Planting a new lawn or renovatingan old one can be a very frustratingexperience if you’ve never done itbefore. The key to avoiding frustra-tion is to understand the process wellenough to be able to make the rightdecisions. This publication will takeyou through the steps needed tosuccessfully plant a new lawn orrenovate an old one. If you followthese steps, you will get it right thefirst time!

Seasonal timingIn general, the best time to plant a lawn

from seed is when temperatures are favorablefor rapid seed germination and grass growth.In the northern part of the United States, grassseed germination is optimum when the airtemperature is between 60°and 85°F. Try totime your planting so there will be 6 to8 weeks of good growing weather afterseeding.

With that in mind, the period from mid-August to mid-September is almost perfect.Days are warm, nights are getting cooler,sunlight is plentiful, and day length is declin-ing. Lawns planted during this period germi-nate and grow rapidly. You generally canexpect to see green grass in a week, followedby the first mowing about 3 weeks afterplanting. By mid-October, the lawn is dense,

Tom Cook, associate professor of horticulture,Oregon State University. This publicationreplaces EC 966, Establishing Lawns bySodding, and EC 1021, Establishing New Lawnsby Seeding.

Practical Lawn Establishmentand RenovationT. Cook

EC 1550 • Reprinted April 2004$3.50

and the soil has firmed up, so the possibility ofsevere rutting or footprinting is reduced.

Late-fall plantings are prone to rapidencroachment by wild grasses and broadleafweeds. If your goal is to produce a dense,clean, pure grass turf, don’t take chances onlate-fall plantings. If you have no other choice,see page 2 for some tricks that can improveyour chances of success.

There are other times when successfulseeding can be done. In many parts of Oregon,the period from early May to approximatelymid-June is a pretty good time to plant. Earlierplantings germinate and develop slowly, sothere rarely is any advantage to planting early.

Planting later in summer causes manyproblems. With long days and high tempera-tures, it is difficult to keep new plantings wetenough to ensure uniform germination. If youwater too much, you might encourage

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warm-weather diseases such as pythium. Onceseed germinates, temperatures often are abovethe range for healthy root growth. The result isgrass that requires constant attention allsummer. Summer seedings on imported soiloften suffer from excess competition fromwarm-season summer annual grasses, such asbarnyardgrass, that arrive as seeds with thesoil.

If you really must plant in summer or latefall, see the box at the left for some tips toenhance your chances of success.

What if you decide to plant sod? Sod hasthe same optimum planting times as seed, butbecause the grass is mature and has part of itsroot system, you can get away with plantingover a much broader time period. Providedyou have a well-prepared sod bed, sod can beplanted anytime from about mid-Marchthrough mid-November in western Oregon. Itcan be planted year-round on the coast, andfrom about April through October in much ofcentral and eastern Oregon, provided irrigationwater is available.

Soil preparationMost people think their soil is terrible. In

their minds, it is either too heavy (clay) or toolight (sandy). In western Oregon, most peopleassume their soil is too acid and infertile togrow healthy turf. East of the mountains,people believe their soil is too sandy or tooalkaline to grow good turf. Many peopleassume they must amend their soil withorganic matter or haul in new soil to provide agood root zone. It almost sounds like animpossible situation!

Although bringing in topsoil is one solu-tion, it is not always necessary. Most nativesoils in Oregon have adequate fertility and pHto support turf without doing anything special.A good goal is to use the existing soil wheneverpossible. See the recommendations for specificregions in the box on page 3.

If you must plant at a less desirabletime of the year, consider the tips listedbelow. Keep in mind that it is a loteasier to plant in good weather than tooearly or too late.

Planting late fall lawns• Don’t, if you can avoid it!• If you must plant late, increase

seeding rates. Add 2 lb of seed per1,000 sq ft for each week past mid-September.

• Use a dark-colored mulch.• Increase the percentage of peren-

nial ryegrass in the mix.• Fertilize at the time of planting and

again 4 to 6 weeks later.• Hope for a warm fall!

Planting lawns in summer• Don’t, if you can avoid it!• Plant seed treated with a fungicide

to prevent damping-off.• Use the lowest seed rate in the

optimum range.• Use a light-colored mulch at a low

rate or no mulch at all.• Water very carefully to avoid

drought and saturation.• Water fertilizer in to avoid burning

grass.• Be patient and wait for fall for

better growing weather.• Hope for a cool summer!

Tips for beating the calendar

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Willamette ValleyIn the Willamette Valley, the existing

soil often is a silty clay or clay loam. Thesesoils typically have a pH of 6.0 (+/- 0.5),adequate to high phosphorus (P) levels,medium to high potassium (K) levels, andadequate levels of calcium (Ca) andmagnesium (Mg). Fertility-wise, that is nota bad soil at all.

Most commonly planted turfgrasses dojust fine at a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5.The only reason to lime this soil is to growa mix containing a high percentage ofKentucky bluegrass. Otherwise, there is noneed for special fertilizer or lime whenpreparing most Valley soils.

Central/eastern OregonIn central and eastern Oregon, soils are

variable but often fall in the sandy loam tosilt loam categories. Soil pH generally runsaround 6.5 (+/- 0.5). Phosphorus levelsgenerally are adequate, and potassiumlevels often are very high. Calcium andmagnesium generally are more thanadequate to grow healthy turfgrass. Withthese soils, there is little need to do morethan plant your grass.

In some parts of central and easternOregon, soil pH is above 7.5. When soil pHis above 7.5, you can expect to haveproblems with iron deficiency and high saltor even high sodium levels. While theseconditions do occur, they are relativelyrare.

Coastal OregonOn the Oregon coast, soils range from

fine sands to subsoil clays and often have apH in the range of 5.5 (+/- 0.5). Phosphoruslevels might be low to adequate, but potas-sium levels often are medium to very high.Calcium and magnesium might be low toadequate. These soils might benefit fromliming if you want to grow perennialryegrass alone or mixed with fine fescues.Bentgrasses are well adapted to these nativesoil conditions.

Southwestern OregonSouthwestern Oregon has the most

unusual soils in the state, ranging fromdecomposed granite to black clay. The claysoils are fine to work with when dry butimpossible to work with when wet. Soil pHtypically is in the low to mid 6 range, andphosphorus and potassium levels often arein the medium range.

