There
are many different ways to create a new lawn and important factors in starting
and maintaining this work.When creating
that new lawn, the first step is to prepare the soil.
Soil
Preparation for a Beautiful Lawn
1.Remove
weeds from the planting area.
2.Till
the area to break up dead grass and compacted soil.
3.Work
in any needed lime or organic matter as you till.
4.Use
a steel rake and remove any remaining dead grass or stones in the planting
area.
5.Level
the area so that the ground is even.
The
next step is to choose whether you want to lie down pre-grown sod or to
plant new grass seed. There are pros and cons to both options.
|
Seed
|
Sod
|
Coverage
|
Takes weeks to fill
out
|
Makes an instant
carpet of grass
|
Appearance
|
Not uniform right
away
|
Rarely patchy or
poor in color
|
Planting
|
Must be planted at
beginning of growing season
|
Sod is less seasonally
restricted
|
Customized Blends
|
Your garden center
will have different varieties to fit your environment
|
Usually available
from local farm and different varieties aren�t always available
|
Labor
|
Takes few tools and
little effort
|
Requires more physical
activity and more tools than seed
|
Weeds
|
Encourages weed seeds
to develop
|
Less susceptible
to invasion by weeds than seed
|
Cost
|
Relatively Inexpensive
|
Can be costly and
installation is also if you cant do it yourself
|
After
choosing the lawn option that is right for you, you can go ahead and get
started.
Grass
Seed � This method is simple enough you should be able to do it yourself.
Contact your local garden store and they will tell you what type of seed
to use, how much seed to use, and the proper way to apply the seed to the
soil. After seeding, it is best to apply some type of cover (straw works
well) and keep off the newly seeded area. Frequent watering is also necessary
for the newly seeded grass.
Grass
Sod � This procedure is more difficult than grass seed. It is best to have
a professional turf company select and install new sod because of the difficult
labor and the extra tools required. Once the sod is installed, be sure
to water frequently.
Tips to maintaining your new lawn
1.Mowing
-Mow
at the proper height (never cut more than one-third the height of the grass)
-Mow
every 5 to 7 days under normal growing conditions, when conditions become
dry, mow less frequently
-Keep
the blades sharp on your mower
-For
a healthier lawn, don�t bag grass clippings. It may look nice, but the
grass needs the clippings for nutrients and frequent mowing will keep the
clumps away
2.Watering
-Water
your lawn thoroughly in the early morning every couple of days in peak
growing season (about one inch of water for strong roots)
-Apply
extra water to light soils and ground in high sunlight and less water for
shaded, heavy soils
3.Fertilizing
-Talk
to your garden center about which fertilizer to use
-Try
to keep a soil ph of about 6.5
-Use
a lime product to raise soil ph
-Use
a gypsum or sulfur product to lower soil ph
By
following these above procedures you will have a healthy and beautiful
looking lawn.
Reference:
www.bayeradvanced.com,
www.centralsod.com