lawns & sod
Preparation For a New Lawn: Prior to sowing lawn seed or laying sod you must first establish a desirable slope and grade in your yard. In order to prevent basement water problems slope the soil away from your house. Remember that gentle slopes are easier to maintain than steep slopes and that the installation of poured sidewalks, patios, and large trees are best done before planting a lawn. It is also a good idea to leave shrub and flower beds unsodded. This will eliminate unnecessary sod removal when you are ready to landscape. If you have less than 15-20 cm. of good quality topsoil in your yard you need additional soil. Purchase screened loam and spread it evenly over the previously graded subsoil. It is important to level & pack the soil surface before planting a lawn. Use a landscape rake or a heavy timber, pulled by a rope, to level the soil surface evenly smooth. Then, pack the soil with a lawn roller until the soil is firm. Finally, apply Root Grow (10-30-10) fertilizer at a rate of five kilograms per 100 square meters. At this point you are ready to seed or sod your new lawn.
Both seed and sod are basically a combination of Kentucky Blue Grass and fescue grass varieties. These are combined in different ratios for different conditions. Fescue is more tolerant to adverse conditions, so for example, the ratio of fescue in a specialty seed for full shade would be higher than it would be in an all purpose mix. Kentucky Blue Grass needs full sun to thrive. There are specialty seeds available for the shade, for low maintenance, and to patch damage left by pets. There are reasons to use both seed and sod; choose the option that works best for you.
Seeding:
As a general rule, a blend or mixture, under average growing conditions will prove the most successful, and withstand the widest range of conditions. greengate supplies several types of good quality grass mix. We also carry individual cultivars for specific locations. Kentucky Bluegrass - Easy to grow in a sunny location, but suffers from summer heat if mowed too close. It is disease prone and requires more fertilizer and dethatching and does not tolerate drought. Kentucky Bluegrass is coarser textured than Fescue, stands up better to high traffic; and requires more fertilizer, at least twice a year. Creeping Red Fescue - Mixes well with other seed species such as Kentucky Bluegrass. It is a quick germinating, fine textured, deep green grass. It grows well in shade and has a medium fertilizer requirement. Creeping Red Fescue does not hold up as well to high traffic. Best results are achieved if lawns are seeded in the spring or fall following the directions listed below. When seeding, make sure an adequate supply of water is supplied.
Remember it may take 3 weeks for Kentucky Bluegrass seed to germinate.
How Much Seed Is Required:
To determine how much seed you will need, measure the length and width of the plot to be seeded and multiply one measurement by the other; to calculate the area. If for example, the plot to be seeded is 10 m. (38 ft.) long by 8 m. (26 ft.) wide the area of the plot to be seeded equals 80 sq. m. (858 sq. ft.) Check the package of lawn seed to determine how much seed will be require to cover the plot in question. Do not try to spread lawn seed further than suggested on the package. If you skimp on lawn seed your lawn will look bare and unattractive. Likewise do not over seed in attempt to create a more dense lawn.
General Preparation for New Lawns
- Topsoil should be at least 6 in. (15 cm) deep. Add additional topsoil if required.
- Spread topsoil using landscaping rake, removing all debris.
- Establish a grade sloping away from the house.
- Compact the soil using a garden roller.
Seed
Seeding should be done in the spring or fall, not during hot, mid-summer conditions. Seed is less expensive than sod, but requires more maintenance.
Seeding Steps
- Spread grass seed using a drop spreader at the amount per square foot indicated on the package. Different varieties have different ratios. Try setting the spreader at half this rate and apply the seed in two passes at right angles to each other.
- Rake in lightly.
- After seeding apply a thin layer of peat moss over the entire area. This helps retain moisture and holds the seed to ensure a quality product.
- Fertilize using a high phosphorous lawn fertilizer (10-30-10), which encourages root growth. It is used only on newly seeded grass.
- Keep area moist for at least two full weeks.
- Mow when approximately 2.5 in. (7 cm) long. Do not cut shorter than 2 inches (5 cm) the first year.
Sod
Sod is more expensive than seed, but gives you an instant lawn. Sod is sold in rolls 6x1.5 ft. (2x.5 m). Sod should be kept in a cool place and used within two days of delivery, so general preparation should be near or fully completed before delivery.
Sodding Steps
- Begin laying sod along a straight edge, such as a sidewalk. Lay full row.
- Lay the next row offset from the first, so that their seams are overlapping.
- Trim sod to fit using a sharp knife. A straight edge is sometimes useful for even cutting.
- After sod has been laid roll or tramp down the high spots.
- Fertilize using a high phosphorous lawn fertilizer (10-30-10), which encourages root growth. It is used only on newly planted grass.
- Keep area moist for at least two full weeks.
- Mow when approximately 2.5 in. (7 cm) long. Do not cut shorter than 2 inches (5 cm) the first year.
Maintenance
Once your lawn is established it becomes only a matter of weekly mowing, and watering, and fertilizing a few times a year. Mow once a week using a sharp blade, which will make a cleaner cut. During hot, dry conditions lawns can use up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water a week. Regular weekly waterings will create deeper roots, so that the plants can tolerate drier conditions. Weekly deep waterings are better, for both moisture retention and grass development, than light daily waterings.
Fertilizing
Apply a slow release lawn fertilizer with a high proportion of nitrogen (the first number of three on the package), such as 21-3-4 in May and again in July. (Slow release fertilizers last for 6-8 weeks) Winterizing fertilizer can be applied in late September and will become active in the early spring when growing conditions begin.
Spring Lawn Maintenance
Rake lawn thoroughly or use a power rake to break up the thatch. Thatch is interwoven dead grass, which prevents moisture and nutrients from penetrating into the soil. Aerate every few years, which is removing soil plugs. This allows better moisture and nutrient penetration.