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