Weston Logo

Weston Nurseries will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving, reopening on Friday.

Here’s Why Late Summer is the BEST Time to Start Your New Lawn

Here’s Why Late Summer is the BEST Time to Start Your New Lawn

Grass

By Jim Connolly


Most people might think of Spring as the best time to start a new lawn, but the truth is that late Summer and early Fall are far better for starting a new lawn from seed. Any time after August 15th is prime lawn time; the warm soil in combination with cooler air temperatures will encourage far better seed germination. Weeds are also typically not as aggressive late in the season, so grass seedlings don’t have to compete for nutrients.


Early Spring is the second-best time to start a lawn from seed, but it has some drawbacks:  the young grass has less time to become established before the hot weather of summer sets in, and the results can be generally unsatisfactory.  You’ll usually end up having to assess your lawn again anyway in the late Summer and Fall and then over-seed where it did not grow as well.

PREPARE YOUR SOIL

Regardless of when you install your new lawn from seed, the soil preparation is the same.  Here is the step by step process:

  1. If more than 70% of your area is weeds and bare spots you may want to apply a broad spectrum weed killer like Bonide Kleenup to kill what is there. Apply according to the directions, and be patient.  In 7-10 days you should be able to install the lawn by seed safely.
    If you prefer not to apply a weed killer, use a rototiller, spade, or rent a sod cutting machine to remove any of the living matter.
  2. Turn the soil to a minimum depth of 4″.
  3. Remove sticks, stones, roots and other debris which could interfere with the establishment of the grass seedlings.
  4. Take a soil test sample to determine the soil pH. Having the correct pH allows fertilizers to be more effective and your lawn will look healthier longer.  Once you know the pH you can amend the soil with lime using a spreader.  The products which we recommend are Rapid Lime, MAG-I-CAL or Pelletized Lime.
  5. Incorporate organic material into the soil, such as compost, manures, peat moss, etc.
  6. Use a fertilizer spreader to apply Jonathan Green Love Your Lawn and New Seeding Fertilizer at the recommended rates.
  7. Grade the soil by raking and pitching the land so proper drainage will occur. Here’s a good trick: lightly water the area in order to see where puddles tend to form. Lightly rake the high spots into the low spots. Roll or slightly compact the soil making sure air pockets are removed from the soil.

You are now ready to install your grass seed.

SEEDING

Select the appropriate grass seed based on the amount of sunlight in the area during the growing season.  Jonathan Green has developed blends which can grow in sun or shade.  A Sunny blend will need at least 6 hours of sun in order to thrive, while shady blends can live in sun or shade.  We recommend Jonathan Green’s Black Beauty seed blend for a lush green lawn with improved drought and disease resistance.

  1. Apply the seed with a spreader for best results.  After seeding, use the backside of a spring rake to help to distribute the seed evenly and smooth off the surface.
  2. To help ensure the overall seed germination, apply Hydretain to the entire area.  Hydretain will draw water molecules from the soil and bring it into the root zone.
  3. Next apply Straw, Jonathan Green Mulch, or seed blanket to the newly seeded area.  This prevents the seeds from drying out as quickly.
  4. For the first two weeks, water the seed a at least once a day for 5 to 10 minutes, right up until germination begins.  If the soil is moist you can hold off until it dries out slightly.
  5. Once the grass begins to germinate, you should switch to watering for 20-30 minutes every 2nd or 3rd day.
  6. Mow the lawn once it is 2-3” high and make sure your mower blades are clean and sharp.
  7. Once your new lawn is established you can maintain your lawn with an annual lawn care program.

Share Via:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Print
WESTON NURSERIES

Weston Nurseries is committed to being a center for horticultural knowledge. Enjoy!

SEARCH TOPICS
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages
SHOP

Shops Trees, Shrubs, & Perennials – in stores and online.

EXPLORE MORE
PLANT CARE
SOCIAL
SEARCH BY MONTH
Archives
EVENTS & CLASSES

Online Shopping at Weston Nurseries

We are excited to offer two unique opportunities to shop online at Weston Nurseries.

Farm To Door™

WN Online Shopping icons_Ship to Door
Plants shipped directly to you!

Browse our online inventory for a huge selection of plants available to ship directly from the farm to your home! Anywhere in the Continental US except states where prohibited by law!*

Shop Our Garden Centers

WN Online Shopping icons-02
Great for large plants and larger orders!

Shop your local store for plants, garden supplies, soil, mulch and more. Then pick up your order at the garden center or arrange for local drop off!

If you are interested in ordering gift cards, please click here!
*Some restrictions may apply to certain states.

FLASH SALE

Memorial Day Weekend Flash Sale On Hydrangeas!

25% off all Hydrangeas this weekend only!

Saturday, May 25th – Monday, May 27th! 

Hydrangeas are a classic and beautiful sign of summer. Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend by sprucing up your yard with some new hydrangeas. Discount applies at all locations.

*Sale Fine Print:

For “Cash and Carry” transactions only. Offer good while supplies last.

No open orders or deliveries for future dates. All Flash Sale products must be taken the same day. Not valid on previous orders. No transfers allowed between stores on any sale items.

Skip to content