How To Start a Lawn
By Robert Gettle If carefully prepared and properly maintained, your lawn can last a hundred years. So if you prepare and plant carefully you can have a lawn that should be thriving for generations to come. When you put in a lawn you are truly preparing for the future. With all that riding on your lawn, doesn’t it make sense to put some time into careful preparation. Whether or not you choose sod or seed your lawn area should be raked level and very smooth . For the best job you should be able to walk on the lawn bed and leave very little or no foot prints. The smoother and firmer your lawn bed the better job you will do on your lawn. Drainage is critical. For good drainage your lawn should slope gently away from your house. This step is crucial. If this step is not carefully observed your lawn can turn into something resembling a swamp when it rains. First you need to find out about your soil’s makeup. Contact your local county agent or buy a simple soil test. Most grasses do best in a ph level of 6 to 7. Lime added to the soil will improve the soil structure and provide a less acidic better chemical balance for the soil bacteria. If you add organic matter such as peat moss or compost it will increase the growth rate of your grass and decrease the maintainence required. A 1 to 2 inch dried animal manure layer worked into the soil will provide nutirents and increase germination rates. If seeding your lawn it is a very good idea to look carefully at a seed mixture. A good seed mixture wil grow well in both sun and shade areas of your lawn. You can get the finer bladed grasses which make a nicer lawn. Be sure to get a perennial mixture with very little or no annual seed in the mix. You want to get a fast germinating grass seed in the mixture such as a fine leafed rye grass seed. The best time to sow seed is in September to early Octber. Or early spring after the ground warms. If you lay down seed on the cold ground it will most likely lay there and rot. Sod can go in any time, though the prefered time is spring or fall. If you are sowing seed follow the package directed amounts of seed to use. Then rake lightly to cover the seed with about 1/8 ” soil. Roll the area after planting seed or laying sod. Cover seed with a layer of mulch to conserve moisture. Spread a layer of peat moss or straw about 1/8 inch thick after rolling the area. Burlap covering is not recommended unless on a slope. If you use burlap be sure to remove it as soon as germination begins. Nothing will kill your new lawn faster then dryness. To maintain the moisture level of your new lawn you should water several times a day the first week.Water once a day the next week. Less fequent but more deep watering is required as your grass grows. All this water will of course cause the weeds to germinate as well. Don’t worry your healthy thriving lawn will soon choke them out. Be sure to keep everyone off your lawn until it is well established, this includes the dogs. Rambunctious dogs can destroy your new lawn very quickly. When your lawn has grown about two inches it is time to mow. Make sure the blades are sharp and your mower is set about 11/2 inches high. The following spring top dress your lawn with about inch of an organic fertilizer. Be sure not to cover the grass blades completely they need to be poking through . Water well if no rain arrives. Robert Gettle bob@bobgettlelandscaping.com http://www.bobgettlelandscaping.com 25 years experience in landscaping. Get 4 free ebooks on landscape information from putting in a lawn to installing a backyard pond. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Gettle http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Start-a-Lawn&id=542422 prescription meds- adderall zoloft xanax ambien ambien online without prescription ambien buy cheap ambien day next
