Hi, folks, I've been lurking here for a long while, but now I really could use some help...

We had sixty feet of sewer line replaced in our 80 year old home this past week. Our front lawn is destroyed, from the front of the house to the street, a swath about 30 feet across.

We lost our lawn, shrubs, and the most of the privet hedge along the front sidewalk.

I'm hoping you can help me with the lawn problem, because it's only Day One and we're already up to our ankles in dirt and mud, and I can only imagine what winter's rain and snow will bring.... yikes!

Is it too late to plant grass seed in Massachusetts? Will it even germinate at this time of year? The temps are down in the 20's at night and in the 50's during the day.

Years ago my Dad used to plant a winter grass in our garden that grew "green" all winter, and then he plowed it into the ground in the spring. Should I plant a cover crop like this, just to keep down some of the mud until Spring?

Thanks for the help!