How to Seed & Maintain a New Lawn
- 1). Test the soil where the new lawn will be to see if any nutrients are needed. Contact your local cooperative extension service for information on how to prepare and mail a sample in your area.
- 2). Select the appropriate grass seed mixture. Grasses are either cool season or warm season. Cool season grasses do well if they have winters with below freezing temperatures each year. These grasses include fescues and bluegrass. Warm season grasses do best in the southern United States. Bermudagrass and St. Augustine grass are some of the most popular warm season grasses.
- 3). Prepare the soil by tilling it with a rototiller. Go down at least 10 inches. Rototillers can be rented from hardware stores or garden centers.
- 4). Add compost or peat moss to the soil, depending on the results of the soil test.
- 5). Level the soil and rake it to make it even. You can also use a lawn roller for this.
- 6). Apply the seed with a broadcaster. Walk back and forth in one direction with the spreader, then do the same thing by walking across that area.
- 7). Rake the ground to cover the seeds. Use a lawn roller to further settle the seeds in.
- 8). Water the lawn three or four times day after seeding. It will need more watering in hot weather. Water gently and make sure the water soaks in. The ground shouldn't be soggy.
- 9). Mow the new grass for the first time when it grows taller than 4 inches. Doing this when the soil is dry will keep the new turf from being torn up. Cut the grass high, setting the mower blade at about 3 inches.
- 10
Fertilize the new lawn for the first time about a month after the grass seeds sprout. Check the labels on the fertilizers in the store and use one that is formulated for the type of grass you are growing. Follow the package directions for how much to apply. - 11
Water the lawn weekly. As the new seedlings become established, gradually reduce the frequency until the lawn gets one inch of water per week. - 12
Fertilize the lawn in early fall each year. Use a mixture for the type of grass you are growing.
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