PLANTING LAWNS

When we talk about a house having "curb appeal", few things contribute as much as a beautiful home lawn.   We can't always control the amount or type of topsoil we must work with, but we can choose top quality grass seed and make adjustments to the chemistry of the soil.
      
With a new home, it's usually necessary to plant the lawn as soon as construction has ended, even if the season isn't conducive to growing grass.  When there is a choice, fall (September) is the best time to seed and spring (April) is the second best.
    

   
Fall is best time to plant a lawn in Pennsylvania

Most people are surprised to hear that fall planting is better than spring.  For one thing, spring plantings face much more weed competition.  But more importantly, as soon as spring-planted grass is up and growing, it has to face the rigors of summer heat and dry weather.  Fall planted grasses have both the fall season and spring season to grow and mature before facing summer heat.

With the above considerations in mind, here are a few of the basics:

• Start early by sending a soil sample to a lab for analysis.  Your lime and fertilizer requirements will be outlined in their written report.

• Locate utility lines, and especially any shallow wires (TV cable), before digging.  Call 1-800-242-1776 at least one week before digging to get utility lines marked; usually this service is free to homeowners.

• Never "work" soil when it's wet.  Tilling or cultivating wet soil can ruin the soil structure.  It also makes your work much more difficult.

• Pay close attention to grading.  Soil should be sloped away from foundations and graded to prevent low spots that will puddle.  Consider adding a french drains at the base of steep slopes, and other areas where there is poor surface runoff.

• Final lawn installation:
     
  >> Finish grade the lawn with topsoil if possible.  Remove rocks and other debris that will impede good growth.
     
  >> Apply lime and fertilizer according to your soil test results.  In lieu of a soil test on Pennsylvania lawns, apply per 1,000 square feet: 50 pounds of agricultural lime, 10 pounds of 10-30-10 starter fertilizer (or equivalent), and grass seed at the recommended rate. There are different types of grass seed varieties for specific areas [cool season] [warm season].
     
  >> Mulch the lawn surface with one of the following:
  Mushroom manure - Great for lawns - use a thin coat
  Straw - Use the "cleanest" weed-free straw you can find at a "3-straw thickness" (straw is the least expensive mulch)
  Professionals also use Hydroseeding or 'Penn Mulch' --- both methods use green-colored paper to hold moisture.

• Watering your new lawn now becomes the most important part!
    
  
  New sod lawns require regular
  watering to aid establishment
    

Straw often contains some weed seeds. The rye straw (above) had seedheads causing some rye (coarser blades) to grow along with the new grass seedlings. Mowing will eventually kill this weedy rye.
  

SOD

If you are sodding a lawn instead of seeding, follow the steps listed above with the following exceptions:

• When finish grading, leave the grade one-inch lower along walks, driveways and similar areas to allow for the thickness of the sod.

• Buy the best grade (#1) of sod available.  If sod arrives stacked on a pallet, try to lay it out as soon as possible.  Cover palletized sod with a tarp (to help keep the sun and wind off) until you get it laid.

• Green side up!  (-;

• Try not to stretch the sod while laying it, in fact, bunch it up and keep the seams butted together as tightly as possible.  Fill any gaps on the edges with shredded and screened topsoil to help hold moisture.  Exposed edges dry out the fastest.

• Make your cuts with a sharp bowie knife, hatchet or square-nosed spade.

• Water sod thoroughly and often (every day or two) to aid establishment.  Curb edges dry out the fastest.

• See our Sod webpage

Sod folded and stacked on shipping pallets
  

More lawn pages

• watering lawns

• mowing lawns

• fertilizing lawns

• lawn aeration

• lawn renovations

• sodding your home lawn

• sprinklers for lawns

• thatch in lawns

• cool season lawn grasses

• warm season lawn grasses

• September is lawn renovation month

Lawn columns

• Fall is for Lawns

• Low Maintenance Grasses

• Spot-seeding your Lawn

• Tips for Beautiful Lawns

Also visit LawnBoss.net for specific lawn care information