The decomposed granite soils can bequite infertile and might require regularapplications of complete turf fertilizers.

Regional soils in Oregon

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Recommendations that tell you to applylime before planting are making assumptionsthat are not necessarily correct. It is a saferecommendation simply because lime at therates normally used won’t hurt (or help)anything.

Should you have a soil test done beforeyou plant? A soil test is a good idea, but fewpeople bother. Among other things, it takestime to get the soil test report, and then youmust interpret it. It probably is wiser to spendyour money on fertilizer, unless you havereason to suspect your soil is deficient in oneor more elements or has a low pH.

There is more reason for concern withimported soils or when topsoil has beenstripped from the site, leaving only subsoil andexcavation spoils. Purchased “topsoil” mightbe real topsoil, river silt, clean fill from a deeppit, or someone’s idea of sandy loam. It alsocould be a synthesized soil made up of sand,organic matter, and soil. Most likely it is cleanfill, river silt, or synthetic soil.

Clean fill usually is quite sandy and iseasy to spread and grade even in rainyweather. Soil taken from deep pitsmight not have adequate fertility andcan have a higher or lower pH thansoil closer to the original surface. Onthe plus side, it might be relativelyfree of weed seed. Since it is hard togeneralize about purchased soils, theonly way to really know their fertilitylevel is to have a soil test done.

If the construction process hasleft you with subsoil and excavationspoils, there is no way to know thesoil’s fertility status. Either get a soiltest or bring in new soil.

If you really can’t work withexisting soils, bring in new soil that isas close as possible in texture to theoriginal soil. This allows for continu-ity in water movement and rootingonce the soil is in place. If you bring

in sandy soil, place it over the existing soil asa layer rather than tilling it into the existingsoil. A layer of sandy soil should be at least6 inches deep, after compaction, to provide anadequate root zone. Do not till sand into claysoils in an effort to loosen up the soil orimprove drainage. Research shows that addingsand reduces soil porosity and increasessusceptibility to compaction until the sandcontent reaches approximately 80 percent byvolume. Practically speaking, that means youare better off layering sandy soil on top.

Tilling organic matter into existing soil isa common recommendation. Thoroughlycomposted organic matter can reduce bulkdensity of clay soils and increase water- andnutrient-holding capacity of sandy soils. Ingeneral, you can expect a short-term improve-ment in tilth. Some composted materials havesignificant fertilizer value and will increasesoil fertility for several months afterincorporation.

In gardens, you can add organic matterannually to maintain the light, fluffy qualitiesassociated with good garden soil. Organic

Figure 1.—Rototilling loosens and mixes soil so it can be gradedsmooth. Avoid overtilling, which can destroy soil structure and causerapid, excess compaction.

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matter added to turf soils probably is lessvaluable because you can add it only once.After turf is planted, the added organic matterbegins to decompose further, and surface soilcompaction begins. Two years after planting,it might be difficult to tell that any organicmatter was added. Thus, at best, addingorganic matter to turf soils has only temporarybenefits.

Fresh or noncomposted organic matter canbe undesirable. It generally breaks downrapidly and in the process ties up much of thesoil nitrogen that otherwise would be availablefor the grass. Tilling in fresh sawdust or woodchips generally results in weak, yellow grass.

Another problem with adding organicmatter to soil is that if the quantity is greaterthan 15 percent by volume you might seeconsiderable settling once the organic matterdecomposes. This will leave you with anuneven, bumpy lawn. Lawns where organicmatter has been incorporated prior to plantingalso are often plagued with mushrooms.

RototillingAssuming your existing soil is acceptable

for planting your new lawn, the first stepnormally is rototilling (Figure 1). Rototillingserves two basic functions. First, it loosens thesoil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Second, itbreaks up the soil into smaller pieces so it canbe graded.

With those two purposes in mind, it isclear that you need to go over the site onlyenough times to achieve the depth you wantand a clod size you can grade. A commonmistake is to pulverize the soil until it lookslike powder. This destroys soil structure andultimately leaves reduced infiltration andincreased compaction potential. To avoid thisproblem, till soil when it is relatively dry, butmoist enough that you don’t generate a giantdust cloud. Also avoid tilling wet soil, asdoing so creates structureless soil and large,amorphous clods.

If you add compost, till the area once ortwice and then add the compost and spread itto a uniform depth. Till the entire area againuntil a uniform mix is achieved. If you fail toget a good mix, the lawn will have pockets ofsoil and organic matter along with uniformlymixed soil. This will leave the lawn with wetspots and dry spots, meaning more headachesfor you down the road.

If you determine that lime is needed toraise the soil pH, apply it before you till thesoil and then till it in thoroughly to achieve agood mix. Remember that lime must react inthe soil before it has any impact on soil pH.Applying it after the site is graded and com-pacted means it will affect only the surfacesoil and might take a long time to do anythingto the rest of the root zone.

GradingOnce the soil is tilled, start grading by

alternating raking and rolling (Figures 2 and 3,page 6). Large, lightweight grading rakes,which work better than small garden rakes,can be rented, as can water-filled rollers.Begin with a quick, rough grading aimed atknocking off high spots and filling in lowspots. Then start rolling by going over theentire area with a back-and-forth pattern inone direction. As soon as you finish onedirection, begin again in another direction.Meanwhile, use the rakes to continue toscratch off high spots and fill low spots.

Do a thorough job around the edges ofsidewalks and driveways. It’s a good idea tograde these edges flush with the concrete sincethey will settle slightly once the area is irri-gated regularly.

How do you know when the job is done?Fatigue alters most people’s sense of percep-tion, so when they are really tired the lawngrade looks almost perfect. The goal is tograde the site smooth and have the entire areauniformly compacted so further settling does

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not occur during establishment (Figure 4). Atthe same time, you don’t want to pack the soilso hard that roots and water can’t penetrate.Unfortunately, this process can’t be quantifiedeasily, so even if it is your first time, you willhave to use your best judgment.

If you need to bring in additional soil, tilland rough-grade the existing soil first. Thenspread the new soil and follow with the

Figure 4.—A finished seedbed. The raked portion isready for seeding.

