Best Biennial Plant to Grow

Best Biennial Plant to Grow

Hollyhock

Common hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is a stalk-flowering plant known for its height and attractive flowers. It regularly reaches head height or beyond – from 5 to 8 ft tall. The presence of Common hollyhock in a garden can also attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Black-eyed susan

The Black-eyed susan is a flowering black and yellow plant with curving leaves. It is culturally important in the Southern U.S., and is often used to attract butterflies to gardens. It long ago spread throughout North America and much of the world. Black-eyed susan is the state flower of Maryland and was important in the history of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Evening-primrose

Common evening-primrose is an herbaceous perennial plant recognized by its yellow flowers which open in the evening and close again at sunrise. It is often cultivated as a decorative plant, especially in drought-prone areas. Native Americans cooked Common evening-primrose roots as a food source but it’s said that consumption of this plant could cause headaches and diarrhoea.

Common foxglove

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a herbaceous flowering plant naturally found in forests, heaths, and mountain grasslands. Common foxglove produces clusters of purple to white tubular flowers, with numerous dark spots on the inner surface. They are very attractive and commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes.

Common mallow

The Common mallow is an ornamental plant with a large variety of cultivars. It has historically also been used to create a yellow dye. Common mallow seeds are shaped roughly like cheese wheels, leading the seeds (and sometimes the plant itself) being called “cheeses.”

Rose campion

The Rose campion is an important ornamental plant and has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It natives to Asia and Europe and now is widely cultivated. The Latin Silene coronaria stands for used for garlands and is sometimes referred to as Lychnis coronaria in the United Kingdom.

Red clover

Red clover is widely cultivated as a fodder plant and green manure because its roots can fix nitrogen and increase the fertility of the soil. The cultivated Red clover is inevitably escaped and is now naturalized globally including the United States and Australia. Its flowers are attractive so it is cultivated as an ornamental plant as well.

Common chicory

Common chicory is used in a variety of culinary applications around the world, most commonly with coffee. It is occasionally also added during the beer-brewing process to inject a coffee-like flavor. The leaves can be boiled or eaten raw in salad or with pasta. Common chicory is also a simple livestock fodder. In European folklore, the small blue flowers could be used to magically open locked doors.

Annual honesty

The Latin name Lunaria annua refers to the lunar shape of the Annual honesty seedpods, however, they are often referred to as Silver Dollars, Chinese Money or Money Plant due to their coin-like appearance.

Tenweeks stock

Tenweeks stock (Matthiola incana) is a flowering annual plant native to southern Europe. The Tenweeks stock is commonly grown as an ornamental plant and as a component of cut floral bouquets.

Brazilian jasmine

Mandevilla sanderi, colloquially known as Brazilian jasmine, is an ornamental perennial vine native to South America. Its velvety flowers are most often white, scarlet or pink in color. Brazilian jasmine contains white latex, which is toxic and can have an irritating effect when it comes in contact with skin or eyes.

 

Canterbury bells

The flowers of Canterbury bells (Campanula medium) are bell-shaped—hence the name. It’s a native southern European plant. In floriography, a coded language communicated through flowers that dates to Victorian times, it represents gratitude. It’s one of the flowers Thomas Jefferson grew at Monticello, his homestead.

Woodland forget-me-not

Woodland forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica) is an easy-to-grow perennial. Famously known for its pretty blue flowers, this short-lived perennial is a great addition to flower beds, borders, and rock gardens. The specific epithet, sylvatica, means, “forest-loving.”

Wallflower

The Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri) is a spindly, flowering herb with a penchant for growing in cliff crevices. It blooms in spring with an abundance of fragrant flowers that can range in shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, brown, or white. Many gardeners prefer to plant Wallflower as a biennial, sowing seeds one year in order to protect the roots from a common infection known as clubfoot.

