Just like summer bodies are made in the winter, spring lawns are sown in the fall.

And sowing these lawns takes a lot more than simply popping a few seeds in soil and waiting for an early spring thaw. Fertilizer plays a large role in the health of your new shoots.

From grass density to mowing frequency and maintenance, your fertilization practices can either transform your new grass seeds into a lush lawn – or force your turf to work overtime. So if you get the fertilization process wrong, the result could be a dry, patchy, and deadened lawn.

In this guide, you’ll learn the exact science behind planning for, cultivating, and then growing a lush lawn year after year.

Lawn care takes a surprising amount of forethought. But once you’ve learned the exact method, you’ll be able to grow the perfect set of greens on your property.

Are You Part of the 28%?

You might not believe it, but for many Americans having a green lawn is quite a psychological thing.

It’s called “lawn envy,” and a poll of 1,055 homeowners revealed that 64% say their neighbors have “the best lawn on the block.”

There is something undeniably pleasing about the fact that your lawn is lush, thick, thriving, and vibrant. Your neighbors might not know exactly how to maintain their green lawn, nor be able to put their fingers on precisely what makes one person’s lawn so much more superior than another’s. But rest assured, people who walk by can instantly tell if your lawn is thriving – and, by extension, if you care about it enough – or not.

Part of this lawn envy is judging others: 49% say people who don’t take care of their lawns are “lazy or inconsiderate.”

There’s hope, however: 28% of Americans are proud of their lawns.

With that in mind, let’s help you become a coveted part of the 28% of Americans are proud of their lawns. How? By nailing the most important part of the process: fertilization!

Bloom Or Bust? Why Fertilization Matters

To thrive, any good lawn needs proper feeding and advance planning.

Once you’ve chosen the right grass seed for your property, climate, region, and purpose, fertilization is the next most significant indicator of whether your lawn will bloom – or bust!

When you apply fertilizer can make or break its growth cycle. If you don’t plan early, fertilizers for new grass seeds can’t pack as much of a punch as if you were to, let’s say, plan to do a September or November fertilizer application.

Fertilizers deliver all-important and much-needed nutrients to the soil, adding to what’s already present. In healthy soil, this means other organic matter such as fallen leaves, grass clippings, and minerals.

As you can see on the left side of this image, a fertilizer that you would purchase at a retail outlet has several chemical components to them:

These are not bad, per se, but some of their use does need to be limited. What goes into fertilizer goes into the soil. It’s that simple.

Ask yourself why many states have passed laws about what fertilizers can and can’t include – such as phosphorus – and you’ll understand that your lawn care practices play a greater role than simply helping you to become the envy of the neighborhood.

The fact of the matter is that healthy fertilization practices and good quality fertilizer contribute to the cultivation of healthy soil in the region.

In large parts of your state, the soil makeup might not be as nutrient-rich as it once was. For a number of reasons – such as erosion – there may simply not be enough naturally-occurring organic matter to support any kind of growth.

What does this mean? Well, poor soil means:

• more insects,
• more weeds,
• a higher chance of diseases like yard fungus,
• increased erosion,
• patchy grass, and
• increased runoff

…to name but a few.

So you can do everything else right – test your soil’s pH, prepare your soil, and choose the right grass seed – but still end up with a lackluster lawn, at best. Worse still, your lack of care or attention to fertilization could end up making a small but resounding impact on your region’s overall soil quality. So let’s get you recognizing and choosing the right lawn fertilizer for your growth goals.

Choosing the Right Type and Amount of Fertilizer For New Grass Seed

Believe it or not, you can over-fertilize your lawn and end up with the aftereffects on more than just your lawns.

In the state of New York, for example, over-fertilization has been the cause of harmful algal blooms in bodies of water. Besides this, it:

• Causes excess fertilizer to leach through the soil faster than the roots can absorb it. Instead, it ends up in the water table and clogs waterways with vegetative growth
• Triggers excessive mowing
• Causes weak, overgrown turf, which is susceptible to pests
• Contributes to thatch build-up

Let’s not forget the attractiveness factor: Over-fertilized lawns get patchy, brown, and just plain dead-looking.

And that’s not how anyone wants to leave their lawn. Especially not when the alternative – cultivating a rich and thriving blanket of green – takes just a little mindful planning.

Lawn Starter Fertilizer V.S. Regular Fertilizer — Which Wins?

Lawns, like all living, breathing creatures, go through stages of growth.

And at different stages, they need different kinds of nutrition. To begin a lawn, or to repair it anew, you’ll need starter fertilizer, rather than regular fertilizer.

The difference in these two has to do mainly with the nutrients or composition of the fertilizer. Both types provide valuable food and energy for grass seeds, but newly emerging seedlings will need more phosphorus and quick release nitrogen.

Pro-Tip: “Quick-release” simply means that, once the fertilizer is applied and watered into the plant, nitrogen is readily available for germination.

“Regular” or well-established lawns don’t need phosphorus. They don’t even need large amounts of potassium. When nitrogen is the main ingredient, regular lawns thrive.

Many states have a law prohibiting the use of phosphorus except in cases where individuals are establishing a new lawn. So you should take the time to read this composition. It’s crucial to choosing the right – and legal – fertilizer for your lawn.

Pro-Tip: When you see fertilizer bags with a label that reads “30-0-0,” or even, “27-3-3,” this indicates the ratio of the three ingredients. Phosphorus and potassium are usually the second and third in this sequence, respectively.

But if you want to know which one of these fertilizers you need, you have to start with something called an NPK Ratio.

Understanding NPK Ratios

Fertilizer labels will give you all the information you need about nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content – called an NPK Ratio.

This is a measurement that helps you understand what’s in your fertilizer. Each of these chemical compounds performs a specific role that plays an important role in your fertilizer:

• Nitrogen: Important for leaf growth, nitrogen is the “N” part of NPK and makes your plantings look greener
• Phosphorus: Promotes root development, increases bloom and fruit production
• Potassium: Helps plants to fight off diseases, enhancing their ability to withstand extreme temperatures and ward off disease. Most soils already contain “potash,” so this is usually the smallest percentage in the ratio

So for example, a 100-pound bag of fertilizer that has a label “10-10-10” contains 10 pounds of each compound, with 70 pounds leftover for “filler.”

And because so much of the soil around the country lacks these compounds, they’re also an indicator of what soils require – and potentially how some fertilizers are failing you.

So let’s apply this to the question before – should you get a lawn fertilizer or a starter fertilizer for your lawn?

Here’s a useful table that will help you understand the various ways in which regular fertilizer differs from starter fertilizer – beyond just levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – to help you make that decision:

Take charge of your lawn today!

Getting Your Lawn Ready For Growth

To start your lawn off on the right foot, you need to prep your soil for fertilization in multiple steps.

There are a range of activities you can begin with, depending on whether you’re trying to start fresh and sow an entirely new lawn or rejuvenate the compacted soil of your ailing lawn. Of course, there are commonplace practices like mowing and fertilizing. But there are also lawn care activities you may not have considered such as aeration, weeding, and pest control. These are important in the prep phase and maintenance process.

Remember that these activities are all geared towards tending to your lawn’s health. They also have the added benefit of making sure that the fertilizer you’ve purchased does what it’s there for: help your grass seeds root.

For example, according to researchers, applications of fertilizer in the late winter or early spring contributes to top growth that is rich and green, without the need for excess growing. Following this schedule would give your lawn the best chance for thriving.

With that in mind, let’s run through what you need to do to contribute to your lush-lawn goal.

Do A Soil Test

• The results of a soil test can tell you about its pH levels, the nutrients already present, their quantities, and which nutrients are lacking.
• In general, grasses prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH level of 6.5 to 7.0.
• However, make it too acidic or alkaline, and tender seedlings won’t be able to absorb everything they need even if the nutrients exist in the soil.
• Too much acidity can also affect the structural stability of the soil, causing fungal disease or decimating the population of beneficial organisms.

Fertilizing Your New Grass

• Begin by measuring your area to make sure you have enough fertilizer.
• Apply starter fertilizer only once you’ve lightly raked your soil and before you sow your grass seed.
• Once your grass has seeded, the next round should be a regular fertilizer application – this round should only occur four to eight weeks after the first, starter application.
• Lawns only need one or two applications of fertilizer each year. As the graphic below illustrates, your feedings depend on the kind of growth you have and how many years into the process your lawn has been kept up for.

• How do you choose the right fertilizer? This is where your soil test comes in – use your knowledge of the nutrients already present, as well as what you now know about NPK ratios to give your lawn the right compounds!
• If you live near a creek, streams, or a well, you should avoid spreading high-nitrogen fertilizers because of the risk of run-offs (responsible for creating this algal pool below).

Apply Lime, Where Necessary

• Your fertilizer make-up addresses the nutrients – but what about acidity levels? If your soil test reveals that your soil is too acidic, consider adding lime.!
• The most popular kind is dolomitic lime because it contains magnesium.
• If possible, aerate before applying the lime, so that it will penetrate deeper into the soil.

