Guide to Growing a Lawn

Lawn & Garden
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This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to plan, start, and grow a lawn that suits your needs.

The first step is to plan your landscape and lawn. Consider how you want to use the space and sketch out a map accordingly. It’s essential to factor in activities that will take place on the lawn and plan for them.

Movement is crucial in every lawn and landscape. This guide provides tips on planning for the movement of light, wind, water, and traffic on your lawn. Additionally, it offers advice on how to choose lawn accents that add charm and attract visitors.

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Choosing the right grass and plants is crucial in creating your lawn. Select grasses, foliage, and ground cover that are suitable for your climate and soil conditions. This guide recommends grasses that are ideal for soil moisture, light availability, and expected growth heights. You can use ornamental grasses to accentuate your lawn.

After planning and selecting plants, you need to choose a method to start your lawn. This guide offers helpful advice on using seed, sod, and plugs, highlighting the benefits and drawbacks of each method.

Lastly, it provides guidance on how to cultivate and propagate ground cover to complete your lawn.

The next page covers preparing for lawn design.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, try these:

Gardening: Make a garden part of your home’s landscape.
Types of Lawnmowers: Which mower is best for your lawn?

Preparing for Lawn Design

A well-designed lawn complements your home’s landscape seamlessly. To achieve this, you must carefully plan and consider the other elements of your surroundings.

Before making a plan for your space, discuss your needs and plans for the landscape with the members of your household. Make a list of the desired functions, such as a sitting/dining area, clothesline, or vegetable garden.

Use a sketch pad to plot the relationships between your indoor and outdoor space in your landscape design.

Draw a simple sketch that shows the general location of the elements in relation to the house and each other. For example, place the outdoor eating area near the kitchen and firewood storage close to the door nearest the fireplace.

The initial stages of creating a plan can be eased by utilizing a relationship diagram. It is important to consider the amount of time you are willing to invest in maintenance when deciding on the level of upkeep for your yard and garden.

If your house is visible from a road, it is considered a public view area. Your house or front door should be the focal point of a picture, and you should frame the view in a way that draws attention to your house. Foundation plantings are typically placed at the base of the house to create a transition between the house and the landscape. You can choose a combination of small evergreens and flowering shrubs, ornamental trees, ground covers, and herbaceous plants for your foundation plantings. When selecting trees, consider shade; deciduous trees will provide shade during the summer and allow sunlight in during the winter. It is important to screen service areas, such as trash cans and laundry lines, from the public area.

Other sections of your landscape should be developed for outdoor living. You may want to incorporate a service area, such as a toolshed, doghouse, clothesline, or potting area, that is convenient to the house but away from public view and private entertaining. If children will be using the landscape, plan for a children’s play area that is in full view for easy supervision. Separate the children’s area from the eating and entertaining area with a low border to create a feeling of separate outdoor rooms.

A private entertaining and eating area is a common need for a well-planned landscape. It should be designed to be as comfortable as a room in your house, and the size of the area should be determined by the number of people who will be accommodated. A patio or terrace with adjacent lawn works well, and privacy from neighbors as well as shade can be achieved through the proper selection and placement of screening materials and trees.

It is helpful to create a functional sketch when planning outdoor activities and traffic patterns. Related functions should be grouped together, such as parking and entrance to the house. With a sketch pad, plot the relationship between the indoor space and outdoor space and designate space to accommodate each function in your landscape design.

Creating a lawn plan is the first step in planning your property. Make a list of the features you want to incorporate into your design for growing a lawn, and then find the room for it all and start putting the elements in place. For more information on lawn care and related topics, refer to the provided links.

Take inspiration from public gardens.

Prior to purchasing and planting, draw a scaled map of your property and decide where the new beds and plantings will be located. Many landscape designers use a scale where 1/4 inch on the plan is equivalent to one foot in your yard. This scale typically provides enough space to show significant detail but may require oversized paper to fit everything on one sheet for a complete landscape design picture.
Measure your yard using a measuring tape, and draw the perimeter on graph paper. Using an overhead view, sketch in existing trees, shrubs, fences, and other features you plan to keep. Make copies to experiment with designs.
Next, sketch in possible bed outlines and visualize how they will appear. Once you have decided on the bed locations, pencil in the plants you want to add (at the correct spacing) and get an accurate count of how many plants you will need before spending any money.
Plan the lawn’s shape, which is usually the most prominent feature in a yard. The lawn’s shape is more important than the bed’s shape. If it has straight or gradually curving lines, the lawn can make an attractive picture while remaining easy to mow. Avoid sharp turns, wiggly edges, and jagged corners, which can be irritating to the eye and require extra work to mow.
Photograph and photocopy your yard. You can photograph the whole front or back yard, the plantings around the house’s foundation, or individual gardens. Enlarge them on a color copier if available. Then, you can sketch in potential new plants and get an idea of how they will look in your landscape design. Winter is an excellent time to do this since the yard may be dormant, and you will not forget how it usually looks.
Get ideas from neighbors’ gardens. There is no better way to learn what grows well in your area. You can also get great garden landscape design ideas from other people. Remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Visit public gardens and nurseries with display beds for inspiration. These professionally designed gardens may have the newest plants and creative ideas for combining them. Look for gardens that are similar in size to your yard so you can apply what you learn directly.

