when to plant in area where lawn has been killed

Question

About a month ago, I covered my lawn with newspaper & steer manure. When is it safe to begin planting? I usually start new perennials in Oct & Nov, but am afraid that grass will sprout if I water the new plants.

Answer 1

Usually the grass will be killed after a month of being covered. However, there may be some seeds that will still sprout; that’s why some people prefer the heating quality of black plastic in stead of newspaper. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/how-to-kill-grass-naturally-kill-unwanted-grass-in-your-yard.htm
Another consideration is the steer manure. If you’re using composted steer manure, no problem. If however it’s fresh cow manure, that should be allowed to dry for a year before using it on plants, and especially seeds. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/manures/steer-manure.htm

Answer 2

thank you! I did use composted steer manure. I think I will wait one more week before I start introducing plants to that area.