Aerate Compacted Soil

• Compacted soil occurs through play, foot traffic, or even poor drainage. Aeration is the process of “airing out” the soil so it can breathe again.
• After a few years of careful lawn care using these tips, you’ll have earthworms again. These little guys are great natural aerators and will reduce the need for manual aerating.
• Aerating is when you pull out little plugs out of your lawn. These little holes allow more oxygen to reach the root system of compacted soil.
• After aerating, you should brush sand into the holes, which will improve drainage. This also creates a seedbed for when you’re placing new seed in.
• If the soil is compacted to a depth of over 2.5 inches, work it loose and deeply. Amend the existing soil, and either reseed or lay new sod.

Use Compost for Your Topdress

• If you’re looking to repair your compacted lawn or you want to improve the richness of your soil, consider compost – it’s the best kind of fertilizer, attracting micro-organisms and giving them shelter and nutrients.
• Apply a layer of compost once every three to four years. The best time is during the early fall when your lawn will be in active growth mode.
• Apply a thin layer of fertilizer and use a leaf rake to spread it evenly, working the compounds into your lawn
• Note: Do not bury your grass in compound. Instead, grass should poke through, straight and upright
• You can also use a blend of about 60% compost and 40% coarse sand, as this is heavier than pure compost, so you can spread it around far easier.
• Use mature compost that is rich, loose, and dark. Look for one that is finely textured and doesn’t contain any weeds.
• Avoid compost that has large amounts of topsoil or peat moss, because these decompose too slowly.

Tips for the Best Results

• Remove any weeds first and then lightly rake the soil to loosen it. Soil that drains poorly or has very little organic material is likely to have many weeds.
• Sow your grass seeds using a broadcast spreader.
• Lightly rake the surface in only one direction to create a shallow cover of soil.
• You can “firm up” the soil by going over it with a lawn roller half-filled with water.
• Water the surface but only with a fine spray. This stops seeds from being uncovered. Water frequently but with small amounts. In the first two to three weeks, keep the soil moist. Avoid walking on new grass.
• You can taper off the watering frequency but increase the watering amount as roots grow in.
• To even out the soil, lightly roll your grass, once it’s around two inches high.
• Only mow your new lawn when it reaches three inches, getting it back down to two inches.

Timing is Everything: Frequency and Time of Year

The very last aspects to consider when fertilizing your lawn with new grass seeds is the time of year you’re operating in, how frequently you’ll need to fertilize, and what kind of fertilizer to use. If you already have a well-established lawn, then the table below will help you plan out fertilizations during the start of the season (usually in spring), and one more in the late summer.

However, if you’re planning to lay entirely new grass seed, researchers at the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Department say that besides the all-important fertilization application in September, November is another fruitful time.

Why?

Because at this point in the year, fertilizer is taken up by the roots but is simply stored as energy. Your grass won’t use it until spring. They also say that fertilizer done during this late-fall period may eliminate the need to fertilize in the spring at all.

Summer Fertilization

As you can see, feeding or fertilizing during the summer months of July and August is considered “acceptable,” but it’s certainly not ideal. For summer lawn care, you want to try and stick to weed preventer applications and mowing

Fall Fertilization

September and/or November is the best time to fertilize your lawn, especially if you have cool-season grass.

If you’re fertilizing in early September, water in the fertilizer and use a high nitrogen source. You can also overseed your bluegrass or tall fescue lawn at this point.

If you’re fertilizing in November, once again, water in the fertilizer and take this opportunity to spray for any broadleaf weeds. Generally, weeds are easier to control in the fall than in the spring.

Spring Fertilization

During the spring, you can certainly start your lawn off on the right foot with an application of fertilizer.

After this point, the next application should be anywhere from four to eight weeks out. As the chart shows, mid-March might be fine but the best time for fertilization is from April to June.

If you’re using a slow-release fertilizer and you fertilize in May, you’ll need to water your lawn on a regular basis in the summer.

And what will you be fertilizing with? A newly-seeded lawn is a mature lawn so it needs “regular” fertilizer, not starter fertilizer. The latter, wrongly applied, could end up burning your roots.

Types of Fertilizers

There’s one more factor you’ll need to consider for a thriving lawn: the type of fertilizer

you choose. While NPK ratios are important here, it’s about more than these three elements.

It’s also about the composition of the rest of the fertilizer. You can base your decision on the acidity of your soil, the time you fertilize (slow or quick-release?), and your personal preference.

• Organic: These fertilizers composed of plant, animal, and other natural minerals such as manure, rock phosphate, blood meal, fish by-products, and cottonseed meal. They also release slower (great for fall applications).
• Chemical: Manufactured from petroleum, animal and/or rock-derived products. These fertilizers need refinement so that nutrients can be super-concentrated to enhance absorption rate and speeds (good for spring applications),
• Urea: Nitrogen-rich and quick-release, urea is processed from ammonia and is quite a cost-effective solution. However, it needs to be mixed with soil to prevent loss of other beneficial gases during conversion to nitrogen. Urea is perfect for grasses that need acidic soil type.
• Ammonium Sulfate: Intended for highly alkaline soils, ammonium sulfate fertilizers help to bring in sulfur, thereby lowering the soil’s pH. Chemicals in ammonium sulfate are immediately available for root uptake. Take care to dilute in water first or use ammonium sulfate as a top dressing for your lawn

What we love less, however, is the piles of poop they tend to leave behind. Our neighbors with immaculate lawns are even less forgiving. With 30,000 tons of dog waste generated a day, which totals to around 10 million tons annually, it’s easy to understand why. And in case the math doesn’t mean much to you, here’s what that amount of poop looks like: line up 276,500 tractor-trailers, end to end, stretching from Boston to Seattle.

Yet, even this is preferable to the specific harm that dog waste can cause to your lawn, and to the environment at large. Your pup’s pellets may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but what lurks within their waste is harmful to grass seed, plants, other living organisms. Eventually, through trophic toxicity, these harmful effects can reach you and your family. This is why it’s so important to be a “green” pet-owner — your decisions can affect more than the green of someone’s lawn, including your own.

Is Dog Poop Good for Grass or Bad For Your Lawn?

Some homeowners are so exasperated with pets that relieve themselves on private lawns — and the pet-owners that allow them to do so — that they often consider giving up on lawn care and simply ripping it all up. But lush, thick, and green lawns are more than pretty possession. Putting in lawns can help reduce ground temperatures by as much as 30 degrees.

It also preserves the soil’s health, moisture, and contributes to overall cleaner air. In short, lawns improve the environment, so it’s even more significant that dog waste is stinky and can increase pollution in the air, as well as the water, through leftover fecal matter.

The Scoop On Dog Waste Effects of Grass Seeds and Lawns

Dog waste has an immediate negative impact on living plants, seeds, and lawns. Left to decay, this matter turns toxic and decomposes into the soil. Sitting in a dog’s fecal matter are a variety of bacteria and viruses, including campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, coccidia, toxocarisis, cysticerosis (tapeworms), E. coli, giara, and parvo.

Through a variety of rain and humidity, these pathogens then seep into the water table. From here, this matter can pollute water, cause toxic algal blooms, leak into lakes, streams, and rivers, and contaminate the water we drink. Sewage waste treatment centres don’t have the ability to treat dog waste, so the 41% of pet owners that don’t clean up after their pets are seriously risking the health of their own neighborhoods.

What Dog Urine Can Do to Your Lawn

Dog urine, on the other hand, has a direct impact on your grass’s growth, health, and soil quality. While it doesn’t cause toxicity in the same way that dog waste does, urine’s chemical make-up can deteriorate the composition of your lawn. When dogs urinate in your yard, they always choose one spot — the same spot — over and over again. Their territorial behavior can end up creating distinct brown patches on your green lawn. This is called lawn burn.

Dog urine contains nitrogen — which is a good thing for grass seeds, and quite a few grass fertilizers include nitrogen to help boost the growth of grass. It’s the “N” part of the “N-P-K” formula. If you were to dilute the urine with water, this would help offset the potency of the nitrogen. But when your dog urinates in the same spot continuously, the results are deadened, brown, and burnt patches of grass. Furthermore, dog urine also has other salts within it, which can be harmful to nearby plants and root systems under the lawn.

The nitrogen in urine can also damage lawn and grass seeds in the high summer, especially in cases of dry spells. If there is a risk of drought, lawns will soak up any liquid that comes its way. If it’s urine on a poorly irrigated lawn, this can spell disaster for the roots and soil composition, which will instantly become more acidic. If dog urine doesn’t end up killing your grass, the opposite effect might occur. The nitrogen may cause plants to grow faster and darker than the surrounding grass seeds, which can still make your lawn look patchy and uneven.

Lawn burn can quickly become an issue if:

• You have a large dog. The larger the dog, the more they drink, and the more frequently they have to relieve themselves. They’re also likely to create a far wider patch, with a deeper burn.
• You have a female dog. Females tend to relieve themselves almost entirely in one spot, versus males, who will lift their leg in multiple spots on their walks.
• You’re already treating your grass seeds with nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Excess nitrogen will throw off the grass seeds’ natural germination and growing cycle, resulting in uneven and poor growth.
• You feed your dog a high protein diet.