Sweet william

There are two thoughts on the origin of the Sweet william name. The first is that is was named after the Duke of Cumberland, William Augustus. The second is that the name came from the writings of Thomas Tusser, an English poet. In either case, this old-fashioned garden plant is a lovely addition to any space.

Best Perennial Plant to Grow

Best Perennial Plant to Grow

Orange daylily

The Orange daylily is a perennial plant known for its captivating lily-like blooms. Its natural habitats are meadows and forests, but it is also a common garden plant in temperate regions around the world. Each individual flower lasts only a day, but the plant will bloom new ones for weeks. Orange daylily’s young buds and flowers are edible either raw or cooked. As a bonus to vegetarians, the flowers contain more fats than most vegetables.

Bigleaf hydrangea

The Bigleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan, and is known for its lush, oval, colorful inflorescence. The two types of Hydrangea macrophylla are mopheads – with large, ball-shaped, sterile flower clusters, and lacecapes – with small round fertile flowers in the center, and sterile flowers on the outer side of each inflorescence. Depending on soil pH, blooms can change color from pink to blue.

Flaming katy

Flaming katy (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) originates from Madagascar and has been a popular houseplant since the 1930s. Unlike most other succulents that are grown for their interesting leaves, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is valued for the colorful flowerheads it produces in autumn and winter. This is the reason it is commonly gifted during holidays, earning it another name – Christmas kalanchoe. It is toxic to pets.

Chinese hibiscus

Chinese hibiscus is a small flowering tree. Its fragrant flowers are well known the world over, leading to many cultivated variants. Chinese hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia and is featured on Malaysian coins. Although the Latin name, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, means “the rose of China,” it is not related to true roses.

Garden dahlia

The Garden dahlia is a common spring flower that comes in a wide range of colors. The flowers themselves are unscented and attract pollinators (like bees) using only their bright coloration. Garden dahlia plants were grown by ancient Aztecs and it is now the official flower of Mexico. It is genetically related to garden plants like sunflowers and zinnias.

Carnation

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a herbaceous ornamental perennial known for its fragrant, distinctive flowers. Wild varieties of this species can be found in the Mediterranean. Carnation has rich symbolism, both in the traditional and religious sense. Its symbolic representations can be found in numerous cultures, from North America to the far East.

Didier's tulip

Garden tulip (Tulipa gesneriana) is an ornamental bulbous plant native to southwest Asia. Ottomans brought it to Europe in the 16th century, and it almost instantly became popular, especially amongst Dutchmen. Garden tulip’s showy flowers are usually red or orange, but there are also varieties with purple, pink or yellow flowers.

English lavender

The English lavender is a common flowering plant originally native to the Mediterranean region. Today, it is often used in scented products such as candles, oils, perfumes, soaps, and house sprays. The scent also has a deterrent effect against clothing moths.

Easter lily

Lilium longiflorum, commonly known as Easter lily is a perennial bulb, famous for the beautiful fragrance of its large, trumpet-shaped white flowers. It plays an important role in Christianity, as it symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ celebrated during Easter (hence the common name). Easter lily is most often cultivated for cut flowers.

Bearded iris

The Bearded iris is a flowering plant that appears in many different colors. It is a popular garden plant because it’s easy to grow. Though their native lands are in Europe, Bearded irises are often grown in Iranian cemeteries.

White clover

White clover (Trifolium repens) is a perennial herb, one of the most cultivated species of clover. It can be found on lawns and grasslands all over the world. White clover is often cultivated as a forage plant and used for green manure in agriculture.

Sweet mock-orange

Philadelphus coronarius, commonly known as Sweet mock-orange, is a popular ornamental plant known for the lavish, sweet smell of its gentle flowers. Sweet mock-orange is a deciduous, dense shrub commonly found in Mediterranean woodlands and scrubs.

Marvel of peru

Four o’clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa), also known as the marvel of Peru, is a perennial, herbaceous, bushy plant with fragrant, showy flowers, commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes. During bloom time, its flowers are closed most of the day; they open between four and eight o’clock, hence the common name Four o’clock flower.