Figures 2 and 3.—After tilling, use a water-filledroller and grading rakes to level and firm thearea. Be prepared to go over the area repeatedlyto achieve uniform compaction. Grade edges levelwith concrete surfaces.

rake-and-roll routine described above. Thisstrategy works whether the new soil is thesame as the original soil or is a sandy soilplaced over the parent soil.

Selecting the best grass to plantThere are several basic mixtures that are

adequate for most situations. The followingexamples will give you a reasonable chance ofsuccess. The percentages of mixture compo-nents are not sacred. Be flexible when shop-ping because every supplier’s mixture isdifferent. Look for mixtures that approximatethose described below. For lists of specificcultivars, see page 18.

You often can find reasonably good seedmixtures at discount chain stores. Most ofthese stores sell an elite mixture, an all-purpose mixture, one for shady lawns, and aneconomy mixture. Most likely, the economymix is made up predominantly of annualryegrass, which will die out within a year ortwo. The all-purpose mixture often is prettygood, and so is the shady mix. The elitemixture seldom is better than the all-purposemix. The key is to study the label and make adecision based on contents, not the price or thehype. To better understand seed labels, seeFigure 5.

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All seed labels list the pure seed as percentage by weight of the grasses. In Example 1, there is77 percent annual ryegrass and 30 percent perennial ryegrass. Notice that neither is identified by acultivar name, so you have no idea what you are getting. In contrast, Example 2 lists the percentage ofthree named cultivars of perennial ryegrass. In this case, you know exactly which cultivars are in themix. If you want a good lawn, buy grass seed that is identified by cultivar. If you want a quality perennialryegrass lawn, do not buy seed identified as common or Linn.

For each grass in the mix, you will find a germination percentage and a test date indicating when thegermination test was done. Germination rates for most cool-season turfgrasses range from 80 to95 percent. Low germination might indicate a weak cultivar or old, nonviable seed. If grass has not beentested within the past 9 months, the germination percentage might not be accurate. In general, the longerseed is stored, the lower the germination rate.

Other crop indicates the percentage by weight of seeds that are grown as cash crops. They can includeundesirable plants such as orchardgrass, redtop bentgrass, or even clover. In general, look for other croplevels below 0.5 percent to avoid contamination of your new turf with undesirable persistent grasses orbroadleaf crop plants.

Inert matter includes stems, broken seeds, and other nonliving debris.

Weed seed includes all other seed found in the sample that is not considered pure seed or other crop.It includes seed of plants commonly considered to be weeds. Look for weed seed levels below0.3 percent in quality mixes.

Each state has its own list of noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are particularly troublesome weeds andmay be extremely difficult to control. On the grass seed label, they are listed as the number of seeds perpound. The only acceptable level of noxious weeds is zero.

General tips for buying grass seed—Look for grass mixes with named cultivars (Example 2), highgermination percentages, and low weed content. Do not buy grass mixes containing annual ryegrass.Stay away from advertisements that offer the perfect grass that doesn’t require any input. Perfect grassdoes not exist.

Figure 5.—Understanding grass seed labels.

Super Lawn – Speedy Green

Germination Origin77.00% ANNUAL RYEGRASS 85% OR30.00% PERENNIAL RYEGRASS 85% OR0.55% OTHER CROP2.35% INERT MATTER0.10% WEED SEED LOT NUMBER: 13604-7438

TEST DATE: JAN 02

NOXIOUS WEEDS: NONE FOUND

THE GREEN SEED CO.PORTLAND, OR 97218

NET WT. 3 LBS

Super Lawn – Heavy Wear

Germination Origin33.00% Fiesta III perennial ryegrass 85% OR33.00% Palmer III perennial ryegrass 85% OR32.00% Low grow II perennial ryegrass0.30% OTHER CROP1.60% INERT MATTER0.10% WEED SEED LOT NUMBER: 15604-7474

TEST DATE: JAN 02

NOXIOUS WEEDS: NONE FOUND

THE GREEN SEED CO.PORTLAND, OR 97218

NET WT. 3 LBS

Example 1 Example 2

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Some independent nurseries stockimproved grass mixtures. These are easy tospot because all of the grasses are listed byname, and the purity generally is high. Unfor-tunately, not all nurseries sell top-qualitygrasses. Become familiar enough withimproved grasses to know what you aregetting.

West of the Cascades—sunMixture 1

70–80 percent perennial ryegrass20–30 percent fine fescue

Mixtures like this start fast and quicklygive a functional lawn. They tend to be nitro-gen-deficient for the first year or two sincethey initially are dominated by perennialryegrass. By the third year, the fine fescuesbegin to dominate, particularly if you have notfertilized regularly. If the fine fescue isChewing’s fescue, it often takes over com-pletely. Hard fescue and red fescue are lessaggressive. This mix will make a lawn that isrugged, tolerates some shade, initially requiresmedium to high fertility to look good, and iseasy to cut with a power lawnmower set at11⁄2 to 2 inches.

With the exception of hard fescue, allperennial ryegrasses and most fine fescues aresusceptible to red thread disease. This diseasegenerally is worse under low fertility andwhere clippings are removed. Red thread isthe number one complaint about this mixture.While the disease doesn’t kill the grass, it canmake it look bad.

Mixture 225–50 percent perennial ryegrass50–75 percent Kentucky bluegrass

This mix can look good in western Oregonif you select varieties carefully (see Table 1).Initially, it will look like ryegrass, with thebluegrass showing up in the second or thirdyear. In OSU trials, this mix was stable after5 years.

Either of these grasses planted alone tendsto be invaded quickly by other grasses, whichruins the appearance of the lawn. In a mixture,both grasses seem to hold up better.

You can expect to see red thread diseaseon the ryegrass and rust disease on the blue-grass. Both of these diseases cause mostlycosmetic damage in the fall and early winter.Neither kills healthy grass. Necrotic ringspotdisease can be devastating to bluegrass if youplant susceptible cultivars.

To look its best, this lawn needs mediumto high fertility. It thrives on the fertilityprograms of lawn-care companies. This lawnis for sunny sites only. Plan on mowing at11⁄2 to 2 inches and irrigating regularly. Annualdethatching might be necessary.

Mixture 350 percent perennial ryegrass25 percent Kentucky bluegrass25 percent fine fescues

This mixture sounds like the answer toeveryone’s dreams, but the fine fescues don’tblend well with the bluegrass, and stands oftenare patchy. Turf quality generally is poorerthan simpler mixtures with more compatiblegrasses. This mix generally is dominated bythe fine fescues within 3 years after planting.Mixtures like this are common at both nurser-ies and discount stores.

