Irrigation
Irrigation is probably the most critical step of all. It comes in two stages:
- Watering to get the seed to germinate and sprout.
- Backing off the watering so the plant establishes itself and develops a good root system. Once the roots are well established, the top leaves will be green and healthy.
Getting the seed to sprout
To germinate your seed evenly and as soon as possible, keep it moist. Sandy, well-drained soils need less watering. If there's enough rain and the temperatures are moderate, the seed will germinate without any watering at all; it may just take longer to come in evenly. Watering is there to make up for what the rain doesn't give you.
How often to water depends entirely on how fast the seeded surface dries out. Check it during the day, and don't water late in the day, so there's no standing water overnight. Standing water can bring on disease that kills the young plants. Your watering should also suit the kind of grass you're growing.
Building the roots
Once about 75% of the seed has germinated and is growing, change the program: water less often, but longer. The goal is to dry out the top inch of soil while keeping moisture below it. That forces the grass to push its roots down to find water.
Then taper off: once a day, then every other day, then stop altogether. That can take 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the weather, the soil and the kind of grass.
Mowing
Once the seed has come up and the grass is growing, it's time to think about the first cut.
- Start mowing when most of the grass is 3 inches high.
- Never take off more than a third of the leaf blade at once.
- Never cut shorter than 2 inches.
- Keep the blades sharp. Young grass is soft, and a dull mower rips it, or pulls it right out of the ground.
- Don't mow with dew on the grass. Let it dry, mow, then water if it needs it.
Fertilization
Once the turf is established, feed it.
- Apply 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft., 2 to 4 times a year.
- The nitrogen helps the plant grow more leaves and tiller, so it spreads and thickens.
- Skip the heat of summer. Early spring (March, April, May) and fall (September, October, November) are the best months to fertilize.
Aeration
Compacted soil and heavy thatch are the two biggest obstacles to a beautiful lawn.
Compaction suffocates grass by keeping air, water and nutrients from reaching the roots, so a lawn can look tired in spite of good feeding, watering and tender loving care. Aeration opens up the thatch and relieves compaction. It should be a regular part of your yearly lawn care.
An aerator has hollow, spoon-like tines that push into the ground and break up the soil, pulling out half-inch plugs of thatch and soil as it goes. Opening the soil lets the grass breathe and encourages deeper, healthier roots.
What aeration does
- Increases air, water and nutrient movement to the root zone
- Speeds up the breakdown of thatch
- Helps relieve soil compaction
- Stimulates new growth
- Improves drainage
- Makes a better seedbed for overseeding
- Makes fertilizers and weed control work better
- Works organic matter into the soil
- Helps the lawn stand up to heat and cold
All this adds up to a healthier lawn.