Dig over the entire site with a garden fork, mixing in top soil or a soil improver if you need to which will improve the condition of the soil. Break down any hard lumps by bashing them with the back of the fork. Add some pre-turf and seed fertiliser at about half the recommended rate and continue to take out big stones and bits of old roots. Be methodical — start at one end of the patch and trample the soil in a straight line across the end of the plot, then turn around and go back.
Carry on shuffling over the earth until you've covered the whole area with footprints. Then gently rake over your footprints. Keep filling in any hollows and remove any last lumps of root and debris until the ground is as even as possible. Choose a non-windy day to sow seed, otherwise the seed will end up everywhere but where you want it! If spreading seed by hand, tie four 1 metre bamboo canes together with garden twine to form a square.
Then hold in front of you and spread a measured quantity of seed within it. This will show you how densely you need to sow the seed. Repeat until the entire area has been covered. As with all seeds, check the packaging instructions for the recommend rate of application. This will not only cost more in seed but also cause the seeds to rot and die.
When you have sown over the entire area, lightly rake the surface to mix the seed into the soil. Water in the new seeds to start the germination. Be careful not to wash the seeds away or create puddles. A new lawn needs plenty of time to establish itself — so the last thing you want is for people and animals to trample it or for birds to eat the seed. To prevent this, either crisscross the area with cotton, tied to regularly spaced canes pushed into the ground, or use fine-mesh netting fixed a few centimetres off the ground.
Continue regular watering of the new grass seedlings - especially if the weather is dry. While the seedlings are very tiny and delicate, water using a fine mist spray from a hose gun attachment pictured or sprinkler with a mist setting.
Once the grass has grown to 5cm to 8cm high, it can have its first cut. Is April a good time to plant grass, or should you aim for a different date? Keep reading for the verdict. If you have your heart set on planting grass in spring, early April is, in fact, the best time to do it.
But, depending on where you live, spring seeding could come with complications. The problem is, weeds also thrive in these elements. That means your grass will be forced to compete with unwelcome weeds as it tries to grow. Also, if your lawn is scheduled to have pre-emergent weed control applications around this time, be aware that this will inhibit grass seed from germinating.
Stressful summer heat could slow or completely stop the growth of cool-season grasses. Warm-season grasses, on the other hand, are meant to be planted in late spring or early summer. But, your lawn will have a much better chance at survival if you wait until later in the year.
If you live in the Northeastern U. Cool-season grasses are also prominent in the Midwest, so fall is the best time to plant grass seed in this area. Those first few warm days that seem to cause buds to swell and the first signs of green to poke through make us anxious for the warmth of spring and summer. Cool-season grasses, bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue and tall fescue, take time to begin growing in the spring.
Soil temperatures have to reach the 45 to degree mark before growth starts to pick-up. It is also the minimum temperature for cool season grass seed to germinate. The soils take a good deal longer to warm than air temperature. In some cases, these soil temperatures may be delayed until late April or even mid-May.
This helps spread out the feeding and reduces summer stress by not being under such a lush application of nitrogen. Problems with spring grass seed germination One of the historic problems with spring seeding has been excessive crabgrass germination. Thin turf areas and disturbing the soil results in a bumper crop of this pesky weed. Fortunately newer crabgrass control products can help us overcome this problem. The product Dithiopyr active ingredient is recommended for spring seeding as it can be applied later into the season and still provide good control.
This product actually works as a pre-emergent and on seedling crabgrass which has already germinated. In most seasons it can be applied in early to mid-May and still provide excellent season long control. In fact, some labels on the product indicate it can be applied as soon as two weeks after germination, or when the new grass is 2 inches tall.
January and February is the time to decide whether to seed this spring or just wait until fall and hope for a summer miracle. No matter what you decide, planning will lead to success as well as knowing the proper steps. Recommended Turf Grasses for Kansas
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