Great bougainvillea

The Great bougainvillea is best known for its bright flowers. It has spread around the world as a garden plant. This plant thrives in warm environments. The Great bougainvillea is a woody, climbing plant that winds its way around other plants as it grows. It also has thorns that aid in its climbing habit.

Lily of the valley

Lily of the valley is highly poisonous and originates in Euroasia. Although it is toxic, it is popular in gardens and perfume industry for its charming flowers and fragrance. Lily of the valley is the national flower of Finland and was the national flower of former Yugoslavia.

Best Annual Plant to Grow

Best Annual Plant to Grow

Common sunflower

The Common sunflower is recognizable for its bright flower on a very tall stem. It is often grown in gardens. These flowers have been important in culture: they were worshipped by the ancient Inca people, and today, they represent eco-friendly movements. The artist Vincent Van Gogh made a famous series of paintings about Common sunflowers. Wild versions of the plant branch out to many flower heads, but domesticated plants typically only have one.

 

Large white petunia

Large white petunia ( Petunia axillaris ) is a flowering herbaceous annual plant of the tobacco family (Solanaceae), native to South America. Because of its hardiness and elegant trumpet-shaped white flowers, it is a familiar garden plant, but still less common in gardens than its descendent – the garden petunia. Garden petunia is a hybrid of Petunia axillaris and Petunia integrifolia.

China aster

The China aster is best known for its bright flowers, which can be purple, pink, red, or white. It is native to China and Korea, making the origin of the common name, China aster quite obvious. The plants are relatively susceptible to diseases, so gardeners must watch them closely.

Common zinnia

The Common zinnia is a popular garden plant. It thrives in relatively dry conditions with good airflow. Garden varieties come in many colors, usually having been hybridized from different wild varieties. Common zinnias are considered an allergy-safe pollen-producing flower.

Mexican marigold

African marigold is a common garden plant with bright orange or red flowers. Its use in decorative and ceremonial gardens dates back to ancient Aztec civilizations. Not only does African marigold add bright colors, but it is also known to repel insects, rabbits, and deer thanks to its toxic latex.

Pot marigold

The Pot marigold is a herbaceous perennial plant often recognized by its thick, orange-yellow blooms with numerous petals. Flowers of the Pot marigold have a long history of table use. They are often served in salads or as a decoration. The flowers can also be made into a similarly-colored dye for foods, textiles, or cosmetic products.

Garden cosmos

Garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a herbaceous annual plant often cultivated as an ornamental in temperate regions. Due to its self-sowing ability, Garden cosmos can grow on the same spot for several years, even though it is an annual. Not surprisingly, this quality also made it an invasive species in certain areas of the world.

Moss rose

Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora) is an ornamental flowering succulent native to South America. It is usually cultivated in annual flowerbeds and as a container plant. Different cultivars have been selected for achieving variation in color, shape and petal number of the flowers.

Cornflower

Centaurea cyanus is known by several names, like cornflower and bachelor’s button. This flower has a beautiful blue color that was a favorite of famed Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. Today it is a Crayola crayon color as well as an HTML color name. The color is defined as a medium to light blue that contains very little green.

Wax begonia

Begonia cucullata is a native of South America. It is often used as a ground cover and also does well in containers. The blossoms of Wax begonia can be red, white, or pink. In some states like Florida and Georgia, Wax begonia is considered an invasive species due to its tendency to reseed prolifically in the right conditions.

Annual phlox

Annual phlox (Phlox drummondii) is a flowering plant native to the United States. Thomas Drummond the historical naturalist sent the seeds back to Britain after a trip to Texas, and the plant is named after him. Annual phlox is a popular ornamental plant due to its bright pink flowers, which can be other colors from other cultivars.

