Though it's a landscaping idea borrowed from aristocratic European landowners centuries ago, the lawn has become as American as fireworks on the Fourth of July. Even in an era of making peace with the environment, this energy- and resource-demanding feature continues to thrive—so much so, that it's hard to imagine a home without a lawn.
Keeping a lawn looking respectable is a challenge. Hostile climates, years of backyard soccer matches, irregular rainfall, invasions of lawn pests—or simply benign neglect—have left many looking ragged. If your lawn suffers from acute soil compaction, rampant weed problems, heavy thatch or organic matter deficiencies, you may want to remove the existing weeds and grass and start anew. It's a big job but, like a new floor or roof, it will last a long time. For do-it-yourself homeowners, there are two ways to replant a lawn: the more familiar method of seeding and the alternative of laying sod, carpetlike sheets of grass that are usually about 3/4 in. thick, 1-1/2 ft. wide and 6 ft. long.
Seed Versus Sod
Seeding is less expensive and requires less work than laying sod. But a newly seeded lawn needs long-term care, and there are fewer times during the year when you can seed. In most areas, the best time to seed cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and the fescues, is in the fall when upper soil temperatures are between 68 degrees and 86 degrees F. This will allow your new turf to establish roots while plant growth is vigorous and competition from weeds is low, and before the winter dormant period arrives. In the South, spring and summer seeding is recommended for warm-season grasses, such as bahiagrass, centipede grass, carpet grass and buffalo grass. The upper soil temperature should be between 68 degrees and 95 degreesF. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for timing recommendations in your area.
Sod requires more skill to plant, but offers several advantages over seed. It looks good immediately and a sodded lawn can be used much sooner than seeded lawns. Sod is better suited to sloping terrain where seed would be washed to low areas after the first hard rain. Sod is also less susceptible to erosion while it is becoming established and it's harder for weeds to compete with sod.
Sodding is best done in the fall or spring in the North and in the spring in the South. Planting sod in warm, dry weather will make the venture more risky and subject the lawn to burnout. Do not plant sod later than one month prior to the first fall frost to give it time to establish roots before cold weather sets in.
Preparation, as with most home improvements, is the key to success and the toughest part of the job. If you want to replant a large lawn, you may want to tackle it in sections. Redo the worst or most visible areas first. Do other areas the following year. This keeps the job manageable and makes watering more feasible for homeowners who do not have in-ground sprinklers.
There are several ways to kill and remove your existing lawn. The most common ones are by mechanical means or by the use of herbicides. In most cases mechanical removal makes more sense. It gets the job done without having to worry about the kids being loose on a herbicide-treated lawn. For small lawns, a grape hoe, also called a grub hoe, is a terrific removal tool. Anyone with a strong back and a helper to cart away the old chunks of turf can remove up to 300 sq. ft. in an hour. But, for large lawns, try renting a sod cutter. It slices under the grass, enabling you to pull up strips of old turf. Make the job easier by doing it while the lawn soil is moist.
Once you have all the grass and weeds removed you should contact your county's Cooperative Extension Service to have your soil tested. They'll tell you how to take the sample and where to send it. After testing you'll be given recommendations about what type of amendments to add to your soil to help your new lawn flourish.
While waiting for the test results to come back, solve any existing grade problems. The first rule of grading is that the ground should slope away from your house in all directions so it drops at least 2 or 3 in. for every 10 ft. The finished grade should also end up matching the level of existing fixtures, such as permanent walks and patios, as well as lawn areas not being replanted. This takes some figuring. If you will be replanting with seed and adding some amendments, grade so the level is 1 in. lower than fixtures. If you will be replanting with sod and adding amendments, the grade should be about 2 in. lower than fixtures.
After removing the old turf, prepare for sod or seeding by grading the entire area with a wide landscaping rake.
Add soil amendments to the work area according to the recommendations supplied with your soil test results.
Once all the soil amendments have been spread, till them into the soil to a depth of at least 6 in.
To create a firm work surface for sod or seed, roll the area with a lawn roller that is about one-third full of water.
Continue rolling until you can walk on the compacted soil and leave footprints that are only about 1/2 in. deep.
Create an easy-to-use turf cutting tool by sharpening both edges of a small mason's trowel using a metal file.
The proper way to regrade is to remove the topsoil from the problem area. Make adjustments to the subsoil by scraping away high areas and filling in low areas. Then spread 2 in. of the reserved topsoil over the subsoil, and till it into the first 2 in. of subsoil. This will help prevent drainage problems between the two layers of soil. Finally, spread the rest of your topsoil, at least another 4 in. A landscaping rake is the best tool for working topsoil to the proper grade (Photo 1).
Now is your chance to add amendments such as fertilizer, organic matter and lime or sulfur (Photo 2). Make these additions according to the results of your soil test. Ensure even coverage of spreadable amendments by dividing the recommended amounts in half and applying half while moving in one direction and the other half while moving in a perpendicular direction. Once the amendments have been applied, till them into the top 6 in. of soil (Photo 3).
Rake the work area until it's smooth. Remove any stones and vegetative matter brought to the surface during tilling. Once you're satisfied, water the ground and check for puddles. When the soil dries enough to be worked, move soil from the high to the low spots.