Disease problems and cultural require-ments are similar to those discussed earlier formixtures 1 and 2.

Mixture 475 percent perennial ryegrass or fine fescue25 percent colonial bentgrass

For areas west of the Cascades, thisprobably is the mix that most homeownersshould plant because bentgrass eventuallyinvades and dominates most lawns even if it isnot planted. In nature, this takes several years,and during the transition the lawn looks like ithas the measles. By starting out with

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bentgrass, you will have a more uniform lawnimmediately.

Advantages include a low fertility require-ment and long-term persistence. To look goodin summer, this lawn requires frequent irriga-tion, but its actual water requirement is nodifferent than that of other common grasses.

This mix used to be common, but it is hardto find in the retail trade today. The reasonprobably is that it does not look good whenmowed high with a power lawnmower.

To look its best, this lawn needs to bemowed fairly short (1⁄2 to 1 inch with a pushmower or no more than 11⁄2 inches with apower mower).

This mix generally looks like perennialryegrass or fine fescue the first year, but bythe second or third year it is a bentgrass lawn.

West of the Cascades—shadeMixture 1

70 percent fine fescue30 percent perennial ryegrass

This mix takes advantage of the naturalshade tolerance of fine fescues and the rapidestablishment of perennial ryegrass. It worksquite well, provided the shaded area isn’t wetall the time. If it is, the fescues become riddledwith fungal diseases. The ryegrass is usefulmostly during the establishment period andthen thins out.

This is an easy lawn to maintain withmedium to low fertility, occasional irrigation,and mowing at about 2 inches. The fescues dobetter if the soil is fairly dry and air movementis good.

Mixture 260 percent fine fescues20 percent perennial ryegrass20 percent rough bluegrass

If your site is both wet and shady, or youirrigate frequently, this mix makes a prettygood lawn. The key component is roughbluegrass, also known as Poa trivialis. Thisgrass grows better in shade than any othergrass. It tends to be light green, and it doesn’ttolerate drought well. (It turns reddish-brownunder drought stress.) It also invades anddominates lawns in sunny areas due to itsvigorous growth via stolons (horizontal,spreading shoots).

For attractive turf, mow between 3⁄4 to11⁄2 inches, water regularly, and providemedium to low fertility. Rough bluegrass willnot hold up under traffic (e.g., children).

East of the Cascades—sunMixture 1

75 percent Kentucky bluegrass25 percent fine fescue or perennial ryegrass

This mix makes a good lawn where theturf is mostly in the sun but there are areas oflight shade. Because it is so well adapted, thebluegrass will dominate very quickly, unlessfertility levels are very low. As necroticringspot disease becomes more common, youprobably will see fewer simple mixtures likethis one. Look for varieties of bluegrass thatare more resistant to necrotic ringspot(page 21). To look its best, this lawn needsregular irrigation, medium to high nitrogenfertilization, and regular mowing at 11⁄2 to21⁄2 inches.

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Mixture 250 percent perennial ryegrass25 percent Kentucky bluegrass25 percent fine fescue

This mix establishes rapidly and graduallyreaches equilibrium among the three grasses.Mixtures like this might be less susceptible tonecrotic ringspot disease than straightplantings of Kentucky bluegrass.

Maintenance requirements are similar tothe bluegrass–fescue or bluegrass–ryegrassmixtures discussed above. Ryegrass shredsmore easily than bluegrass when cut with apower or push lawnmower, so keep yourmower blade sharp.

Mixture 3100 percent tall fescue (turf types only)

Expect a deep-rooted, rugged turf from tallfescue. Newer varieties are only slightlycoarser than coarse Kentucky bluegrasses. Youshould be able to wait 5 to 10 days betweenirrigations if you water deeply. Tall fescuetolerates moderate shade as well as full sun, soit’s an adaptable grass. Fertility requirementsare average. Mow at 1 to 21⁄2 inches. Tallfescue is a good choice for hot areas such asLaGrande and Medford and is adapted tomuch of central and eastern Oregon.

East of the Cascades—shadeMixture 1

50–75 percent fine fescue25–50 percent Kentucky bluegrass

By increasing the percentage of finefescue, you are assured of a uniform stand ofgrass in most moderately shady sites. Thebluegrass might prosper if the cultivar isshade-tolerant (e.g., Glade) or if there is onlypartial shade.

If you mow relatively high (2 to21⁄2 inches), keep the fertility in the mediumrange, and irrigate only as needed, you shouldhave reasonably good turf.

SeedingThe basic goal in planting is to spread seed

over the area so grass will germinate uni-formly. The best seeding tool is a dropspreader, preferably one that has been cali-brated to deliver the proper amount. Mosthomeowners don’t have access to a calibratedspreader so they have to guess. That is whymost how-to guides tell you to divide the seedinto two equal quantities and spread half inone direction and the remainder in another.The key is to be sure you cover the entire areaat least once.

For the sake of discussion, let’s assumeyou have a calibrated spreader and you wantto know how much seed to apply. If you planta perennial ryegrass–fine fescue lawn duringan optimum planting period, plant a minimumof 5 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft. For each weeklater than the optimum period in the fall,increase the seed rate by 2 lb per 1,000 sq ft.The fall optimum in the Willamette Valley isAugust 15 to September 15, so if you plant onOctober 1, you should use a minimum of 9 lbof seed per 1,000 sq ft. By October 15, youwill need a minimum of 13 lb per 1,000 sq ft.

After October 15, you are wasting yourtime. In most years, you might get a stand, butchances are it will be weedy and thin, and you

Table 1.—Effective seeding rates

Grass lb seed/1,000 sq ft

Colonial bentgrass 1 to 2Kentucky bluegrass 2 to 4Chewing’s fescue 4 to 8Red fescue 4 to 8Hard fescue 5 to 10Perennial ryegrass 5 to 10Tall fescue 8 to 12Most mixtures 5 to 8

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might have to start over again the next spring.While increasing the seeding rate can helpmake up for poor growing conditions, it cando only so much. This concept applies in allareas of Oregon, but the critical planting datesmight vary slightly depending on local condi-tions. Some typical ranges for seeding ratesare listed in Table 1.

