Secrets to a Beautiful, New Lawn

MARK ANDERSON owner, Anderson’s Seed and Garden

For some reason, many gardeners believe that spring is the best time of year to plant a new lawn. In reality, mid-July through September is actually the best time for planting new grass. The warmer the soil is, the faster the seed germinates and gets established. On many occasions, I have planted in the hottest, driest part of the summer, and have had amazing results with new turf. If you want to try some of the newest varieties of grass that resist drought, insects, and disease, and have a deeper, darker green appearance, then I have a few recommendations that will ensure your success:

• While preparing the soil for planting, make sure to incorporate a balanced fertilizer for new lawns. Also include a natural, humate-based soil conditioner like HuMic to improve seed germination and speed up its establishment. I never plant without it. • Before planting, apply a seed coating to your new grass seed like Seed Coat from Soil Moist. This coating contains graphite to warm up the seed and increase germination, and a finely ground polymer that absorbs moisture like nothing else. It will hold over 100-times its weight in water, and it holds that moisture next to the seed to soften the seed’s exterior and allow the germ to emerge. This product is a lifesaver if you are struggling to keep your seed evenly moist. • When planting, make sure to rake the entire area lightly, apply the seed evenly, and then either rake the area again (in the opposite direction as the first rake) or use a lawn roller to lightly compact the seeded soil. Compacting the soil slightly will cover the seed with a very thin layer of soil and aid in retaining moisture and germination. • Don’t overwater. We recommend that you adjust your

Think ahead!

Plant garlic now for produce this upcoming spring!

sprinklers or, if you are doing it manually, apply 3 to 8 minutes of water three times a day, at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m., for example. Make sure that no puddles appear during the watering and adjust accordingly if it is too wet or if it dries out too much in between waterings. Remember: You want it to be slightly damp, not soggy.

I’m so impressed with the new section of grass that we planted last summer to fix a problem area of our lawn. It greened up earlier, stayed green when we couldn’t water the lawn in April (when the older lawn was stressing), and looks amazing during this extra hot summer. I’m tempted to redo our entire lawn right now. I think you’ll be surprised how some new grasses will give you the color you’ve been wanting, while decreasing your need to water, fertilize, and prevent insects and diseases. It’s easy and not as hard to do as you may think.