Other Destructive Behavior

Dogs have a tendency to do two more things that can damage grass seeds, especially when you first plant them. When grass seeds are germinating, they are at their most vulnerable. A single shift in the factors they need to grow, such as temperature, soil pH and chemical make-up, water, oxygen, and light, can completely upend a grass seed’s growth cycle.

• Digging – Dogs will dig around your yard, and this is an entirely natural and healthy instinct. However, excessive digging when grass seeds are still germinating can disrupt the growth and uniformity of your lawn. Digging behavior also becomes destructive when dogs dig enough that they expose the soil beneath to sun and wind erosion.
• Running – A hearty grass seed type should be able to withstand high amounts of foot traffic from both children and pets. However, if your pets are running on lawn patches where there is already deadened or burned grass, this could cause further soil compaction.

How to Correct Your Lawn After Excessive Dog Waste

Fortunately, there are ways to correct your lawn after excessive dog waste — whether it’s your own pet or that of a neighbor’s. Which strategy you choose may depend on how extensive the damage to your lawn. A couple of brown spots here and there may only need you to “spot” dilute and then overseed for next season.

However, if the patches are large enough, or your lawn is completely uneven in its growth and coloring, you may have no choice but to rip out your turf and start fresh. This might even be a better long-term solution, however, because you can choose a heartier grass seed type.

Lawn correction and reclamation from dog waste takes a two-pronged approach. The first is to address your lawn’s health, and the second is to correct your dog’s behavior. In other words, you must plan to repair and prevent.

1) Choose the Best Grass Seed for Dogs and Dog Urine

You can reduce the impact of dog-waste on your grass seeds by choosing the right type of grass. In general, fescues and perennial ryegrasses are very hearty and resistant to doggie destruction — including dog waste. These five grass types have specific characteristics that make them an effective choice to guard against dog waste:

• Kentucky bluegrass: This is a flexible grass seed type that will adapt to almost any growing conditions and locations. It has a rapid growth rate and can recover quickly from being trampled.
• Perennial ryegrass: Deep root system are the key to a hearty grass seed type, and perennial ryegrasses establish themselves quickly. Like the Kentucky bluegrass, it proliferates rapidly.
• Fescue: Fescues are great at absorbing moisture effectively, and they grow well in shaded areas.
• Bermuda: Intended for homeowners in warmer climates, Bermuda stays green and healthy-looking without any added irrigation needs.
• Zoysia: Zoysia is an ideal grass seed type for locations that have a potential for drought in the summers. It’s very hardy, but it does require three to four growing seasons to really develop a strong and deep root system.

2) Designate a Specific Area

Next, address your dog’s behavior in your yard. If you’re not going to take your pet out to specific dog parks or on walks, choose to potty-spot train your dog. This will help you use the dilution strategy with ease. The dog’s urine will be confined to one spot, which makes it easier for you to clean up.

There may also be a few areas in your yard that are naturally patchy or prone to dryness. Train your dog to relieve itself here instead and then use revival techniques at the end of the season to heal these areas.

Pro-Tip: To rid your lawn of these “burn” spots, use limestone. Begin by raking the patchy areas to free them of dead grass. Apply a layer of extra-fine, ground limestone. While limestone is pet- and child-safe, make sure to protect your nose and eyes when you’re applying it. Water the area to allow the limestone to absorb and then wait for about a week. Finally, cover the patches with topsoil and sprinkle your chosen grass seeds over them. Water the newly seeded area as needed, with a watering can, rather than a hose, so that you don’t wash away the seeds. This technique can help revive patchy areas.

3) Modify Your Pet’s Diet and Behavior

Training your pooch to relieve itself in the right spots is half the battle one. Now you can do a few more things with his or her diet. Firstly, encourage your pet to drink more water, which will naturally dilute the concentration of nitrogen in its urine. You may also consider using feed that is slightly less rich in protein.

Changes to doggie diet can have a significant effect on your pets, but don’t make any additions or changes without first consulting your vet. Alternatively, if you have a breed with a need for high protein, consider high-quality brands of pet food with superior protein sources or those that are highly digestible. If your dog easily digests the protein source, this may result in less concentrated and smaller-sized dog waste and urine deposits.

4) Plan Your Fertilization Treatments

There’s an added benefit to spot-training your dog. If you’ve recently put down grass seeds and they’re beginning to germinate, avoid using fertilization treatments on the areas where your dog urinates. Since these patches are receiving adequate nitrogen, they may not need much more.

5) Just Add Water

Once your dog relieves itself in their favorite spot, head over with some water to dilute the nitrogen concentration seeping into the grass and soil below. You can also dissolve a tablespoon of plain dish soap in the bucket of water used for diluting as well. This doesn’t do anything to the chemicals in urine. Rather, it acts as a wetting agent for the soil below so you won’t risk flooding other areas when you’re pouring. The soil will absorb this extra moisture more easily.

Lawns have a long history in the American imagination, and our relationship with our pristine carpets of green is more than just aesthetic.

Though they started as matters of prestige and markers of wealth, lawns today support families — homeowners — who spend time outdoors, especially in regions that experience distinct seasons.

Growing efforts directed toward cultivating a thriving lawn help build a growing awareness in new homeowners about the state of gardens and the importance of nurturing green spaces.

A thriving lawn can connect individuals, families, and encourage other gardening practices for homeowners who take pride in having a green thumb. But to cultivate a great lawn, you’ll need to find the right type of turfgrass.

What’s the right type of grass seed? It’s one that aligns with your climate, your intended use, your property’s unique geography, and how much shade you have.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about choosing the right grass seed for your lawn. Here’s what you can expect to learn:

• Why Choosing the Right Seed is Essential
• Growing Factors
• Types of Grass Seed
• How to Choose the Right Grass Seed

Ready to get started? Let’s Go!

Why choosing the right seed is essential

Do American homeowners have a green thumb?

Well, yes. And no.

Certainly, we place a lot of importance and emphasis on our lawn-care. Besides a brief spike in 2012-2013, we’ve been steadily increasing our average household expenditure from $363 to $503 for lawn care.

But it’s the details of lawn care that still seem to elude many Americans.

A survey by Harria Group for the National Association of Landscape Professionals shows that, of the 3 in 4 U.S. adults who have a home with a lawn, 74% believe they know how to care for their lawn each season and 68% feel confident about their knowledge.

Despite these attitudes, the survey also revealed that:

• 64% falsely believe all grass need fertilization in the spring
• 31% admit to being unaware of how to grow a lush lawn
• 57% falsely believe that a lawn is not considered “healthy” unless it’s green
• Overall, 69% say their lawn could “use improvement”<l/i>

The true picture these numbers paint is compelling: Our confidence far exceeds our knowledge.

Consider, for example, that many seed bags marketed as “quick repair mixtures” usually have annual ryegrass because it seems to revive your lawn so rapidly. That sounds great because your lawn will look good initially, but these annual ryegrasses tend to be a lighter green color, invasive if allowed to go to seed, and coarse-textured. Not to mention annual ryegrass will die out after the first season.

And that may not be the best thing for your lawn’s health.

So choosing the right grass seed is important because these mixtures are not a one-size-fits-all situation.
Another example is rough bluegrass. It only really thrives in shade and very moist regions. Unless you live in such a place, avoid varieties that include this cheap but highly contextual seed type.

Growing Factors

Before we look at seed types, let’s look at some of the factors that can affect how well grass will grow in your lawn.

Your choice of grass seed will need to consider a few external factors. You may have noticed that several of the above descriptions of grass seed types included considerations like “traffic” and levels of shade.

These factors matter because they’re all about your lifestyle and the expected use of your lawn. After all, lawns are no longer simply fashionable — they’re functional too.

Factor #1: Levels of Shade

This generally affects the amount of sun exposure and shade the grass is naturally built to take.Some seed types, like the fescues, are good in partial shade. Others, like bermudagrass, won’t settle for anything less than full sun exposure.

Factor #2: Wear and Tear

“Traffic” is all about how much footfall or wear and tear your lawn will be expected to take.

When you select a grass seed, considering the heartiness of the variety or species type will help you make the best decision.

Why? Because it means that you’ll select a type that isn’t likely to get brown, patchy spots, or dry out in certain conditions. And you won’t choose a grass seed that is too thatchy, too delicate or too coarse for what you’ll be doing.

For example, families with young children who plan to enjoy their lawn with water sports or mini pools should opt for Kentucky bluegrass rather than fine fescue. This turf-type holds up to patchy spots because it is self-mending. The grass creeps in and naturally fills in the holes. But it also requires more mowing, frequent fertilizing, and timed watering if you plan for it to look its best.

Take the time to consider what you’ll be doing on your lawn and factor this into your choice of grass seed.

Factor #3: Grass Seed or Ready-Roll?

Many homeowners will consider ready-roll grass when they’re looking to revive their lawns to their fullest.

But choosing between a grass seed or a ready-roll sod grass is a decision that comes down to factors like how quickly you need to see a result and how much time you’re willing to put in maintaining the germination. It also depends on how much money you’re willing to shell out.

First, consider the use of your site: Are you going to run or play sports on your lawn? Will you be able to water it daily and do you have lots of trees on the grounds? Ryegrass, for example, is a fairly common grass seed type for sports fields but they need full sun and daily watering. Without this, they get patchy, brown, and dry.

