When to Plant: Turf professionals and experts highly recommend a late summer planting of this mixture. August/September are the best months for establishment. Spring plantings produce fair results if completed during April/May although weed competition is greater.
Before You Start: Accurately measure the actual area to be planted to help determine the amount of seed, mulch & fertilizer needed. Take these measurements to your local nursery or turf product supplier for specific recommendations for your soil and climate.
Area Preparation: Remove old turf & weeds. Do not plow these under as they take too long to decompose. If soil is light & sandy, add sterilized manure or a composted mulch material to the top few inches of soil. If soil is heavy or clay, add gypsum or lime (ask your local nurseryman for advice & application rates for your area) to the soil & mix well with some mulch and sand.
Seedbed Preparation: Level, rake & firm the seedbed which should now be four to six inches deep. Water, level & firm it again, then wait one week. This watering should sprout many of the weed seeds in the soil, decreasing future weed problems. Remove the weeds & mix a commercial pre-plant lawn fertilizer into the seedbed to a depth of about two inches. Lightly rake the entire surface prior to seeding.
Seeding: Early morning or late afternoon is best for seeding a new lawn. Do not seed on a windy or abnormally warm day as you will lose a large part of the seed. Seed half of the seed in one direction & the other half at right angles to the first half. Rake the seed in lightly, covering no more than 1/3rd inch with manure, peat moss or another fine soil material. Firm the seed bed.
Watering: Apply the water evenly & with a fine spry in order not to disturb the newly planted seed. Keep the soil continually moist for 2-3 weeks or until the lawn is well sprouted. Be sure to water only in the cool of the morning or evening, to reduce the chance of seedling sunburn. After the seedlings are established, start reducing the frequency of watering to encourage deep root growth.
Early Care: Only fertilize the young lawn if the early growth is weak or yellow. Don’t mow the new lawn until it is at least 2 inches high & make sure that the mower is especially sharp for this first cutting to reduce damage. The first two to three cuttings should not be shorter than 1 ½ inches. Subsequent cuttings should be at one to two inches to promote the best growth possible. The taller height is recommended for shaded areas or areas needing extra wear tolerance. Mowing once every 7 days will usually be plenty, although you may need to increase this to once every 3-4 days in late spring when the bluegrass is growing its best. Remove the grass clippings as you mow to reduce disease problems. During hot weather, do not mow the lawn as short or as often since it is susceptible to sunburn on the crowns that are exposed after mowing. This can cause extensive damage to a lawn, especially a new one.