Can You Plant A Garden Without Tilling
The beauty of the no-till gardening method is that unlike tilling, dormant weed seeds are covered deeper and deeper as you continue to add a new layer or two of organic matter every year. … One of the best benefits of no-till soil is the sponginess that is created over time for plant roots to grow and thrive.
Where To Purchase Sod
You can purchase sod at home improvement stores or from a landscaping company. Its worth the effort to do your research on prices. For major home improvement stores, you can browse their website to analyze their prices. Call local landscapers and ask them what the price of sod would be. You should have the measurements of your area on hand when you call.
After determining the type of grass you desire and what the best price for the sod would be, place your order. Some companies can even customize the shape in which the sod is made.
The Best Grass Seed To Use
Choosing the best grass seed will depend on your location, how much sunlight the lawn receives, and whether it needs to be durable enough to withstand backyard soccer games.
Identifying what grass currently grows in your lawn will give you a great indicator of what likes to grow there, says Hedges Gower. Choosing the same variety makes success far easier in the long run.
Grasses are broadly made up of cool-season and warm-season varieties which type you choose will depend on your local climate.
Cool-season grasses include fescue, ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass and bentgrass, which grow better in cooler climates. Bentgrass and fescue are widely used in seed mixes, while ryegrass is particularly tough so a good choice for families.
Also known as Southern grasses, warm-season grasses include Bermuda grass, zoysia grass, St. Augustine grass and centipede grass. They thrive in areas with hotter summers and milder winters.
Bermuda and zoysia grasses are widely used throughout the south, while centipede grass is a good low-maintenance choice. St. Augustine is more shade tolerant than other warm-season grasses.
Many lawns are made up of a seed mix, rather than a single variety. Seed mixtures are generally a blend of species to suit most lawns and guarantee a better strike rate, says Hedges Gower.
However, be aware that seeding ryegrass, for example, into a traditional lawn mixture will stand out like a sore thumb, and vice-versa.
Also Check: How To Protect Lawn From Heavy Equipment
Does Tilling Kill Weeds
Tilling can kill existing weeds as it breaks up and turns over the soil so that the weeds become buried. But turning the soil also brings up dormant weed seeds that can then take over your lawn. If youre going to till, take 4 to 6 weeks to solarize the soil to kill the emerging weeds before seeding your lawn. This will reduce your weed pressure overall. And if youre only tilling to kill the weeds, then try soil solarization instead.
How To Prepare Lawn For Seeding
Good preparation is the most important aspect of learning how to plant grass seed. Luckily, getting it right is easy.
To prepare your soil before planting grass seed, simply till and loosen the soil to create the best growing conditions you dont need to put down topsoil, says Jeremy Yamaguchi, CEO of Lawn Love .
To till the soil, Hedges Gower recommends using a fork to lightly dig it over to a depth of about 2-3 inches. This will allow new seedlings to take root, he says.
Remove any rocks and weeds as you go, but dont apply weed killer as this will hinder growth.
‘If possible, leave the seed bed for a few weeks and then get rid of any weeds and rake in some lawn feed before sowing,’ says the experts at Johnsons Lawn Seed .
If you are applying seed to cover patches in a large lawn, it’s a good idea to use an aerator to punch holes into the ground and pull up small plugs of turf and soil.
‘Doing this has two benefits. The first is that some seed will fall into the holes and improve germination. The second is that aerating the soil reduces soil compaction and improves water infiltration, says Landscape Tutor Brian Walker. You can .
To give your grass seed a helping hand, it’s important to feed it. Depending on the product, you can apply pre-seeding fertilizer at the preparation stage, or you can wait until after you have sown the seed to use starter fertilizer.
Rake the soil level before planting the grass seed.
Also Check: How Do I Test My Lawn Soil
What Does A Tiller Do And Should I Till My Lawn
In Lawn & Garden by JamieJuly 24, 2021
Youre planning a major DIY lawn renovation , but researching on the internet, you keep seeing people telling you that you must till the soil before seeding. What exactly is tilling? And should you till your lawn before seeding or is this just another internet myth?
A rototiller uses metal blades called tines to break up and loosen soil. Its most often used in farming or gardening but is sometimes used in lawn renovations to break up heavy clay or rocky soil for replacement.
Can I Plant Grass Seed After Tilling
It is not recommended that you plant immediately after tilling. You should wait until it stops forming large clumps and is a bit dry before planting. Also, if the soil contains a significant amount of weeds, wait a while before planting. This way, you can be sure the weeds are dead before sowing seeds or planting.
