Timing
When is the best time to seed your lawn? There are two periods which are suitable – spring and late summer.

   
What you need to realize is that, in order for your lawn to establish, it will need cool wet conditions. Generally these occur during April and May and then again in late August and early September. Of the two periods, the best time to seed is late summer. Your lawn will benefit from the cooler, wet weather of the autumn, it will lay dormant over the winter and then receive more cool wet weather in the spring. This way, the turf will have a better chance to develop a strong healthy root system which will serve it well as it heads into the heat and drought of summer.

If you can avoid it, do not seed in late June or July. The young grass seedlings with tiny roots will struggle and many won’t make it. No matter how much you water, it is very difficult to keep the ground constantly moist and cool. As your lawn struggles to establish itself, opportunistic weeds will quickly move in and gain the upper hand.

Site Preparation
Starting a new lawn is your chance to make sure everything is perfect. Once the grass is growing, any changes will require considerable effort. Make sure the ground is graded and sloped the way you want it (e.g. away from your house to prevent water seeping in around the foundation).

Another important step is clearing the site of weeds before you start. Use an non-selective herbicide such as  Roundup^® to kill any weeds growing on the ground you are about to seed. These herbicides act quickly (within 7 days) and break down upon reaching the soil which means they leave no residue in the ground. They are also systemic so that the weeds are killed right through the roots. It is particularly important that you kill all grassy weeds. If these weeds aren’t dealt with at the start they are very difficult to control once your lawn is established.

Ideally you want to start a lawn on a good, loamy top soil. Often the reality is something quite different. If your ground is predominantly clay, try to soften up by adding top soil and/or peat moss. If the ground is mainly sand, add organic material, again using top soil and or peat moss. You want the ground to hold moisture and yet drain excess water.

While you are working the ground, this is an excellent time to add a starter fertilizer to the soil. Ask us for the right starter fertilizer for your seed to promotes root growth. By fertilizing at this stage, you can work the granules into the first few inches of the soil. When the seed germinates, the fertilizer is sitting right in the root zone and will nourish healthy root establishment.

Once the ground is graded, rake it with a stiff garden rake breaking up any large clumps and removing sticks and other debris. Soil particle size should be fine but not to the point of being powdery. You also want a firm seed bed. You may want to use a roller to pack loose soil down.

Selecting the Right Mix
There are numerous species of grasses, each with their own unique properties. Most often, grass seed is a mixture of 3-4 species blended to give you an array of desirable qualities.

Here are the most commonly used species:
Kentucky Bluegrass
It’s name comes from its deep blue-green color. Kentucky Bluegrass is fine textured grass used in home lawns, sports fields and golf courses.
Pros:
• Deep rich color
• Spreading root system repairs damaged turf
• Very winter hardy
• Good disease resistance
• Many varieties available
Cons:
• Slow to germinate (21-30 days)
• Poor shade tolerance
• Requires regular watering and fertilizer

Fine Fescues
A very fine-textured family of grasses which include Chewing Fescue, Creeping Red Fescue, Hard Fescue and Sheep Fescue.
Pros:
• Shade tolerant (up to 65% shade)
• Low maintenance (require little watering or fertilizer)
• Very winter hardy
• Blends well with bluegrass in mixes
Cons:
• Slower to germinate (14-21 days)
• Not durable to heavy traffic

Perennial Ryegrass
Very popular, this grass shows up in golf courses, sports fields and home lawns all over the world.
Pros:
• Very fast germination (7 days)
• Good disease resistance
• Dark green color, fine leaf texture
• Blends well with bluegrasses and fine fescues
Cons:
• Does not spread – a bunch grass
• Not very winter hardy
• Not shade tolerant
• Requires regular watering and fertilizer

Annual Ryegrass
A coarser grass used mainly as a “nurse grass” for other species or as a low cost ground cover. Annual Ryegrass jumps up quickly and holds the weeds back while the rest of the grasses establish. It is not very suitable for a fine lawn.
Pros:
• Fast germination (5-7 days)
Cons:
• Light green color
• Very coarse blade – unattractive
• Annual – only lasts one year
• Not shade tolerant
• Grows faster than other species so is usually longer than other grasses in a stand

Turf Type Tall Fescue
This specie is renowned for it’s drought tolerance (its roots reach 3-6 ft to reach moisture) and is widely adaptable across the transition zone and parts of the Northern US.

Creeping Bentgrass
This variety is famous for its use on golf course putting greens. Creeping Bent grass’s extreme density is what produces its signature “billiard table” surface when cut short.

