new grass seed wilting - Ask Extension
I planted grass seed this spring where we took down an evergreen last year. At that time the tree came down I did spread some lime to alleviate the a...
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new grass seed wilting #573480
Asked June 24, 2019, 10:19 AM EDT
I planted grass seed this spring where we took down an evergreen last year. At that time the tree came down I did spread some lime to alleviate the acidity. The grass seed took for the most part, although a little spotty, but I figured those weak areas would fill in. I'm now concerned because much of the new grass is yellowing. When I've previously planted grass seed elsewhere in smaller applications yellowing usually meant it was dying. I'm also seeing mushrooms growing in the mature areas of the yard as well as in the new area. In researching it sounds like seeing mushrooms is a sign of a healthy lawn.
Should I be concerned about the yellowing and is it a sign the new grass is dying? Anything I can do to prevent further damage?
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hello. I'm glad you've turned to AaEx.
It's difficult to say what may be affecting your lawn in that area. I'm not sure if you added the lime based on a soil test but if by adding lime to your soil when it may not have needed it, it could have raised the alkalinity of the soil to beyond that where the grass can get nutrients from the soil. I would recommend getting a soil test now to determine what you can do to fix the problem. Take samples of the soil from various points in the affected area, mix it up in a bucket then scoop out the recommended amount to send to the U of MN for analysis. Be sure to indicate that the grass is yellowing and you need to know what you can do to correct the issue. Here is a link to the U of MN Extension where you'll learn about about the process:
Worse case scenario is that you'll need to supplement the soil to bring down the alkalinity and reseed in the fall when that's the best time to seed a lawn anyway. In the meantime, maybe the current grass will hold on for a bit longer to keep out the weeds until you're ready to reseed.
Good-luck!
