Lawn Site Preparation

Lawn site preparation is vital to the health and growth of the grass.  In the excitement of growing a lawn, it is easy to ignore the preliminary steps and dive straight into seeding and sodding. However, if the soil is unsuitable – lacking in necessary nutrients, the climatic conditions hard, and the irrigation system faulty – most of our time will be spent in trying to save the grass after it is planted, and that is definitely a frustrating, time consuming business.  Hence, caution is required before in lawn site preparation

The first step is to remove all the large objects lying on the soil that the eye can see. Out goes big bricks, stones, debris etc. An ideal time frame is around 2-3 months before sowing grass, as this gives time for the loose soil to settle down.  If the soil does not settle down properly, the lawn will give an uneven, bumpy appearance. Using a rotary tiller, the soil needs to be worked on completely to loosen up the soil and make it easier for the roots to penetrate and implant themselves. Tilling will also give an idea about the kind of soil, and this is a good time to make alterations.  For example, soils which have a lot of clay content are not suitable for growing grass.  In such cases, the top layer can be removed, trucked away, and a fresh layer of top soil which is rich in compost, manure, and peat can be added to improve the soil.

This is the first step in lawn site preparation:

If one is not sure about the quality of ones soil, getting soil testing (read article on soil testing) done is a good idea. Local Cooperative offices will provide guidance on how to get a soil test done. The important information, which soil testing provides is the amount and variety of nutrients in the soil.  If the pH balance is low (the soil is more acidic), sulfur needs to be added; if the soil has a higher pH balance (more alkaline), limestone could be added. Before sodding, adding some fertilizers will help to add nutrients to the soil and make it fertile.

Once this is done, the land has to be thoroughly checked for any weeds, such as nettles thistles, whose roots may still be hidden inside the soil. Either removing them or applying a weed killer is necessary at this stage. Perennial weeds especially need to be tackled before seeding.  One could also use a generic herbicide, like Glyphosate, to control weeds. Better still, the use of a herbicide which won’t leave soil residues will ensure that seedlings won’t be harmed. After all, lawn site preparation is to ensure that the newly planted seeds will sprout into healthy grass. The last thing one needs to do is add a bit of poison in the form of herbicides into the soil.

Even the most infertile, arid, unsuitable piece of land can be converted into a beautiful lawn if the above steps are followed. All that is needed is a little bit of preliminary work and the eagerness to see a lush lawn grow in front of one’s eyes.