When is the best time to plant grass seed (Part II)?
When is the best time to plant grass seed. Follow these tips for grass seed planting success.
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When is the best time for growing grass from seed?
When is the best time for Growing Grass from Seed?
Any time you are ready and can work comfortably outside!
Laying a New Lawn from Grass Seed.
If you are thinking of starting a lawn from grass seed, there is some information you need to know before making your decision. The advantages of planting grass seed over installing sod are that it is less costly and there is more variety of grasses to choose from. Whilst there is a lot of labor involved, the beautiful results are well worth your time.
This article will contain many tips to help make the seeding process easier. When starting a grass lawn from seed, be aware that it will take a lot of care. If you are a keen gardener, this probably won’t be a problem for you. If you are replacing a very large expanse of lawn, you may want to hire someone to help you remove old sod, or hire a turf cutter. Seeding results are better if you remove old lawn grass before you begin. This can be done by removing 1 foot sections with a spade. If you are laying grass from scratch you will want to till the area in order to remove old root clumps or debris and rake it till you get the level you desire.
An important decision to be made is what type of lawn grass seed you should purchase. Take your climate into consideration, consider whether the area is shady or wet and also determine what type of soil and drainage you have. Consider also how much traffic the grass will have. This will help you make the perfect grass choice for your lawn.
If your soil has poor drainage, you will need to add some sand to the mixture before planting the lawn grass seed. This will stop the ground becoming waterlogged. You will also want to check the pH level of your soil. Ideally, most lawns thrive with a pH level of 6.5-7.0, so if yours isn’t in this range you may need to add some amendments to attain this level. If you have decided to start your lawn from seed, one thing you should think about is how much maintenance is required once the grass is established. Some grass varieties need little or no mowing, and others require lawn mowing more often. Some also require more moisture, so watering may be necessary.
Once you have chosen your grass seed it’s time to get the soil ready. The first step you should taking after preparing the site is to add a layer of organic material to your topsoil. Some people choose not to use topsoil. In this case, use peat moss, compost and manure, and make sure this is at one inch thick at a minimum. Leave the mixture loose so that the roots of the grass seed can spread. As you can see, starting a lawn from grass seed does require quite a bit of work – but it is well worth the effort. You may also add fertilizer about a week before seeding. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for this step. After all the preparation is complete, you are ready to seed! Again, follow manufacturer’s instructions. They will tell you how much seed to use on a certain size area. You can seed by hand or use a spreader – or both, this is completely up to you. If you have a large area it is useful to divide it into smaller sections and sow a portion of the grass seed into each section. To ensure you have an even spread sow the lawn seed in two directions. After seeding, you will need to rake the grass seed into the soil. If birds are likely to be attracted to the area you can criss cross string about 4 inches above the soil surface. Now, wait for your grass to grow! It should only take about 7-14 days before the seedlings appear.
Keep the soil moist during this time and water preferably in the evening. Use a fine mist so as not to dislodge the grass seeds. Until your lawn becomes established, try to keep pets and visitors off of the grass. Starting a lawn from seed does require effort and attention on your part. To keep you motivated during the process, just picture the lush green lawn you will have in a short time! Your neighbors will be envious.