Another consideration is cost: Even the best quality grass seed is going to much cheaper than transplanting ready-made turf. However, sod gives a more instant result. The caveat is that it may not root as well or as firmly as natural grass seed.

Your options are also greatly reduced with sod, precisely because the growing process has already taken place.

If you have a specific kind of site or property — for example, a property with lots of shade — you can choose the grass seed type that matches this. If you choose to put down sod, you’re limited to the varieties already grown. And among these limited varieties, most sod is not shade-tolerant. They tend to dry up and turn patchy.

Pro-tip: If you can manage the cost and intend on getting ready-roll, you still need to inspect the soil. You want to figure out if the sod will fit with your current soil.

Factor #4: Site Size

The size of a lot has a great effect on seed type and how much seed you need to get a healthy lawn. In general, bigger sites on a tighter budget do well with turfgrass seed.

Another way to see if you’re getting a good bag of seed is to look for something called a pure live seed (PLS) percentage. This calculation is a measure of whether a reduced price on seeding is truly a bargain or not.

PLS is calculated by taking the percentage of “pure” seed (written on the variety label) and then multiplying it but the percentage of germination. The product is then divided by 100.

In action, this looks like a fairly simple formula:
At 85% pure seed and 72% germination, divided by 100, the output is 61% PLS.

Now, how much seed does that entail for planting? Simply divide the percentage PLS by 100. So, in this example, 100/61 = 1.2. This means that you’ll need 1.6 pounds of a seed that has a purity of 85% and 72% germination.

The final price will tell you whether it’s a good run for your money — or not!

Pro-tip: If you’re buying a lower quality seed and comparing it to something of higher quality, you should also consider how much manual labor it takes to maintain the lawn, from seeding to watering, fertilizing, and germination.

Factor #5: Seeding Sloping Sites

A quick note about using grass seed on sloping sites. Many homeowners opt for ready-roll on sloping or hilly sites on their property because they’re concerned about rain and soil erosion washing the seeds away.

This is a legitimate concern, but one that’s easily mitigated if you’re heart-set on grass seeds. In fact, once your lawn has sprung, this will be a prime factor in avoiding soil erosion.

Several products are available to stop this from occurring:

• Straw: You can opt to sprinkle straw over freshly-seeded soil — gentle slopes are best
• Erosion-control netting: Netting can be made from coconut fibers and is specifically designed to help keep soil packed in. Look for one that has a fairly large weave and is biodegradable
• Erosion-control blankets: A blend of straws and nets, erosion-control blankets act like a protective layer for the soil

But how do you know which type of grass seed will work for you in any of these scenarios? To help answer that, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of grass seed types to help educate you!

Types of Grass Seed

Your grass seed decision on varieties depends on a host of factors, including land and soil readiness, region, geography, season, and how much work you’re willing to put in to maintain it.

As you can see, there are a couple of types of “species” of grass seed. These include fescues, perennial ryegrass, bentgrass, bluegrass, buffalo, bermuda, bahia and more.

The table above gives you a good sense of the natural features of each type of grass. Even the grass species themselves can have seed variations. For example, fine fescues include creeping red fescue, chewings fescue, hard fescue, and sheep fescue varieties.

So let’s take a look at the features of some of the most common seed types, besides the ones above:

Zoysia

• Is a dense and “wiry” sort of growth
• Has a moderate need for watering
• Is hardy enough to sustain a high level of traffic
• A fine to medium texture

Warm Season VS Cool Season Grass Seed

The best way to distinguish seed types — besides their characteristics — is via season. Which season or climate does your preferred seed type thrive in?

As you can see, your region deeply affects your choice of grass seed — and whether it will thrive or fall.

If you’re in border states, where the climate changes, it’s also important to choose a versatile turfgrass type.

This will become the basis of your seed type choice so make sure to choose a variety or mixture that conforms to your type of soil, sun exposure, as well as overall climate conditions.

Generally, there are two types of seed type:

Warm-Season Grass

This turfgrass seed type originated in the South and thrives in warm or hot weather. It naturally goes dormant and turns brown with the onset of cooler temperatures. It also thrives in the sun, which means that too much shade is not a good thing.

Warm-season grasses should be planted during the late spring so that they hit their stride during the high summer.

Varieties include:

• Bahia
• Bermuda
• Zoysia
• Buffalograss
• St. Augustine

Cool-Season Grass

Originating in the North, this turfgrass seed grows rapidly in the spring and fall, being shade- and drought-tolerant. However, converse to warm-season grass seed, these species tend to turn brown and patchy during the hottest days of summer.

This means that you should only be planting cool-season grass during the spring or early fall.

This includes:

• Perennial Ryegrass
• Tall Fescue
• Fine Fescue
• Kentucky Bluegrass

Blends and Mixtures

Different mixes of grass seeds, as long as they don’t contain too many additives or low-quality fillers, are usually designed to be sold together to address very specific issues.

Let’s say you wanted to get a drought-resistant species, or you’re specifically looking to repair a damaged lawn. You might turn to a seed mixture or a lawn repair mix, respectively.

Seed mixtures are mixes that combine several different kinds of grasses in one package. These help offset each other, which keeps your lawn green and healthy.

Then there are blended-seed mixtures, which combine several different kinds of the same grass species in one.

Opting for a blended-seed mixture, you can take advantage of the strengths of each. An example of this would be combining multiple kinds of fescues together. The resulting appearance is the same when you use a blended-seed mixture.

And, finally, you can go specifically for function: the lawn repair mix.

Along with grass seed, your mix also includes starter fertilizer and mulch, making this an all-purpose solution for addressing those brown and patchy spots. You don’t need to buy these three items separately or guess at the proportions.

The best part? Because they’re specifically designed to address lawn repair, these seed mixtures often include attenuated to allow for water absorption and retention to improve growth.

How To Choose The Right Grass Seed

Now that you know why choosing the best seed is important and which varieties work best, let’s dig into how you can choose the right grass seed.

First and foremost, you need high-quality grass seed, and local nurseries and grass seed vendors are usually the best place to find quality. Each variety has its own needs for levels of water, fertilizer, pesticides and even mowing frequencies. For example, Kentucky bluegrass is a kind of turfgrass seed that calls for more fertilizer and more frequent watering to thrive.

No matter which grass seed type you choose, however, always make the investment in top-quality seed, rather than going for cheaper retail outlets that mix the seed with a whole variety of “fillers.” Your lawn will thank you.

Now, let’s look at how to choose your seed type in four easy steps:

Step #1: Perform a Soil Test

It’s essential to start with a soil test, but you may wonder: “why?” Your soil’s pH will largely determine whether your lawn thrives once it starts growing, or whether it looks patchy and tired. In general, turf grasses require well-aerated soil that has a slightly acidic pH balance of between 6 and 7.0. As you can see, taking a soil sample is an easy process that requires you to divvy up your site, collect samples and data, and then send off the samples for further testing.

Step #2: Study Up on Seeds

We covered seed varieties earlier, but this is where you can put that knowledge into practice.

But there’s more to finding varieties than knowing what’s out there. You also need to know how some big-box seed companies work, and you need to know what to watch out for.

For instance, sometimes reduced priced seeds are sold as “variety not stated.” However, seed mixes usually also come with labels that state the variety of each grass species included. Read it thoroughly!

And if there’s no such label, avoid purchasing the seed bag. Why? Because there’s usually a certain about of chaff, dust, weed seeds, and crop seeds included. You want to make sure that what you’re paying for is actual seed.

You should know that seed mixtures will often bring in seed types like “Boreal” creeping red fescue, annual ryegrass/Italian ryegrass, and other inferior species. These are mostly fillers that won’t do too much for your lawn so don’t bother paying for a mixture that includes them. But you’ll only be able to catch these flaws if you read the label and know what to look for – and now you do!

Step #3: Check On Local Variety Performance Data

Once you know which varieties are good and bad, check up on which varieties perform well in your area.

A great source for this is The University of Minnesota. They have a portal dedicated to data on variety performance known as the Cultivar Evaluation Results. This can help you to check on the historical performance of seed types.

You can also visit the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program for data and rankings of most turf cultivars, as well as the performance of ongoing trials.

Or of course, just ask the experts here at Nature’s Seed!

Step #4: Decide On Your Species

Once you’ve finished your research, it’s time to pick a seed.

From fine fescues to bluegrass and bermudagrass, your choice depends on factors like:

• Your region
• How much shade you have on your property
• How much work and maintenance you intend to put in (moving, fertilization, growth rates)

Some grass types, for example, call for very particular amounts of nitrogen fertilizer. Others can hold a green color all season long and take very little input from you to root and grow quickly.

Choose the best seed for your lawn, and then enjoy your pristine carpet of green!

It’s no secret that a beautiful grass lawn turns heads.

Before you plant grass seed, though, you need to prepare the soil. This preparation will help you avoid mistakes and get the best results.

What mistakes do people make when planting grass seed? There are a lot, ranging from planting the wrong type of seed to skipping important soil tests. No soil will ever be perfect, but with some extra prep, your lawn and outdoor spaces will be green and growing in no time. And in this guide, we’re going to show you everything you need to do to prepare your soil, setting your lawn up for future success.

