Connacht Gold Garden Centres

Sowing a new lawn

It is said the best months to sow a new lawn are April and September. For lawn grasses to grow successfully they require at least 6 inches of good quality topsoil. If this is lacking you may need to bring in some, always look for good quality topsoil, which is weed free.

Preparation

Before sowing your lawn you need to prepare the ground. Between March and August you need to eliminate any existing vegetation by spraying the sight. Spray with any good Glyphosate based weedkiller such as roundup. Spray on a dry day, allowing 6 hours for the weed killer to become rain fast. Allow three to four weeks for this to work its way right down to the root system of the weeds to kill them, this is especially important for the more difficult weeds such as docks.

After this period has passed it is time to grade (level) your site. This can be done manually or by using machinery. Ensure no heavy rainfall has occurred before starting. Ensure no subsoil is turned up when levelling the site. A common problem encountered by many people is patchy uneven growth of their lawn. This is often caused by the churning up of subsoil in their preparation. This contains little nutritional value to the growing grass meaning poor growth whereas the grass growing on good topsoil is striving, leaving a patchwork of inconsistent growth. Also remove any large pieces of debris such as rubble, bricks, rocks, wood or old tree roots.

After this site has been graded, allow the site to be left fallow (unsown) for 3 to 4 weeks. This will allow all weed seeds that had being laying dormant in the soil to geminate. After this period, spray off again with Roundup. These weeds will be killed off much faster as they will generally not be as deep rooted. This may seem like a lot of work, but you will be rewarded with as weed free a seedbed as is possible for your new lawn to establish.

After this second spray , give the soil a shallow rotovate, or a light dig with a garden fork. Rake over the soil, leaving the surface with a fine tilth. Remove any debris over the size of a marble.

Sowing

Sowing seed can be done using a spreader, or by hand. Use a number 2 lawnseed. This contains a strong wearing, attractive grass mix. Before starting give the grass seed a good mix. Apply half the recommended application rate, horizontally across the lawn, spreading the other half going vertically. This will ensure an even spreading habit. For larger lawn it is a good idea to space bamboo canes evenly across the ends and sides of the lawn to use as a visual aid for walking in a straight line. Very lightly rake the surface, using a fan rake, and lightly roll the site. This will bed in the seed. After three to four weeks your new lawn will begin to germinate. If a dry spell (over 10 days) of little or no rain you will need to water the grass, as the roots will not have developed fully, stressing the grass. When watering give the ground a good soaking, as the water can evaporate from the soil quite quickly in warm weather.

First Cut

Give your grass its first cut when it reaches approx 3 inches tall which will tale about two months. It is often advisable to give the grass a light rolling first, this will bed in any remaining small stones and settle the soil. Leave for a day or two to allow the grass to straighten up again before mowing. For the fist cut set the lawnmower to the highest cut setting. All you want to do is 'top' the grass. Over the next 4 to 5 cuts lower the level of the cut. The lowest you should cut your grass is about 11/2 inches. Cutting the grass too low weakens the sward, leaving it more prone to invading weeds. Don't worry if a few weeds have germinated with the grass. Many will be eliminated through regular mowing. Remove by hand if a few persist. For those with ride on mowers, it is best if you do not use them for the first few mowing as these can cut up your lawn. Use a pedestrian mower for the first 5 or 6 cuts. After this the ground will have settled and the grass strengthened.

Aftercare

Do not use any triple action lawn treatments, such as feed, weed and mosskillers on the lawn for its first growing season, or any lawn weedkillers. If you have prepared the site as outlined, weed problems should be to a minimum. In general it is recommended not to apply lawn feed either, in its first growing season. Just regularly mow your new lawn (once a week) during the growing season.