STEP 2: It’s important to know the square footage of your lawn area so you can purchase the correct amounts of seed and soil amendments. Use this grid to draw a “lawn map” to help you calculate your footage. Draw an outline of your lot. You may need to pace off the rough dimensions first. Include your house, driveway, walkways, trees and any other places you will not be growing grass (see sketch example). You can also use this map to layout a landscaping plan for a perennial border, shrubs, water garden, etc.
Tip: Use a current survey of your property to give accurate measurements.
Calculate the square footage. Enter measurements here:
Lot Area
length ____ft. x width ____ft. = area (a) _____sq. ft.
House Area
length ____ft. x width ____ft. = area (b) _____sq. ft.
Non-Grass Area
any area you do not want grass = area (c) _____sq. ft.
Total Lawn Area
(a) _____ sq. ft. – (b) _____ sq. ft. – (c) _____ sq. ft.
= Total Grass Area _____ sq. ft.
STEP 3:
As you map your yard, pay attention to the texture of your soil. It will tell you if it needs amendments to make it more “plant friendly”. Does it contain lots of organic matter (dark and moist), have a dense clay texture or a porous sandy composition? It is important to know how easily water, roots and air will penetrate. A clay soil can become compacted and may have too little pore space. Sandy soils can be too porous, allowing for poor nutrient retention and too quick drainage. Your Southern States lawn expert can help you decide if you need to add compost, humus or top soil to improve these different soil types.
Selecting and Adding Soil Amendments Now you’re ready to improve the growing condition of the soil. Based on the results of your soil test, your Southern States lawn expert can explain:
- The best way to correct your
soil’s pH
- Which fertilizer will give you
the best results
- When and how to apply the
treatments
- Which tools to use for even
distribution
- How to prepare the existing soil
to receive the treatments (you may
need to break-up compacted soil, add
additional top soil or enrich the
texture with compost or organic
humus)
- Anything you don’t understand about lawn care, just ask us – we can help
Adjusting Soil pH
To get the most from your fertilizer applications, your soil pH needs to have about a 6.5 value. It is best to have the pH analyzed with a soil test each year or anytime you notice a decline in the look of your lawn.
Liming can be done in spring or fall, but is not recommended during the hot summer months. To raise the pH of your soil, add lime (see chart below).
| Limestone: lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. to raise pH to 6.5 | |||||
|
Soil Texture
|
4.5pH
|
5.0pH
|
5.5pH
|
||
|
Sandy Loam
|
42 lbs.
|
35.3 lbs.
|
14 lbs.
|
||
|
Loam
|
84.3 lbs.
|
70.3 lbs.
|
28 lbs.
|
||
|
Clay
|
116 lbs.
|
96.7 lbs.
|
38.7 lbs.
|
||
Because every lawn is different, you’ll find many different grass seed varieties to choose from. Select the type that best suits your yard's sun exposure, moisture availability and traffic pattern. The "lawn map" exercise will help you identify your yard's personality. Would you describe your yard as:
Grass Seed Blends and Mixtures: Turf grasses play an important role in many aspects of our daily lives. Turf grasses are used for home lawns, roadsides, public recreation areas, playing surfaces for athletic fields, golf courses and in many other applications. Over the last 20 years, great strides have been made in the improvement of traditional turf grasses by increasing disease resistance, drought tolerance, cold tolerance and overall persistence.
Each turf grass variety and species has its own unique growth, quality and adaptation characteristics. A turf grass blend or mixture is the best choice for most lawns because it will thrive within a broader range of growing conditions and provides the added benefit of greater disease resistance.
Every variety and species used in Southern States blends and mixtures has been chosen for its ability to enhance overall performance. Southern States turf grasses encompass the full range of turf species and have been specifically adapted for quality, durability and adaptation to growing conditions in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
At Southern States/Farmers & Planters Co., we strive to supply you with the best turf seed product on the market. We go above and beyond industry standards of testing to supply you with some of the cleanest products available. Compare our seed labels to comparable brands and you will see the difference for yourself.
The best time for seeding a new lawn is in the fall. Warm soils, cooler temperatures and autumn rains create ideal conditions for seed germination and growth. There is also less competition from weeds in fall than in early spring.
A lawn can be started in the spring and summer if adequate water is available. But unless preventative steps are taken, it may become infested with annual weeds. Talk with your Farmers & Planters lawn expert about precautions to take if you must plant before fall.
To get uniform coverage, divide the seed mixture in half. Sow half the seed in 1 direction and the other half at right angles to the first. A seed spreader is the best tool for even seed distribution. See the drawing above for the proper spread pattern. Hand-seeding is possible if done carefully and if the area is small. After sowing the seed, lightly rake the area to cover the seed no greater than 1/4 inch deep. Seed won’t germinate if covered too deeply.