Creeping Bentgrass has its pros and cons like the other grasses, but most importantly, it is not really suited to residential use. Many people would love to have a putting green in their back yard but the reality is that Bentgrass requires tremendous maintenance to produce the results we are used to seeing at the golf course. It’s proper cutting height (1/4 to 3/8 of an inch) cannot be achieved with a regular lawn mower. Stands should be cut every second to third day and watered and fertilized heavily. If you are truly interested in undertaking all of this, please contact a local greens superintendent and he or she can provide you with more detail about putting green maintenance.

Mixes
Chances are that the seed you purchase will be a combination of the species listed above (excepting Creeping Bentgrass). As far as what proportions you should look for, this depends on various other factors…check with Roz & get the blend best suited for YOU!

Seeding
Pros:
• Cost – Seeding a lawn is a fraction of the cost compared to sod.
• Customization – Seeding allows you to use different blends for different areas on your property (sun, shade, etc.).
• Personal satisfaction is another factor. Seeing a lawn germinate from seed and fill into a lush stand of turf gives the same sense of accomplishment one feels from raising vegetables in a garden or preparing spectacular meal from scratch.
Cons:
• It takes 4-6 weeks for a new lawn to fully establish. During this time you want little to no traffic on it. You’ll also need to keep the ground moist through most of this period. It is also susceptible to invasion by weeds during this establishment time.

Seeding
Once you have finished site preparation and worked in a good starter fertilizer, it’s time to seed.

Seeding can be done by hand but a more even application will be achieved with a spin broadcast spreader. It is best to make two applications over the area you want to seed. Walk up and down spreading half the seed you will require. After you have completed this, walk back and forth in a pattern perpendicular to the previous pattern.

Seeding rates should be printed on the seed bag you have purchased. For most mixtures, an average seeding rate is 2.5 kg per 100 m² (4 to 5 lbs per 1000 ft²). Seed spreaders vary in their settings. Often a guideline is printed on the side of the spreader. If not, try spreading a little bit of seed with the spreader open about half way. Walk with the spreader and a normal pace. After a short distance check to see how much seed is on the ground. You should see 2-3 seeds in a square inch (approximately 2.5 x 2.5 cm). Adjust the spreader opening accordingly until you achieve the correct coverage.

Once you have spread the seed, you have a few options. If you have prepared the seed bed well, you probably don’t need to do anything more than start watering. For added insurance you may want to lightly rake the seed into the soil (a leaf rake is best for this) or roll the site one more time to press the seed into the soil. Some people like to cover the seed with a little bit of top soil or peat moss.

Whichever course you choose, please do not cover the seed with any more than 1 cm (1/8 to 1/4 inch). If the seed is buried any deeper than this, it will have trouble emerging from the soil. Burying the seed is a common reason for poor lawn establishment.

Establishment
Please note that if you have spread lawn seed in the early spring, it will not germinate until the soil temperature reaches about 12^oC (about 52^oF).

Perhaps the most important thing you can do now that your lawn is seed, is to ensure that it receives enough water. If you choose the right time of year, Mother Nature will hopefully give you a helping hand by providing regular light rains and cool temperatures. If she decides not to cooperate, you’ll need to water regularly for the first two weeks. You don’t need a lot water – about 15 minutes with an average sprinkler each day will work. You want to keep the first few centimeters (half an inch) moist. Watering in the early morning or the evening works best. Finally try to use a fine spray so as not to disturb the seed bed.

During these first few weeks, keep as much traffic off the seed bed as possible. The tender, emerging shoots of grass will not withstand much wear and tear.

Once the grass has grown up to 3-4 inches (8-10 cm), you can begin cutting it. This should be after about 4 weeks of growth.

Despite your best efforts, you might find that some weeds have infiltrated your new lawn. These may have blown in or the weed seeds could have been in the existing soil. Some weed seeds can lay dormant and viable for 20 years waiting for the right opportunity to sprout. Working the soil and laying it bare is exactly the opportunity a weed waits for. Regular mowing will control and eradicate many of these weeds. If you need to apply herbicide wait until at least 6 weeks after seeding.

As your new lawn fills in, you may want to give it a little extra attention. Extra fertilizer and regular watering will speed the lawn to thicken up. Have patience, even professional sod growers wait up to a year before they can harvest their turf. If you have a few patches that aren’t as thick as the rest, they may not have received enough seed. Don’t be afraid to overseed these areas. The longer they stay bare, the more likely that weeds will encroach onto your lawn.