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September 16, 2009

Tim's Tips: Want the lawn of your dreams? Get planting!

Tim's Tips

The arrival of fall next week means temperatures are cooling, yet the soil is warmer than in spring. The difference in nighttime and daytime temperatures causes dew to settle overnight. These conditions make fall an ideal time to apply grass seed to your lawn.

Summer can be tough on a lawn. Weeds and insects can kill off patches of grass. Even a little bit of neglect can cause grass to thin out. Fall is the time to fix all that. However, the clock is ticking if you want to repair your lawn with grass seed.

As a general rule of thumb, you should have grass seed sown by the end of September. This allows time for the seed to sprout and to get established before the soil freezes for the winter. Truthfully, there have been some years when you could sow seed later in the fall and have Mother Nature delay the freezing of the soil. If you have a crystal ball that can predict the weather, go by what it says. Otherwise, stick with the odds and get that grass seed planted by the end of the month.

If you are patching spots in your lawn, you need to loosen up the soil to a depth of 2 inches. This allows the roots of the grass seed to easily penetrate the soil. If the soil is very hard-packed, you should add topsoil or compost and work it into the soil. Again, this will make it easier for the roots to get established.

In my opinion, just adding 1âÑ4 inch of soil on top of hard-packed soil is a waste of time and money. If it isn't mixed in, the soil will pack down again and you will be re-seeding those areas again next fall.

After you have loosened up the soil, add some lime and grass seed starter fertilizer, which help promote strong root growth. When you think about it, what makes for a good lawn? The answer is a massive root system that can put up new blades of grass year after year.

If you are going to seed a new section of lawn, you need to make sure you have sufficient soil depth to allow the roots to fully develop. For the best lawn, you need 6 inches of good loam. If you are willing to keep up with the watering, you might get by with 4 inches. Since installing a new lawn should be a one-time project, it is best to go with the 6 inches of soil. Once the soil is down, add lime and the seed starter fertilizer, raking both items in. Next, roll the soil to get it slightly compacted. Finally, re-rake the soil to get it level.

Once all the soil preparation is done, you can put down your seed. Choosing the right type of grass seed is an important decision. There are all types of seed mixtures. As silly as it sounds, the best mix is the one that will grow the best in the conditions that exist in your lawn.

When choosing a grass seed mix, the factors you need to consider are light conditions, soil quality and the amount of wear and tear from humans and pets that will occur on the lawn.

If the area is shaded most of the day, then a dense shade mixture would work best. If you have a mix of sun and shade conditions, 6 inches or more of good soil and there will be only random amounts of foot traffic, a sun and shade mixture is the right choice. If you have lesser amounts of topsoil or poorer quality soil and/or there will be a lot of foot traffic on the area, opt for a turf-type tall fescue mixture.

Once the seed is down, you need to keep the soil moist at all times. If you're patching small areas in an existing lawn, the dew that settles in the morning may be all the water you need. If the area is large and exposed to sun and wind that will dry the soil, you will have to water several times a day. The key to watering a seeded lawn is to keep that top layer of soil moist at all times. Evenly moist conditions will help the grass seed sprout in about 14 days. Once the seed has sprouted, you can cut back on the frequency of watering over a period of a few weeks.

Seeding you lawn in the fall gives you two growing seasons for the roots to get established before the heat of summer arrives. But act quick. The window of opportunity is closing. It's time to get planting.

Well, that's all for this week. I'll talk to you again next week.

¢¢¢

Tim Lamprey is the owner of Harbor Garden Center on Route 1 in Salisbury. His Web site is www.Harborgardens.com. Do you have questions for Tim? Send them to ndn@newburyportnews.com, and he will answer them in upcoming columns.

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