the way to getting ready for winter. I've moved tons of leaves, disconnected and stored 15 hoses, cut down all of the dead stuff in the gardens and I'm emptying all of the annuals pots (except for about 10 huge ones with begonias that are still beautiful). I'm cleaning and reorganizing the potting shed to accept all of the things that need to over winter there. I'm wondering about all of the 25 lb bags of grass seed that I bought but didn't use this summer (I have now confirmed that I have no ability to grow grass.) I wonder if the little field mice that take refuge in the shed will decide that the grass seed is their winter gourmet delight. Anybody have any experience with that?
Yes. You will be overrun with mice. Either resign yourself to housing large groups of rodents for the winter, or get some trash cans or storage bins with tight-fitting lids to store it in. If you don't, they'll either call all their friends or reproduce prolifically. I guess the question is, how much do you like mice?
Any idea why you can't grow grass? Do you just scatter seed, or do you roto-till or otherwise turn the soil, do you fertilize, get the right seed for your light & soil, any of that information?
I don't plant grass seed often. My yard is overrun with weeds & as far as I'm concerned, if it's green, it's good. I just yank them out of the flower gardens.
Sounds like you have been a busy boy and your about 1 wk ahead of where I wanted to be at this point in November in the yard!
On the grass seed, the mice will go crazzzzzzzzzzzzzy over it in the winter!!! As will the chippers!!!
Place the grass seed in a plastic bag and seal it with a ty-wrap real tight. If not, the little buggers will be able to smell what is inside the bag. Then place the bag in a galvenized steel garbage can and make sure the lid is on tight! If you have to put a cord or wire from handle to handle to make sure the top stays on TIGHT all winter. And don't put it in the garage, otherwise you will have visitors all winter!
I wish I could have a potting shed, I would be able to do so much more. But such is life!
I oversow grass seed in the winter too. It gets a lot less wear and tear in the winter, and I sow it before it frosts so it can get some roots. So Denny, go crazy and start flinging that seed around...you might be surprised after the spring rains!
you have been busy Denny! I haven't done any winterizing in the flowers yet. My hubby does the hoses and all that. I usually leave the flowers like coneflower and yarrow standing, cause the birds will eat the seed during winter months.
I did bring in my Mandavilla and it is blooming really nice now inside. also two potted double begonias, that I hope I can keep alive til spring.
I cannot believe it but my red salvia, geraniums and mini rose are still blooming... How can you stand to pull those up and cut back??
Denny you have bee one busy guy. I live in zone 5 too. A neighbor told me the best time to sow the seed is now and it will come up hearty next summer. I know this sounds crazy but I put dried bay leaves that you buy in bulk or in the spice section and put them in flour and other plastic food bins to keep mice and bugs away. I don't see why it might not work with grass seed. If you decide to seal the grass seed as the others have suggested, I would throw in a few bay leaves too. I know that mice don't like peppermint or moth balls either.
I can't believe how many of you still have flowers blooming in the colder climates. I went in the basement and I had an amaryllis bulb that didn't bloom last year. I have it sitting in a south window and I do believe it's going to sprout, Now if it would just bloom?
I know it sounds crazy, but I always seem to have just one or two mouse nests deep in the stacks of empty pots. I have learned to keep all birdseed in trash cans with tightly fitting lids. I have also learned from experience that all leather gloves and similar items need to be sealed in ziplok bags. The presence of the fieldmouse families is always announced by shredding of the edges of paper towels on a holder in the potting shed. I can't try sowing seed until the remainder of leaves have fallen and I've finished with the leaf vacuum. That will probably be another week or two.
Okay1150, I took your advice and vacuumed all of the leaves, mowed, and scattered about 50 pounds of grass seed near our potting shed. We'll see in the spring if this breaks my grass seed curse.
Denny I think you will be surprised! I only started doing that a few years back and it really surprised me. My oldest son used to work for Tru Green in Iowa, and that was always his recommendation.
I am only 1/4th of the way to finishing my winter cleanup. When i get finished with that, I am going to continue my winter war with the many scrub trees that have grown on the two neighboring properties belonging to my sister. I moved here 18 months ago. She started driving a cross country tractor trailer 17 years ago and the properties have tried to revert to forest.
She and her mate mowed, but the weeds have never been treated and grass seed hasn't been planted in the 20 years she has lived here. She had a large veggie garden and inherited flower beds to which she added iris, day lilies and verigated vinca minor, a few hostas and two clematis. Most of the yards are shaded, but we have removed 4 huge trees so some light is getting through.
I am treating the lawn with lawn weed product, aerating and applying both gypsum and lime. I have fertilizer to apply too. The ph measured 5.0 in the front yard. I am going to retest in December before applying the fertilizer. 9 I like to measure my success) I have 50 pounds of grass seed which I am planning to apply in February. I am storing it in my tool shed in the original bag inside a 39 gal. duct tape sealed trash can. (I worry more about raccoons in the trash cans.) Moth balls are scattered in the shed on shelves and the floor. We have many critters.
I have had the best luck in my prior heavily shaded properties by over seeding in the winter. The absolute best time is before a big snowstorm. When I was lucky enough to have deep snow sit on the seed for a long period of time I believe every seed sprouted!
I think Denny's will do just as well because keeping the seed outside rather than storing it in a garage or basement is more natural. I would have done that if I had managed to treat the soil when I planned to. The rainy weather slowed my progress. (There isn't a level spot except cement walk and porches on the properties) (My brother has a fine lawn treatment operation serving Rolla. He sold me the seed) He is the best!
By the way! Rose are still blooming, as are sheltered impatiens and snapdragons in the greater St Louis area.
Wow Otter , that sounds like a very challenging yard. But it also sounds like you are up to the challenge. Febuary is a good month to sow as well. For me it seems like the winter sown grass always comes up the hardiest. I do seed in the summer too - mostly trying to keep up with the path the dog wears down in the yard. Maybe someone has a good seed recommendation for that area. I have used the High Traffic variety.