One way to plant the seed is to walk backand forth over the area with a drop spreader(Figure 6). Make sure you overlap the wheelsof the spreader to avoid skips (Figure 7). Ifyou have divided the seed into two equalquantities, go a different direction with thesecond portion of seed. It’s a good idea tomake an extra pass or two where the lawnmeets the sidewalk.

HydroseedingHydroseeding involves mixing seed, a

fiber mulch, fertilizer, and perhaps a tackingagent in a tank of water (Figure 8). Thismixture is sprayed through a large hose andnozzle and applied much like paint over theprepared seedbed. This method generally isperformed by contractors. It is a very effectiveway to apply seed and is useful on hilly sitesprone to erosion and on windy sites whereseed might be blown away. (Sandpines GolfLinks near Florence was seeded from tees togreens via hydroseeding because of windproblems.) It is fast and effective on flat,protected sites as well.

Is hydroseeding better than dry seeding?The answer depends on whom you ask. Sincethe seed is mixed with water, it is well soakedby the time it is applied. The mulch holdsmoisture around the seed, which gives theseed a head start. Hydroseeded areas cangerminate quickly. In the long run, however,there is little difference between dryseeding and hydroseeding if both are takencare of properly during germination andestablishment.

Figure 6.—Apply seed with a drop spreader and goover the entire area twice in opposite directions.

Figure 7.—This new lawn was seeded with a dropspreader, but the operator failed to overlapadequately, resulting in skipped areas.

Figure 8.—Hydroseeding applies seed, fertilizer, andmulch all in one operation.

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Unfortunately, people often assumehydroseeding means they don’t have tobabysit their new planting, so they fail towater carefully, which leads to failure.Hydroseeding is just one more good option forapplying seed. It has advantages in certainsituations, as noted above, but it is not amiracle. It requires intelligent care afterplanting just like dry seeding.

SoddingNationwide, sod is the most popular

method of planting new lawns. In the PacificNorthwest, it is widely used for commercialwork and in many residential areas. It hasn’treplaced seeding as the standard method herebecause it is so easy to establish seeded lawnsin our climate. The big advantage to sod is thatit creates an instant lawn. There is no waitingand fussing over germinating seed.

People often argue the merits of seedversus sod. Practically speaking, it is simply amatter of personal preference. If you wantseed, plant seed. If you want sod, plant sod.

When planting sod, remember to put thesod on a carefully prepared seedbed. Moistenthe soil just prior to laying the soddown to ensure rapid rooting. Placethe green side up, and make sure theedges fit together tightly. Thereshould be no gaps between sodpieces once they are placed on thesoil. The pattern is less importantthan making sure the sod fits tightlyat the seams. For many people, thestaggered pattern common to brickwalls is most appealing, but it reallydoesn’t matter much.

Even though sod is mature grass,most of its roots were removed whenit was cut, so it needs regular water-ing. Soak it well immediately afterplanting and water at least daily for acouple of weeks. Pay attention to

edges near driveways and sidewalks, sincethey are prone to rapid drying.

Fertilizing Apply fertilizer just before or after seed-

ing. If you have two spreaders, one personcan put down seed while the other appliesfertilizer.

For sodded lawns, incorporate fertilizerinto the seedbed prior to final grading or, ifplanting on fertile soils, wait to apply it afterthe sod has put down roots. Sod often isprefertilized, so it might grow well for severalweeks without preplant fertilizer.

For seeded lawns, you can use nearly anyfertilizer that is relatively high in nitrogen (N).Twenty years of class planting projects haverepeatedly yielded three consistent responsesto fertilizer:• Fertilizer has no observable effect on

initial emergence of the grass seed.• Nitrogen, either alone or in combination

with phosphorus or potassium, stimulatesgrowth after emergence and speedsestablishment of the turf.

Figure 9.—A turf area after seed and fertilizer have been applied.Once the mulch is down, begin light, frequent irrigations.

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• Starter fertilizers high in phosphorus offerno advantage over regular turf-gradefertilizers high in nitrogen. Most booksemphasize phosphorus and downplay thevalue of nitrogen. The key to rapid estab-lishment lies in pushing growth after thegrass germinates, which is best accom-plished with nitrogen.

In most situations for seeded lawns, try thefollowing approach. Apply a complete fertil-izer (N-P-K) when you plant at a rate of 1.5 to2 lb nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft. You can use15-15-15 if you like, but regular turf-gradefertilizers high in nitrogen and potassium andlow in phosphorus (e.g., 10-2-6, 21-7-14,24-4-12, etc.) are best. Reapply at the samerate about 4 to 6 weeks after planting tofurther accelerate establishment. These will bethe two most important applications you willever make to your lawn.

Figure 9 shows a turf area after seed andfertilizer have been applied.

Sodded lawns should be fertilized 4 to6 weeks after planting or as soon as color andgrowth begin to decline.

MulchingThe next step in planting a lawn usually is

mulching. Mulch helps keep moisture near theseed during germination. Applied properly andunder the proper conditions, mulch speedsgermination and improves stand uniformity(Figure 10). It is particularly useful on areasexposed to wind and prone to rapid drying. Italso is useful in preventing surface erosion. Itcan even prevent earthworms from movingseed around in the course of their nightlywanderings.

One key when using mulch is to apply itfairly lightly (Figure 11). Make one, or at mosttwo, passes with a mulch roller (Figure 12).You don’t need to bury the seed under 1⁄2 inchof mulch; an 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 inch of mulch generally is

Figure 10.—No mulch (left) and mulch (right). Mulchgenerally ensures a more uniform stand of grass.

Figure 11.—A mulched seedbed. A thin layer ofmulch is better than a thick layer.

Figure 12.—Mulch rollers are available from rentalcompanies.

Mulch No mulch

14

perfect. If you apply mulch too deeply, theseed might not be able to emerge through it.

The type of mulch is relatively unimpor-tant, although finer mulches often work betterthan coarser ones. Fresh sawdust, aged saw-dust, fine fir bark mulch, compost, ground-upgrass straw, and peat moss can work well.

People often worry that mulches might tieup nitrogen in the soil, but when appliedlightly this is not a problem.

