Re-Establishing a Lawn

Question:

I have had a lawn with extensive damage from grubs. There is a large area where the lawn is now totally dead and I raked out to bare dirt. What is the best way to re-establish my lawn?

Serp327 from Rockland County, NY

Answer:

If you've removed the dead sod from the area, add some quality top soil and a little compost in with the existing soil and till up the site with a roto-tiller.

If the area is small enough, you can also work it to a depth of 12 to 18 inches with a shovel. Try to keep the grade the same when you're working the area to avoid problems with runoff or standing water in the future.

Smooth out the area and seed it with a grass seed appropriate for your area. Rake the seeds into the soil a bit, but don't cover them with more than 1/8 to 1/4 of and inch of soil.

Mulch the area with straw so about half of the soil is visible. If you want to apply a fertilizer now, use an organic, slow-release formula like Ringer® Lawn Restore® and follow the directions carefully. If you used good quality topsoil mixed with a little compost, this shouldn't be necessary.

Water the areas thoroughly and often until the grass seed germinates. That means never letting the seeds dry out, even in hot weather. When the grass reaches 3-4 inches you can cut if for the first time.

Good Luck!

Ellen