I wanna make my backyard with grass, currently there are only hard earth on the field, on of the options is buy some blocks of grass, to fill the field but I don't know if a I need cover all the area of the field or can I seperate the block and with the time the grass will be covered all the area.
Thanks
You need to prepare the soil with manure or other compost, rototilled in.
Then you need to plant the sod (rolled of grass) next to each other. Do not leave gaps.
ccarranza, middle of summer is usually the worst time to plant grass. Best to wait till autumn when there's more rain and clouds. If the sod is only available now make sure you water the grass every day for at least two weeks. Then you can plant grass seed in the autumn by mixing 50/50 seed and soil and tossing it onto the bare areas.
Nancy Groutsis
I'd say throw your dollars onto the ground, save the worry of watching nice turf /grass dying before your eyes,
Please take note of DoGooders advice / suggestion, and wait till Autumn for making a new lawn, or very early spring before the temps rise up.
This is NOT the right time for planting, especially a large Lawn,the amount of water this new lawn would require due to the hot temp and maybe even the high humidity, would be be a huge problem, and thats the first 2 major worries at this time of year being high summer temps.
What you can do right now is spend time preparing the lawn area, like break up the soil and add as much humus / horse manure / compost as you can get, use a machine to till the soil and remove as many weed roots as you can find, especially any perennial weed roots.
After you till the soil and have added all the humus, get a bunch of friends to trample all the bare soil down to get air pockets out of the soil, next use a rake and a long board, 2x2x6 inch, as you rake, use the board and lay it along the new raked soil, (board on it's side and 2 people holding it)
Look for any high or dips in the raked soil and remove any high areas and fill in any dips, you do this all over the new lawn area. You are only raking the top inch or so of soil, dont rake way deep, you need a firn bed of soil to allow the roots of the lawn to bed into firm soil.
Before the turf /sod or sewing of seed, you rake again to loosen the top soil only, scatter a feed to the recomended dose, all over the area as you rake, water the night before the turf arrives AND again the morning the green turf is due,
Make sure you have help as it's hard work, lay the turf as directed like laying bricks, never all joints beside each other, but the turf up against the one before and NO spaces between, dont try cut the turf at the edges to form curves or circle etc, this gets done after the lawn is down and you want the shape done them.
Use boards to walk on as you lay the turf or you will cause the turf to move and open the joints, the boards help you spread out your weight.
IF the lawn area is so big you dont get it laid in one day, make sure you allow water to be sprayed onto the rolled turf or UNROLL the turf and water, leave aside till next day BUT get to work on the remaining turf as early as you can before the soil dries, re-water all the new laid turf AND bare soil.
DONT be tempted to use lawn feed on your new lawn after it's laid for at least a few months, the feeds will burn the furf as the roots have NOT had time to get hold of the under soil you prepared.
Hope this helps you out and you can wait for end of summer cooler weather.
Best regards. WeeNel.
Hermosillo, Mexico gets most of its rain in the hottest summer months. The temperatures cool off in the fall, but there is not much rain then.
I would not plant in the heat of the summer unless you are sure you can keep it moist, and even then it is a risk. The grass plants expend so much energy fighting the heat there is little energy left over for growing.
Best to start it in the fall, even if you do have to irrigate it.
Also WHAT kind of grass? Do not break up the grass mats and do prepare where you will lay them by spreading a loose soil over the bare earth. If a new home, that soil may have shallow rocks or clay that will prevent the grasses roots from growing. Rake the dirt smooth and level before spreading the mats like a carpet. Some grass thrives with heat and sun- some just dies. So the grass you choose for the area matters when it is sodded in, or even broadcast sown, tho the mats are very easy to work with and give you a headstart on success.
Do not add more soil on top of the soil you already have.
Add soil conditioner (compost, manure, or similar materials) to improve the soil you have.
When you lay more soil on top of existing soil you are creating a layer that roots and water can have a hard time getting through.
When you improve the soil you have the plants can grow much deeper roots.
You should apply weed fabric like this before laying the grass. http://www.qvsshop.co.uk/weed-control-fabric-63-c.asp It drastically reduces weeds, works great in my garden! You will need some compost on top of course before laying the turf.
The soil treatment as Diana says will be great for the grass too. The early stages of development are the most important!
Well, not JUST compost on top. If you must add weed mat (and I do not suggest it) then add a soil and compost blend that matches the soil under it.
Creating layers like this makes it hard for the weeds to grow, true. But it also makes it hard for the grass to grow roots deeper into the soil under the weed mat. This is how weed mat works: by limiting the root growth through the mat the weeds are easier to pull up. But you do not want to limit the growth of the grass roots. You want them to grow as deep as possible.
Yes Diana, you are right. Sorry soil and compost. My post was a bit rushed and I should have gone into more detail.
Maybe you can try artificial grass which is very easy to install and maintain, also, it needs few care like watering, fertilizer, etc., just have a look at the following image,
Know more about artificial grass turf, just refer to http://www.sunwinggrass.com/products.html
