Every homeowner wants to have a nice looking lawn, but not everyone wants to put in the hours it takes to upkeep a flourishing lawn. When it comes to making your lawn perfect, most homeowners in Raytown, Kansas City, opt for the DIY approach or they hire a professional. If you choose the DIY method, there are a lot of different duties, comprising bushes trimming, lawn mowing, insects and weeds treatment, etc. Each task is time-consuming, and it may be possible to buy the wrong tools or make a mistake due to a lack of experience that can damage your lawn.
Hiring a professional Raytown lawn service ensures that you're obtaining the right care possible while adding more hours in your leisure time. But being a homeowner, you need to know what's good for your lawn and what is not.
The correct seeding process for a Kansas City lawn
When it comes to lawn seeding, good seed to soil contact is really important. It might not look important, but mow your lawn slightly lower than normal before seeding to make sure the seeds will reach up to the soil.
Water before seeding
Water your lawn daily for a few days prior to planting, but not at the time of planting. The additional moisture will make it easier for you to work when aerating or vertically cutting and will also create a superior environment for new seeds.
Seed selection
Lawn experts suggest a 50/50 combination of fescue and Bluegrass for Kansas City lawns. If you have already established the lawn, you only require overseeding it with fescue as Bluegrass spreads more rapidly and is generally well established. Or if you are creating a new lawn, a 50/50 mix is recommended, which is, in fact, a 90/10 mix (90% Bluegrass and 10% fescue) by weight, as Bluegrass seeds are a lot smaller and lighter than fescue seeds. This mixture seems to hold up the finest year in and year out.
Watering
Do not allow your new seeds to dry out; otherwise, it will die. Ensure sufficient watering to keep the soil constantly moist. A small amount of watering frequently is best. Follow this watering schedule for the best results:
- For the first 3 weeks, water 3 times every day at 8, 12, and 4 o'clock, with light sprinklings to make the seedbed constantly damp.
- For the next 2 weeks, water once a day, about twice of each watering during the initial three weeks.
- After that, water deeply once a week for the rest of the year. Watering should be done for a while, so it collects about half an inch of water when measured in a small can or rain gauge.
Fertilizing new grass
A new seed needs a different fertilizer than already existing lawns. Seedlings that are growing necessitate phosphorus and potassium to make healthy and strong roots. Nitrogen is utilized in the foliage section of the plant. A higher quantity of nitrogen can always be added afterward, but phosphorus and potassium have to be in the soil from the starting.
Mowing
When the grass attains a height of 4 inches, mow it to a height of 3 inches. Then mow after every 5-7 days or once a week. Take away any bunches of grass or dead leaves. Lawn care professionals recommend a push mower, not a riding mower because it is light-weighted and won't compress the grass with big, heavy tires.
For suitable seed-to-soil contact, if you are overseeding a fit and healthy lawn only, aeration is recommended in the lawn. Aerating draws little plugs of dirt and thatch out of the ground, providing the existing grass a space to grow and letting rain and nutrients soak into the soil so they can make up for the roots.
The soil in Kansas City is clayey that tends to get compacted faster, so experts suggest aeration once a year to keep your lawn in good condition.
Verticutting
When the grass in your lawn is thin or has bare patches, then you should try verticutting. It is a bit more forceful than aeration but plows the soil superiorly to deliver good seed-to-soil contact and improved germination. Also, you can aerate and verticut both, but several times one or the other method will be sufficient.
Seeding in Spring
It is better to seed at the time of fall due to cooler temperatures, but if your lawn consists of bare spots or is very thin, it may be significant to seed it during the spring. Moreover, you also have to plan seeding again in the fall.
Benefits
- Shady areas have a higher possibility of success in the spring.
- No leaves are falling to impact the seeding process.
- Areas that didn't endure the cool weather would be filled.
Drawbacks
- You will have to re-seed the lawn again in the fall.
- The roots of the grass will not be capable of completely establishing until the soil attains 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is exactly what seeds would need to germinate.
- Application of pre-emergent would have to be delayed around three weeks to prevent damage of the seed.
Dormant seeding
Dormant seeding is the spreading of grass seeds in the fall and winter months when the soil is very cold to encourage the germination of grass. In spring, the seeds spread previously will warm in the ground and develop that will repair and condense turf grass. Dormant seeding in Kansas City is preferred in the fall to give the seeds enough time to sink into the soil. It also follows a natural cycle of germination, with seeds existing stay undamaged during the winter and ready to sprout in the spring for a more powerful and better able to survive the summer heat.
Lawn care in Kansas City can be an overwhelming task. Working with Lawn Love makes it easier to maintain your lawn and make your vision come true. Contact us today!
