Planting a lawn in October in LA area?

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Skeetdad Temple City, CA Oct 21, 2013

Here it is, Oct. 21st in So Cal. Is it too late to lay grass seed & topsoil? If yes, should I wait till March-April. If no, suggestions on appropriate grass seed?

Thanks...I'm a newbie. Good intentions, but no skill or knowledge!

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Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Oct 21, 2013

Best time is to do this now!

Give the lawn most of the milder weather, all winter, to get its roots in the ground to better withstand next summer's heat.

1) Level the existing soil, removing weeds, debris... Make sure this is a couple of inches lower than you want the finished lawn.
2) Install header. This could be wood, cement, bricks... almost anything that will define the area and keep the majority of the grass roots out of nearby planter areas.
3) Install sprinklers. Do it right, or hire a pro.
4) Rototill lots of organic matter into the existing soil. Do not bring in more soil. Most gardens have plenty of soil. It just needs to be improved. If you can put 2" of soil conditioner on top of your soil and rototill it with 4" of your soil you will end up with a blend of 1/3 compost and 2/3 original soil.
5) Re-level the area. For sod, about 3/4" of soil comes with it, for seed, make the level where you want it. A 2 x 4 dragged across the area can show you high spots and low spots. A lawn roller (rent one) can help to compact the soil so it will not further sink when you water it.
6) Scatter the seeds. Most areas are using a dwarf type of tall fescue for lawns. The original tall fescue lawn was very coarse. Quite durable as a sport field, but not so nice looking close up. The newer, dwarf types are almost as durable, and nice looking. Low water, too.
7) Spread a THIN layer of compost over the seed. Just enough to hide it from the birds. Roll it again to compact the compost and seed against the soil.
8) Keep the area moist while the seeds sprout. As they grow bigger, and more sprout you will start watering less often, but for longer.

If weeds grow, lay a board across the young grass plants to spread out your weight and hand pull, very carefully.

The goal with watering is to get the plants' roots as deep into the soil as you can. While the first week or so might be more of a light sprinkle, quite often, you will need to water much deeper and less often as the plants grow. Many grass plants are able to grow their roots a couple of feet deep if the water is down there. This really improves the drought tolerance of the grass.
Drier lawn also reduces fungi and insect damage.

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Skeetdad Temple City, CA Oct 21, 2013

Great! Thanks for the very thoughtful reply...I appreciate it!


Post #9691714
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