Designing Lawn Traffic Flow

The purpose of paths, walks, and driveways is to direct and safely move traffic from place to place. The heavier the traffic, the sturdier, wider, and more permanent the path should be. Make entrance walks comfortable enough for at least two people to walk abreast (a minimum of four feet, five is better). Service and rear-entry paths should be three to four feet wide. Garden paths should be designed so visitors feel comfortable on a stroll through the garden. Stepping-stone or mulch-covered paths allow easy access to corners of the garden during maintenance. All paths should be flush with the ground for safety. Make sure steps and grade changes are stable, safe, and well-lighted.

In the next section, you’ll learn about the importance of movement in your landscape garden.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, try these:

Movement in Landscape Gardening

These flowers gently sway in the wind.

When designing your landscape garden, it’s important to consider the position of sunlight and shade at different times of the day and year. Understanding the movement of the sun in relation to your garden’s features will help you decide on the placement and choice of plants. During the summer, the sun rises north of the east-west line and exposes all sides of a house to a certain amount of sunlight, producing short shadows. In the winter, the sun rises south of the east-west line and produces long shadows.

Choose plants that suit the natural effects of exposure. The sun can have different effects throughout the day, and the introduction of shade provides relief for plants and daily movement of color and mood. A plant needing full sun may do well even if it’s shaded for a few hours in the late afternoon, but a shade-loving plant might burn if it receives a few hours of sun during the afternoon.

A garden in the morning has characteristics that may not be evident during the later, shady hours. As the angle of the sun changes, plant and construction materials appear to take on different textures. Sun and shade are constantly changing patterns, altering the garden’s feel from hour to hour and season to season.

People are attracted to movement in the garden. Water cascading into a pool always attracts attention. Grow plants that will attract visitors, like butterflies and hummingbirds. Use plants to accentuate the movement of the wind as it blows through the garden, and enjoy the subtle delight of fragrance drifting through the air.

Water gardens are an attention-grabbing feature in landscape garden design.

Adding lawn accents to your landscape is also important. Check out our related topics for more information on lawn care.

Landscaping: Incorporate a garden into your home’s design.
Lawnmower Types: Which mower is most suitable for your lawn?

Enhancing Your Lawn with Accents

Adding lawn accents can improve the appearance of a yard without flow. A birdbath is a focal point that adds movement to a garden, whether it is on the ground or on its own pedestal. You might already have an object in your home that is a perfect bird bath. A large terra-cotta flowerpot saucer, about 18 to 24 inches wide and an inch or two high, works well when filled with fresh water. Birds enjoy it because it’s like a puddle, and they can tell it’s not too deep. They also like to perch on the rim. Place your birdbath on a paved terrace or another area you can see from inside, so you can enjoy watching the birds splash and play and keep track of who comes for a bath or a drink. Change the water daily to keep it clean and prevent mosquitoes from breeding in it. Why not use the old birdbath water on a deserving plant?

In the next section, you will learn how to select lawn grasses and foliage.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, try these:

Landscaping: Incorporate a garden into your home’s design.
Lawnmower Types: Which mower is most suitable for your lawn?

Selecting Lawn Grasses and Foliage

Use these charts to help you choose plants for your annuals garden with vibrant foliage, fruits, or seedpods. These grasses, bushes, and foliage can help to beautify your annuals garden.

The first chart shows appropriate soil moisture levels, the second chart shows suitable light levels, and the third chart shows the expected height of each plant.

