Installing a new lawn in New Hampshire is not rocket science. But, like all living things, turf grass needs to have certain conditions met in order to thrive. As we see it, the success or failure of new lawns depends on three things: preparation, timing, and moisture.
Preparation. When a planting bed is prepared properly, grass seed can quickly take root and develop into a lush lawn within one season. In preparing the site for a new lawn installation, we first consider the existing site conditions – available sunlight and drainage. If there’s not enough sunlight, we may recommend removing or pruning some shade trees or using a shady blend of grass seed. If there is standing water, we will contour the subgrade for good drainage. After the site has been prepared, we bring in our own composted topsoil and spread it loosely over the top. Aside from site preparation, bringing in a healthy 6 inches of loose topsoil that is rich in organic nutrients will ensure a quickly established lawn.
Timing. Even with the best preparation, successfully planting a lawn from seed depends on proper timing. Grass seed begins germinating at 65° and grass stops growing above 80°. It would follow that planting a lawn in New Hampshire from seed in the summer is not a good idea! While springtime temperatures are within that range, annual weeds are also germinating creating competition for the newly sprouted grass seed when the heat of summer arrives. The best time to plant a new lawn in New Hampshire is in the fall, of course – because the temperature is optimal and there is no weed competition.
There are workarounds for establishing a new lawn in those less-than-ideal seasons. A pre-emergent weed control can be used for spring seeding to control crabgrass; sod is a good option for the summer time lawn installation.
Moisture. Even grass seed that is planted in a well-prepared site and perfectly timed can still fail. Consistent, calibrated watering is essential to establishing turf grass. Even sod – the “instant lawn” – needs consistent watering to become established. Whenever we install a lawn, we strongly recommend to our clients that they consider having an irrigation system installed at the same time. Lawn irrigation systems installed today are water smart; employing sensors and fine-tuned calibrations that use much less water than your traditional hose-end lawn sprinkler. Why, today’s irrigation systems can even be managed from your smartphone! We are happy to refer you to a company that can install an irrigation system for you.
Rye Beach Landscaping uses only USDA certified grass seed. Because we do our own hydroseeding, we are able to control the quality of the seed we are putting down for our clients. Our sun and shade blend is USDA certified. We use a tackifier that provides superior erosion control and moisture retention.
If you can’t wait for grass seed to come up, our landscape crew will also install sod for you – anywhere from 200 to 20,000 square feet – and it’ll be done fast! We source all of our sod from farms right here in the Northeast – northern grown, so you know that your grass will look good year after year.
