Planting A Lawn From Seeds
It can be hard to grow a thick, dark green lawn, but there are a few tips to follow. When seeding a lawn, fall is undoubtedly the best time. September is the perfect time to begin your lawn, because the hottest weather will be over. You could also start in early spring, but there needs to be good root growth before the hot summer weather arrives. However, they will be competing with crab grass, which grows quickly in the summer months, as well as high heat and inadequate water.
When planting your grass seeds, keep in mind that the seeds are relatively small, so they should not be planted deeply into the ground. As long as the ground is relatively moist, the seeds only need partial covering with soil. You should use about 4 pounds of seeds for 1,000 square feet of lawn. Don’t try to make up for low-quality seeds by using more of them; this will just increase competition between them.
When planting your seeds, use a mechanical spreader if you can. To ensure even coverage, you should spread half the seeds in one direction, the rest in the other direction. That way, you will not miss any spots. When you’re done, rake the seeds lightly. You may also want to cover the seeds with 1/8 inch of soil or compost, but this is not absolutely necessary.
If you’re trying to plant a lawn on a slope, this will need special treatment. If it rains, the seeds are likely to be washed away. You can cover them with straw to keep them in place, but remove the straw as soon as they sprout. Or you can cover the new seedlings with an open mesh burlap, cheesecloth, or garden mesh. These will keep the soil intact and protect the new grass. It should be removed by the time the grass is half an inch long.
Rainfall is best for new grass, but if you have decided on sowing grass seeds during dry weather, you’ll need to water for the seeds to germinate. Be sure to use a fine mist so that you won’t create puddles. Water in the morning, before the hottest part of the day. Especially once the grass seeds sprout, be sure to adequately water them. You can use a sprinkler, but don’t leave it on the lawn until the soil becomes too wet. After you water, the water should reach down about 5 inches into the soil.
As your grass begins to grow, you may wonder when it’s time to begin the chore of mowing. You can start moving when the tallest blades of grass are 2 inches long, but don’t cut the grass shorter than an inch and a half.
If you’re considering tearing out an old lawn to replace it with a new and healthy lawn, this may be a wise decision. However, there are also some things you should do before planting the lawn. If your lawn is growing poorly because the soil is too hard, plow it and add compost. You can also try aerating the top layer of soil, or adding 4 pounds of plant food for every 100 square feet of lawn. If your lawn is mossy, you should improve the drainage before planting your new lawn.
