|
Old Mill Feed & Garden |
|||
|
|||
|
Establishing a New Lawn |
|||
 |
|
 |
|
|
SEEDBED PREPARATION Begin
your new lawn with a well shaped, contoured area. Tilling compost into your existing soil will enhance
the long-term health of your lawn. If you don’t want to till, spread a thin layer of fine soil over
the area to provide a good seedbed. “Floating” the area with a weighted ladder, adding weight
as needed and dragging it sideways can accomplish leveling. Add some moisture to settle the soft spots
and drag again. Repeat until you’re satisfied with the results. WEED REMOVAL Disturbing the soil brings weed seed to the surface that can germinate even after being buried for up to 40 years. Water lightly and wait for several days after leveling to allow exposed weed seed to germinate. After weeds show, spray the newly sprouted weeds with glyphosate (Roundup or equivalent) or remove them using a float as in the previous step.
Apply dolomite lime at a rate of 25 lbs per 1,000 square feet to increase soil pH. If you are unsure of your soil’s pH, test first. Most native soils are somewhat acid (low pH).
Lightly fertilize the area to be planted. Apply fertilizer at a rate that provides approx 2 lbs of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. To determine the coverage of your fertilizer, use the following formula: N number on bag x Weight of bag in pounds x 5 = Coverage in square feet Spread fertilizer in two directions to avoid streaking. Adding a humic acid product such as Soil Activator at a rate of 10 lbs per 1,000 square feet will promote beneficial microbes and unlock nutrients existing in the soil.
Apply a grass seed mixture at the rate of 7-10 pounds per 1000 square feet. Divide the grass seed into equal amounts and spread from two directions, preferably with a drop spreader. Rake the seed lightly into the bed using a bamboo or spring-toothed rake.
Rolling with a weighted drum is beneficial only if a lawn is seeded during the summer. Rolling increases capillary action in the soil to bring up moisture and hold it in the rooting zone. Unless you’re planting in the summer or don’t have enough to do, skip this step.
Mulching, especially during summer months, will help retain moisture. Composted material, spread only ¼” thick, works well. Fresh bark dust or sawdust is not recommended because they tend to tie up available nutrients, leaving them unavailable to the new grass seedlings. If bark dust or sawdust is used, additional nitrogen fertilizer will be required to supplement the nitrogen tied up by the mulch.
Keep your new turf moist until it is well established. Our lawn seed mixes usually germinate in about 5-14 days, depending on daily temperatures. Watch for the emergence of weedy grasses. They will be taller than the seeded grass and should be removed by digging the entire root. Weedy grasses come from seeds in the soil or carried on the wind, not from the seed you have just planted. Broadleaf weeds can be pulled as they appear, or wait until after your new lawn has been mowed at least twice and spray weeds with a selective broadleaf herbicide.
Mowing your new lawn should begin when the grass is about 3” tall. The preferred mowing height is 1½” to 2”. The first few mowings should be done at 2” to 2-1/2”.
Once your lawn is established, maintain a regular program of watering, fertilizing, and liming to ensure a green, healthy turf. All lawns, including drought-tolerant varieties in their first year, should be watered at a rate of 1” per week. Reseeding over the existing lawn should be done periodically to maintain a vigorous mix of preferred grasses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Need a map to find us?
|
|||
