Gardening Help Please :)?

Question

Like I said in my previous question, I need new grass!

*If you missed it this is what it was:

I'm a 14 year old and I'm doing teh gardening part of the house.

You see, my family just moved into a house with a TERRIBLE backyard. Weeds are EVERYWHERE, there are patches of long grass and blank spots. So all the experts out there, this is what I plan on doing.

First, I mow down all the grass then I flip the soil around so that the bottom soil comes on top and it's more mixed. Then after, I'll go to Home Depot and get some Vigoro Grass Seed (Vigoro is a brand). After some intense grass seed sprending, I'll add loads of Top Soil on top and water gently. (Don't want the water to push all the seeds away!) and woola, wait for it to grow. It says that it will sprout in 7 to 9 days. I live in Ontario, Canada so, it is around 17 days into the summer (Summer started on June 20th right?) So is this a good time to start sprouting and working on the lawn? or should I wait till next year ?

Answer 1

Get some straw and spread it over the yard - it gives it insulation from the heat,holds in the moisture, and even turns into mulch as the grass begins to grow. remember not to put more than 1/2 " of topsoil on the seed and water early in the morning and the late afternoon. Middle of the day can "burn" the seedlings.

Answer 2

You sound very enterprising.

If the soil is hard, you're gonna wanna cultivate it to about 3" and add amendment which will make the soil absorb the water, make it easier for the roots to take hold, and keep the seed from floating away. Now is a good time except that you will get more summer weeds. To get 25% ammendment, spread 1 cu ft of amendment/10-12 sq feet of area, and cultivate to 3".

Don't pay a lot for amendment. If you google topsoil for your area you should be able to get a better deal on maybe a Nitrolyzed Shaving instead of buying buy the bag. A cubic yard has 27 cubic feet. Local to me, it's $35US/cubic yard,  or $1.50/cubic foot, as opposed . to $8/2 cubic ft.

I like straw as mulch EXCEPT that it seeds itself, unless you  have had the bale and watered it for a while for the seeds to germinate. Great if you want to wait until Fall and cover seeds with the half rotted straw, so the lawn will come up well established in the spring. Straw is cheap too.