If you plan to start your lawn from seed, keep in mind that the best time to
plant grass seed is late April through May and late August to early September.
Spring and fall provide favorable growing conditions for cool season lawn grasses.
Grass seed can be spread over the ground with a fertilizer
spreader. We use about four pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet
of area. The we drag a lawn rake over the seeded area to mix
the seed into the soil surface. Next, cover the new seeding with
penn mulch, using 2 to 3 bags for each 500 square feet of area.
Watering is critical for new seedings. Sprinkle the ground
lightly several times a day to keep the soil surface cool and
moist. You can email us for our JVS watering instruction sheet.
We will normally begin mowing when the grass is two to three
inches tall. The mower blade must be sharp. Dull blades will
pull the young plants out of the ground rather than cut the leaves.
Fertilize with a lawn fertilizer when the plants are two inches
tall. Be sure to water in the fertilizer if the instructions
on the bag say to do so. Water so that an inch of water per week
is applied to the new seeding.
Sod can provide a lawn in a shorter time than seed. A prime
disadvantage of sod is the limited number of grass species included
in sod mixes. Most sod is a blend of several Kentucky bluegrass
cultivars.
Sodding can be done when the soil is dry enough to work, and
the sod will have enough time to root before winter. We do o
not lay sod during dry weather if water cannot be provided. Rolled-up
sod heats up, and this heat can kill the sod. To avoid injury,
lay the sod within 24 to 48 hours after it was cut.
Do not lay sod on hot, dry soil. Moisten the soil to a depth
of six inches then lay the sod in a pattern that looks like bricks
in a wall. This can be done by starting alternate rows with half
a roll of sod rather than a full one. The edges of the rolls
should be touching to prevent the sod from drying out.
Once all the sod is laid, roll it to remove air pockets. Hold
sod laid on a slope in place with wooden stakes.
Water the sod immediately after rolling. Water every day after
laying the sod until the roots have grown into the soil. Rooting
can take two to three weeks. Reduce watering gradually once the
sod has rooted into the soil.