Madagascar periwinkle

The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is an evergreen subshrub or herbaceous plant. It has a long history of cultivation. Over the years, many cultivars have been developed, most commonly with the aim of incorporating new colors or making the plant more tolerant to cold.

Common snapdragon

The Garden snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) is a flowering perennial that is commonly cultivated as an annual or biennial ornamental plant. When the throats of its flowers are squeezed together, its lips snap open like a dragon’s mouth; this is the origin of the common name. The Garden snapdragon’s speedy cultivation and ease of pollination made it a good target for research, so it has now become a model organism for plant genetics studies.

Wild pansy

The Johnny jump up resembles a small pansy. The flowers are edible and can be consumed in salads, drinks, or used as a garnish, though they’re best eaten only in small amounts. Ancient Greek legends told that the goddess Aphrodite colored the previously white flowers purple to make her son, Eros, less attracted to them.

 

Opium poppy

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) was first cultivated approximately 5,400 years ago by the lower Mesopotamians. The Sumerians called it “Hul Gil,” which means the “joy plant.” It is used in the production of medical painkillers. The tiny seeds are commonly added as a topping on bread buns but most portions of the plant are toxic if eaten.

Suggested Plants to Build a Garden That Blooms All the Year Round

Suggested Plants to Build a Garden That Blooms All the Year Round

Bearded iris

BloomTime:Spring

The Bearded iris is a flowering plant that appears in many different colors. It is a popular garden plant because it’s easy to grow. Though their native lands are in Europe, Bearded irises are often grown in Iranian cemeteries.

Didier's tulip

BloomTime:Spring

Garden tulip (Tulipa gesneriana) is an ornamental bulbous plant native to southwest Asia. Ottomans brought it to Europe in the 16th century, and it almost instantly became popular, especially amongst Dutchmen. Garden tulip’s showy flowers are usually red or orange, but there are also varieties with purple, pink or yellow flowers.

Armenian grape hyacinth

BloomTime:Spring

Armenian grape hyacinth is an easy to grow spring favorite flower. These little bell-shaped blue flowers grow in clusters under trees, in pots, and also work well in cut arrangements. These little beauties can thrive in both full sun or part shade, as long as soil is moist but well-draining. For a striking visual effect, plant at least 25 bulbs close together. Armenian grape hyacinths are deer and rabbit resistant.

Bigleaf hydrangea

BloomTime:Summer

The Bigleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan, and is known for its lush, oval, colorful inflorescence. The two types of Hydrangea macrophylla are mopheads – with large, ball-shaped, sterile flower clusters, and lacecapes – with small round fertile flowers in the center, and sterile flowers on the outer side of each inflorescence. Depending on soil pH, blooms can change color from pink to blue.

Purple coneflower

BloomTime:Summer

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is an herb native to North America that flourishes in prairie environments or open wooded areas. The Purple coneflower makes a good addition to a flower bed or garden because its blooms last the whole summer and attract pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds.

Garden phlox

BloomTime:Summer

The Garden phlox is a flowering plant that is native to the United States. The name, phlox, comes from the Latin for “flame,” reflecting its bright colors. Garden phlox flowers can become important food sources for insects and hummingbirds.

Sulfur cosmos

BloomTime:Autumn

Sulfur cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus) is an annual flowering plant native to Mexico, Central America, and South America. Though widely used as an ornamental plant, Sulfur cosmos is considered an invasive species in the United States. It attracts bees and butterflies, including the notable monarch butterfly.

Mexican marigold

BloomTime:Autumn

African marigold is a common garden plant with bright orange or red flowers. Its use in decorative and ceremonial gardens dates back to ancient Aztec civilizations. Not only does African marigold add bright colors, but it is also known to repel insects, rabbits, and deer thanks to its toxic latex.

Sweet alyssum

BloomTime:Autumn

Lobularia maritima, commonly known as Sweet alyssum, is an annual flowering plant that grows very low and has a tendency to spread its branches over the soil, creating a mat. That is why this lovely ornamental is an excellent choice for a groundcover or a bedding plant.

