If you’re a pet owner, you know that grass is a very fragile thing. That yard full of mud is a constant reminder of just how quickly grass can disappear. And it’s not only pets, either; bad weather, bugs and disease, and a slew of other happenings can leave you needing to grow better, stronger, more attractive grass.
There are literally dozens of different types of grass out there that can grow in any particular region, with thousands of varieties overall. Make sure you know which type grows in your climate, and always check out local HOA laws to make sure you’re not growing anything deemed illegal.
Now that you know which type to plant, you have to till the soil. You’re looking to break up all the roots, remove the rocks, and to aerate the dirt. This will allow for quick, strong root systems to develop with the new grass.
Although having a few hills and dips in your land isn’t the worst thing in the world, many will take this opportunity to level their land. Level land helps grass grow evenly, and it’s more attractive. It doesn’t have to be completely flat, but you can ensure that it’s relatively level.
Even though you may have tilled the soil and ripped the weeds up, they’re still alive! Weeds are very strong plants, that’s why they pop up in the ecosystem in the first place. So make sure you go through and kill them specifically before planting your new grass.
Now that the weeds are officially gone, you can fertilize in peace. You want to ensure that your grass seed is going to be planted in very healthy soil. You can help this process along by also sprinkling a fine layer of lime over the soil to prevent mold and bacteria.
With a simple garden rake, a shovel, or any other similar tool, go through the soil and aerate it before slightly (emphasis on slightly) tamping it down. You want to ensure the soil settles, but you don’t want it packed tightly.
Now, take your basic garden rake and gently rake over the lightly tamped soil. You want to create grooves, or pockets, in which the seed will lay. Of course, seed will also lay on the higher parts of the ground, but the seed in those pockets will grow stronger root systems to promote the growth of the other seeds.
Closer to the final step now, you want to spread your seed around. You don’t have to go crazy here and lay a lot of seed. If you’re doing it by hand, toss your seed over the dirt as if you’re sprinkling salt on a big piece of meat. That will be plenty.
Decomposed moss from bogs, peat moss contains a lot of nutrients, a lot of moisture, and will provide both food and protection for your grass seed. So make sure you spread a layer of moss over your grass instead of the typical hay.
After everything is planted and the moss is down, you want to start watering at least once daily. You don’t want to go wild here and create mud. That’s horrible for the grass. Just remember to water everything nicely and to keep it moist.
At the end of the day, growing grass can be as easy as following the tips above. It’s a lot of labor that goes into great grass, but the end result is more than worth it.