Lawn Renovation

Your lawn may need a total lawn renovation if it is in bad condition. If 60% or more of the lawn has weeds, undesirable grass, or bare patches, you may want to consider starting from scratch. Renovating your lawn takes a significant amount of time and labor, but your efforts will be rewarded with a thick, healthy, green lawn. When building a new lawn or killing off an existing lawn to start over, you can use grass seed or professionally grown sod. We will cover both of these methods of building a new lawn.

STEPS FOR BUILDING A NEW LAWN

• 1. Kill off existing grass and weeds by spraying the lawn with Round Up, a non-selective herbicide. Merrifield Garden Center recommends starting this process six weeks prior to your intended seeding date. (If the area is clear, only dirt with no weeds or grass, go to Step #2). Plants that are sprayed with Round Up will absorb it, killing the entire plant, roots and all. Round Up will not stay active in the soil. Check label instructions before using the product and follow them accordingly. Use Round Up when no rainfall is expected for the next 12 - 24 hours. Rain may diminish the effectiveness. Allow adequate time for the weed killer to work. Round-Up can take up to three weeks to thoroughly kill existing weeds and grass. Tough perennial weeds may need to be treated 2-3 times for maximum effectiveness. Once the lawn has been sprayed and begins turning brown, mow and bag your clippings to capture weed seeds that the herbicide will not kill. Today's seeds will be tomorrow's weeds, so get rid of the seeds now.
• 2. Water the lawn thoroughly a day or two before you plan to work it. It is much easier to roto-till and dig soft and pliable soil than hard and dry soil.
• 3. The dead weeds and grass have now become beneficial organic matter that can be tilled into the soil. Use a roto-tiller or other soil cultivator (can be rented) to till the dead grass and weeds into the top several inches of soil. Do not roto-till under large, established trees to avoid catching roots and hurting the tree. If roots are above ground, add a few inches of soil to cover them.
• 4. Soil preparation is critical to the establishment of any new lawn and will influence the condition of your lawn for years to come. Improve the soils physical characteristic by incorporating organic matter which will enhances drainage, moisture holding capacity and aeration. Spread 1" - 2" of organic soil amendments such as peat or composted sludge over the entire area.
• 5. Roto-till or otherwise cultivate this organic matter into the soil 4" deep if possible. Go in the opposite direction that you did in Step # 3 (if you tilled in a north/south direction first, till in an east/west direction this time).
• 6. Rake the entire area smooth. Remove any sticks, rocks or debris from the area.
• 7. Add a high phosphate lawn fertilizer such as Merrifield Select 14-18-14, specially formulated for the Washington area with new lawns in mind. The high proportion of phosphate encourages the rapid establishment of roots, and the 50% slowly available nitrogen will not burn or injure new seedlings. Apply fertilizer with a good quality drop spreader or broadcast spreader for accurate, even and complete coverage.
• 8. Spread lime, if necessary, at the rate of 50 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. of area. The ideal pH level for the lawn is between the range of 6.0 - 6.8.
• 9. SEEDING OR SODDING

If seeding the lawn, use a good quality grass seed blend suited for your particular conditions. We recommend Merrifield Garden Centers' custom blends of grass seed, which are specially formulated for lawns in the Washington area. If you have any questions regarding seed selection for your lawn, please ask a professional here at Merrifield.

Merrifield Garden Center Tuff Play Lawn Grass Blend
Tuff Play includes varieties of tall fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass. This all-purpose mixture is good for full sun to partial shade, tolerates drought, wear and tear, and gives a beautiful, low maintenance lawn. Turf type tall fescue varieties were selected for finer texture, denser growth and darker green color than older tall fescues. Small amounts of Kentucky bluegrass are included for increased wear and tear tolerance.
Merrifield Garden Center Sunny Lawn Grass Blend
Merrifield Sunny is a blend of Kentucky and perennial ryegrass. Several proprietary varieties of Kentucky bluegrass have been blended for a premium quality lawn in sunny locations. Disease and drought resistant varieties were selected for use in the greater Washington Region. Perennial ryegrass mixes well with the Kentucky Bluegrass and provide for quick germination after seeding.
Merrifield Garden Center Shady Lawn Grass Blend
Merrifield Shady combines fine textured fescues, shade tolerant perennial ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass, for use in dry or wet shaded locations. Merrifield shady produces a dark green, fine textures turf.
If sodding the lawn, use a good quality sod suited for the conditions of your lawn. Starting at one end, lay the sod strips end to end in one straight row. Use a strip of sod cut in half to start your second row, and finish the row with a half strip as well. The strips of sod will then be staggered, bricklayer style, rather than matching up from row to row. The sod will grow together better without noticeable seams between each row.