Chapter 1 – Test Your Soil’s pH

Set the Right Foundation for Your Grass Lawn by Testing Your Soil’s pH

Soil is the foundation for any grass seed. It’s how they receive nutrients. Knowing the pH of your soil helps determine how to improve your soil for your lawn grass seed.

A pH test will determine how acidic or alkaline the soil is. It’s measured on a scale of 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Below 7 is considered acidic and above 7 is considered alkaline. The majority of plants prefer a neutral soil. Not only does a soil test determine its pH attributes, it also reveals what is missing from the soil.

Testing Soil pH with a Testing Meter

There are several ways to test the pH level of your soil. Testing meters are inserted into the soil and offer a result. Another option is a testing kit wherein you would prepare samples and send them off for analysis. Then you’ll need to interpret the soil report.

DIY Soil pH Testing

One more option is using vinegar and baking soda to test soil pH levels. Simply collect 1 cup of soil from different areas of your lawn, split into separate cups. Then, add ½ cup of vinegar to one cup and ½ cup of baking soda into the other. The soil’s reaction to these elements can help you determine if the soil is acidic or alkaline. If the soil reacts to the vinegar, it’s more alkaline. If it reacts to the baking soda, it’s more acidic.

No matter which method you use, it’s a good idea to test your soil only when it’s dry as wet soil won’t yield accurate results. After you have your results, it’s time to improve it with planting aids.

How to Raise the pH Levels in Acidic Soil

Lime: Limestone is the most common soil additive for raising soil pH levels. You’ll typically see calcitic limestone (mostly calcium carbonate) and dolomitic limestone (adds magnesium to the mix). Both are equally effective at raising pH levels of soil, although there are a few things to consider:

• Dry vs Damp Lime:
  Damp lime reacts quicker than dry lime. This is due to the fact that water reacts with lime to neutralize the pH. It is also much more efficient when it comes to spreading evenly. The drawback is that it’s much more labor intensive.
   
  Dry lime is both more efficient and more affordable. It goes great with agricultural equipment and is easily transported. For large projects, dry lime is a better financial move. On top of that, dry lime can balance your soil’s pH levels in just one application.
• Pulverized vs Pelletized Lime:
  Pulverized lime is best applied during moist weather. That’s because windy and dry conditions can cause it to scatter, making it less evenly-spread. Pulverized lime is best for large fields.
  
  Pelletized lime on the other hand is easier to spread if you don’t own large-scale agricultural equipment. It also typically reacts faster because it is processed thoroughly before being pelletized. Finally, pelletized lime isn’t vulnerable to windy or dry conditions.
• Wood Ash:
  This is a more organic approach to raising soil pH levels. Simply sprinkle approximately 1/2 inch of wood ash over your soil and mix it into the soil about a foot deep. While this method does take longer (smaller applications over multiple years), it is very effective. It’s also convenient if you have extra fireplace ashes that need recycling!
  

How to Lower the pH Levels in Alkaline Soil

• Organic Matter:
  There are many types of organic matter that will gradually lower your soil pH over time. These include compost, composted manure and acidic mulches (i.e. pine needles). Soil pH levels are lowered over time as these materials decompose and bacteria grow. While not the fastest-acting solution whatsoever, this method is great for long-term goals (many gardeners will add organic matter annually to lower pH levels subtly throughout the year). Organic matter can also improve soil drainage and aeration.
• Sulfur:
  Compared to some other methods (Aluminum Sulfate in particular), Sulfur is generally cheaper, more powerful (when it comes to amount needed) and slower-acting. That’s because it must be metabolized by bacteria in the soil to turn to sulfuric acid, which can take up to several months.
• Aluminum Sulfate:
  Aluminum Sulfate rapidly lowers soil pH levels. In fact, this is one of the quickest-acting options available. That’s because it produces soil acidity as soon as it dissolves. In essence, that means it works instantly. Do not use aluminum sulfate, however, for large applications. It can result in aluminum accumulation and aluminum toxicity.

Chapter 2 – Materials You Need

All the Materials You’ll Need for the Greenest Grass Possible:

• Rotary tiller
• Rakes
• Shovels
• Timer
• PVC pipe
• Anti-siphon valve
• Grass seed
• Fertilizer
• Spreader

Throughout the process of growing the greenest grass, you’ll need several different tools.

A rotary tiller is a must-have to break up the old topsoil. Other tools you should have for the task are: rakes and shovels. If installing sprinklers, include a timer, PVC pipe, and an anti-siphon valve to your list.

Materials needed will be the grass seed itself and fertilizer to add once the seeds are placed. Consider a spreader for dispersing the grass seed over large areas.

Chapter 3 – Soil Preparation Tips

All-Inclusive Soil Preparation Tips

Now that you know your soil’s pH level, it’s time to prepare the soil for the grass seed. Preparing the soil is critical to ensuring your seed suc-cessfully takes root. When you combine a healthy soil with the best grass seed for your region, you are likely to have the results you expect.

• STEP 1: Clear the area you are preparing
  Using a rotary tiller makes this easy. With the tiller, apply it to the top six inches. This action augments the soil with oxygen and will also break apart any compacted areas
• STEP 2: Rake the soil to remove sticks, debris, and old grass
  You’ll need to get this old grass out as it can poison the roots of your new grass seed.
• STEP 3: Spray the area with water once clean of debris
• STEP 4: Use the till to add in some nutrients and organic matter
  These include compost, yard waste or a slow-release fertilizer.

Chapter 4 – Setting Up a Sprinkler System

The Proper Way to Set up a New Sprinkler System for Perfectly Watered Plants

• Access the Water Line
  First access the water line, preferably from an existing spigot. At this time, also install the anti-siphon valve, which prevents any chemicals or brackish water feeding back into the main water supply.
• Digging
  Now to the digging. Create a trench six to eight inches deep—it’s possible with shovels but rent a trenching device to make it easier. Next, install the valve manifold to the main water line. Remember to tighten the clamps here.
• PVC Pipe
  Running the PVC pipe is the next step. Install these in the trench using connectors off of the main pipe. After all the pipe is laid, it’s time to affix the sprinkler heads. You should strategically place these depending on the grass water needs.
• Finishing Touches
  Flush out the system to remove any debris before you put the heads on. Make sure the heads are level with the soil. Then, fill in trenches and holes with dirt. Complete the project by installing a controller that includes a timer. Be efficient in lawn watering to use the least amount possible.

Chapter 5 – The Best Time to Plant

The Absolute Best Time of Year to Plant Grass Seed

While you may have an idea of when you should plant, you’ll almost always have better results if you plant at the seed’s natural period of active growth. But the ‘when’ depends upon which seed you choose.

Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and fescue do better when it’s a bit cooler. So, think late summer to early fall. Warm season grasses like Bermudagrass or Bahia grass do best in warmer temperatures of late spring to early summer. Here’s a quick breakdown of when to plant the most popular grass seeds.

• Buffalo – Late Spring (soil temperature between 60-80 degrees)
• Bahia – Spring and Early Summer (will not germinate in cold soil)
• Bermudagrass – Spring and Early Summer (soil temperature is above 65 degrees)
• Zoysia – Spring and Early Summer (soil temperatures above 70 degrees)
• Kentucky Bluegrass – Fall (soil temperature is between 50-65 degrees)
• Perennial Ryegrass – Fall (soil temperature is between 50-65 degrees)
• Fescue – Fall (soil temperature is between 60-75 degrees)

Chapter 6 – How the Pros Plant Grass Seed

Looking for some expert tips on how to plant grass seed? Consider these best practices:

• Purchase a high-quality grass seed
• Disperse the seed by hand in small areas
• Use a spreader for larger areas
• Spread at least 16 seeds per square inch for consistency of growth
• Cover the seeds with a quarter inch of soil
• Apply a planting aid or fertilizer

Chapter 7 – Best Lawn Based on Region

Create the Best Lawn Based on Your Region

Find out the best grass seed by region and make your choice from this list. Using seeds specially designed for an area takes into consideration soil type, water needs, and climate. There are warm- and cold-season seeds. There are multiple grass seed options for either warm or cold climates

The regions of the U.S. are divided based on the characteristics of that area from the Florida tropics to the Pacific Northwest . There is a right grass seed for your lawn so always go with what’s recommended for your region.

When you understand the basics of your soil and what grass seed works best for your region, you are on the right path to success. Let NatureSeed help you along the way. At NatureSeed, you’ll find everything you need to get growing. Get started today by checking out all our best-selling lawn seed products.

Here is a list of some of the most important tasks to check off throughout the season. Completing them at the right time will help your lawn stay healthy during its winter dormancy and decrease the amount of time it takes to green up in the spring.

Important Tasks for Late Summer / Early Fall

Late Fall, Before the First Frost

From installation costs to maintenance, there are a dozen pros and cons to consider in the sod vs seed debate. Before making a decision for your lawn, it’s important to have a clear understanding of each method. Once you’ve really grasped the intricacies of sod vs seed, you’ll be able to determine which one will work best for your property.

