# Forum Home Renovation Landscaping, Gardening & Outdoors  Sowing a lawn in Melbourne - April/May

## Ashes

I'm looking to start my lawns again.  They were turfed about 8 years ago and with water restrictions and hot summers really only weeds left now. 
Just after some advice whether now is a reasonble time to do this project. 
I'm figuring I'll poison the weeds with some roundup now (over Easter), hit them again with another dose in 2 weeks time. Then look to hoe the weeds back in and top up with soil a couple of weeks after that.  So early may I'd look to be spreading seed. 
I've got a 25000 litre water tank which I put in 6 months ago that is full so can water it if it doesnt rain.   
Any advice on whether now is the right time and any advice on a hardy seed for Melbourne?

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## dazzler

Hi ashes 
Best way IMO is to poison the weeds and wait a few days, then rotary hoe (or get it done), mix in some compost matter and then seed. 
Or 
Try this old farmers trick for stabilising small dam walls.  
Spread your seed. 
Spread recommended amount of fertilizer like No.17 or dynamic lifter. 
Oversow with heaps of oat seeds.  
Cover with lucerne hay like you would mulch. 
Keep wet. 
We did this in canberra which is one of the worst places to grow a lawn. The oats germinate very quickly and come up through the hay and in a week or so the hay is covered. You can mow the oats on a high mower settting. All the while the oats and hay keep the grass nice and moist and warm and protect it from the harsh sun and cold. 
The oats and hay eventually die and rot into the soil leaving the grass only and it is amazing. 
Strange but true!

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## wallyman

Gday Ashes , I am 30 years a greenkeeper and i would recommend that you put the project off until October then plant a couchgrass variety such as wintergreen or santa anna . These will better suit the dry condtions and require minimal water. It is best to plant during spring when temps are around 25c as couch is a warm season grass. The days of sewing cool season grasses and continual watering are well gone , I think.

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## oohsam

I woudl disagree. I recently just got a rotary hoe onto my backyard which is a clay soil. I churned it all up and got some good air into it, mixed it with gypsum. 
Threw down about 2 boxes of Brunnings seeds, and raked in with the gypsum. I went away for a week and came back and I had heck of  alot of grass growing. its still a bit patchy but thats normal. I recently just threw down more gypsum and more seeds in the patchy areas.  
Its growing well. Have not put down fertaliser yet but the weather in melb at the moment is great, rain and sun helps the seeds germinate and grow quickly. Its not too cold in the mornings and is nice and warm by lunch.  
good luck.

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## Ashwood

I'd go with wallyman, as it is a little late into the cooler season and you run a fair risk of the grass getting dormant before it matures adequately and possibly die on you. Particularly if you are growing the warm weather grasses (most of them are). 
You might have a chance of succeeding doing it now, but given it's been like this awhile now, and currently already bare and weeds, and we are going into cooler weather, you're better off doing it come spring. my 2 c worth. also, considering wallyman has been a greenkeeper for 30 years, i wouldn't ignore his experience.  
good luck whichever way you go.

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## oohsam

I must have spoke too soon! Its starting to get a little chilly in south east melbourne in the mornings and evenings! My grass is still going strong!  :Smilie:

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## Ashes

Yep listening.  Will wait til spring now.  Still have a couple of resistant weeds that are screaming for another dose of roundup.

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