Create a new lawn - this is how it works with seeds and turf

Create a new lawn - this is how it works with seeds and turf

Soil preparation for sowing lawn seeds - this is how it works

Planting new lawns by sowing works just like growing vegetables in the garden. So that the sensitive lawn seeds thrive, ideally cultivate the soil in autumn of the previous year for perfect preparation. How to do it:

  • Distribute the topsoil of the excavation on the planned lawn area on a new building plot
  • Dig or mill the earth at least 2 spades deep on existing surfaces
  • Carefully remove stones, roots and weeds
  • Optimize loamy clay soil with fine, washed sand and peat
  • Improve sandy soil with compost and horn shavings
  • Rake the budding lawn and let it rest through the winter

also read

  • Recreating Lawn - How To Master It With Seeds And Turf
  • Professional scarifying turf - this is how it works
  • The lawn is gone: sow new plants or would you prefer turf?

Do a pH test to determine the acidity in the soil. If the result is below 5.5, add an adequate amount of garden lime to the soil (9.46 € on Amazon *).

When is the right time to sow lawn seeds?

Two dates a year are recommended if you are creating a new lawn by sowing. From the beginning of May to the beginning of June and from the middle of September to the beginning of October, the weather conditions are ideal for rapid germination. The most important prerequisite for success is a constant floor temperature of more than 10 degrees Celsius.

Every sowing date scores with individual advantages. If you start a new lawn in spring, the grass roots have plenty of time to grow. If you grow the seeds in the fall, Mother Nature will take care of the necessary irrigation with frequent rainfall.

The seedlings sprout in this fine subgrade

After the rough subgrade has been created for the new lawn, the earth receives its fine-tuning shortly before sowing. Whenever you grow young plants with seeds, the soil should be as finely crumbly as possible. In this regard, lawn seeds are no exception. How to Cultivate the Soil With Expertise:

  • Weed the earth carefully and rake it superficially
  • Work the earth with a rake until a fine crumb forms
  • If necessary, in the intermediate step, roll the lawn once to level larger clumps

If you grow the lawn seeds on such a finely crumbly soil, you will be able to look forward to a particularly short germination period.

Perfect sowing - step-by-step instructions

If you cultivate the soil in advance of sowing according to these instructions, there are excellent prospects for the further successful course of the new lawn. Ideally, a spreader or a battery-operated hand spreader is available as a working device. It continues in these steps:

  • Mix the seeds vigorously and fill the spreader
  • Distribute the lawn seeds in a checkerboard pattern without large overlaps
  • Only work in the light germs superficially with the rake
  • Roll the future lawn lengthways and crossways
  • In the last step, water the seedbed with a fine effervescent shower

In the following 3 weeks, the new lawn is gently watered 4-5 times a day for 10 minutes each time with the lawn sprinkler. The bed should only be entered for this purpose so that the seeds can germinate in peace.

Tips

Do not wonder about the optimal seed rate per square meter for a long time. If you do not have the specific information for the selected type of lawn, you are in the green with 20-25 grams per square meter of lawn.

The first care - this is how the new lawn thrives

If you have done everything correctly according to these instructions, the new lawn system ends up being sown in a densely vegetated lawn, littered with busily spreading seedlings. To ensure that growth progresses quickly, cultivate young lawns as follows after laying them out:

  • Mow the noble grass for the first time at a height of 8-10 centimeters
  • Immediately afterwards fertilize the lawn area according to the findings of a previous soil analysis
  • Then water repeatedly until the fertilizer has been completely absorbed by the soil

If you re-plant the lawn in spring, we recommend a fertilizer with plenty of nitrogen for growth and phosphate for the lush green color. Planting new lawns by sowing in autumn, on the other hand, requires a potassium-emphasized nutrient supply to strengthen frost resistance.

New lawn with rolled turf - this is how the substructure succeeds

Even if you follow the instructions for planting new lawns by sowing to the letter, the procedure will take a few weeks. If, on the other hand, you create a new lawn with turf, wasteland is transformed into a velvet-green carpet within a day. Before you lay ready-made lawn, cultivate the soil to create the perfect substructure. That is how it goes:

  • Dig up or mill the earth about 2 weeks before the turf is delivered
  • Thoroughly remove weeds and debris and work the soil with the rake
  • Work ripe compost, rock flour and sand into the upper soil layer
  • Roll the surface and smooth it out with the rake
  • Apply a special starter fertilizer for turf and water the area

The new lawn system with turf offers the unique opportunity to put a stop to cheeky moles in advance. For this purpose, spread a close-meshed mole net on the substructure so that the edges overlap on the ground. Within 3 weeks, material developed into a barrier that was impenetrable to the burrowers.

Removing Old Lawn - How To Do It Right

If the new lawn with turf is used to replace a disused lawn, it must be removed before the substructure is created. The machine rental company has a sod peeler ready for this purpose. How to handle the device:

  • Mow the old lawn as short as possible
  • Place the lawn peeling machine on the edge of the lawn
  • Switch on the device and slowly walk in lanes across the lawn

In the end, the ingenious machine divided the disused lawn into strips and peeled off a few centimeters of earth. These are unceremoniously rolled up and disposed of. Then prepare the substructure as explained in these instructions.

Give preference to suppliers with pre-cool processes

The new lawn with turf is under a certain time pressure with regard to harvest, transport and laying. Immediately after peeling in the field of the lawn school, the finished turf begins to wither. To counteract this, knowledgeable providers have developed the pre-cool process. The finished turf is cooled down to 3 degrees Celsius, which extends the shelf life from 12 hours to 36 hours.

In this way, turf can survive longer transport routes undamaged. Regardless of this, you cannot avoid relocating on the day of delivery, because overnight storage is likely to prove problematic.

Lay the turf yourself - this is how it's done

Fresh from the lawn school, turf has a quick expiry date. The green rolls must therefore be relocated shortly after the harvest. The delivery should therefore take place in the early morning and the earth should be completely prepared. How to correctly lay the green splendor:

  • Place the first roll along a straight edge
  • Then lay the turf edge to edge and offset
  • Avoid overlaps, gaps and, above all, cross joints
  • Do not step on open ground before laying
  • At the end of each lane, cut the roll of lawn to the required length with a knife
  • Finally, roll the lawn in both directions

Work your way on the lawn, lay out wooden slats there. These distribute the pressure evenly. Punctual loads could cause dents in the grass that cannot be remedied afterwards. Remaining pieces of lawn are kept until the end in order to close any gaps.

Care begins on the day of installation - that's what counts

If you lay turf according to these instructions, you will be presented with a breathtaking new lawn at the end of the laying day. To keep it that way, the care begins on the same day. How to properly cultivate ready-made turf:

  • In the evening hours of the day of laying, water the lawn area thoroughly
  • Apply at least 15-20 liters of water per square meter
  • Continue this for 2 weeks, watering the turf every 2 days

If you are laying new lawns, you should only use it for the first 4-6 weeks to place the sprinkler. Only then will the new lawn be so deeply rooted in the earth that the barbecue can take place for its inauguration.

Tips & Tricks

However the new lawn is made. It is important to note that the soil rests for at least 14 days before sowing or laying turf so that it can settle. Otherwise, the soil will sag and the lawn will be uneven - a shortcoming that is difficult to repair.