Some dark-colored mulches greatlyenhance emergence in late fall. This effectmight be due to the fact that the dark mulchabsorbs sunlight and raises the soiltemperature.

Mulch isn’t always desirable. In latespring, summer, and early fall, mulch cancause surface heating and result in damping-off diseases or what seems to be heat scorch.In some experiments, mulched summerplantings were lost, while unmulchedplantings nearby came up just fine. Summerplantings are tricky because it is hard to keepthem consistently moist without mulch, butmulch may lead to disease or heatscorch that can kill seedlings. Youcan see why it is worth waiting toplant during optimum times.

Mulch has an impact for only ashort period of time. While bigdifferences often are observed 2 to3 weeks after planting, 6 monthslater it is difficult to tell which areaswere mulched and which weren’t.In fact, seed applied to a well-prepared seedbed and then lightlyraked in to ensure good seed–soilcontact often does just as well asseed spread on the surface and thencovered with mulch.

Considering the extra work andcost involved with obtaining andapplying mulch, it might not be asimportant as we often think. The

real issue isn’t the intrinsic value of mulch butrather keeping the seedbed moist enough forrapid and uniform germination. Good seedbedpreparation, followed by light raking andcareful irrigation, will accomplish this goal.Since careful irrigation is not always possible,most people find that mulch is a simpleinsurance policy.

IrrigationThe objective when irrigating a newly

seeded lawn is to keep the seed wet so it canimbibe water and begin the germinationprocess. You can’t do this by giving the areaone thorough soaking. The best way is toirrigate two to four times each day for as longas it takes the surface soil to start to glisten.On heavy-textured soils, this might mean 5 to15 minutes per irrigation. Generally, it takeslonger the first day. By day 2 or 3, the soilglistens shortly after you start to water. If youkeep the soil moist but not water logged, mostgrasses will germinate in 5 to 10 days atoptimal temperatures (Figure 13).

Figure 13.—Normally, you will see green grass 7 to 10 days afterplanting. Perennial ryegrass is faster to germinate than red fescue orKentucky bluegrass.

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During the germination period (about aweek), you need to make sure the site getswater at the right time and in the right amount.Normally, you can’t depend on rain, so beprepared to do some babysitting. Also keep inmind that although the seedbed needs constantmoisture, it makes no sense to drown the area.If the site puddles during irrigation and staysthat way for more than a few minutes, you arewatering too much.

After the grass germinates and greenshoots are visible over most of the area,reduce the number of irrigations per day (forexample from 4 to 2) and by the end of thesecond week to once per day. In the thirdweek, you should be able to irrigate onceevery second or third day depending on theweather. By the fourth week, you often canreduce irrigation to 1 to 2 times per week.From then on, let the lawn tell you when itneeds water, and irrigate accordingly.

Sod should be watered thor-oughly just after planting and thenat least daily for the first couple ofweeks. Avoid overirrigating byrandomly lifting sod corners toobserve soil moisture and rootingprogress. Remember to check adifferent piece each time you look.

MowingMow the new turf as soon as

there is enough grass to cut(Figure 14). Often, if the weather isgood and you have done everythingproperly, the lawn will need mow-ing about 3 weeks after planting.Mow at the height you intend tomaintain the lawn. For perennialryegrass–fine fescue lawns, mow atabout 2 inches. To prevent rutting,

stop irrigation a day or two before mowing tolet the soil surface firm up. Remember, youdidn’t do all that grading just so you couldruin the surface by mowing when the soil istoo wet!

AftercareNow the lawn is up, it has been mowed

once, and it soon will be ready for regularweekly mowing. At this point, many peoplewonder why their new lawn is turning yellow.Remember, it is time to fertilize again. Younglawns are hungry and might need fertilizerevery 4 to 5 weeks the first fall and followingsummer. By the time they are a year old, mostlawns hold color longer after each fertilizerapplication and begin to require less intensivefertilization.

Figure 14.—Four weeks after planting, a perennial ryegrass lawn isdense and has been mowed twice. Plan on mowing as soon as there isenough grass to cut. Mowing stimulates turf thickening.

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Renovating old lawnsRenovation refers to improving existing

lawns by overseeding. Optimal timing forrenovation is the same as for starting a newlawn.

Renovation often involves killing theexisting lawn, dethatching, minor surfacegrading, and reseeding (Figure 15). In general,renovation does not involve rototilling, so it isless disruptive and more convenient in exist-ing landscapes. What you do will depend onthe condition of your lawn and your goals forthe renovated lawn. Here are three commonsituations where homeowners often considerrenovation.

Neglected, weed-infested lawnsYou just bought a house and the former

owners didn’t take care of the lawn. The turf ispatchy, and there are broadleaf weeds every-where. It looks hopeless, and it seems likerenovation is the only answer.

Most lawns like this can be saved withonly modest effort and do not normally requirerenovation. If the basic grass cover isadequate, this type of lawn might improvedramatically just by treating broadleaf weedswith selective weed killers, dethatchingexisting grass, and following up with anapplication of nitrogen fertilizer to stimulategrass growth. Mowing regularly and irrigatingenough to maintain a dense turf usuallycompletes the conversion to a healthy lawn.

Partially dead lawnsIf part of your lawn was smothered by a

stack of roofing or plywood from yourremodel project or the kids or dogs wore outthe turf from too much play, renovation is theeasiest way to get it back in shape. Rent adethatching machine and set it low enough tobreak up and loosen the soil. Go over all of theaffected areas or even the entire lawn until itlooks pretty much like bare soil (Figure 16).

If the soil is severely compacted, rent acore aerifier machine and go over the lawnseveral times after dethatching to open up thesurface and relieve compaction. After coring,go over the lawn one more time with thedethatcher to break up the debris left by thecoring machine. Once you remove unwanteddebris, you are ready to seed.

Apply seed and fertilizer as you would fora new lawn, and mulch the seeded area lightlywith peat moss, sawdust, compost, or othermaterial. Once seeded, treat the lawn just asyou would a newly seeded lawn.

Figure 15.—Renovating involves killing the old turfand dethatching down to bare soil.

Figure 16.—Go over the area as many times asneeded to reach the soil. This will make it easier toget good seed–soil contact for rapid germination.