You May Like: How To Get My Lawn Green
Preparing Your Lawn For Sod
The first step in preparing your lawn for sod is to perform a soil test. Knowing your soils pH level, nutrient content, and moisture content are extremely important.
These results will help you not only pick out which grass is right for your lawn, but it will tell you how to amend the soil in anticipation of sod installation.
While you wait for the results of your soil test, you need to measure the area to be sodded. If your lawn is in an irregular shape, expand out your parameters until you reach a rectangular or square shape. Its better to have too much sod than not enough.
How Do You Fix A Bumpy Lawn
The best way to help prevent lumps and bumps in your lawn is to keep it thick and healthy. Aerate regularly to loosen soil and allow more moisture and oxygen to reach the roots. Overseed to thicken lawns. Fertilize regularly using a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, such as Milorganite, to keep your grass lush and green.
Recommended Reading: Where Can I Get My Lawn Soil Tested
How To Tear Up A Lawn And Reseed It
Now that it is clear to you that you should regularly rototill your land, we should also make it clear that good results are only after a correctly performed task.
In other words, if you rototill your land mediocrely without paying much attention, then regrets will surely befall you. Did you visit us to scare you?
Not at all!
On the contrary, we aim to ensure you rototill your lawn effectively. Without further ado, lets get it done!
- Take Preparation
Before you get into action, you need to wear protective gear. The safety gear consists of eye protection to prevent the debris and soil particles from getting into your eyes.
Also, you should have protective shoes to prevent your legs from sharp blades.
- Prepare The Lawn And Choose The Route
Ideally, you should identify the longest route in your garden to cover more area, which helps minimize the amount of time spent.
Also, the rototillers blades are very sharp to cut through debris and rocks, which may blunt it. Thus, it would be best to collect all the debris and large stones lying on the ground.
- Check The Moisture
When using a rototiller on dry ground, it causes it to clamp. Likewise, the machine will get muddy if the soil is too wet, significantly decreasing its efficiency.
Thus, the ground should be moderately moisturized, making it easier for the blades to cut through and have more effortless wheel rotations on the lawn.
- Distribute Mulch And Fertilizer
- Get The Rototiller Ready
- Rototill The Land
Seed The Lawn Or Install Sod
After rototilling the lawn, take a few minutes to go over the surface with a rake. Make sure you havent missed anything and that the surface is smooth and free of debris.
Allow the worksite to rest for a week or more. Once this span of time has passed, check the ground to confirm that no additional growth has appeared. If weeds have grown, re-till the area.
After confirming that your tilling efforts were successful, you can complete the final step. Install fresh sod or seed the lawn to give new life to the ground.
Whether you need to re-sod a large lawn or re-seed a small garden, a rototiller can tackle the task. Contact Big Rentz at 325-5172 to rent a rototiller and get the job done today.
Don’t Miss: How To Use Lime On Lawn
Pros Of Tilling Before Sod
The benefits of tilling before you lay a new sod lawn are enough to convince many to include this step when laying new sod in their lawn. The top reasons for tilling are:
- Loosens soil, allowing sod to take root quickly.
- Creates opportunity to mix grass-boosting soil amendments into topsoil.
- Tilled soil can be raked to change the slope of the yard.
- Especially beneficial for compacted or clay soils.
If you have a yard thats in need of fertilizer or the soil pH needs to be balanced with lime, tilling these amendments into the ground provides a big benefit. Additionally, loose soil encourages sod to develop deep roots that make for a healthy, drought-resistant yard.
Digging Up Live Lawn Method
If you decide to dig up your lawn without killing it first, you will need specific power equipment, and a plan for where youll dispose of your old sod.
You should have a tiller, preferably a rear-tine, heavy duty type rototiller. Look into renting equipment thats a bit on the heavier side, and I highly recommend that you rent a sod cutter. This tool will be able to cut beneath the turf and cut your old lawn sod into strips. This is a necessary part of the process and will make the whole process go faster.
Removing the Old Lawn Turf
After taking a pass with the sod cutter, roll the strips up and dispose of them.
I like to use old sod to fill the bottom of my raised garden beds. I turn them upside down so the grass dies, and then cover them with a 50/50 blend of compost and loam from my local nursery.
If you arent adding a garden to your property, see if someone in your neighborhood could use the old sod, or find a brush dump or composting facility nearby.