Understanding Sod: Instant Lawn with a Price Tag

First, let’s take a look at sod. This tried-and-true lawn installation method has been popular in the United States since the late 19th century. While it may seem like an easy blanket solution, installing and maintaining sod can be more complex than meets the eye. 

What Is Sod?

Sod is a thin layer of turf (intact grass and soil) that is harvested, rolled up for transport, and used to create new lawn spaces in residential or commercial areas. Different sod varieties are grown in different regions of the country based on how well they perform in these climates. For example, Bermuda grass sod is mainly cultivated in southern states like Florida because it thrives in warm weather.   

Pros and Cons of Sod

• Instant Coverage

The main pro of using sod for your lawn is the immediate ground coverage. Sod is laid out in alternating slabs to create an “instant lawn.” You don’t have to wait for the grass to grow, because it’s already established. This coverage also helps with erosion control. 

• Larger Installation Window

Another perk is that sod can be installed even in colder fall months or hot summer months, giving property owners more flexibility in their timeline. Most sod can adapt to less favorable growing conditions with the right amount of watering.

• Expensive

Because the process of growing, harvesting, and transporting sod is so delicate and time-consuming, this “instant lawn” method can be very expensive. Most sod costs between $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot, not including installation. This adds up quickly, especially on larger properties. 

• Not DIY-Friendly

Sod is harder to install than it looks, which is why it’s usually done by a professional. The ground must be properly graded and prepared, and each sheet needs to be lined up perfectly to create an aesthetically pleasing lawn. 

Understanding Seed: Budget-Friendly, but Requires Patience

While creating a lawn from seed isn’t as instantaneous as sod, this method can pay off in a big way if you’re patient. Using seed is budget-friendly, great for the environment (growing grass absorbs CO2 and releases oxygen), and allows you to choose from a wider variety of grasses. 

What Is Lawn Seeding?

Lawn seeding is the process of growing grass from seed, either for residential or commercial landscaping. You can seed a lawn manually—by pushing a broadcast spreader over prepared dirt, or mechanically—by using a pressurized hydroseeding machine.  

Pros and Cons of Seeding

• Less Expensive

The most notable pro when it comes to planting grass seed vs sod is the cost. Sod is much more expensive than seeding, especially when done by a professional. Choosing to seed your lawn could save you thousands of dollars, especially if you do it yourself.

• Fewer Weeds, Stronger Roots

Because grass seeds germinate under the topsoil, lawns that have been seeded often have deeper, stronger root systems that persist for decades with proper care. You can also overseed your lawn to ensure dense growth, which naturally crowds out weeds. 

•   Longer Waiting Period

One downside is that seeding a lawn does take time. Depending on the seed variety, you should wait about a month (or longer) before walking on your new grass. This can be tricky when kids or pets are involved. 

•   Erosion Risk

Another common issue with seeding is the risk of erosion. Heavy rains can wash grass seed away, leading to patchy germination. However, the use of a protective layer of mulch or an erosion blanket can help prevent your seeds from budging. 

Cost Comparison: Sod vs. Seed

On average, grass seed costs $0.08 to $0.18 per square foot, compared to $0.30 to $0.80 per square foot for sod. But, when sod is installed by a professional, you can expect to add about $0.50 per square foot to the bill. Here’s an example of the cost breakdown comparison:

• Seed: A 1,000 sqft yard, may cost as little as $80 to seed.
• Sod: For that same 1,000 sqft yard, it could cost as much as $1,300 to install sod professionally.

Time and Maintenance: Which Option Requires More Work?

When it comes to the overall time and maintenance of sod vs seed, both will require your attention, especially in the beginning. Both need frequent watering at first: for sod, to ensure the grass takes root, and for seed, to ensure proper germination.  

If you plant grass seed during the ideal planting season for your region, manage erosion risk, and keep up a steady watering schedule, your lawn won’t need much maintenance in the future. A deeply rooted seeded lawn is very hardy and resilient, while sod can be more vulnerable to stress. 

Climate and Soil Considerations for Sod vs. Seed

If you’re still debating sod vs seed, it’s important to keep climate and soil type in mind for your region. Depending on your city’s plant hardiness zone, certain sod and grass seed varieties may not fare well. For example, someone living in the southwest desert will likely successfully plant Bermuda grass but may run into trouble with Kentucky Bluegrass seed. 

Other states struggle to lay sod due to poor soil conditions. In Florida, clay and sandy soil make sod a difficult choice for a lawn. 

Which Option Is Right for You?

When deciding between sod vs seed for your lawn, ask yourself a few questions:

1. What is my budget? If it’s on the low end, grass seed is the answer.
2. Do I have an installed sprinkler system? If you don’t, sod will likely struggle.
3. Will I be able to keep my kids or pets off the growing grass? If not, seed might be an issue.
4. What kind of grass is best for my region? Does your area support fast-growing grass seed like Ryegrass? Is your soil bad for sod?

Final Thoughts on Sod vs. Seed for Your Lawn

Whether you’re completely renovating your lawn, or landscaping a small section, figuring out sod vs seed can be tough. If you have a hefty budget and want immediate results, sod may be the best choice. If you’re looking for cost-saving, easy installation, long-lasting root systems, and lush, weed-resistant lawns, give grass seed a try. 

If you’ve ever tried to research the benefits of a grass seed lawn, you will quickly find that there is heated debate about its virtues.

Some people are adamant that lawns are a waste of water and nutrients, often indirectly polluting the environment with the overload of fertilizers, herbicides, and other toxic materials that lawn owners frequently apply. Other people are just as sure that lawns help prevent erosion, influence cooler temperatures, and reduce water runoff, as well as give a priceless aesthetic quality to the area. So, who is right? The lawn lovers, or the lawn haters?

The answer is both. While lawns do have tremendous environmental benefits, they can also waste or pollute precious environmental resources, if the lawn owner is not aware or careful. The key is to find the right balance between lawn and landscaping, and to use the resources you have wisely. Here are some steps to get you started.

First, try not to grow a lawn in areas where it will struggle.

Most grasses prefer full sunlight and flat surfaces. If you are trying to grow grass in the shade of a tree or on the slope of a hill, make sure you find the right grass species or you will put more time, energy, and resources into maintaining those areas.

Second, decide how much lawn area you really need.

Do you have a dog that needs a wide expanse of lawn to exercise in? Or kids that will feel cooped up in a yard that is too small for a soccer game? Those are good reasons to keep your lawn area big. But if you have a large lawn and never use it, then you are wasting valuable resources that could be put to better use. Don’t avoid the problem just because you inherited a big yard and don’t know what to do with it. You can start out small in your landscaping, and gradually make your lawn space smaller.

Third, start planning your landscaping based on water use and preferred conditions.

The opportunities for landscaping are endless—why would you want to stick with just a boring lawn? Why not use part of the lawn area for a vegetable garden? You can always plant some native wildflower seeds to reduce your water use and soften the corners of your backyard. There are a multitude of other groundcovers that you can plant under shady trees. And the plain fact is that your lawn will look better than ever once it is framed by some beautiful landscaping. If possible, consult a professional landscaper for ideas and know-how. Be creative and have fun with it!

Last, try to incorporate more organic methods into your lawn care.

Most chemical products applied to lawns have the benefit of producing fast results, but they often have the downside of leaving harmful byproducts in the soil and groundwater. Help your lawn to become more self-sustaining. Grass-cycling, for example, will reduce a grass seed lawn’s fertilizer needs by 25%. Try an organic fertilizer, or begin a compost pile so that you can create your own fertilizer. Pull weeds early on, instead of using an herbicide to control them. Use corn gluten as a natural preemergence herbicide. And if you do use synthetic products, make sure that you apply the correct amounts as instructed. Doing all of these things will help keep your lawn and the planet healthy.

The kind of soil that you plant your lawn in will determine the amount of nutrients that your lawn receives. That is why it’s so important to have soil tests done every three to five years. You want to be aware of what nutrients your lawn is lacking, and whether any nutrient has reached a toxic level.

When you receive your first soil test report, it may seem like a confusing jumble of scientific abbreviations and numbers. But we have a few definitions below that will go a long way in helping you decipher the results. Here’s a breakdown of what you should expect and look for in your soil test report.

Soil pH: The pH level of the soil will affect the growth of your lawn more than any other factor. Most lawns will grow best in soils of a pH of 6.3 to 7.0. Anything below 6.0 is acidic, which will limit the availability of nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. Anything above 7.0 is alkaline, which will limit the availability of micronutrients such as iron, manganese, boron, copper, and zinc.

Lime recommendations: If your soil’s pH level is below 6.0, the soil test report will probably have a recommended amount of lime that you should apply to the soil. Lime replenishes the calcium and magnesium that is lacking in the acidic soil. If the recommended amount is more than 50 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft., then break it up into smaller applications. (There is less you can do for alkaline soil. Elemental sulfur can help, but it should only be used if it is specifically recommended in the soil test report).

Nitrogen: Nitrogen is the element most needed by your lawn, as it affects color and growth rate. Your soil test report, however, will not be able to give you an accurate reading of the amount of nitrogen in your soil. The reason for that is nitrogen is available in a variety of forms that are difficult to measure. The amount of nitrogen is also constantly changing, so the report can only account for the nitrogen levels when the samples were taken. Try to do soil tests right before planting or fertilizing for the most accurate readings.

