If you are preparing a new lawn you will need to choose between grass seed or laying turf. Making use of lawn seed is a great deal cheaper than turf and has the benefit that you have a wider range of assorted types of lawn seed to select from. The best time to start the lawn is in the fall or Spring as you require moist and fairly warm conditions. The summer is not an ideal time to start a lawn as you’ll need to water very frequently and too hot conditions aren’t best for the new seedlings to develop.
Different sorts of grass seeds grow at diverse rates so the time it will take for your new grass to be mature enough to walk on will depend on the type and the blend of grass seed that you use. You will also need to think about the type of lawn seed you need. There are specialized shade grass seed for regions that do not get the sun, sunny grass seed for regions that do! A very popular product is Scotts grass seed.
Prepare Your Area
Prior to seeding the lawn you must prepare the area properly. The spot you have chosen must be dug carefully and all stones taken out and big clods broken down. Rake over the area and tamp down gently with your heels. The surface can then be scraped carefully to make furrows for the seeds.
Seeding the Lawn
There are two techniques used to seed a lawn, manually and by the use of a machine. To use a machine, weigh out the amount of seed blend needed for the area then put half into the machine and seed by operating the machine up and down the area in strips. As you get to end of every strip, to avoid over-seeding, either place plastic sheeting on the ground or shut off the holes in the machine. You could use canes placed in the earth or cables to steer you. At this point place the rest of the seeds in the seeding machine and, walking perpendicular to the initial lines, complete seeding the lawn.
If you are seeding the lawn by hand it’s a good plan to break up the area into segments of a square meter by means of thread and canes. Assess the amount of lawn seed you need for each segment, weight this out and place in a small container. Make a note of about how much this is so that you don’t need to weigh out every time. Evenly seed the first segment, sowing the seeds in each directions in order that they are spread evenly. Now fill up the pot to around the same level as previously and sow the next segment. Go on until all of the area is seeded.
Once the entire area has been sown rake over lightly and water thoroughly.During the following seven days to two weeks ensure that you water regularly if there isn’t any rain. The seedlings should start to emerge in the course of this time.
Mowing Your New Lawn
As soon as the lawn seedlings are about 4 cm tall it is safe to mow the grass for the first time using a rotary lawn mower. Take care to collect grass clippings or use a rake and be careful not to disturb the new seedlings.
Read more about looking after your lawn at All for One Lawn Care Advice