Annual

Dry Soil

Average Soil

Moist Soil

Alternanthera

Amaranth, Globe

Asparagus Fern

Basil

Begonia, Tuberous

Burning Bush

Caladium*

Castor Bean

Cloud Grass

Coleus

Dracaena

Dusty Miller

Geranium, Ivy-Leaf

The table below shows a list of plants suitable for growing in full sun, part shade, and full shade. The first section of the table lists plants that grow from bulbs, while the second section lists annual plants. Each row lists a plant name, followed by three columns indicating whether the plant can be grown in full sun, part shade, or full shade. For some plants, an “x” is included in the appropriate column to indicate that the plant can grow in that condition. Examples of plants that can grow in full sun include Burning Bush, Castor Bean, and Golden Top. Examples of plants that can grow in part shade include Begonia, Tuberous, Geranium, Ivy-Leaf, and Dracaena. Examples of plants that can grow in full shade include Cloud Grass, Geranium, Zonal, and Golden Top.

The table shows different plants categorized by their type and size. Each row represents a different plant, and each column represents a different size category. An “x” in a cell indicates that the plant fits the corresponding category. Among the plants listed are Impatiens, New Guinea, Job’s Tears, Gourds, Love-in-a-Mist, Moses-in-a-Boat, Ornamental Cabbage, Kale, Ornamental Corn, Ornamental Peppers, Perilla, Polka Dot Plant, Quaking Grass, Snow-in-Summer, Wheat Grass, and Wild Oats. The table also includes a note that the plant Caladium is a bulb.

The table shows a list of different ornamental plants including Impatiens, New Guinea, Job’s Tears, Gourds, Love-in-a-Mist, Moses-in-a-Boat, Ornamental Cabbage, Kale, Ornamental Corn, Ornamental Peppers, Perilla, Polka Dot Plant, Quaking Grass, Snow-in-Summer, Wheat Grass, and Wild Oats. The cultural recommendations provided are intended for the average conditions over a wide geographic area and it is important to be aware of local requirements. White flowers and green flowers can be planted in the annuals garden with ornamental grasses and foliage. The article also discusses how to use ornamental grasses in your lawn, which can add grace and year-round interest to any garden. Ornamental grasses can be used as a specimen or massed planting, for screening, accent, focal point, or to frame a view. Some ornamental grasses are perennials while others are treated as annuals. Cool-season grasses actively grow during the cool parts of the year and some even remain green throughout the winter.

Cool-season grasses grow quickly and abundantly in early seasons, while warm-season grasses remain dormant during the winter. Ornamental grasses are classified based on their growth patterns, with clump grasses being the easiest to use. These grasses require little maintenance, preferring well-drained soil and full sun. They can be enjoyed throughout the winter season and should be cut down in late winter to allow for new growth. Ornamental grasses can be used as edging plants or mixed with perennials to tie materials together. They are also a good option for ground cover or as effective screens. Grasses can be grown in containers, but certain varieties may be invasive in certain regions. Before planting, check your state’s weed list.

Planting Grass Seed for a Beautiful Lawn

Gardening: Incorporating a garden into your home’s landscape
Types of Lawnmowers: Choosing the best mower for your lawn

Planting a new lawn or revamping an old one requires careful consideration before simply throwing down grass seed. The type of grass seed and proper planting techniques are key to achieving a healthy lawn. Additionally, keeping pesky pests at bay is essential for maintaining lush, green grass. Read on for helpful tips on how to successfully plant grass seed.

Starting a Lawn from Seed
Begin by selecting the type of grass you want to grow. Most lawn grasses are cool-season varieties that turn green early in the growing season and may go semi-dormant in hot, dry weather. Warm-season grasses like Zoysia, on the other hand, green up later but are able to withstand hot summer temperatures.

There are two basic types of lawn grasses: bunching and creeping. Bunching grasses spread slowly outward from the base of the plant, while creeping grasses (which make up most lawn varieties) spread by sending out stems that creep along or just below ground level, forming a new plant at the tip.

If properly cared for, both types of grasses can form thick mats. Creeping grasses are better suited for high-traffic areas and create a better turf. You’ll also need to consider the climate zone you live in, as not all grass varieties can grow under all conditions.

Next, have your soil tested. Inform the soil test lab which type of grass you intend to grow, and they will recommend what soil amendments may be needed. Add lime and fertilizer if called for by the soil test report.

Grade the soil, level hills, and add topsoil to low spots. Avoid using subsoil on the top surface, as turf grasses require a well-drained soil for roots to grow. Construction debris under the surface can prevent roots from growing deeply, resulting in dead spots in the lawn. Thoroughly cultivate the soil and remove any rocks, roots, clods, or debris. Use a garden rake to fine-grade the area and roll the soil lightly to prevent uneven sinking. If you’re renovating small patches of an old lawn, follow the same steps on a smaller scale.

