How to Start Your Lawn by Seeding or Sod

By:Tim Shank

Whether you are planning to sod or seed your lawn, for best results you need to start from scratch. The reason this is the best way to start your lawn and get the healthiest lawn is that you can eliminate bad grass, weeds and disease in your grass. If this is not all properly removed then most of the time it is a waste of time to seed or sod because weeds and disease will just creep back into your lawn.

To start from scratch you need to first remove the old grass with a sod cutter. You can rent these from most home improvement stores. Once the sod is removed completely, you need to till the dirt and make the ground as smooth as possible. If you see any large rocks, you should discard of them as well. The next step is to check the pH level of your dirt and treat it if necessary. Then you should treat your dirt with a good fertilizer. The fertilizer will help give your sod or seeds a good start.

After your dirt is prepared for planting it is time to decide on laying sod or seeding. Before you start this process, you need to make sure it is the best time in your area to do this. Check with a local nursery for the optimum time of year to start a lawn. It is typically best to start a lawn in late spring or early fall. If it is too hot, the grass will not get enough water and it will dry up. If it is too cold the ground might freeze, killing the grass.

Once you plant seeds or lay sod, you need to make sure that your lawn gets watered regularly or all your hard work will have been for nothing. There is a fine line between too much water and not enough. The general rule of thumb is that, if there is no rain in the forecast, you should sprinkle the grass or seeds lightly 2-3 times each day so that the ground stays moist. If it rains heavily for a few days, you should not sprinkle the grass. A very hard rain right after seeding might wash some of the seeds away so you might have to seed again.

Depending on the type of sod or seeds you use, you might have to add fertilizer or water the ground with fertilizer. It is best to follow whatever instructions or tips you are given for that type of grass in order to have the best success. If you have any questions or are having problems, consult with a landscaping company. Since they are used to seeding and laying sod, they might have a simple solution to whatever your problem or question is. You might even consider having them help with the seeding or laying the sod. Whether to lay sod or seed is a personal decision. Whichever you choose be sure to research the needs of that particular grass before starting.

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