I've been digging over our back garden in order to put it all down to
lawn.

I'm nearly finished and will seed it soon - are there any soil
preperation tips you guys can pass on? And need for specific
fertilisers before/after seeding which will help me get a nice green
lawn?

I understand that the best time to plant grass seed is Autumn - will I
be OK with seeding it late spring - shoudl I water the ground often to
promote growth?

And advice greatfully recieved.
--
Stoneskin

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"Stoneskin" wrote in message
t...
I've been digging over our back garden in order to put it all down to
lawn.

I'm nearly finished and will seed it soon - are there any soil
preperation tips you guys can pass on? And need for specific
fertilisers before/after seeding which will help me get a nice green
lawn?

I understand that the best time to plant grass seed is Autumn - will I
be OK with seeding it late spring - shoudl I water the ground often to
promote growth?

When the best time to seed is depends on if you are planting a warm season
grass or a cool season grass. Warm season grasses do best when planted in
the spring and cool season grasses do best when planted in the fall.

Soil preparation is the same for both types. First you'll want to have a
soil test done to see what amendments are necessary for your lawn. Next
you'll want to use a round-up like product (non-selective broad spectrum
herbicide) on the area to kill all weeds and grass. It's best to wait a
couple of weeks after application, then apply the herbicide again to pick up
what was missed the first time around. If your soil is clay, you'll want to
till in some organic material (peet, manure, compost, mulch, or leaves). If
you won't be seeding until the fall, it would be good to till in some
organic material now and then again in the fall before seeding. Fertilizer
and Lime (if required by the soil test) can be tilled in before seeding.
After tilling, you'll need to roll the soil smooth with a water-filled
landscape roller. Seed or Sod can then be applied by whatever method you
have chosen. You shouldn't need to fertilize again until the lawn has been
well established.