September's
Tip of the Month
Seeding a New Lawn
With the arrival of autumn right around the corner, it is time to think of repairing or replacing your lawn. The moderate temperatures, warm soil conditions and frequent rainfall provide excellent conditions for rapid growth in turf. Plan to seed six weeks before your first heavy frost. This greatly depends on your location, for example here in Central Ohio it is October 15th, in Tennessee it could be early December and in Southern Canada it could be as early as late August.
Before you go out and just
throw down some seed on the soil, first take a moment to think about the lawns intended
uses. Will there be a lot of traffic, is there a steep slope, or is it in a shady spot? Is
water scarce in your region? Maybe a drought tolerant variety is appropriate. In any
event, choose a seed that fits your climate and purposes. Your local garden center will be
more than glad to explain which varieties are good for each situation. Or e-mail me.Now for the hands-on explanation on how to
properly seed a new lawn.
1. Remove old turf or thatch.
If you have an existing lawn remove all plant material whether it is dead or alive. Ideally it would be best if you could rent a sod-cutter from a local equipment rental office. These machines skim the turf right off the soil and leaves a good start to a seed base. Sod-cutters have their pros and cons. The cons being that they are extremely heavy and will not fit into the average trunk and they can be expensive. However, the advantages include less physical work, are quicker and does not remove precious top soil whileleaving a smooth surface. If a sod-cutter does not jive with your wallet there is always the old fashioned way, scalping the lawn with a sharp spade and elbow grease. Use a grade rack to even out the soil and remove any rocks and debris. This is a good time to see the contours of your yard. Fill in any low spots to prevent puddling of water or make grade changes to direct water flow.
2. Prepare a seedbed
Soil preparation is the key to good plant growth and less maintenance. Spread 1-3" of organic matter such as decomposed manure, humus or peat. over the soil. A high phosphorus fertilizer, like 8-20-8, at a rate of 2-3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Completely mix and blend all soil amendments in the top 4" of the soil. Then rake smooth a final grade. Some may recommend rolling the yard at this point, however I feel it is not necessary. If you have access to this equipment it does improve your odds of success. Check with a local garden center to find out the pH of your local soil. If your soil is naturally acidic you may need to spread a thin layer of limestone, and if your soil has a high pH (alkaline) than you may need to spread a thin layer of sulfur, peat moss can also be used to lower pH.
3. Sowing the Seed
| Planting grass seed can be done one of several ways. The first and most basic is by
hand. Walking backwards swinging your arm back and forth letting the seed fall out of your
hand. Go over the area a second time at a right angle from your original pass spread
another light layer of seed so that after both passes you have the recommended rate on the
package. The second option is a mechanical spreader. This can range from handheld to broadcast and drop spreaders. The drop spreader is the most accurate while the broadcast spreader is good for very large areas. I have not had good luck with the hand-held models. |
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A third option is to hire a company to hydro-seed your lawn. This a process of blowing a mixture of water, seed and an organic cellulose mulch onto the turf areas. Although this process is expensive and should only be done by professionals, it is quick, accurate and low maintenance.
If you go with hand-spreading or by mechanical spreader you will need to apply a mulch afterwards. This is usually straw because it provides protection from hungry birds and the drying sun but allows good air circulation. Again if you have a roller this would be a good time to use it, but it is not necessary. A dusting of peat moss can be used but can actually repel water if you do not keep it consistently moist. There are many types of Hydro-mulch on the market. Hydromulch products provide good success but are only economical for small areas (150 sq. ft. or less).
4. Follow-up Care
The only priority is to water. A slow constant soaking is preferred since it will not wash seed around. Use a sprinkler that is low or non-impact. Until germination starts water once a day for 15 minutes, after 2 weeks the grass should be growing rapidly. At this point you want to cut back the frequency of waterings but increase the amount applied. After the grass has reached 3-4" you can use a mower but be sure blades are sharp.
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