Phosphorus: Phosphorus is needed in smaller amounts, and is instrumental in helping new lawns become established. A normal amount of phosphorus would be 50 to 75 lbs/acre or 60 to 80 parts per million (ppm).

Potassium: Potassium is an element that helps strengthen a lawn’s endurance and tolerance for stress. A normal level of potassium would be 200 to 250 lbs/acre or 120 to 510 ppm.

Fertilizer recommendations: Your fertilizer recommendation will tell you the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that you should apply to your lawn in either lbs/acre or lbs/1,000 sq. ft. Because nitrogen is so hard to measure, the nitrogen recommendations will probably be based on your grass seed type and the region that you live in. Remember that it is better to break up fertilizer into smaller applications—and you should never apply more than 1 lb. of pure nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. at one time.

Calcium/Magnesium: These two elements, while not as prominent as the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, are still very much needed by the lawn, and a lack of these elements usually means the soil is acidic. Normal levels for calcium are 800 to 15,000 lbs/acre or 700 to 1300 ppm. Normal levels for magnesium are 150 to 2,000 lbs/acre or 140 to 270 ppm.

Iron, Boron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Sulfur: These micronutrients are very rarely lacking in the soil, so you won’t need to apply them. It is more likely that you will have to deal with toxic levels of one of these elements.

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): This measures the number of possible exchange sites on the soil particles where cations (positively charged atoms) such as hydrogen, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and ammonium can be retained. The higher the CEC, the less likely nutrients can be leached from the soil and the higher potential the soil has for fertility. CEC is not adjustable and usually depends on the type of soil that you have. More sandy soils usually have a CEC of 1 to 15, while silt or loamy soils have a CEC of 15 to 30, and soils with more clay have a CEC of 30 to 50.

Base Saturation: Base saturation the percentage of cation exchange sites that are not being occupied by hydrogen or aluminum cations. This saturation is broken down into the elements of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Calcium should occupy 40 to 80% of these cation exchange sites, magnesium should occupy 10 to 40%, and potassium should occupy 1 to 9%. A soil with a low base saturation is usually acidic.

Electrical Conductivity: Sodium is an element not used by lawns, but that should still be measured because of its potential toxicity. Electrical conductivity measures the amount of soluble salts in the soil. 4 dS/m is a normal amount. The Exchangeable Sodium Percentage, or ESP, shows the percentage of cations in the soil that are sodium. If this percentage exceeds 15%, then you have a salt problem in your lawn.

Many homeowners in the U.S. are handy with their lawns. They’re willing to put the time and effort into maintaining a lush, green front- and backyard. 81% are happy to DIY care for their lawns, and 68% feel confident in their lawn care knowledge.

Yet, many homeowners don’t know the difference between de-thatching their lawns and aerating it. 31% of these same homeowners don’t know how to grow a healthy lawn, and 69% admit their lawn could use improvement, despite their willingness to put in the work.

So let’s demystify lawn care — starting with aeration, which is an essential part of lawn care treatment. The fact is that you can aerate your own lawn, but only if you know what to do, how to do it, which tools to use, and, most importantly, when during the year aeration serves your soil best.

What is Lawn Aeration?

Lawn aeration is the process of perforating your lawn to a depth of between two to four inches deep. Some lawns, like those on putting greens, will need to be plugged up to 10 inches. The little cylinders or “plugs” are compacted pieces of soil that an aerator tool pulls out. This is part of the process of aerating your lawn.

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The goals of lawn aeration are simple:

• High traffic use and weather conditions can compact your soil every year, making it hard for much-needed nutrients, air, and water to reach the roots.
• Aerations help eliminate excessive lawn thatch and organic debris buried under the grass surface because you have to prep the grass for aeration.
• Through the holes, air, water, and nutrients can penetrate to the roots, ensuring a healthy, thatch-free lawn, supported by good quality soil.

Signs You Need to Aerate Your Lawn

Heads up: not every lawn needs aeration. Newly planted lawns, for example, need time to establish, so they don’t need lawn service. However, there are some unmistakable signs your lawn needs aeration.

These include:

• Pools of water collecting on the lawn after rainfall
• Your kids and pets have been running on it all spring and summer long
• This is a new home construction (the topsoil on newly constructed lawns are stripped and then compacted because of construction traffic)
• Has a spongy feel and dries out easily
• Established by sod, rather than grass seed, and comes with a fine texture of soil layer that then disrupts drainage
• Thatch one and a half-inch thick overlaying grass
• You have heavy clay soil
• Some parts of your lawn are thin, patchy, or bare
• Thick outcroppings of clover

Even if none of these signs apply, you can perform a simple aeration test to check for compacted soil.

How to Perform a Soil Aeration Test

Assess your grass’s health by pushing a screwdriver or pencil all the way into the soil. Choose a spot that has slightly moist soil. Compacted soil will be difficult to drive straight into. That’s your first sign.

Next, to confirm compaction, excavate about a square foot of turf, with soil, using a shovel. If you’re unable to sink the shovel to a depth of half the blade, you’re dealing with compacted soil.

Once you do dig up the grass and soil combo, look for thatch and examine the roots. If you see A chaotic weave of living and dead organic material more than one-half inch thick sitting between the living grass blades and excavated soil is grounds for aeration.

Finally, examine the grass roots — they should be at least four to six inches deep. Anything less than that, and it’s time to aerate your lawn.

The Benefits of Lawn Aeration for Your Yard

Aerating your lawn has verifiable benefits. Once light, air, and water can get through, you’ll see an improved physical profile for your lawn and the soil underneath.

These include:

• Improved permeability of the lawn (useful for fertilizers)
• Improved drainage, which reduces root fungus
• Better microbial health, which is important for soil nutrition and root growth
• Roots with greater depth and new growth&nbsp;
• A reduced buildup of thatch and improved uptake of nutrients

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As far as lawn care practices go, aeration can be preventative rather than prescriptive. If you use the core aerator technique, you’ll also be able to fertilize and overseed with great effectiveness.

Everything You Need to Know About Aeration Tools

Aerating your own lawn is quite doable, but you’ll need to be prepared with the right tools. Which method and tool you use also depends on the level of compaction your soil is facing.

Sometimes, there may be so much thatch or such a high level of compaction that only the most professional or tools will suffice — and that’s when you have to hire a lawn service company.

Aeration Methods

There are a couple of methods you can rely on to aerate your lawn.

Spike Aeration

Spike aeration is a widespread and cost-effective method for aerating your grass. Much like garden forks, these tools puncture your grass, create small, but deep, holes, and allow the soil to “breathe” once more.

Plug Aeration

Also known as core aeration, this method involves pulling out cylindrical shaped plugs that consist of soil, thatch, and grass on top. They’re usually up to three inches deep and anywhere from 0.5 to 0.75 inches in diameter, set two to three inches apart.

If you think about coring an apple, this is exactly what’s going on with your lawn when you use plug aeration. The holes are a lot bigger than what a spike could make, so there’s a better chance for water, light, and air to get in. With plug or core aeration, the action you’re taking is pulling up and out, rather than pushing down and into the soil.

Aerator Tools You Can Use

There are a variety of aerator tools you can use for DIY aeration.

Aerator Shoes

First up are aerator shoes. They look like Crocs, but they have sharp, deep spikes embedded in the sole so you can essentially walk across your lawn while performing aeration along the way. Handy, but not as effective as core aeration.

Long-Handled Fork Aerators

Fork aerators favor the spike method, but you can opt for a three-prong coring aerator instead. These are manual and a great alternative to mechanical or motorized aerators.

Motorized Mechanical Aerators

Mechanical aerators are very easy to operate, and the price tag reflects this convenience. You simply push these units like a lawnmower, and they easily core the lawn.

There are two types:

• Drum-type motorized aerators, good for fixed hole patterns
• Cam units, which penetrate the soil deeper

Tow-Behind Aerators

Also known as a rolling aerator, tow-behinds are for use on large tracts of land. You can attach them to mowers or lawn tractors and simply pull them along to penetrate the soil.

Tow-behinds come in spike v.s. core models. Keep in mind that the plug option takes more horsepower to run because you’re pulling up.

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When Should I Aerate My Lawn?

The best time to aerate your lawn depends on a few factors:

• Weather conditions (after rainfall is best)
• Whether your lawn is newly-planted or not
• Time of year
• What type of grass you have

For Warm-Season Grasses

The active growth season for warm-season grasses is from May to September. Late spring or summer is just fine as well.

This applies to turfgrass species such as:

• Bermudagrass
• Zoysiagrass
• St. Augustine
• Centipede grass

For Cool-Season Grasses

Anytime during early spring and fall is the best time for aerating cool-season grasses. That means anytime between September to November and March through April. If you miss the frost mark in the fall, plan to aerate later in the morning.

This applies to varieties such as:

• Tall fescues
• Fine fescues
• Ryegrass
• Kentucky Bluegrass

Your lawn should be moist but not waterlogged. Make sure, however, that you do not aerate during high heat or a dry spell. This will further damage and erode the soil.

