[Instrumental guitar music]
So what you see around us here is an area that had been in an existing lawn
and this area is being prepared by spraying out the existing lawn with an
herbicide and then mowing it quite low.
>>Then what do we do?
>>So once the lawn is ready, and it's been mowed quite low, the next step is going
to be actually applying the seed.
>>How do we do that? What do you recommend?
>>So the first thing to note is that each of these bags covers 1000 square feet.
In the case of this property, there are four thousand square feet of turf and so
we will be using four of these bags to cover the entire area with an
appropriate amount of seed.
>>What are we going to use to spread our seed?
>>You can use a standard fertilizer spreader, like the one I have here
and once the seed is in the hopper, you'll go over this area
in two directions. North, south, east, west, a cross
hatch pattern, so that you have overlap as you spread the seed.
>>Well that sounds easy enough.
[bag opening, dirt falling]
[sounds of seeds spreading]
So, one thing that's really important is to know how much area you're covering.
And since each of these bags cover 1000 square feet, apply one bag at a time,
measure out a 1000 square foot area, apply one bag, and then move on
to the next.
>>Oh, that's a good idea.
>>So, one thing you might want to consider is you may have edges, like you see here,
that you wanna go over and seed with, by hand to get full coverage.
>>Okay. And so, just like, grab the seed and-
>>Yeah, we're cool!
>>Alrighty! That's what I'll do.
>>And just sprinkle that evenly around the edge there.
[sounds of seeds hitting the ground]
[music]
>>So, Kelly, we've put out seed down, what's our next step?
>>So, the next step is going to be applying a very light irrigation to
moisten the seed bed because that's going to help this seed germinate.
>>Cool! So Kelly, how much time should we irrigate our new seed?
>>That's a good question. So, right now, when we're trying to get
germination, we really only need to keep the very surface of the soil moist.
And so, with rotary sprinklers, like we here, about five minutes, twice per day.
>>Okay.
>>If you have more standard overhead spray type sprinklers...
>>Right.
>>...no more than two minutes, about twice a day.
>>Cause they put out a lot more water, don't they?
>>They definitely put out a lot more water.
And, again, we're only trying to keep the surface of the soil moist.
>>So if I understand it correctly, we only water twice a day for only five minutes
with our rotor spray heads, but if we had pop up sprays, we only water for
two minutes, twice a day.
>>That's correct.
>>Excellent!
[music]
Kelly, is there anything else we should do now that we've seeded and watered
our seed?
>>So there's something you can do, it's not a requirement, but if you have the option,
using a mulch spreader, like you see here, can be run across the area that
we've seeded and the idea is that that mulch is going to keep that moisture in
the seed bed.
It's going to take most advantage of the irrigation that's been applied.
>>And we apply the mulch after we water?
>>Mmhm.
Could be either way actually. Could be before or after.
But, again, it's an option. Do it if you're able, but it's not a
requirement.
>>Okay, good to know.
[mulching]
So, Kelly, I also understand that if we decide to mulch, it's a good idea to water
it after we mulch, so that we keep the mulch in place and it doesn't flow away.
>>Definitely. And also, just adding a little bit more moisture to that seed bed.
>>Excellent. Good.
So, just so folks know, you don't have to buy this equipment.
We rented it. And you can rent it at most any dealership
that rents landscape or yard equipment.
[music]
So, Kelly, we've seeded, watered, and mulched, and we know that we only need to
water twice a day for either two or five minutes, depending on our
sprinkler system, but how many days do we water it now?
>>That's a really good question. And it has to do with how long
these particular species take to germinate.
And in the case of the species we're utilizing here, that can be anywhere
between two and four weeks. So my recommendation would be to maintain
that establishment level of watering for three to four weeks.
At which point, you're going to start to see small grass seedlings germinate.
>>Oh, that's exciting!
>>It is. It is. And you'll know you've succeeded at
that point.
And, the other thing to keep in mind, is that once those seedlings get to be
about two and half, three inches tall, you can start to mow.
>>Oh wow.
>>And mowing will actually encourage establishment and spreading of the grass.
>>Now, once this grass is established, how often should we mow do you think?
>>To maintain your appropriate height, which again is going to be around
two and a half, three inches, we always recommend a higher mowing height to
encourage deeper rooting.
>>Excellent. Well, we'll do that very thing.
[Instrumetnal guitar music]