New homeowner: how can we get grass in yard?

Im 27,and new to owning my own home. Problem is previous owner did NOTHING to the yard. its mixed with red dirt,sand and just nothing. Now me,i know nothing about building a new yard. I think ok well "you throw the seed out,and in a few weeks boom! a grassy yard" I know there must be more then this. Im a mechanic,not a lawn care guru.


I had to have several LARGE trees removed recently,so most of the land has been ran over with bobcats,loaders etc. so the ground is been fairly disturbed/grounded up then smoothed back out fairly flat. About 3000ish sq ft.


I ordered some kentucky 31 grass seed. Why? Dont know. Some old guy that owns a lawn company told me to do so. So i did. Before i sow this yard with seed,what is the basics that i need to know? Ive got mostly full sun if that matters. I was looking at that grass fertilizer you screw onto a garden hose and spray it. Yay? nay? Thanks SO much!

 

First off it would be nice to know where you're located. Sounds like southwest part of country? Then you say red dirt. Hi iron content? Sandy soil? Send a pic also.

New grass, lots of water, but not drowning. Always moist, do not let it dry out even for a bit.

 

Welcome to the forums Chris!

Pics would be helpful - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
We don't need your address but state/region would help us help you.
Once you've got the ground ready and the seed planted you'll want to cover it with straw to protect the seed from birds and the young shoots from the sun.

 

New grass can be as easy as it sounds and there are numerous websites telling you how. At one end of the spectrum you can just spread out the seed and hope for the best. You'd likely end up with bare patches and have a low germination rate. The more you can follow the "proper" instructions like tilling the lawn to break up the soil, spreading straw and watering the more grass you'll end up with and the sooner you will have a lawn.

Kentucky 31 is a good general grass for much of the country but we can't say for sure without knowing where you live. There are many websites that compare different seeds as each has it's own pros and cons.

 

Rent equipment to till the soil. The soil must be loosened to a depth of at least six inches to allow adequate absorbsion of water. Till until top layer is very fine. Scatter seed using the seed company's recommended rate of application and cover with a two inch layer of wheat straw. Water thoroughly and keep soil moist to promote good seed germination.

 

How deep do you want to go down the rabbit hole? I would also recommend a soil test and then adding the indicated amendments to the soil when you rototil.

 

Sorry for my posting on location. Im from SC.