Persian cyclamen

BloomTime:Winter

Persian cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is a flowering herbaceous perennial native to Turkey, Israel, northern Africa and some Greek islands. The Persian cyclamen root can be combined with lime and added to lakes in order to stun fish. This method of fishing is banned in many jurisdictions.

Poinsettia

BloomTime:Winter

The Poinsettia is a common sight in the United States during Christmas time. It was popularized by Albert Ecke after he emigrated to California from Germany. Today, 70 million Poinsettia are sold in a short 6 week period.

Lenten rose

BloomTime:Winter

The Lenten rose has been cultivated since the Germans began to do so in the mid-1800s, with varieties being created in the United Kingdom shortly after. Between the 1920s and 1960s, there was little interest in its cultivation until Helen Ballard bred new varieties. They blooming early in the year hence they get their name of “Lenten rose”.

Madagascar periwinkle

BloomTime:All year around

The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is an evergreen subshrub or herbaceous plant. It has a long history of cultivation. Over the years, many cultivars have been developed, most commonly with the aim of incorporating new colors or making the plant more tolerant to cold.

Wax begonia

BloomTime:All year around

Begonia cucullata is a native of South America. It is often used as a ground cover and also does well in containers. The blossoms of Wax begonia can be red, white, or pink. In some states like Florida and Georgia, Wax begonia is considered an invasive species due to its tendency to reseed prolifically in the right conditions.

Horseshoe geranium

BloomTime:All year around

Horseshoe geranium can be identified by looking for horseshoe-shaped patterns of color, or “zones” within the leaves. The bright blooms are attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds and come in many colors, including red, pink, salmon, and more. These plants are easy to grow outside in your yard or indoors in containers.

Treating Bare and Brown Patches on Your Lawn

Treating Bare and Brown Patches on Your Lawn

For many people, bare and brown lawn patches are a nuisance that won’t seem to go away. However, such problems are not beyond repair if you know what to do. Read on to learn the best way to treat bare and brown areas in your lawn.

Remove Existing Grass from the Area

The first step when fixing bare and brown lawn patches is to remove all the dead grass in the area. Continue stripping away the turf until you have a bare exposed patch of soil that is surrounded by healthy green grass on all sides.

Loosen and Amend the Soil

Once the soil is exposed, you should use a rake to loosen it. Loosening the soil will make it easier for your new grass’s roots to spread and take hold. This is also an opportune time to add fertilizer or an organic soil amendment like compost to improve the soil’s nutrient quantity.

Spread Seed or Lay Sod

There are two main ways that you can introduce new grass to your bare lawn patch. The first option is to spread seeds into the area. This process is identical to starting an entire lawn via seeding. The only difference is that you’ll be spreading seed in one distinct area of your lawn.

The other option you have is to patch your lawn with sod. If this is your choice, you should cut your bare patch to match your piece of sod. Your sod should fit perfectly into the space you create, being neither too small nor too large. Precise sizing ensures there will be no visible gaps in your grass.

Add Water

Regardless of whether you use seed or sod, you should give your new grass plenty of water after you plant it. Continue giving seeded areas water about once per day for at least a month. Sodded areas should receive water at the same frequency for about a week or two.

Aerating a Lawn

Aerating a Lawn

Although it is vital to a lawn’s overall health, aeration is a topic that many people are unfamiliar with. However, there is no good reason why you should not aerate your lawn, at least occasionally. In this chapter, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about what aeration is and how you can perform it successfully.

What is Lawn Aeration?

Aeration is a process by which you can increase the amount of oxygen that reaches your grass’s roots and relieve soil compaction. Oxygen is essential to your lawn’s life, and without it, your grass will begin to perish. Similarly, if the soil is too compacted, your roots will struggle to spread through it.

