Establishing a new lawn especially for first timers may seem like an upheaval task. This is not the case because you can plant a new lawn by following the tips provided below.
Clear the area
Identify the area you want the lawn to be and clear it. Make sure it is free from weeds, plants and previous grass. There are various methods of clearing the areas such as the use of herbicides or using hoe and sod cutter. If you are using herbicides, select the ones that degrade easily such as glyphosate. Spray the herbicide on the plants and weeds on a windless sunny day. Till the land after application, you may also use a hoe to remove the weeds and the unwanted plants. Turn the soil using the hoe and then collect the loosened weeds.
Amend and Till the soil
Amend the soil using compost and then soften it by tilling using a push plow, tiller or a shovel. Grade the soil and level it using a garden rake. Ensure that the area slopes away an inch for every ten feet. Because tilling may make weeds resurface, water the tilled area for about two weeks so that the weeds can sprout. Remove them by using herbicide or pull them out as they grow. This will reduce the instance of the weeds growing after you plant the grass. You may be required to apply lime and starter fertilizer if the soil needs amending. If the soil is healthy, there is no need to apply fertilizer. Lime is for areas that have acidic soils.
Tamp the soil
To make the soil compact and for the lawn to remain leveled for a long time, tamp the soil using a hand or a gas tamper. It is also not good to plant the grass in soft soil. To compact more soil, lay the soil in layers and tamp for each layer. After tamping, rough up the top layer with a rake so that seeds can find somewhere to embed.
Planting
Spread the seeds based on the recommended rates with the use of a spreader. Too many seeds may lead to overcrowding. Push the seeds into the ground using a water roller or the back of the garden rake. This will improve the contact of the seed to the soil so that the seeds can be covered. It is fine if some are exposed. Mulch the area with manure or peat moss, which will also act as the seeds protective layer. Spread a thin layer of the mulch to cover the seeds and the soil. The mulch helps the soil to retain moisture and the manure feeds it with nutrients.
Watering
Water the area thoroughly for the first time after applying the mulch and make sure it does not flood by giving the soil time to absorb it. If you are using peat moss, it will turn dark brown. Be consistent in your watering. You can know when its dry if the peat moss turns to light brown.
Mowing
When the grass gets to about 8 inches, mow the lawn.
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