| Time and money should be considered when
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| | is basically the same. The following
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| choosing a new lawn
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| | steps are broad guidelines, so consult a
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| Want a new lawn? You've got two options:
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| | garden professional for specifics
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| you can plant seed and sprout your own
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| | appropriate to your area.
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| turf, or you can buy sod and roll it out
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| | First, clear the ground of old or dead
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| like a plush new carpet. Either way, the
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| | grass, undesirable roots and large
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| results are the same. Which begs the
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| | stones.
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| larger question: To seed or not to seed?
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| | Water to encourage weeds to emerge, then
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| The answer boils down to time and
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| | kill them with an herbicide and remove.
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| money—and which you can afford more of.
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| | Amend the soil with organic matter and
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| "Sod is instant lawn. You can go from
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| | rototill.
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| dirt to grass in one day," says Jim Shaw,
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| | Level the soil while it's dry, tamping
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| director of marketing at Superior Sod in
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| | with a rake or roller. "Because sod is
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| Tehachapi, Ca. "It's like getting a
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| | thick, you need to grade the soil an inch
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| pre-roasted chicken at the supermarket.
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| | lower than sidewalks and driveways," Shaw
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| We've done all the work for you."
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| | says. For seed, soil should be even with
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| Once the province of landscape
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| | hardscaping.
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| contractors, laying sod is now common
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| | Apply a granular fertilizer and moisten
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| among do-it-yourselfers. After all, few
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| | slightly.
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| of us can resist the temptation to
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| | Add the grass. "Sod is perishable, so
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| transform our yards in the blink of an
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| | install it immediately after delivery,"
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| eye with grass harvested and trucked in
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| | Shaw says. Place the pieces end to end in
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| from a commercial farm. The catch is that
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| | precise rows, with no gaps and staggering
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| sod remains the pricier alternative.
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| | seams like brickwork. Seed should be
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| If, however, you don't mind waiting three
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| | spread evenly at the rate prescribed on
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| or four months while your lawn grows in,
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| | the package and covered lightly with
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| then starting from scratch is cheaper.
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| | mulch. Netting helps protect against
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| "Generally speaking, seed will cost about
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| | hungry birds.
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| $20 per 1,000 square feet and sod will
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| | Water daily to prevent drying. For sod,
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| cost about 35 cents for just one square
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| | keep the grass wet for one to two weeks.
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| foot," says Stephen Knutson, vice
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| | When using seed, light but frequent
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| president of Stover Seed Company in Los
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| | irrigation for two to four weeks is
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| Angeles. Do the math and that five-pound
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| | recommended to avoid washing seed away
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| bag of seed translates into savings of
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| | before it germinates.
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| more than $300.
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| | Mow only after the grass is one-third
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| Other reasons to consider seed include
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| | taller than it should be. If you want it
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| the wider array of grass varieties to
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| | to be two inches, let it reach three
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| choose from, and the ability to cover
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| | inches before trimming.
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| hard-to-reach sites such as steep slopes.
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| | Once your lawn is established, continue
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| And, according to Knutson, you won't
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| | to water, mow and fertilize regularly.
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| import any potentially troublesome
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| | Shaw and Knutson agree that with proper
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| non-native soil either.
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| | maintenance, your lawn should remain lush
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| Whichever you decide, preparing the site
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| | and inviting regardless of its origins.
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