• 10. If seeding, take a flexible leaf rake (metal or bamboo) and turn the rake over so that the rake tines are facing upwards. Drag the rake across the top of the seeded area, applying pressure half way down the handle. Work back and forth, one lane at a time, covering the entire area. Reverse raking folds in the fertilizer, lime, and seed to the right depth.
• 11. Covering seeded areas with a mulching material prevents seed from washing away, conserves moisture and moderates temperature fluctuations. All coverings should be used sparingly and should not exceed 1/2 in depth or cover more than 50% of the soil surface. Excessively heavy mulching will inhibit seed germination. Several different kinds of mulch are available for use in different situations. Straw has been widely used due to its low cost, availability and effectiveness. Wood fiber mulches are gaining popularity because they are easy to use and free of any weed seeds. Peat humus, compost, and sludge are other organic choices. Synthetic mulches such as lightweight spun fabrics and netting can be used for steep slopes or small areas. If you used sod, you do not need to apply a covering. It is a good idea to use sod pins on slopes or steep banks to prevent the sod from sliding.
• 12. Whether you used seed or sod, roll the area with a heavy metal roller that is half filled with water (rollers available at rental centers). If seed was used, good contact between the soil and the grass seed helps to prevent the seed from drying out during germination. If sod was used, it is important to have good contact between the grass roots and the soil.
• 13. Seed needs water to germinate and plants need water to grow. Both new seedlings and new sod have small, limited root systems, incapable of reaching very deep into the soil for water, so it is very important to irrigate the lawn as needed.

Water the newly seeded lawn lightly each day for the first week or two until you see sprouts. A fine misting for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day is ideal. Do not let the seed dry out while it is germinating. You may need to adjust your watering program for weather conditions: less water on cloudy or rainy days and more on hot, sunny or windy days. Once the seed has sprouted, water less often, but more deeply. The seed is becoming rooted in; there is less chance for wash-out now. Water longer each time to encourage deeper turf roots. Water less often to allow the ground ample time to dry slightly between waterings.

Water new sod thoroughly the day that you lay it with approximately  of water. It is best to set-up some sort of sprinkler to water the lawn. (Set up an empty can, once the can has �� of water, the sod has received �� of water too.) Check the soil moisture in a few days and water as needed. You will probably need to water the lawn 2-3 times per week for the first few weeks. Gradually decrease to once a week or as needed.

Watering schedules will vary with weather conditions, soil types, exposure and the terrain. Routine monitoring to see that the top inch of the soil remains moist is the most reliable watering guide. You may find it necessary to water 2-3 times a day or 2-3 times a week depending on your conditions. The goal is to keep the soil surface moist.

"GROW IN" OF YOUR NEW LAWN

The first year, or "grow in" phase, of establishing a new lawn requires some special attention and precautions. Newly planted turfgrass may need more fertilizer than an established lawn. We recommend applying Merrifield Premium Lawn Fertilizer 4-6 weeks after seeding, and a second application 4-6 weeks later. New lawns are more prone to drought stress due to the limited root system. They will require close attention to watering during dry spells. Young seedlings are also more susceptible to disease, and they cannot compete with weeds as aggressively as an established lawn.
Pesticides used for controlling various weeds and diseases can injure young seedling turfgrass. Avoid applying any pesticides to your new lawn until it has been mowed at least three times. There are exceptions to this rule and each situation calls for a different approach. Please check with Merrifield Garden Centers' Plant Specialist before making any pesticide applications.

Consider your lawn established after an entire year. Follow recommendations for established lawns in our brochure, Guide to Year Round Lawn Care.