How to Seed a Lawn
Determine whether you'll need a cool-season grass or a warm-season grass., Take a soil test to determine the lime and fertilizer recommendations for your new lawn., Check the area that you intend to seed for signs of persistent, invasive weeds.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine whether you'll need a cool-season grass or a warm-season grass.
Where you live should affect which type of seed you plant in your lawn.
In the United States, cool-season grass flourishes in the north, while warm-season grass flourishes in the south.
A swath of between the northern and southern United States is named the "transition zone," where mixes or cool- and warm-season grasses generally flourish.Cool-season grasses, which include Bentgrass, Bluegrass, Fine Fescue, Tall Fescue and Ryegrass, should be seeded mid-August through mid-October, depending on local conditions.
They thrive in temperatures above 60 °F (16 °C) and lay dormant when temperatures fall in the winter.
Warm-season grasses, which include Bahia, Bermuda, Carpetgrass, Centipede, St.
Augustine and Zoysia, should be seeded March through September, depending on local conditions.
They thrive in temperatures above 80 °F (27 °C) and need less water, helping to make them more drought resistant. -
Step 2: Take a soil test to determine the lime and fertilizer recommendations for your new lawn.
A soil test will measure the amount of helpful elements in your soil (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc.), as well as the pH of the soil.Your local county extension office should be able to give you instructions for administering the test. , If any hard-to-control weeds have taken over the area, you may need to treat the soil with a non-selective herbicide to kill off the invasive weeds.
Wait a few weeks to allow the herbicide to work before continuing with soil preparation if it was necessary to use one. -
Step 3: Check the area that you intend to seed for signs of persistent
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Step 4: invasive weeds.
Detailed Guide
Where you live should affect which type of seed you plant in your lawn.
In the United States, cool-season grass flourishes in the north, while warm-season grass flourishes in the south.
A swath of between the northern and southern United States is named the "transition zone," where mixes or cool- and warm-season grasses generally flourish.Cool-season grasses, which include Bentgrass, Bluegrass, Fine Fescue, Tall Fescue and Ryegrass, should be seeded mid-August through mid-October, depending on local conditions.
They thrive in temperatures above 60 °F (16 °C) and lay dormant when temperatures fall in the winter.
Warm-season grasses, which include Bahia, Bermuda, Carpetgrass, Centipede, St.
Augustine and Zoysia, should be seeded March through September, depending on local conditions.
They thrive in temperatures above 80 °F (27 °C) and need less water, helping to make them more drought resistant.
A soil test will measure the amount of helpful elements in your soil (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, etc.), as well as the pH of the soil.Your local county extension office should be able to give you instructions for administering the test. , If any hard-to-control weeds have taken over the area, you may need to treat the soil with a non-selective herbicide to kill off the invasive weeds.
Wait a few weeks to allow the herbicide to work before continuing with soil preparation if it was necessary to use one.
About the Author
Patrick Myers
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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