How to Grow Grass
When your lawn is dead and brown or you want to revamp the look of your landscape, laying down and growing new grass is the only way to revive it. To help you with this, we’ve put together this guide on how to grow grass.
You could grow grass from seed, but that would take more time and patience than you’ve probably got.
How to Install Sod Grass
Instead, consider learning how to install sod grass instead. Yes, growing from seed is cheaper and you have a wider variety of grasses to grow from seed, but laying sod is faster and will give you a fresh lawn almost instantly.
Remove Dead Grass
Start by taking out the old dead grass and weeds. You may have to use some elbow grease and dig the old stuff out with a flat-bladed shovel, taking special care to remove the root structures.
The soil left behind after you tear out the grass will be very tightly compacted. Break it up with a hand tiller or rototiller. This aerates the ground and will allow your new sod to flourish.
Spread Fertilizer
If you have the cash, spread a fertilizer all over your newly aerated soil. So called “starter fertilizers” work best as they are high in a chemical called phosphorus. While you’re at it, throw down a layer of soil conditioner. If you have a source of compost at home or at your local recycling center, use that instead. It is basically the same thing.
How to Grow Grass
You’re getting close. Rake your soil in order to make it level, pulling out any rocks or other junk you find. The point is to make the ground even and level, but you don’t need to get this down to an exact science.
User a Roller
If you don’t have access to a tool called a “roller”, rent one from a hardware store. Rollers have a giant drum that you fill with water to make them heavy, then roll over the soil to make it more level.
Planting Sod Grass
Now, it is finally time to begin planting sod grass. Starting at the outside edges, unroll two lengths of sod, one on the left side and one on the right. After laying two rolls of sod, roll your way towards the middle of your lawn with other rolls.
Here’s a tip — if a single roll of sod doesn’t cover the length of your lawn, just lay different rolls end to end. You can “attach” them by pressing their ends tight together so that they butt together but don’t overlap. Nature will do the rest.
Another tip you may find useful — sometimes a roll of sod will “sink” into the soil farther than you want. When this happens, immediately (but gently) pull up the sod and pack a fine layer of new soil or compost under the grass to even out your lawn.
When you finish laying your sod, get out your roller again. Roll over the sod to press it down against your soil underneath. This is a crucial step — removing air pockets, increasing your sod’s contact with the rich soil underneath, and assisting the sod’s roots in getting a foothold.
The last step in laying sod is to water every day. 14 days of daily watering or rain is crucial to the survival of your new lawn.