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bandy1080

Bright Green Patches of Lawn

bandy1080
11 years ago

Looking for a little help here.

Overseeded my lawn last fall and everything came in great. Now spring comes and my lawn is looking fantastic again except for these large patches of bright green grass. These spots were some of the troublesome spots last year when I overseeded and had to take extra special care in order to grow grass there. (More watering, starter fertilizer, compost, fresh loam, etc).

Is what I am looking at just grass seed that hasn't had a chance to mature? Seed was a northeast mix of KBG and fescue. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Comments (10)

  • bandy1080
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here is a close up of what it looks like.

  • auteck
    11 years ago

    That looks like Fescue or Annual Ryegrass (purple base) Where are you located?

  • bandy1080
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Located in Cape Cod MA.

    Thanks for the feedback. Should I be concerned/try to get rid of it?

  • tiemco
    11 years ago

    I think you are showing the wrong grass in the second picture. The light green stuff looks like it is growing faster than the rest of the lawn, and it looks much lighter than the stuff in your hand. It could be any one of a handful of grassy weeds such as poa trivialis, orchard grass, barnyard grass, etc. Unfortunately grassy weeds are some of the toughest to control, and if it is poa trivialis, it's damn near impossible.

  • goren
    11 years ago

    A change in color of a particular area might be due to a number of reasons. Since most grass seeds are a combo of more than one type, it is often that a seeding job might contain more one type than the other....and produce a grass type that is different in color.
    Over time, the nature of the soil's make-up, will decide on how the color of the lawn will proceed. Given time, the lawn will use the soil's balance/imbalance to decide on the color.
    In other words.....you can wait it out.

    You might fertilize the area more to affect its look. A high nitrogen type will usually encourage its growth to merge with other grasses.
    Overseed. Spread a type that will influence it...and its neighboring type. Generally, northern lawns are given a combination of Kentucky Bluegrass, Perennial Ryegrass and Fescue. Each type then gives its best when circumstances make it difficult for one or more of them.

  • bandy1080
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    That second picture is 100% pulled from the bright green portion of the lawn.

  • PRO
    Serenity Lawn Service
    11 years ago

    I think auteck called it. I can't see the auricle, but the vernation looks rolled, which rules out bluegrass, most fescues and perennial rye, so that narrows it down to Tall Fescue or Annual Rye. The rapid growth indicates an Annual Rye, but to really be able to tell you would look for a claw-like auricle, which I can't see at the angle in the picture. I included a link to help distinguish the auricle if you want to do a little self diagnosis.

    If it is the annual rye, it will die off in the heat.

    Here is a link that might be useful: grass parts

  • bandy1080
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    OK thanks! I will take a closer picture once it stops raining here.

    If it does help, a couple of the pieces of grass have developed seed heads out of the stalk of the grass.

    Thanks again

  • bandy1080
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    So my lawn tech was over on saturday and walked around the property with me. The conclusion that it was contaminated grass seed that they put down when they overseeded in the fall. It is definitely annual rye grass. There is obviously not much they can do now but promised to take care of it in the fall.

    My question is whether or not there is anything I can do to get the color to stand out less? Will a higher nitrogen content cause the rye grass to become a darker green?

    Thanks for everyone's help.