The process of aeration involves poking holes through your lawn into the soil. These holes allow oxygen to reach the roots. These holes also loosen the soil, which helps to relieve and prevent excessive compaction.

How to Aerate a Lawn

It’s common to hire a lawn care company to perform aeration. However, there are a few ways that you can aerate your lawn on your own.

There are some aerating tools that you can attach to the bottom of your shoes. These attachments have long spikes that can penetrate the earth as you walk. Strap such attachments to your feet and walk across all parts of your lawn to aerate it.

Other popular aerating tools roll along the ground and have a long handle that you can use to push them. These tools are also easy to use, as all you need to do is push them around your lawn.

As is true for fertilization, aeration is best done when the soil is slightly moist. Be sure to water your lawn just before aeration to get the optimal outcome.

When is the Best Time to Aerate a Lawn?

The best time to aerate a lawn is when the lawn is actively growing. Lawns that are active will be better able to recover from the slight damage that aeration causes.

In most cases, you should aerate your lawn during the spring or fall. However, aeration is not a task you always need to do every year. Instead, you can aerate your lawn about once every three years. However, lawns that receive a lot of foot traffic or soil that is high in clay will also need aeration more frequently.

What to Do With Grass Clippings After Mowing

What to Do With Grass Clippings After Mowing

If you’ve mowed a lawn even one time, then you’ve probably noticed that you can produce a significant amount of grass clippings when you mow. Many people simply discard their grass clippings but doing so is somewhat wasteful if you are familiar with a few ways to use your grass clippings after mowing. This chapter will show you a few of the best ways that you can repurpose your grass clippings to benefit your lawn and garden.

Leave Your Grass Clippings on Your Lawn

The first way that you can make use of your grass clippings is by simply leaving them on your lawn after you mow. A small to moderate amount of grass clippings will decompose and enrich the soil below. This decomposition will eventually benefit your grass as it provides more nutrients for the roots to feed on.

If you produce so many grass clippings that they appear as large clumps that sit on top of your grass, you should not leave them behind as they can essentially block the sun from reaching your still living grass. But a small number of grass clippings left on your lawn will be a benefit.

Compost Your Grass Clippings

One of the best ways to use grass clippings is to gather them and include them in your compost pile. Grass clippings are a form of “green” compost, meaning that they contain enough nitrogen to facilitate the composting process. Composting your grass clippings eventually leads to a healthy soil amendment that you can use to support your favorite plants.

Use Your Grass Clippings as Garden Mulch

Our final tip for using grass clippings is to use them right away as a form of mulch. Grass clippings can be as effective as any other type of organic mulch. Laying grass clippings in your garden beds will help to moderate soil temperature and moisture. They will also continue to break down, becoming valuable nutrients for your plants.

Using your grass clippings as mulch is not a wise idea if you have weeds growing in your lawn. In such cases, using your clippings as mulch will spread weeds and their seeds to your garden beds. However, if you do a good job of keeping your lawn weed free, then you should have no problem using your grass clippings as mulch.

Knowing When to Mow Your Lawn

Knowing When to Mow Your Lawn

Whether you seeded or sodded a new lawn, you’ll need to begin mowing it eventually. However, mowing before your new lawn is ready can be detrimental to its health and future growth. We’ll address how you can know when your new lawn is ready to mow in the chapter below. The timing will change depending on whether you used sod or seed, and we’ll cover both in the following sections.

When to Mow a New Seeded Lawn

In general, you should wait at least two months before you mow a newly seeded lawn. Each seed you spread needs time to germinate and begin spreading its roots into the soil, during which time you should do little more than give it water.

However, each individual lawn may vary in its growth rate. As such, not every lawn will be ready for mowing precisely at the two-month mark. With that being the case, it helps to have a visual cue that will indicate whether your lawn is ready for mowing.

You can judge your seeded lawn’s readiness for mowing in part by its length and thickness. Wait until the grass has surpassed a height of three and a half inches and has filled in somewhat before you start your mower.