Follow these tips for cues on when to aerate:

• Aerate before fertilizing or reseeding because these are perfect post-aeration treatments
• De-weed your lawn before aerating as the process can help spread weed seeds or parts of a weed’s roots.
• If there’s no rainfall in the forecast, water your lawn for up to one hour one day before aerating. However, this depends on your soil’s state. If it’s harder, plan for shorter times several days before aeration.

A Four-Step Guide On How to Aerate Your Lawn

Step #1: Prep Your Lawn

Rarely is your lawn aeration-ready. Here’s what you need to do to prepare the area:

• Begin by de-weeding the entire lawn.
• Next, mow your lawn down to a healthy height. Do some de-thatching if you need it.
• Mow your lawn once more, and then collect any grass clippings to keep the surface organic-matter-free.
• Water your ground for about an hour, either the evening before or the morning of.

Step #2: Assess the Areas and Mark Them Off

The ground is all prepped and ready to go. Now it’s time to examine and plan. If you’re using a core aerating tool, it’s best to mark off the right areas, so you’re not wasting time and energy.

Here’s how it works:

• Begin by using small flags to mark sprinkler heads, septic lines, buried utilities, and even shallow irrigation lines
• Examine the ground and mark of shallow versus hard compacted soil. Shallow areas only need one pass, done in a mowing pattern. Highly compacted soil, however, needs multiple passes. Use a mowing pattern for the first round, and set the aerator at an angle during the second round.

Step #3: Ready, Set, Aerate

All that’s left now is for you to aerate! Take your time and follow the marks you made before.

Step #4: TLC and Aftercare for Aerated Lawns

When you’re done, the bulk of the work is over. Now it’s time for some TLC for your lawn.

• Leave soil plugs in place to decompose
• Fertilize and seed lawns right after aerating. You can also add a thin layer of soil or composted manure
• Heavily compacted soils may need one-quarter of an inch of compost. Rake the matter in so it falls into the holes.
• Cool-season grasses will need an application of natural herbicide in the spring, after fall aeration. Warm-season lawns call for herbicide in the fall after aerating.

A Comprehensive Guide To Grass Seed Fertilizer for Your Lawn and Garden

A well-maintained lawn or garden can have many benefits. It is suitable for the environment because it provides a healthy habitat for wildlife, reduces noise, and creates a cooling effect during hot summer days.

Beautiful lawns or gardens are also simply lovely to look at. Exposure to the outdoors and greenery reduces stress and muscle tension, improves attention, and increases feelings of happiness.

So if you already have the space to plant a nice garden or lawn, there’s no excuse not to put in the work!
The first step to having a pleasant lawn is to plant lush, green grass. But that is easier said than done. Without the proper techniques and tips, your lawn could quickly turn patchy and brownish, making your house look more abandoned than thriving with life. And one of the best ways to guarantee a carpet of beautiful green grass is to use the proper lawn fertilizers.
In this guide, we will provide the best tips and tricks for lawn fertilizers so you can grow the garden of your dreams.

Why Is Lawn Grass Fertilizer Important for Your Landscape?

Growing a healthy green lawn or garden takes some work. Many people think it’s easy until they try doing it.

So, why not avoid some common mistakes by learning about the importance of lawn fertilizer? There are different types of grass you can pick that fit your location and climate, but once you’ve chosen correctly for your region and property, you should work on choosing the best lawn fertilizer.

Lawns need food too, and when it comes to grasses they thrive on plant food. Lawn fertilizer provides the necessary nutrients to avoid a dead-looking garden and enhances the nutrients already present, such as phosphorus, potassium, and other minerals.

Getting your lawn fertilizer proportions wrong could result in an unpleasant-looking lawn. In addition to the aesthetic factor, poor soil also affects the overall state of your garden. It could exacerbate issues like:

• Weeds and dead grass
• Increases in insect populations
• A higher probability of yard fungi or other parasites
• Brown patches

The right choice of lawn fertilizer can make or break your yard and even impact the overall makeup of the regional soil pH. That’s why many laws and regulations have been passed on what ingredients should and should not be in lawn fertilizer.

So understanding the types of lawn fertilizer and how to fertilize your lawn are aspects of lawn care that are incredibly important. They can make your garden project successful, preserve the soil pH in your region, and even act as a form of insect control.

How to Feed Your Lawn the Right Way

Planting a beautiful garden is an art, which also has many rules and techniques. The quicker you learn the way you should be taking care of it, the better are your chances of getting it right.
You might be aware that you should be applying the best lawn fertilizer and mowing, but there are other activities you should do like weeding, aeration, pest control, and more.

Step #1: Testing Your Soil pH

A soil test can tell you what types of nutrients are already present in the soil, its pH levels, and what might be lacking. After your soil test, aim for a more acidic soil with pH levels between 6.5 to 7.0, but do not overdo it.

Step #2: Fertilizing With the Right Percentage of Nutrients

This process means that you have to fertilize your lawn with the necessary nutrients to ensure healthy growth with regular watering. Fertilization depends on what nutrients the land is lacking.

Step #3: Preventing and Treating Weeds 

Weeds are pesky and annoying to pull out all the time, so you can prevent them by using various weed chemicals, such as herbicides. You can also engage in matting, which prevents weed growth through the soil.

If you haven’t managed to prevent weeds properly, then you should try to treat them. Using chemicals could damage other things in your garden, so your safest option is to remove them by hand.

Step #4: Aerating

Aeration involves creating holes in the soil to give it more access to the atmosphere. This makes it possible to grow a healthier garden and is a process that should be done once a year or more.

Step #5: Frequent Watering According to Grass Types

Watering is a must if you are aiming to grow a good garden. There are plenty of ways to water your soil, such as using a hose or installing a sprinkler system. You should make sure to avoid over or under watering your garden as it could have adverse effects on your lawns.

Step #6: Mowing

Use a lawnmower to mow your lawn every few weeks. Make sure to have the right mower for your garden and adjust it depending on the grass’s length.

What Is the Best Fertilizer for Grasses?

There are a number of fertilizer formulas that you will see in any advertisement. Each type has its properties and effects on the soil. Here are four of the best fertilizer options for your lawn, regardless of grass type.

Should You Apply Lawn Fertilizers or Regular Fertilizers?

Depending on the stage of growth your lawn is in, it might need starter fertilizers or regular fertilizers. Usually, if you are beginning a fresh new lawn or repairing one, you will need starter fertilizers rather than regular fertilizer.
Both fertilizers are necessary, but starters have a greater amount of phosphorus and nitrogen, which fresh lawns need quite a bit of in the beginning.
If you already have a lawn, they don’t need as much phosphorus and potassium in the formulas, so the regular feed application will work. To better understand which type of fertilizers you need, you should learn more about NPK ratios.

What Is the NPK Ratio and Why Does It Matter?

All lawns, even golf courses, require nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) numbers you see on a bag of fertilizer will tell you which one is right for your application. But, depending on the stage your lawn is in, it might need a different way of applying feed with various ratios of it.

• A nitrogen application makes your grass greener and is essential for growing healthy leaves
• Phosphorus impacts root development and growth, and increases bloom
• Potassium helps all plants fight off diseases and makes them more durable to extreme temperatures

If you see nutrient bags with the label “10-10-10”, it means they contain 10 pounds each of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium ratios can help you decide whether you should get starter fertilizers or regular ones.

• Starter feed orseed starters are richer in phosphorus, have higher-grade potassium, and include a quick release of nitrogen. These help your new grass grow faster and build stronger, deeper roots. 
• Regular feed contains an NPK ratio of 1-2-1, and you should choose a slow release version because it benefits more mature plants and grass

When to Start the Fertilization Process?

The timing of when to apply nutrients for new grass is just as important as the type of nutrients you use. Your new grass fertilization timing depends on the type of grass you plan to grow and what your lawn care goals are.

All recommendations will tell you that applying nutrients during winter is a bad idea. That’s because snow and cold does not make for a good soil condition. As for the other three seasons, here’s when you can apply fertilizers.

Applying Fertilizer During Summer

Fertilizing your soil during the summer, such as in July or August, is acceptable but not entirely ideal. The heat will make the soil dry, so your fertilizer might not have the desired effect. What you should be doing during the summer is applying weed or crabgrass preventer product and mowing as much as possible for the best lawn care.

Leave the Fertilizer for the Fall

Applying fertilizer to soil during the fall is perfect timing, especially if you are looking to grow new grass seed for cooler seasons. The fertilizer will be in the soil for enough time to provide the right nutrients and make sure that your grass is as luscious as the weather allows.
If you apply fertilizer in early September, make sure to put water in the fertilizer and have a high nitrogen source. If you’re seeding in November, you should add water to the fertilizer, but also use spray for broadleaf weeds. This makes it possible to prevent weeds in the fall, which is easier done in cooler seasons than in spring.

Starting Your Grass Seed Fertilization in Spring

Spring is an acceptable time to start fertilizing your garden or lawn. You should aim to start the process anytime from April to June. Depending on the type of fertilizer you use, you will have to regularly water your lawn during the summer. Water is critical if you are using a slow-release fertilizer such as organic fertilizer.