Springing For A New Lawn

So you’ve decided to spring for a new lawn. Ideally, the best time for planting turf grass is fall since there are less watering and weed problems. But, if you simply cannot wait, then a spring lawn it is!

First, you need to eliminate the existing turf. You could simply rototill everything and rake out the clumps, but you will be leaving fragments of perennial weeds and old grass that can regrow. To assure yourself a clean slate, apply a nonselective, systemic herbicide containing glyphosate.

Spray the turf and wait about 3 or 4 days, then rototill. Remove all clumps, rocks, and debris. While you’re at it, test the soil and correct any deficiencies. If you must add lime and fertilizer, do not add them together. Wait a week between adding one or the other. If lime and fertilizer are added together, a chemical reaction occurs which causes the loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere.

After adding your soil amendments, smooth the seed bed by alternate raking and rolling until footprints are barely noticeable. You can then apply a starter fertilizer and lightly rake it into the upper half-inch of soil.

Now it’s time to seed. If you’re wondering what type of grass to use, that will depend upon your climate. You should contact your local cooperative extension office for recommendations.

For a lawn of excellent quality, you must purchase high-quality seed. Cheap seed is often contaminated with weeds or inferior grass varieties. Read the seed package and note the germination rate; it should be as high as possible. Also, look for the presence of weed seeds; there should be none.

Follow the grass seeding rate recommended on the package. Using more seed than suggested is wasteful and can lead to an unhealthy lawn because of crowding. Apply the seed by hand or with a spreader in opposing directions for even coverage.

After seeding, lightly rake the bed to assure adequate contact between seed and soil. After your seed is sown, apply a light mulch to maintain even temperature and moisture levels. Straw is popular because it’s inexpensive and easily obtained, though it can introduce weeds. Use 1 bale per 1000 square feet. Burlap can serve as a mulching material quite successfully. It’s especially useful for slopes and areas prone to run off. Burlap also helps protect the bed from deer or other animals. Additional products commonly used as mulch are peat moss, compost, and pelletized mulch which is probably the easiest to handle.

After mulching, irrigate the seedbed. The upper half-inch of soil should be constantly moist until germination, so you may have to water several times a day. The germination rate depends on the grass species and temperature but generally takes between 7 and 21 days. Be careful not to overwater as this will encourage pythium disease which can easily wipe out an entire lawn in a few days.

After the seedlings are up, do not mow until the grass reaches between 3 and 4 inches tall. Then mow off no more than 1/3 of the growth. About a month after seeding, you can apply a nitrogen fertilizer at the rate of 1/2 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

If weeds appear, which in all likelihood they will, do not apply an herbicide until the lawn has been mown 3 times. Then you can apply a selective, broadleaf weed herbicide labeled for use on turf; as always, follow the directions. Happy seeding 😉