The Ultimate Guide to Reseeding Your Lawn
I like to admire my lawn on quiet evenings and if you are anything like me, you probably stand around the backyard in admiration after a long day at work. The lawn is your little kingdom, space where you can lie down on during summer and have a good relaxed moment. Keeping the little kingdom green at all times does not come easy. The compliments and admiration from neighbors are always welcome since they remind you of the hard work you have put in to maintain the garden as it is.
To keep the lawn green as it is, you have to reseed it to replace patches of grass that may have died out due to extreme weather or an attack by pests. You can also reseed if your lawn has too much weed which is more than the grass.
Below is the guide to follow then reseeding;
1. Soil Testing
Before you plant grass you should do a soil testing to determine the type of soil and the composition of your soil. The test can be conducted at a soil testing lab near you and it will reveal the nutrients that your soil may be lacking. With this information, you will know which type of fertilizer to apply. The soil test will also determine the type of grass seed that is best for your garden.
2. Clear up the lawn
Since you will be planting new grass, you should kill off any vegetation on the lawn including the old grass. You can use a herbicide for this but if you do not want to use any chemical, you can lay polythene on the lawn and it will starve the vegetation of any sun, water or nutrients and everything on the lawn will die out.
3. Dig the garden
Dig up the garden deep for about 5 inches and remove any non-soil material such as dead grass, impurities, etc. Move the inside soil up and the topsoil to the bottom to ensure good aeration and to get a good mix.
4. Remove the dead material
Rip off the dead grass and weeds that were in the garden, gather them and destroy them or keep them for decomposition as manure.
5. Smoothen the soil using a rake
Pick a rake and level the soil to smoothness. For best germination, the grass needs a smooth surface which is well leveled. Create little furrows using the rake where the seedlings will be dropped on for easy germination.
6. Add Fertilizer and the seed to the soil
Pick the recommended fertilizer from the soil testing analysis report and put it on the little furrows you created for the grass seed. Do not put large amounts, more than is recommended. Too much fertilizer may damage your seeds and cause them to fail. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the correct application.
The seed to plant should be the recommended type for your location. Grass seed varieties depend on the climatic conditions of each area and planting grass in the wrong recommended location will lead to failure. Therefore, consult your local extension officer on the best seed to plant.
7. Plant the seed
Apply the seed and the fertilizer on the furrows you created earlier. After this, compact the ground to make sure that the furrows are covered in soil. After the compacting, apply some little water using a sprinkler.
Conclusion
You should consider the time when you will reseed your lawn. The best time to do it is when winter is ending or late summer during the warm weather patterns. During these times, you will have time to attend to the garden without worrying about your body being affected by the heat or cold. However, if you are not sure, it is best to consult your local extension officer for further guidance.
Planting is only the beginning. It is the foundation of making your lawn a pretty site to look at again. While you should get it right, it has to be followed up with care in the other steps in the coming days to ensure that you achieve the success that you greatly desire. The lawn must be tended to once the grass starts to grow and must be well looked after.