When to Mow a New Sod Lawn

Sodded lawns not only take less time to cover your lawn area, but they also take less time to reach a stage at which they are ready for mowing. It will likely take about two weeks before your new sod is ready to mow.

During that two-week period, you’ll be waiting for the sod’s roots to contact and enter the ground where they can take a firm hold. Mowing before the sod roots have connected with the ground will likely cause the sod pieces to shift or tear.

On the other hand, waiting at least two weeks will give you a much better chance of mowing your sod without harming it. Conversely, you can also decide to mow sod based on how much it has grown. Generally, you want to see about an inch or two of healthy growth before you start to mow.

How to Water a New Lawn

How to Water a New Lawn

It’s easy to understand that a newly created lawn space will need water. However, many people don’t understand the specifics of how, when, and how much to water after spreading their grass seeds. This chapter will answer those questions so that you can be sure that you water your newly seeded lawn the right way.

How Often to Water a New Lawn

New lawns need more water than lawns that are more established. You should give your new lawn water at least once a day. Often, it is even better to provide water multiple times during a day. At no point should you allow the soil to dry out, as this will inhibit the grass seeds’ ability to germinate.

How Much Water to Give a New Lawn

As you’d expect, with such a high watering frequency, your new lawn needs to receive a relatively high volume of water. While a mature lawn typically needs around one inch of water per week, new lawns need at least three inches of water per week. To achieve this volume, consider watering for about five to ten minutes each time you water your lawn.

When to Reduce Water for a New Lawn

Eventually, there will come a time when you are ready to reduce the amount of water you give to your lawn. Your goal in watering frequently is to encourage your lawn seeds to germinate. Once your lawn seeds have germinated and grown grass blades that are more than one inch tall, it is safe to start watering less.

Usually, it takes about a month or more for your new lawn seeds to grow to more than one inch of height. Once that occurs, you can reduce your watering schedule to about one to two times per week. This rate is quite similar to what you would need to do for a lawn that is fully established.

How to Make a New Lawn With Sod

How to Make a New Lawn With Sod

Using sod is the most immediate way to create a new lawn space in your yard. Laying sod is also quite easy to do, as the simple steps in this chapter will reveal.

1.Prepare the Soil

Whether you make your new lawn by laying sod or by other means like spreading seed, the quality of your soil will determine how successful you are. Start the sod-laying process by removing existing vegetation and any large rocks in the area.

When your future lawn space is entirely clear, you can use a rake to smooth the surface of the soil. Creating a consistent surface will allow each sod piece to sit more evenly and will result in a more consistent final product.

2. Place the Sod on Top of the Soil

Laying the sod itself is about as easy as it sounds. Place each piece on the exposed soil until you have covered your entire desired lawn area.

Sod typically comes in rectangular pieces or in rolls that are easy to unroll on the ground. Ensure that you place each piece so that it is touching another to prevent any gaps in your lawn.

3. Trim the Sod

As mentioned above, sod is typically rectangular, which means it may not fit perfectly into your preferred lawn shape. If you hope to have a lawn space that shows curves or has any shape other than a perfect rectangle, you’ll need to do some trimming.

Find places where the sod covers beyond your intended lawn area. Then, use a sharp tool, such as a garden knife, to cut the extra sod at the edges of your lawn. After you finish trimming, your lawn space should be the exact shape that you imagined in the planning stage.

4. Use a Sod Roller

A sod roller is an essential piece of equipment for anyone making a new lawn out of sod. Sod rollers are heavy and useful for pressing down the sod after you have laid it. Rolling the sod with a sod roller helps ensure that the roots of your sod have contacted the ground below so that they can continue to grow healthily in their new location.

5. Water the Sod

No matter what method you use to make a new lawn, you’ll want to finish the job with watering. With your new sod lawn in place, use your hose to give it some much-needed moisture and get it off to the right start.