Fertilizer application on newly sown lawns should be applied at the time of seeding. The fertilizer should be formulated with a high phosphorus content to promote strong root development and quick green up of the newly seeded lawn.
Starter 10-10-20 is formulated to provide the quick green up and root development without burning the new seedlings.
Premium Lawn Starter Fertilizer 10-20-20/AVAIL®
- Promotes increased root development of new seedlings
- Lower chlorine content for less burn potential
- Ideal for landscape and ornamental plants
- Contains magnesium to maintain green color
- Avail phosphate enhancer makes the applied phosphorus more available to the turf grass, thus making the fertilizer more environmentally favorable
Mulch and other protective coverings will conserve moisture and reduce the amount of watering needed. It also helps keep seed from freezing in colder weather, from washing away in heavy rains and from being eaten by birds.
Straw is an adequate, inexpensive mulch. Allow 1 bale for every 1,000 square feet. Be aware that any live straw seed will germinate with the new grass and straw also decays slowly.
Peat moss is a more expensive mulch, but offers some helpful benefits. It does not contain weed seed and easily decomposes into the soil.
Step 8: Water
Water is critical for seed germination. Grass seedlings can die quickly from lack of water and even a mulched lawn needs enough water to keep the soil surface moist.
A fine spray delivers the best coverage. The water should fall on the ground evenly without forming puddles or causing run-off.
Water each day until germination, then gradually cut back until the lawn is established.
Mow Your Lawn Carefully
When your established lawn grows to about 3 inches, mow it to 2-1/2 inches. This will discourage the development of broadleaf weeds and encourage continued growth. For a good clean cut, follow these tips:
- Never mow when the grass is wet
- Keep your mower maintained with sharp blades for a cleaner cut
- Use a lawn mower bagger to keep grass clippings from smothering new seedlings
- Raking is not recommended because a rake can uproot young plants
Regular Maintenance Tips
Once a year, either in the spring or fall, aerate the soil and over seed the grass for a thick, even turf. Periodically, dethatch so water and fertilizer can easily reach the grass roots. Time spent on these jobs will help keep your lawn looking great.
Aerating: To break up compacted soil, yearly aerating is recommended. It involves pulling up small plugs of soil, thus helping air, water and nutrients get through to the roots of your grass. Your Southern States lawn expert can help you purchase or rent equipment for dethatching and aerating.
Dethatching: Thatch is a layer of undecomposed and partially decomposed organic residue (usually grass clippings) located above the soil. Excessive thatch can prevent water and fertilizer from reaching the grass roots and increase the risk of insects and disease.
Over seeding: After dethatching and aerating, you can sow new seed over existing grass. This will add new life to your lawn and make a thicker turf. Use half the seed amount recommended for new lawns.
Mowing & Watering Tips For A Healthy Lawn
Mowing is essential for the health and lush appearance of your lawn. It helps discourage weeds and makes the lawn more resistant to pests.
The mowing height affects the health and development of the grass. Kept too short, grass will develop a shallower root and become more susceptible to drought and disease. During hot summer months, a taller height will help shade the soil and reduce heat stress on the lawn. As a general guide, Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue lawns should be kept at a height of 2-3 inches and tall fescue lawns at a height of 3 inches. For best results, cut grass often enough that no more than 1/3 of the total grass height is removed at one time.
First, start with a good mower and keep it well-maintained with sharp blades to avoid ripping the grass. If your lawn has a white-haze look, the mower blades may be dull.
When your grass begins to wilt, water thoroughly with 1 inch of water. This deep watering encourages grass roots to grow straight down, making your lawn less susceptible to disease and heat stress.
Tip: To measure how much water your lawn is getting, set empty coffee cans on the grass where they can catch water from your sprinkler. Check them periodically, and when 1 inch of water has collected, turn off the sprinkler. Make a note of how long it took for that 1 inch to accumulate and remember it for next time.
The best time of day to water is in the early morning when evaporation rates are low and grass can dry completely. If you water in the evenings, the grass doesn't have enough time to dry, and excess moisture makes the lawn susceptible to disease.
Our recommended program for maintenance of established lawns is a year-long plan designed to keep your lawn green, weed free and pest free.
 |
In addition to our recommended year-long maintenance plan, we have products that help fill in the gaps when your needs vary from a traditional maintenance program.
Lawn Food : Use in early to late spring and fall to give your lawn the boost it needs without added weed and insect control.
Lawn Starter: To give your seed a strong start, use early to late spring and fall, when seeding or over seeding your lawn.
Crabgrass Control: Apply early spring to stop crabgrass before it starts - without the added fertilizer.
Broadleaf Weed Control : Apply late spring and fall to control stubborn broadleaf weed problems.
Refer to instructions printed on each product for specific application timing and rates.