It can be tempting when installing a new lawn to just grade the earth and begin installing the new sod. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. If you would like a healthy lawn for the long term. There are a number of steps that should be followed when installing a new lawn. We will cover these steps in this post. Look for more details in future posts. The installation of your new lawn whether it is being done by yourself or by a professional company you have hired. This will determine your expectations as well as how much your new lawn is going to cost to install.
Installing a New Lawn Steps
- Examine the soil for weeds. Look for types of soil, condition of the soil, amount of debris, grade, need for adding healthy soil over clay for example.
- Remove all of the debris that may be on the surface or visible on the soil.
- Remove all weeds, water the soil, wait for seeds to germinate, and remove the new growing weeds.
- Establish a rough grade based on leveling the soil and keeping in mind natural drainage.
- Measure your lawn area so that you have an idea of how much grass seed or sod you are going to need.
- Add nutrients to the lawn, e.g. topsoil over clay, organic matter
- Add high phosphorus fertilizer will help the grass to thicken quickly
- If you plan on installing an underground sprinkler system, now is the time to do so before the grass seed is sown or the sod is installed.
- Establish the final grade. Depending on the size of your new lawn, you may want to use a rake or a larger instrument to level the lawn. This will also fill in low lying areas.
- Roll the soil to firm it up. This will also level it before installing the new sod or planting the new seed.
Our next post will talk about planting new seeds in your new lawn.