Lawn Care 101

Having a lawn is the equivalent to having a large garden with only one plant. People often do not realize the amount of work and care required to keep a lawn as thick and as full as people usually want them. Golf courses spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to maintain their grounds in the shape they have them in.

What do I need to know about planting a new lawn?

A new lawn from start to finish would ideally have a clean slate with properly tilled and prepared soil. Often when people are planting a new lawn they do not have a good quality soil base. The best thing to do is remove any old grass, weeds and plants that are there. If the soil is not of a good quality it is best to add some new top soil and compost at this time.

The soil base should level and graded well so the drainage is going the way you want it to. Before you plant seed or sod you should also add a fertilizer that is has a formulation like 10-20-5, which has a high phosphorus count to cause better root growth.

Your seed or sod may then be added on top of the new soil. If you are planting sod, lay it out butt to butt and then roll it afterwards to help compact it lightly into the soil. If you are planting seed, you should spread the seed as evenly as possible, then add a small layer of soil, around ¼” at most, and then roll the soil base. This helps to keep the seed covered and maintain the moisture level as well as preventing birds from eating it.

How do I pick my seed?

Most seeds are made for different areas. Our mixes are split into 3 different mixes. All of them have some perennial rye, creeping red fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.