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Lawns with patches of invading grassesMost of the grasses we plant in new lawns

are dark green. After a few years, you prob-ably will notice lighter green patches ofindigenous grasses invading the lawn. If youdo nothing, the lawn eventually will be takenover by these grasses and will become what isknown as a climax lawn. While there isnothing wrong with climax lawns, manypeople prefer pure stands of perfect grass. Atthis point, they decide to renovate their lawn.

It is almost impossible to successfullyrenovate a lawn with the goal of producing aperfect monoculture of planted grass. The keyis to make sure you kill the existing grassescompletely. This cannot be done by a singlespray of a nonselective herbicide.

To begin, quit mowing the lawn for a fewweeks in the fall. Spray a nonselective herbi-cide and wait to see what level of kill you get.Treat again in early spring and wait for signsof regrowth. About early to mid-May, treatagain and then dethatch and overseed asdescribed previously. Try planting perennialryegrass at about 10 lb of seed per 1,000 sq ft.After mulching and fertilizing, irrigate and

watch the grass start to grow. Generally,within a year, the lawn will look just like it didbefore the renovation.

If this sounds futile, it is! The problem isthat it is almost impossible to kill all grasseswith available herbicides. Even if you could,there always is plenty of seed in the soil togerminate and reinvade the lawn. Herbicidesthat might help in this quest are not readilyavailable to homeowners, and even when useddo not guarantee success.

General thoughts on renovationRenovation is a useful tool for improving

weak lawns or those with damaged areas. Itgenerally does not produce perfect lawns thatare genetically pure.

Just as with planting new lawns, the key isto prepare a good seedbed and make sure thereis good seed-to-soil contact. The easiest wayto do this is by mulching after seeding. Timingfor planting is the same as for new seedings.Grass often is slower to develop on renovatedsites but eventually will produce excellentturf.

A renovated lawn requires regular mainte-nance to protect your investment.

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Perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenneThirty years of breeding and selection work with ryegrasses have produced hundreds of improved

cultivars. All of the grasses in this list are fairly fine textured, medium to dark green, and cut cleanlyeven with a power lawnmower. They can be mowed as low as 3⁄4 inch and perform very well at11⁄2 to 2 inches. All ryegrasses need regular nitrogen fertilizer applications to maintain color anddensity.

All ryegrasses are susceptible to red thread disease, but many are resistant to winter brown blightdisease. In areas where snow cover occurs for extended periods, all ryegrasses will suffer fromsnowmold diseases unless treated with fungicides in fall before snowfall.

In field trials where cultivars are planted side by side, the only visible differences are in color.Turf quality is almost identical for all cultivars.

Acceptable perennial ryegrass cultivars and blends

Accent Delaware Dwarf Nobility RadiantAchiever Dimension Northstar ReboundAffirmed Divine Palmer III Seville IIAlliance* Elf Panther SR 4200All Star II Elfkin Paragon SR 4400Amazing Elite Pearl SR 4500Applaud Exacta Pebble Beach Stallion SelectASP 400 Fiesta III Pennant II Stallion SupremeBrightstar II Gator III PhD* Statesman IICaddieshack Headstart Pinnacle StellarCalypso II Jet Pinnacle II SunshineCatalina Kokomo Pizzazz Top HatCathedral II Laredo Pleasure VividCelebration Low Grow II Precision WizardChampion GQ* Majesty Prelude IIICharismatic Manhattan 4 Premier IIChurchill Manhattan II PrizmCitation III Mardi Gras Pro Tour Blend*Cutter Medalist Gold* PromiseDandy Night Hawk Protocol

*Contains a blend of several cultivars.

Some cultivars of common turfgrasses suited to Oregon

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Fine fescues, Festuca sp.Fine fescues include numerous species, all of which are fine textured and very dense-growing. In

Oregon, Chewing’s fescue produces a tight, dense turf that is very attractive. Hard fescue and strongcreeping fescue produce a slightly coarser turf that also is very attractive.

All have low nitrogen fertilizer requirements and, when planted with other grasses, generallydominate the planting in about 3 years. Fine fescues tolerate mowing between about 1 to 2 or21⁄2 inches.

Historically, fine fescues have been key components of shade mixtures. In western Oregon, theygenerally do not persist in shade due to damage from several winter diseases. In drier parts of thestate, they perform well in shade. Fine fescues probably are best used in shade mixtures in centraland eastern Oregon.

Hard and strong creeping fescue are quite drought-tolerant when stands are young. As stands ageand thatch accumulates, drought tolerance declines significantly because roots grow in thatch and notin the soil.

Strong creepers, slender creepers, and most Chewing’s fescues are susceptible to red threaddisease, while hard fescue generally is highly resistant. The biggest drawback to using fine fescuesfor turf is excess thatch and poor recovery from mechanical dethatching.

Acceptable fine fescue cultivars

Chewing’s fescue Hard fescue Strong creeping Slender creeping

Banner II Aurora Florentine* DawsonBanner III Brigade Flyer II SeabreezeBridgeport Defiant* JasperBrittany* Discovery* Jasper IICulumbra Ecostar* Shademaster II*EcoNordic Osprey*Jamestown II Reliant IISandpiper* Spartan*Shadow SR 3100Shadow II* SR 5000ESR 5100 VernonTiffany*TreazureVictory*Victory II*

*Performed well in National Turfgrass Evaluation Program shade trials.

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Tall fescue, Festuca arundinaceaBreeding work with tall fescue has changed this once coarse, rank grass into a fairly dense,

medium-textured grass with reduced vertical growth. It still is coarse when compared to other com-monly planted turfgrasses, however.

Tall fescue does well with medium levels of nitrogen fertilizer and tolerates mowing between 1 to2 inches. In OSU trials, it looks best when mowed at 11⁄2 inches. Tall fescue does not produce muchthatch.

Tall fescue tends to have poor winter color in western Oregon. It can tolerate a fair amount ofshade but also thrives in hot, sunny locations. During extended drought, it stays green 1 to 2 weekslonger than most other turfgrasses. It is best planted alone and should be planted more widely incentral and eastern Oregon. In irrigated lawns in western Oregon, it tends to be invaded and rapidlyoutcompeted by indigenous grasses. Tall fescue in western Oregon probably is best suited for sitesreceiving little or no irrigation and where turf quality is not important.

Tall fescue gets several diseases in western Oregon, which can cause significant winter thinning.Snowmold can be a problem east of the Cascades where extended snow cover is common.

