AB>We moved into our house in Feb. of 1996.  We went through the summer of
AB>'96 without a good lawn in most of our yard.  This year my husband has
AB>decided is "the year to get a good lawn planted".  We are extremely poor
AB>so we can't afford to have sod put in, any good tips for people who have
AB>NO IDEA what they are doing.
  Grass seed is fairly cheap, but if your soil is no good, you'll be
  seeding each year forever. Buy, beg, borrow or make enough compost
  to cover your soil a minimum of 1" deep (2 inches is better for really
  thin soil) and till it LIGHTLY into the upper 3 or 4 inches of soil.
  The idea is to concentrate the compost in the upper layer where it
  will both fertilize and retain water.
  When that is done, depending on the season, sow grass seed. If you are
  already experiencing hot weather, it's too late for this spring. Most
  grasses germinate and grow best under cool, damp conditions. If that's
  what you have, great!  Scatter a very light mulch over a freshly
  seeded area if you can get it. In a pinch, we've opened and used
  coarsely-woven burlap bags, but chopped straw is preferable. Or cocoa
  hulls, or some lightweight ag wastes available to southern growers.
  Keep the area moist, not wet, for at least the germination period,
  7-10 days. Remove bags (other types of mulches can remain) when tiny
  sprigs of green are visible when you lift the bags. Continue to water
  on a regular basis, and don't permit foot traffic or lawn cutting
  until the grass is several inches high.
  Hope this helps, Amy. This is the cheapest way to get a good lawn.
                      ...Sandra...
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 þ QMPro 1.52 þ THe war on poverty is over; poverty won.
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