Whether you're seeding or sodding, roll the prepared soil to provide a firm base upon which to work (Photo 4). If seeds are planted in soil that's too loose, they may be planted too deeply and the new plants may die before they reach the surface. Fill a lawn roller about one-third full of water, and roll until your footprints on rolled areas are no deeper than 1/2 in. (Photo 5). Complete preparation with a deep watering two days prior to planting.
Before you begin, apply a starter fertilizer that's high in phosphorus and lightly water the area to be sodded. Be prepared to go to work when your sod order is delivered. Sod can go bad quickly, especially if it begins to heat up or dry out. Have the pallets delivered to a shady spot and plan to install all the sod in one day.
For homeowners, it's wise to lay sod in one area at a time. Lay full strips around the entire perimeter of the work area. Where borders are irregular, lay the sod over the border and cut away the excess later. Then work from the lowest point toward the house, laying the strips in a staggered pattern and cutting the ends to butt tightly against the perimeter strips. Trim excess sod with a sharp utility knife or a small mason's trowel that has been sharpened on both sides with a metal file (Photo 6). For best results make a square cut and move the trowel straight up and down (Photo 7). The trowel is also handy for leveling minor irregularities (Photo 8).
Water each piece of sod after it's been installed until it's completely soaked (Photo 9). When fitting together two pieces of sod at an angle, lay one piece over the other and cut through both at once. Then, lift the top piece and remove the waste below (Photo 10). When you approach the opposite side of the area you're working on, add one full row of sod next to your perimeter pieces. Then, roll out the next to the last row (Photo 11), and cut these pieces to fit. Discard the waste (Photo 12) or use it elsewhere to fill a gap. Use an edging tool to trim any curved edges or places where the sod meets other obstructions (Photo 13).
Use the sharpened trowel to cut off excess sod where pieces meet. Cut straight up and down for best results.
The sharpened trowel is also handy for leveling small bumps and filling depressions that appear as you work.
After each piece of sod has been laid, completely soak it with water before moving on to the next piece.
When pieces meet at an angle, lay one over the other and cut through both. Lift the top piece to remove waste.
When you get to the far perimeter, lay a full row against the border pieces and cut the next to last row to fit.
Make the last cut using a straight board as a guide. Then, discard the waste or use it to fill small gaps.
Trim any curved edges where the sod meets planting beds or other lawn obstructions with an edging tool.
If you're installing sod on a slope, start laying the sod at the lowest point, and then work upward. Stake each piece in three places to prevent slippage. For this job, use stakes that are about the size of a painter's stir stick. Afterward, roll the sod with a 60- to 75-pound roller (Photo 14). And, when you're finished, fill any small gaps with fine soil (Photo 15). Then, thoroughly soak the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 in.
Begin by applying a starter fertilizer with a nutrient ratio of 1:1:1 or 1:2:1 (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) to the prepared surface. Do not till it in. Then, spread the best seed you can afford at the rate recommended by the seed grower. Rates are usually given by the seed growers in pounds per 1000 sq. ft. Follow up with a light raking to work the seed into the top 1/2 in. of soil (Photo 16) and a light rolling with an empty roller to ensure good seed contact with the soil.
Plan for your watering needs before you plant, not afterward. Insufficient water is the leading cause for new lawn failure, and over-watering is not far behind. For newly seeded lawns, set sprinklers to mist the surface four times a day beginning at 7 am and finishing at 6 pm. The seedbed should be kept moist, but not saturated, to a depth of 1 to 2 in.
For sod, water at least twice a day, including one watering during midday. Again, keep the soil moist to a depth of 1 to 2 in. Reduce watering frequency to every second or third day once the sod has begun new root growth, which should take about two weeks. After four weeks, a sodded lawn can survive longer periods without water.
If the weather is dry or warm, spread a layer of straw mulch over seeded areas (Photo 17). Choose clean mulching straw, such as wheat straw, and spread it at a rate of about 50 to 80 pounds per 1000 sq. ft. You may remove the mulch three weeks after germination.
Begin mowing newly seeded lawns after the grass has grown to a height of 3 or 4 in. Cutting is best done with a reel-type mower. But if you don't have one, use a rotary mower with the throttle set low. In your first mowing, just remove enough to give your lawn an even appearance (1/2 to 3/4 in.). Next time, cut to the maximum height recommended for your grass variety but not more than 30 percent of the leaf length in any single mowing. Do not mow a sodded lawn for at least 10 days after installation and until the grass has begun to grow.
Minimize foot traffic and play on newly planted lawns, including sodded lawns, for at least three weeks. Do not apply fertilizer to new lawns for at least six weeks. Then, apply a light fertilization of 1/2 pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.
Finally, remember that it is critical to water your lawn, even once it looks established, twice a week in hot, dry weather. You must do this for the first two years. Be sure to water so that the soil is moist to the depth of the roots. If you skip watering during this period, you may find that you will have to plant your lawn again.
When all the sod has been installed, roll the area with a 60- to 75-pound roller to eliminate air pockets underneath.
After the rolling is complete, fill any open joints with fine soil and rake the surface until it's flush with the sod.
Once the seeds are spread, lightly work them into the top 1/2 in. of topsoil using a leaf or garden rake.
Spread straw mulch over the seed to slow water evaporation and provide shade for the plants as they grow.