Acceptable tall fescue cultivars

Airlie Cochise II* Matador* SR 8600*Alamo Coronado Millennium* SunProAnthem II Coronado Gold Mustang II Tar HeelApache II Cortez* Ninja* TomahawkArabia Coyote Olympic Gold TracerArid II Crewcut II Oncue Tracer*Arid III Crossfire II Pixie TulsaArizona Dominion Plantation Tuscany*Axiom Durana Rebel 2000 Twilight IIAztec II Duster Rebel Sentry VelocityBandana Dynasty Red Coat Watchdog*Barlexas II Empress Regiment Wildfire*Barlexas* Equinox Rembrandt Wolfpack*Barrera* Falcon III Reserve* WyattBarrington* Gazelle Scorpio ZanzibarBingo* Houndog 5* ShenandoahBonsai II Jaguar III Shortstop IIBrandy Laramie* Southern ChoiceBravo Lion SR 8210Bulldawg Masterpiece SR 8500

*Starred cultivars were rated in Corvallis. All others are based on ratings in the National TurfgrassEvaluation Program.

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Kentucky bluegrass, Poa pratensisThere are hundreds of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars, and many produce outstanding turf. In

recent years, the spread of necrotic ringspot disease has made disease resistance a factor whenrecommending cultivars. The cultivars listed below seem to have enhanced resistance to necroticringspot disease based on their performance in the National Turfgrass Evaluation Program (NTEP)trials or in other regional trials. In western Oregon, rust and leafspot diseases also can cause signifi-cant turf thinning.

In general, Kentucky bluegrass is best adapted to central and eastern Oregon, but it can be used inwestern Oregon in mixtures with perennial ryegrass. It needs regular nitrogen fertilizer to remaincompetitive. Optimum mowing heights range from 3⁄4 to about 21⁄2 inches.

Kentucky bluegrass’s biggest problem, other than necrotic ringspot disease, is excess thatchproduction. It should be dethatched every year or two, starting the first or second year after planting.In central Oregon where lawns generally are not dethatched, thatch can accumulate to a depth of8 inches. Heavily thatched lawns require significantly more water to stay green than do lawns withlittle thatch.

Apparent necrotic-ringspot-tolerant cultivars*

Abbey Dragon Nustar Total EclipseAllure Eclipse Odyssey Unique***America*** Fortuna Princeton 105 WildwoodApollo*** Haga*** Quantum LeapAward Impact Rugby IIBaronie Jefferson SeabringBrilliant*** Langara*** Showcase Others:**Caliber Liberator Sidekick AdelphiChallenger Midnight Sodnet CynthiaChampagne Moonlight SR 2000 MysticChateau Nuglade SR 2284*** Somerset

*Based on resistance ratings for Necrotic Ringspot disease in 1996–2000 National TurfgrassEvaluation Trial.

**Based on regional field trials.

***May be better suited to western Oregon than other bluegrasses. For more information, consultwww.ntep.org.

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Bentgrasses, Agrostis sp.Bentgrasses rarely are planted in Oregon, but generally dominate old lawns throughout western

Oregon. They are well adapted in western Oregon because they grow well from fall through spring,persist well under low fertility, and produce very dense turf that competes well with other grasses.They are one of the most common contaminants in lawns planted with other grass species, and theyquickly dominate once they invade.

All bentgrasses look best and perform best when mowed short. The optimum mowing height isabout 1⁄2 to 1 inch, with acceptable turf being produced as high as 11⁄2 inches. When mowed at2 inches or above, bentgrass develops false crowns and looks scalped after every mowing from aboutmidsummer on. Bentgrasses produce a light, fluffy thatch that should be removed annually or everyother year in early to late spring.

On mature lawns, the only potentially severe disease is fusarium patch, which occurs in mostwinters. To look green in summer, bentgrass requires regular irrigation. It survives quite well withoutirrigation, but will turn brown and go dormant by the middle of July in most years. Of availablebentgrasses, colonial bentgrass produces higher quality turf than dryland bentgrass, particularly athigher mowing heights.

Some available bentgrass cultivars

Colonial bentgrass Dryland bentgrass

Bardot ExeterSefton HighlandSR 7100 Trust 55TigerTiger II

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To learn moreConserving Water in the Garden and Land-

scape, EC 1531Controlling Moss in Lawns, FS 55Fertilizing Home Lawns, EC 1278Maintaining a Healthy Lawn in Western

Oregon, EC 1521Necrotic Ring Spot on Turf in Oregon,

EC 1462Turfgrass Seeding Recommendations for the

Pacific Northwest, PNW 299

Many OSU Extension Service publica-tions may be viewed or downloaded from theWeb. Visit the online Publications and Videoscatalog at http://eesc.oregonstate.edu.

Copies of our publications and videos alsoare available from OSU Extension and Experi-ment Station Communications. For prices andordering information, visit our online catalogor contact us by fax (541-737-0817), e-mail(puborders@oregonstate.edu), or phone(541-737-2513).

Produced and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a cooperative programof Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties.Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials—without discrimination based onrace, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteranstatus. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer.Published March 2002. Reprinted April 2004.

© 2002 Oregon State University.

1. Plant during the optimum time of theyear.• August 15 to September 15 for

much of Oregon• Early May to mid-June as a second

choice

2. Till and rough-grade existing soil.• Use existing soil when feasible.• Till in lime or other amendments if

needed.• Add imported soil at this time,

spread as a layer.

3. Finish grade via raking and rolling.Be sure to produce a uniformly firmprofile with a firm surface.

4. Apply preplant fertilizer highin nitrogen.

5. Apply seed with a drop seederand lightly rake it in.

6. Apply mulch with a wirebasket mulch roller—no morethan 1⁄4 inch deep.

Easy step-by-step lawn establishment from seed

7. Irrigate thoroughly at first and then withlight repeat applications.

• Keep the seedbed moist but notsaturated for 1 to 2 weeks.

• Reduce irrigation frequency aftergermination.

8. Mow as soon as there is grass to cut(often about 3 weeks after planting).

9. Fertilize with nitrogen-based fertilizerabout 4 to 6 weeks after planting.Repeat as needed to stimulate rapid fillin.

10. Sit back and enjoy your new lawn!