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PREPARATION
Prepare a good, crumbly seedbed that is tilled 6 8 inches
deep. Break the clods, but do not overwork the soil to a fine
powder. A loose, pebbly soil is receptive to both seed & water.
A good starter fertilizer & lime can be tilled in at this time.
SOWING SEED
Seed can be accurately distributed by either a drop-type or cyclone spreader. Divide the seed into equal parts, one portion
being distributed in one direction & the remaining part applied
cross wise over the same area.
SEEDING RATE
The rate of seeding will vary with the type of seed. Some types contain fewer seed per pound & will need to be sown more
heavily. We recommend a seeding rate of 5 lbs. per 1000
square feet for new lawns & 2.5 lbs. per 1000 square feet for
existing lawns.
MULCHING
The most commonly used mulch is clean straw. Clean means relatively free of grain heads & weeds. A bale of straw usually
covers 1,000 square feet. It should be spread three or four
intermeshed straws deep, not piled in smothering mounds.
While newly sown seed sprouts without difficulty if sprinkled
frequently, the sure growth comes with mulching. It protects the soil, retains moisture
at the soil surface & around seed, & guards seedlings against extreme weather
fluctuations.
WATERING
Perhaps the most important step to a new lawn from seed is regular watering. If soil is very dry, water deeply before planting.
The soil surface must be kept moist at all times after planting.
Young seedlings can die within hours if deprived of moisture.
Use a sprinkler that applies water slowly & gently as possible.
Run sprinkler until puddles begin to form. Shut off sprinkler until puddles soak in, then
run sprinkler again until watering is complete.
WEEDS
Weeds are so thoroughly removed in seed cleaning that few troublesome ones are ever packaged. The weeds typically
harvested are almost always field species that stand little chance
of survival in mowed turf. Thousands of residual weed seed are
present in all soils & can be expected to emerge along with the
new turfgrass seedlings. Most of these can be eliminated later once the new lawn is
mature enough to tolerate a weed & feed product.
MOWING
Begin mowing when new turn reaches 2-1/2 to 3. Since young seedlings are not deeply rooted, be certain that the mower blade
is sharp to avoid pulling them up. If straw has been used, avoid
the temptation to rake it up too soon. This should be left in place
until all the seed in the mixture has had a chance to germinate &
establish.
Later on, frequent higher (2 to 2-1/4) mowing is recommended. With almost all
grasses, high clipping results in deeper root growth than low clipping. Greater root
growth lessens the care needed by a lawn shallowly rooted grasses dry & succumb to
drought more readily. Tall grass is a better insulator of the soil & a higher mowed turf is
its own best weed control.
When over a third of the green leaf surface is cut away at one time, root growth slows
or stops. Tests on Kentucky Bluegrass indicated that root growth can be inhibited for
as much as a month by a single scalping. If the lawn has inadvertently become
excessively long, it is better to reduce cutting height gradually in a series of mowing,
than to cut all back at once.
