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Seeding
Your Lawn
Lawn
grasses are established in our area by seeding or sodding. Sodding is
expensive
but offers an instant carpet of grass that can be used within weeks,
can be
installed in difficult places such as areas that are steep or heavily
trafficked and can be laid almost any time during the growing season.
Seed is
the most economical and common way to start a lawn. Over-seeding
provides a
quick, easy way to thicken and rejuvenate grassy areas.
When should I seed grass? In nature, grass seed
ripens and falls to the
ground in late summer and germinates as the nights get cooler and the
soil is
still warm. In our area, the best time for seeding grass is between
August 20
and September 20. The second best opportunity for successful
establishment of
grass seed is late April through May. Grass can be seeded during the
summer,
but it requires more careful watering.
What kind of grass seed
should I use? Choosing the
right variety of
grass for your lawn is very important. The first factor to consider is
how much
sun the area receives. Creeping red fescue is the most tolerant of
shade. It's
a good idea to use a grass seed mixture that blends the attributes of
several
varieties of grass. Occasionally turf grasses are subject to diseases
that
target a specific variety of grass and growing a mixed lawn may help
limit the
damage.
How should I prepare the
soil? Keep in mind that you
will be expecting
the grass to grow in that soil for years, so now is your chance to make
it the
best possible. How much work the soil will require depends on its
current
condition. If you have a good, rich soil with lots of organic matter,
simply
loosen the top two or three inches, even out the grade and rake to
smooth the
surface and remove clods. Very loose soil might need to be rolled to
make it
firmer. If your soil is heavy sand or clay, you may need to add top
soil,
compost, peat moss or manure, spreading a layer several inches thick on
top of
the existing soil. Till the soil amendments into the top six inches of
existing
soil. To seed over an existing stand of grass, you need to loosen the
surface
of the soil as much as you can without damaging the existing grass.
This can be
done with a steel tine rake or a dethatching attachment to your mower.
You may
get a stand of grass if you simply spread the seed over bare ground,
but it
will have to struggle to get an adequate root system and will be
thinner and
less resistant to disease and winter damage.
How much seed do I need? How
much seed you will need depends of what
variety of grass you are using and if it is a new seeding or over
seeding.
Bluegrass can have up to 10 times as many seeds per pound as other
grasses. The
following chart shows how many square feet you can cover with a pound
of seed:
New Lawn Over-seeding
Bluegrass 500-600
sq. ft. 1000-1200 sq. ft.
Other Grass 300-350
sq. ft. 600-700 sq. ft.
What
is the best way to spread the seed? For
small areas, spread
the seed by hand. For larger areas, use either a hand held seeder or a
fertilizer spreader. Keep in mind it is much easier to go back over an
area if
you spread it too thin than it is to take it back. After you broadcast
the
seed, it needs to be raked lightly into the surface. In order to
germinate,
grass seed needs light and contact with the soil, so be careful not to
get it
too deep. Power (or slit) seeders are available at some places that
rent
equipment. Germination will be better if you roll the seed after you
rake
lightly.
Should I spread a mulch
over the seeded area? Existing
grass will act as
a mulch or nurse crop for over-seeded areas. On newly seeded areas,
spreading
mulch will make your job much easier. Straw is the least expensive way
to cover
a large area. An average bale of straw will mulch approximately 1000
square
feet. The disadvantage of straw is that it’s slow to break
down and often has a
lot of weed seeds. Peat moss is available baled and can be spread
lightly over
an area to be seeded to help retain moisture. Burlap will help hold a
steep
grade, but is difficult to remove without damaging the grass. A new
product
that is helpful in smaller areas is called germinating cloths,
extremely
lightweight fabric that floats on top of the emerging grass and lets
the rain
and 50% of the light pass through. It can be easily removed after the
grass has
been in a few weeks and can be reused.
How do I care for the
newly seeded area? Right after
seeding, soak the
ground thoroughly. The top inch of soil needs to stay consistently
damp. This
might require your sprinkling the soil lightly several times a day to
keep it
moist, especially if it's warm or windy. Continue to water regularly
until the
grass is several inches tall, then begin to water less often but more
deeply.
How long does it take the
seed to germinate? You may see
a soft green
flush within a few days of seeding, but the majority of the grass will
germinate in a week to 10 days
Contact us now
for a free estimate on seeding your lawn!
Customer
Testimonials
This company knows everything about your lawn. They will give you
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and sell you products and services. Absolutley wonderful... - Yahoo!
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