Lawn Preparation & Planting Guide

STEP 1—REMOVE EXISTING LAWN AND WEEDS. Kill existing weeds or old lawn in the area where you will be planting your new lawn with Monterey Remuda or other equivalent weed killer. It takes approximately 2 to 3 weeks for the weeds to die completely. Once the weeds are dead, remove and dispose of them. If you prefer not to spray a weed killer, then dig out the old lawn or weeds by hand or by using a rototiller.

STEP 2 — ADD AMENDMENTS AND ROTOTILL. Rototill the area to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Next, spread your soil amendment, preferably a fir mulch or high quality planting mix over the area up to a 2 inch layer. We recommend using 4 to 5 bags of Gold Rush for every 100 sq.ft. Now, rototill the area again to a depth of 4 to 6 inches and rake the ground until it is level and smooth. NOTE: If the ground is hard and difficult to work at first, spread gypsum over the entire area at the rate of 10 to 20 pounds to every 100 sq. ft. and water the area well. Wait until the soil is dry before rototilling, usually 3 to 4 days.

STEP 3 — ADD SPRINKLER SYSTEM. If you are adding a sprinkler system, this is when you dig the ditches and install the pipe and sprinkler heads. Once the system is installed, fill the ditches and level the ground again. Check to make sure your sprinklers give adequate coverage over the area.

STEP 4 — ADD MASTER START . Spread Master Start evenly over the leveled area at the rate of 4 to 5 pounds per 250 square feet.

STEP 5 — Plant lawn either by seed or by sod. Lawn seed can be planted any time between March and Early November. One pound of fescue grass seed will cover approximately 100 square feet. Sod can be planted any time of the year and should be ordered 2 to 3 days in advance. Make sure your area is prepared before ordering sod.

If you are planting the lawn by seed, follow these instructions:
A) Spread the lawn seed over the area. For best results go across the area two different ways to ensure even spreading of the seed.
B) Now use a roller over the area. Note: Fill the roller only halfway with water.
C) During the summer, you can lightly spread Peat Moss over the seeded area to help retain the moisture. One 2 cu. ft. bale will cover approximately 200 sq. ft.
D) Finally, water several times a day through the first two weeks.

If you are laying Sod, follow these instructions:
A)Now it's time to lay out the sod. If you need to cut the sod, cut it from the back. This will give a straighter cut. Also, be sure to stagger the rolls across slopes. Make sure the dirt level of your sod is level with the top of your walkway or border after laying the sod. This means that the soil level should be 1/2 to 1 inch lower than the edges of your walkways or borders before laying the sod.
B) Make sure the sod is in contact with the soil beneath. This can be done by patting down the sod or using a roller to Roll over the sod. Note: If you use a roller, only fill the roller halfway with water.
C) Keep the sod wet for the first two weeks. This means that you will have to water daily (usually 4 to 5 times per day) for the first week and most likely into the second week. After that, you can begin reducing the frequency of watering as the lawn becomes well rooted into your soil. For more detailed watering instructions, please visit theNew Sod Watering Guide.