When you are putting down grass seed to create a new lawn, there are 5 grass seed mistakes that you want to avoid. Making these mistakes can cause you problems and make you lose time and money.
Grass Seed Mistakes 1 – Not Testing the pH Level of Your Soil
Before you seed a lawn, it’s important to test the pH level of the soil to find out how acidic it is. Even if your soil appears to be healthy, it might be too alkaline or acidic for growing your grass. For most grass varieties, a level of 5.5-7 is needed.
Grass Seed Mistake 2 – Not Using the Right Kind of Seed
Another mistake that many homeowners make is they choose the wrong kind of seed. When you’re looking for a seed for your lawn, you’re going to find a lot to choose from. Some types prefer a different kind of climate so they can grow. Before choosing your seed type, make sure that it works in your particular climate.
Grass Seed Mistakes 3 – Only Relying on Rain
It’s not a good idea to just rely on the rain to water the grass seeds. If there isn’t rain in your forecast, a sprinkler is needed. If they don’t get water, those seeds aren’t going to grow. However, you also don’t want to use an excess of water.
Grass Seed Mistake 4 – Not Aerating Your Soil
You want to make sure that you’re aerating your soil before you seed a lawn. This will create tiny holes in your soil for the seeds to enter. If the lawn isn’t aerated, your grass seeds simply will sit on the soil. As time goes by, these superficial seeds are going to be eaten by the animals or blown away by the wind.
When you aerate the lawn, those seeds are going to dig deeper in the soil, protecting themselves from animals and wind.
Grass Seed Mistake 5 – Not Correctly Measuring the Yard
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make when you are putting down grass seed is not measuring the lawn. Before you seed, it’s important to know just how much of the seed you are going to need for covering your yard.
When you put down too much, it’s going to mean that the seeds are competing for their root space. It can also negatively impact nutrient uptake and structure. You also don’t want to use too little. This is going to cause bare patches. Measure the yard and then order the seeds accordingly. This will help you get the right density.
If you are interested in having new grass seed put down and you are looking for a company to do it so you can avoid these grass seed mistakes, contact us. We’ll be happy to give you a quote and help you have a beautiful lawn.