Keep in mind that you might not need all the supplies listed here.
Warm-season grass grows in the summer and goes dormant in the winter.
Cool-season grass stays green in cooler weather and withers in hot weather.
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Plant warm-season grass seed in the late spring to summer months.
Plantcool-weather grass seedin the early fall or ideally in September.
Use a grass seed calculator to figure out how many pounds of seed you need for a new lawn.
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If you’re in a dry, arid area, you’ll want a more drought-tolerant grass like Bermudagrass.
Once you’ve removed old plants and weeds, you’ll want to gather the below materials.
Most lawn grasses prefer a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
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Prepare the Soil
Break up the compacted soil with a rented tiller or rototiller.
Spread a starter fertilizer over the loosened soil.
Also, spread asoil amendmentover the soil.
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Use the tillerto mix the starter fertilizer and soil conditioner (or equivalent) into the soil.
Rake the soil to begin to level it out, removing any rocks and debris.
Finally, use a rented lawn roller (with a water-filled drum) to finish leveling the soil.
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Water the soil lightly.
Be careful not to over-water and create a flood.
Repeat watering several times per day (depending on the weather) to keep the soil evenly moist.
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Do not let the soil dry out.
The seeds will germinate and begin to sprout in about seven to 14 days.
Do not walk on or allow pets on any seeded area during this initial phase of growth.
The soil is very unstable and any disturbance will lead to bare areas.
confirm the grass gets plenty of water until it has grown enough to need three mowings.
It’s also a good idea to pull new weeds as they emerge to prevent them from spreading.
Quick Tip
Birds love to eat seed and new sprouts.
Throwing down grass seed without preparation will give you hit-or-miss results.
Some seeds will germinate while others will not.
The grass won’t belong enough to mowfor another month or so after seedlings emerge.
you’re free to put a thin layer oftopsoildownbeforethe grass seed, but this is not required.
But you should not cover the new seeds with topsoilafterthey are on the ground.
Grass seed should be barely covered with the loose soil that’s already on the ground.