Adding a grass seed cover is essential if you want to see the highest germination rates from your seeding efforts. You have a few different options at your disposal when choosing a cover for your grass seed; materials include compost, grass clippings, peat moss, and straw. Both peat moss and straw are two of the…
After planting grass seed, it will be roughly 4 to 6 weeks before you can walk on your lawn. This timing will vary depending on how fast your grass germinates; the grass must be 3.5 inches in height before you can safely walk on it. This is the point at which you’ll mow the new…
The process of watering new grass involves constant daily attention to sustain the healthy germination of your grass seed. Mature grass can go several days up to several weeks without water, surviving on stored nutrients in their roots. Grass seed, on the other hand, lacks these roots, and therefore has little tolerance to dry conditions. …
Using straw to cover grass seed is a common practice among homeowners. Although it’s a popular choice, straw is not the only material you can use as a grass seed cover. There are several other all-natural alternatives to straw that will provide similar benefits when used as mulch on newly sown grass seed. The best…
Generally speaking, you shouldn’t mix grass seed with topsoil, nor should you use topsoil to cover grass seed. Topsoil is too heavy of a medium for young tender seedlings to push through during their early stages of growth. Your grass seed also requires sufficient access to direct sunlight to trigger and sustain its growth; a…
The most effective ways to loosen hard soil for grass seed are to till or core aerate the planting area. After this initial aeration, you should then add amendments that will ensure the longevity of the softened soil; suitable substances to amend hard soil include compost, sand, lime, and humic acid. The planting area will…
When used correctly, cayenne pepper can be an effective treatment for your lawn. This substance works as a natural solution to repel unwanted animals and pests from your lawn, at the same time as attracting birds to it. In short, cayenne pepper will not kill grass, nor will it kill any other plant that comes…
Although you can do it, planting grass seed over existing weeds is not a great idea for the health of your new grass. Grass, particularly young new grass, will struggle to grow alongside invasive established weeds; the weeds will rob them of nutrients and water, choking out your tender seedlings at this delicate stage of…
Many homeowners consider making their own homemade lawn fertilizer to save themselves the money and time spent on a trip to the store. After some research online, you may have found several different homemade fertilizer recipes that all promise greener grass; you should take care when following these recipes to avoid adverse effects on your…
As soon as the warm weather hits, you’ll want to get out and start enjoying your lawn as nature intended. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to frolic barefoot on a lawn full of dry, crunchy, or otherwise coarse grass. Creating a lush, dense lawn that feels soft underfoot relies on having a soft grass species maintained to…
