Kathy’s Home & Garden Tips – Grass Planting Time

Grass grows best in temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees. Most people do not know this and think grass is best in summer, but spring and fall are the optimum times for great grass growth. Begin by giving the grass a really good rake. This is the best arm workout on the planet. You need to use a stiff rake and get all that dead thatch and old grass out, so you have excellent soil for your seed to take. Giving the grass a solid rake will often pull up any quack grass or other weeds choking out the good grass. Pull as much out as you can. 

You will need to add some good topsoil. A couple bags will be sufficient for an average Chicago backyard but use more if your soil is poor or if you have a lot of bare spots. Spread it out as evenly as you can using the back of your rake. Then rake it in slightly to rough up the soil so your seed will have a chance to develop good roots. 

Choose your seed depending on the sun your lawn gets. Many seed mixes are made for mostly sunny lawns, usually more than six hours direct sun every day. If you have a lot of shade, you will need a mix for that. Stay away from quick cover seed mixes. They do not have the good mix you need for a nice lawn. Find a blend with a high percentage of Kentucky bluegrass. Throw out the seed in a sweeping motion. Put out more than you think you will need. Birds love grass seed and will eat a fair share, up to 25%. Water it in well. 

Grass growing can be time consuming, especially until it germinates. The seed needs to stay moist. Usually, in the fall, we have decent rain but not this year. You will need to water your lawn daily until you see it growing. There’s no need to soak. Just wet the soil and seed well. Let the lawn go longer between mows to give the grass time to flourish. 

Growing the grass now will give it time to get established before winter. Another plus is that it will also be grown enough for taking on the winterizing fertilizer in five weeks or so. When your new grass is getting close in height to the original lawn, add more topsoil. You can never add too much topsoil! Rake it in gently. The new grass is delicate, and it is best to be careful and stay off the lawn as much as possible. Now your lawn is ready to really take off next spring.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH AND DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO