How to Prepare Your Soil for Planting Grass Seed
Soil quality and preparation are important steps in planting grass seed for a new lawn. Begin by taking off the existing vegetation. Use a non-selective herbicide like gylphosphate (Round-Up) to get rid of the weeds that can be growing. The weeds mustn't be moisture stressed should they be sprayed because contrary to everyday opinion, a green, healthy, growing weed will die faster following having a herbicide application over a dry and stressed weed. Let herbicide dry on the weeds leaves for a minimum of twelve hours.
After existing vegetation is removed, dig within the soil and get an idea for the texture of your soil and it's particles. Is it mostly sandy, loamy, or very fine, as well as clay like? Sandy soils drain quickly and have good root growth. Clay soils typically drain poorly and become compacted. Soils that have 50-60% sand and smaller particles are best for a lawn. It's not as difficult to incorporate fine soils to coarse sandy soils instead of add large amounts of sand to dense clay soils.
Most soils are more easily modified by adding organic matter which include plant parts, shredded bark, horse or cattle manure. To properly add organic matter, perform the following:
1. Wet soil and let drain for two days. 2. Roto-till soil as deep as you possibly can. 3. Wet soil again and let drain for 2 days. 4. Roto-till again. 5. Add organic matter and grass fertilizer over tilled soil. 6. Roto-till again as deep as possible.
During this process be sure you continuously pull any new weeds that emerge and grab any big rocks or debris which come up.
You then want to level the soil as best as you can. The new soil should settle naturally, or you can quicken the process with the addition of more water. Then rake the soil so it has small groves within it. Now you are ready to plant grass seed, but there are many different grass seed types and make sure you choose the one that fits your particular region. Apply 1/2 of grass seed in one direction to the soil by using a spreader. Then place the other 1/2 of the seed in the other direction. Lightly rake the seed in and roll the soil lightly with a roller.
If sod is installed, repeat the same steps previously mentioned and make certain the soil is firm enough that the grass sod won't sink in after it is walked on. After sod is installed, roll it using a roller in two directions and water it twice a day until it roots. When grass sod can no longer be grabbed by grasping it using your hand, it truly is rooted.
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