Planting a new lawn

Suppose your lawn is so scruffy and weed-infested that you simply want to start from scratch. Before you tear out your old lawn, try to determine what ailed it so your new lawn won't suffer the same fate. Then begin your new lawn by determining how much and which type of lawn you'll need.

Calculating your lawn area

You'll need the total square feet to know how much seed, sod, or sprigs you'll need, along with how much soil amendment and fertilizers your new lawn will require. Multiplying the length and width may be all it takes to figure the square footage for square and rectangular areas. But you'll need some higher math to calculate the area for curved shapes.

Preparing the soil

Proper soil preparation will get your lawn started right and help keep it healthy. Begin by removing any existing growth and having the soil tested to correct any problems. Most state universities test soil for a nominal fee. You'll also find private soil-testing labs and private (search "soil testing [your state]" on the Web for options).

Adding commercially available composted organic matter helps most soils by making it more porous and increasing its fertility. As a guideline, spread a 3- to 4-inch-thick layer over the area and till it into the soil. Spread any fertilizers and soil amendments over the area at the same time.

• Prepare the soil by tilling in organic matter and amendments such as dolomitic limestone or soil sulfur if a soil test shows they're needed.
• Kill weeds and weed seeds by baking them under a layer of thin clear plastic for two weeks under summer sun. For faster, surer weed kill, use glyphosate.

Starting a lawn with seed

At roughly $10 to $20 per 1,000 square feet, even the priciest seed costs far less than the $500 you'll pay for 1,000 square feet of sod. On the downside, timing, germination, and weed control are far more critical for seeded lawns.

When to plant

Late fall is best for cool-season grass seed. Air temperatures are favorable, weeds are less active, and seedlings have lots of time to germinate before the heat and drought of summer. Spring also works, though weeds are more of a challenge. For warm-season grass, sow seeds just before their late-spring, peak growing season.

Choose the best quality seed you can find. The slightly higher cost will pay for itself in better growth and easier maintenance. How to tell:

Look for freshness

Check the label; seed that was tested within the past year is fresh and will germinate at the rates indicated, assuming proper soil preparation. "Inert matter," which is dirt or chaff, should never exceed 3 percent. Ideally, you don't want to see "weeds," "noxious weeds," and "other crop seed" among the ingredients.

Look for named varieties

"Glade" Kentucky bluegrass is a named variety, compared with just plain Kentucky bluegrass. Also avoid seed lots that include "varieties not states" or "VNS" on their label. Most commercial seed packages are either mixtures or blends. Blends combine several named varieties of one species to increase their resilience; mixtures combine two or three compatible species.

• Use a broad steel rake to level the soil and remove stones, clods, and remaining debris. The tines' shallow depressions are ideal for seeding.
• Sow seed using a drop- or rotary-type spreader for fertilizer and seeds. Just before sowing, spread 6 pounds of 16-20-0 starter fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. Then distribute half the seed walking in one direction and half walking the opposite direction.
• Use a roller to press the seeds into firm contact with the soil. Follow by applying a 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick layer of mulch.
• Keep soil moist with light and frequent waterings until seeds germinate--usually one to two weeks.

Starting A lawn With sod

Sod provides instant gratification: Lay it over the soil in the morning and get a lush green carpet by afternoon. Soil preparation is the same as for seed, except that you'll make the final soil height about 3/4 inch lower to allow for the sod's thickness. You needn't worry about weeds or weed seeds, since the sod will smother them. But at roughly $500 per 1,000 square feet, you pay for those perks.

You can lay sod anytime of year as long as the soil is workable. But the best time is during the active growth period--spring or fall for cool-season grass, late spring for warm-season grass.

Be sure to order an extra 15 percent to allow for overage. Sod is perishable, so you'll need to begin installing it immediately upon delivery. At 50 pounds or more for each strip, sod is also heavy, so plan on some help when planting.

Soak the soil thoroughly a day or two before planting. It should be moist but not soggy on planting day. Just before laying the sod, spread a starter fertilizer just as for seed: 6 pounds of 16-20-0 per 1,000 square feet.

• Start against the edge of the driveway or sidewalk. If a straight edge doesn't exist, create one with a staked string. Lay sections of sod so that joints are staggered. Cut pieces to fit with a heavy knife. Kneel on plywood to prevent creating depressions in the soil.
• Roll new sod to press roots into soil as soon as you've laid roughly 200 square feet, then water. Keep sod moist with frequent watering for one to two weeks or as long as needed until the sod is rooted.

Starting a lawn with sprigs or plugs

Warm-season grasses such as Bermudagrass, buffalograss, and zoysia can often be planted with sections of grass stems known as sprigs (sometimes called stolons). Plugs are essentially small sections of sod, with soil and all. Both cost less than sod and are planted the same way as seeds.

Sprigs are usually sold by the bushel (12 bushels cover 1,000 square feet). Cost: about $2 per bushel. The best time to plant is late spring or early summer. Plugs are usually 3 inches square and are sold individually. Plant them in late spring to early summer at intervals such as 12 inches apart. Cost varies by grass type; figure on roughly $200 per 1,000 square feet.

Spread sprigs by hand over the prepared soil and cover lightly with soil or mulch. Keep the soil moist until sprigs are rooted and growing.

Use a trowel or bulb planter to plant plugs. Typical spacing is 6 to 12 inches apart. Farther spacing covers more area, but leaves more soil uncovered longer. Closer spacing fills the lawn sooner, but costs more per given area. Keep soil moist for one to two weeks after planting.