Green lawns need preparation right from the autumn season. It is the right season to plant seeds as the cooler temperature kills off the crabgrass. This helps all the nutrients to be used by the grass seedlings. Following is a step wise guide to the perfect green lawn.
Remove the old lawn
It is important to remove the remains and traces of the earlier lawn. It can be done by using shovels or manual sod cutter for smaller lawns. For bigger ones, you can rent out a gas powered sod cutter. You will have to pay a minimal rent of $75 per day, but save a lot of time and hard work.
Soil testing
For any plantations, the soil pH should be compatible. The pH of the soil should be in between 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. If you wish to grow grass, check for pH between 6 to 7.5. It is easy to check the pH of the soil. You get a kit at the nearest nursery, the kit generally includes directions to use. The process is simple, mix soil and water in the plastic vial provided with the kit. It changes color. Check for the color as per the pH chart provided by the kit. This decides the acidic or alkalinity level of your soil. For acidic soil, you can add pulverized lime, while for alkaline soil you can mix peat moss. For extreme alkaline soil, sulphur will be effective.
Clear the rocks and till
Dig the soil using shovel and clear it of any rocks or existing roots. Then fill the place with top soil and smoothen it using a rake. Use a rotary tiller to till the soil and remove lumps or any hard areas.
Cover the planting area
After tilling, spread sand all over the area. The thickness should be one inch. Till it inside, and spread compost and till again. Care should be taken that the topsoil, sand and compost mix absolutely.
Amend the soil
As mentioned earlier, soil needs amendment to improve its quality. You can use broadcast spreader to spread lime or sulfur and shovel to spread peat moss. After this is done, apply fertilizer to the area. Care should be taken to ensure that the correct amount of fertilizer is used; avoid overuse of fertilizer. Since, over use of fertilizer can be harmful to the soil. Using a garden rake lets the fertilizer mix with the soil perfectly.
