The best time to plant and fertilize a new lawn in the spring is late in the season after the danger of frost has passed. Keeping grass seeds well irrigated in fertile soil is crucial to ensuring your seeds germinate. In most cases, applying a fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in a ratio of 5-10-5 or 5-20-10 ensures that your seeds have ample nutrients.
Rake the parts of your lawn that you are going to seed and remove any rocks or debris from the surface. Measure the length and width of the sides of the area you cleared and multiply them to determine the area of your lawn in square feet.
Measure out enough fertilizer to cover the area with 5-10-5 or 5-20-10 fertilizer at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Apply the first half of the fertilizer in parallel rows over the entire area you cleared. Apply the second half of the fertilizer in parallel rows set at a perpendicular angle to the first series of rows.
Till the area that you fertilized to a depth of 2 to 4 inches using a rototiller. Irrigate the area lightly to encourage the soil to settle. Avoid saturating the soil with water, which will cause the fertilizer to leach out of the soil.
Begin sowing grass seed over the soil at the rate indicated for the species of grass you are using. Use your broadcast spreader to sow half of the seed in parallel rows that cover the entire space you have prepared and then spread the second half of the seed in parallel rows set at a right angle to your first series of rows.
Rake the seeds into the soil using a dirt rake. Cover the seeds with approximately 1/16 to 1/8 inch of soil and lightly press the soil down with your rake. Water the soil lightly if it is not already damp.
Cover the seeds with no more than 1/4 inch of straw to improve water retention and prevent erosion. Remove the straw from the yard once your grass begins germinating.
Things You Will Need
- Dirt rake
- Measuring tape
- Broadcast spreader
- Water hose
- Grass seed
- Check the moisture content of the soil in your lawn daily during the first two weeks after it is planted. Keep the soil moist but avoid saturating the soil. Wait until your new grass is between 3 and 3.5 inches in height before you mow it for the first time. If your grass grows taller than 4 inches before its first cutting, avoid removing more than one-third the height of the grass in one cutting.
- Performing a soil test prior to planting your lawn provides precise information on the type and quantity of nutrients your lawn needs.
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Establishing a Lawn From Seed
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Starter Fertilizer
- University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources: Planting Times and Rates for Grasses That Can Be Established From Seed
- Iowa State University Extension: Establishing a Lawn From Seed
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