The very best time of the year to make a new lawn is 
early in the fall because of ample rainfall, continued cool 
weather and the winter killing of many weeds. The sec- 
ond best season is very early spring (March and April) 
because there is sufficient rainfall and cool weather to 
start the young grass quickly. Spring seeding however 
must compete with weed seeds in the soil and is some- 
times d2maged by hot dry weather before it is thorough- 
ly established. 
Preparing the Soil 
Preparation of the soil is the most important part of 
lawn making and should have the most careful attention 
because no amount of effort spent after a lawn is made 
can equal the results of thorough tillage before the seed 
is sown. 
A successful lawn requires at least 2 to 4 inches of 
good quality top soil possessing the organic matter and 
plant foods necessary for sturdy growth of the grasses. 
However six inches or more of thoroughly prepared 
finely pulverized and fertilized top soil would be ideal. 
If existing top soil is of fair quality and at least 2 to 
4 inches deep it should not be necessary to spread addi- 
tional top soil. It is essential though to apply a good 
lawn fertilizer which is high in phosphate (such as bone 
meal or the chemical lawn foods) at the rate of 2 to 4 
Ibs. per 100 sq. ft. In addition to this an application of 
a one inch layer of humus or a two inch layer of well 
rotted manure (it must be very well rotted to be weed 
free) is necessary to supply sufficient organic matter. 
After spreading the plant food and humus materials 
evenly, they must then be spaded into and mixed with 
the top soil to a depth of about six inches depending on 
the quality of the sub-soil and the depth of the top soil. 
When this newly processed top soil is completely broken 
up and thoroughly mixed it should be raked and rolled 
in both directions until there are no uneven places. A 
good seed bed has now been prepared and is ready for 
seeding. 
Sowing the Seed 
Sow at the rate of 1 lb. to 200 sq. ft. broadcasting half 
of the seed in one direction and the other half at right 
angles. If the soil is dry the surface may be raked very 
lightly covering seed not over 14 in. and being extremely 
careful to avoid “bunching” the seed. Rolling is desir- 
able but only practical if the soil is sufficiently dry so 
that the seed does not stick to the roller. Many success- 
ful lawns are made without raking or rolling in the 
seed by depending upon the rain or watering to pack 
the soil firmly about the seeds. If watering is once 
begun however the soil must be kept damp continuously 
or the seed may sprout and die off before it has rooted. 
Clipping should begin when the grass is about 3 inches 
high but should not be cut closer than 2 inches. 
Re-Seeding Old Lawns 
Thin turf or lawns with bare spots can be rebuilt by 
raking lightly so that the existing grass is not damaged 
and then seeding as though making a new lawn. An- 
other satisfactory method is to mix seed with top soil 
or sOw the seed and then cover lightly with top soil. In 
either case the top soil should be free from weed seeds. 
If the seed is sown early in March it can be broadcast 
without raking or rolling because the ground is “open” 
and the late wet snows will carry it in. 
Fertilizing 
Timely and ample applications of fertilizers have 
double advantages. Very early feeding whether Spring 
or Fall forces growth of the grass during its most nat- 
ural growing seasons, thereby he’ping it to crowd out 
crab-grass and more easily survive hot dry summer 
weather. A strong healthy turf also stands the rigors of 
winter so much better. Fertilizer materials are most 
accurately and easily applied by using a fertilizer 
spreader. Most materials should be applied when the 
grass is dry at the rate of 2 to 4 lbs. per 100 sq. ft. then 
watered in. Lawns that are thoroughly estabilshed and 
are thriving should be fertilized once every two years 
but average lawns require at least one feeding a year. 
Rolling 
During the winter alternate freezing and thawing 
have played “‘tug-o-war’”’ with the little grass plants in 
your Jawn, heaving them out of the ground so that they 
are only partly rooted. It is therefore extremely neces- 
sary to roll your lawn after the frost is out of the ground 
and while it is still wet but not soggy. This smooths out 
uneven places caused by the frost and puts the grass 
roots back where they can quickly begin producing a 
luxuriant lawn. 
Weed Control 
One of the best weed controls is a good heavy turf, 
well fertilized very early, cut not shorter than 2 inches 
and kept seeded to grass so there will be practicaly no 
space for weeds to grow. Crab-grass which is perhaps 
the most difficult weed to combat should be killed by 
chemicals during June or July. Other chemicals such as 
2-4-D are available for clearing lawns of dandelions, 
Soil pH 
For most Maryland lawns the pH values (acidity or 
alkalinity) should be between 6.0 and 7.5, that is rang- 
ing between slightly acid to slightly alkaline, 7 being 
neutral. The grasses which thrive best in this climate 
succeed best in this pH range. If the soil is strongly 
acid (pH 4.5 to 5.0) an application of 10 lbs. of ground 
limestone per 100 sq. ft will reduce the acidity to 
approximately pH 6. Lime should not be used on lawns 
unless an actual soil test indicates excessive acidity. 
Moss 
The presence of moss is often considered an inidica- 
tion of acid soil, but it is more often the result of low 
fertility. During March apply nitrate of soda (1 lb. per 
100 sq. ft.) This will kill the moss but not injure the 
grass. In about two weeks the dead moss may be raked 
from the lawn and if there are bare spots they should 
be reseeded at once. 