If you dont rent a sod cutter, you can use a sharp, flat shovel to remove the grass manually.
I dont recommend this method for large lawns. It is a very difficult process and is really only practicable for a small area of lawn.
Replacing the Topsoil Youve Removed
When you remove all the sod, youre also removing organic material.
This must be replaced.
Failing to do so will result in a weak lawn that struggles to grow and which could be even worse than it was before.
Planting Your Grass Seed
Also Check: Does Lowes Sell Toro Lawn Mowers
Why Are Some Gardeners Against Rototilling Before Seeding A Lawn
There is a counter view held by some gardeners and lawn contractors that rototilling before seeding a lawn can harm the eventually finished lawn.
The main arguments tend to focus on the fact that tilling can produce uneven lawns, that the process encourages the propagation of weeds and that the soil ecosystem is degraded. There is some logic to these arguments and we will look at each one in detail.
Grading Soil After Rototilling
The procedure would be different if the ground you were seeding had a slope, particularly if the ground sloped toward buildings. In this case, you would look to grade the ground when tilling adjusting the depth of the tilling blades according to the slope.
In general, grade refers to the ground level or elevation at any particular position. In terms of ground preparation for seeding a lawn, it is the act of adjusting the slope of your yard so that rainfall and other water runoff drains away from your homes foundation, rather than toward it.
Rototillers can help make grading on gentle slopes less arduous by moving the tilled soil from the top of a slope to the bottom. You would till at a deeper depth on the top half of the slope and adjust the blades to a shallower depth on the lower part of the slope. You would then rake some of the soil from the top of the slope to level up the ground, and create a roughly even tilled depth. Once done this should ensure water runs off, away from buildings.
If there are steep slopes the process is going to be different. You read here more about leveling up your yard.
Also Check: How To Kill Morning Glory In Lawn
Is Tilling Bad For Soil
The effect of tillage on soil However, tillage has all along been contributing negatively to soil quality. Since tillage fractures the soil, it disrupts soil structure, accelerating surface runoff and soil erosion. Tillage also reduces crop residue, which help cushion the force of pounding raindrops.
What Approach Do I Recommend When Killing A Lawn And Starting Over
For me, renting a sod cutter and removing your old turf is the best way to go, and its the approach I recommend.
I dont like spraying herbicides on my lawn. I worry about run-off, my kids, my dog, and the rest of my neighborhood, so I avoid that whenever possible.
Theres also a lot of waiting around for the lawn to die.
Solarizing is a much more natural approach, but it still requires a lot of waiting and a lot of plastic all over your yard. Not ideal.
While using a sod cutter and removing your turf is labor intensive and expensive , you can get a new lawn established within 2 weeks from seed, and in a long weekend if youre getting a sod delivery.
Anything worth having is worth working for, and a fabulous lawn is one of those things.
Youll appreciate your lawn more if you broke a sweat earning it.
You May Like: How To Cure Fungus In Lawns
Can You Walk On Grass Seed
Avoid walking on a newly seeded lawn and any new grass that is under 3 inches tall. Wait until the new grass is over 3 inches tall before mowing, to prevent uprooting or killing young grass. Once the grass has been mowed at least 3 times, it is established enough to be walked on regularly without causing harm.
Should I Add Peat Moss To Potting Mix
Peat moss is a valuable addition to potting soil because it can absorb and hold as much as 20 times its weight in water. Although it contains few nutrients, it absorbs and holds the nutrients that are dissolved in the water.
Can you mix peat moss with top soil?
Rake or rototill 1 inch of peat moss for every 4 inches of topsoil in your garden. The topsoil and peat moss mix should make up the top 6 to 12 inches of your soil.
Read Also: How To Name Your Lawn Care Business
How Do I Level My Yard Without Killing The Grass
How to Level Your Yard Without Killing the Grass
Do You Use Peat Moss When Planting Grass
Should you use peat moss when planting grass? Peat moss is organic matter that improves the germination rate of grass seed when you incorporate it into your soil. The structure of peat moss adds aeration to the soil, allowing good airflow for seed germination. Spread peat moss on top of the soil bed at about 2 inches deep.
What kind of moss is used for grass seed?
Many people have never really given much thought about peat moss, how its made, or where it comes from. Most people are familiar with peat moss and its use in establishing grass seed.
You May Like: Does Home Depot Rent Out Lawn Mowers
Cutting Grass Into Sod