Once the soil is graded, it’s time to sow the seed. For cool-season grass, plant in early fall so the grass has four to six weeks to establish before frost. Spread the seed with a hand spreader at the recommended rate found on the package.

Use a garden rake to gently work the seed into the top 1/8 inch of soil; seed that is planted too deeply will not germinate. Roll the area with a lawn roller to ensure good contact between the soil and the seed.

Lightly mulch the seedbed with clean, weed-seed-free straw, leaving half the soil exposed. The straw will help shade the soil and seedlings, preventing them from drying out too quickly.

Keep the top layer of soil evenly and constantly moist. Heavy watering with a sprinkler is not useful, as the seed will easily wash away. Water with a fine spray several times a day until the seedlings are strong enough to withstand regular irrigation.

In the next section, we’ll discuss using sod to start a lawn.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, check out the following resources:

The article features two methods of establishing a new lawn: installing sod and planting plugs. Sod is a commercially produced turf available in cool-season and warm-season varieties that can be laid immediately to create a new lawn. To install sod, the soil should be smooth and free of lumps, and the rolls of sod should be pieced together without stretching or overlapping them. The new lawn needs regular watering until the roots are established. Cool-season sod can be installed at any time of the year, while warm-season sod should be installed in spring or summer.

Alternatively, spreading grasses can be established by planting pieces of sod or plugs. The best varieties of most warm-season, spreading grasses are available only in vegetative form: sod, plugs, or sprigs. Plugs are planted individually 12 inches apart during the warm season and rapidly spread by rhizomes or stolons. Sprigs are pieces of sod that have been shredded into 1- to 3-inch pieces of rhizomes and can be planted either by hand or by spreading them onto the bed and gently cultivating them into the top inch of soil.

In both cases, the new lawn needs proper care and watering until it becomes well established.

Landscaping: Incorporate a garden into your home’s outdoor space.
Choosing the Right Lawnmower: Which mower is suitable for your lawn?

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Plant Ground Covers

To establish a healthy ground cover, a robust root system is essential.

Maximize your garden space by planting ground covers. For even coverage, ensure that the ground-cover plants are evenly spaced. This can be achieved by preparing the ground as you would for any garden bed and then using a wire or string grid with evenly spaced openings at three-inch intervals (or other appropriate sizes) to guide the plant distribution. Follow these planting tips for a hassle-free experience:

Instead of plastic, use landscape fabric in large plantings to reduce weeds. Landscape fabric has pores that allow air and water to pass through, which is more beneficial than impenetrable plastic. Place the fabric on the ground before planting and then cut holes in it. Plant the ground cover in the holes. When covered with mulch, the landscape fabric prevents light from reaching the soil, thereby hindering the germination of most weed seeds.
Prevent soil erosion by using burlap to hold barren soil in place when planting ground cover on a slope. This is particularly helpful while the ground cover is getting established. Pin the burlap securely into the soil to prevent it from slipping off when rain makes the soil heavy and wet. Cut modest openings in the burlap and plant one ground cover in each.

As soon as the ground cover establishes a robust root system and can hold nearby soil from erosion, gradually enlarge the openings to allow it to spread until it fills out the slope.

For quick and easy planting, set ground cover plugs in place using a wire grid stretched over the bed. The evenly spaced openings in the grid will help you to coordinate the plant spacing without a measuring tape.
Encourage ground covers to spread by layering stems as they grow. Layering encourages the stems to root while still attached to the parent plant.

A Generous Gift of Ground Cover
Ground covers spread quickly, and people with established gardens often have extra ground cover that needs thinning or trimming.

You can ask a neighboring gardener or even a park groundskeeper to fill a large plastic trash bag with wild ginger, epimedium, or pachysandra starts for you. This will save you a significant amount of money compared to buying flats at the garden center or hiring a landscaper.

Barren parts of the stem of ground covers like pachysandra can be easily rooted by covering them with soil and keeping them moist.

For ground covers that are more difficult to root, such as wintercreeper, remove a small piece of bark from the bottom of the stem and treat the opening with rooting hormone before covering it with soil.

During autumn leaf drop, it can be challenging to remove leaves from thick ground covers. To avoid creating unhealthy conditions, spread netting or old sheets over the ground covers to catch the leaves as they fall. This method allows you to gather up all the leaves in one easy move, keeping the ground cover uncluttered.

If winter causes broad-leaf evergreens to grow brown and unsightly, don’t lose hope. Mow off the old leaves to give the new leaves plenty of space and keep the bed tidy. There is a good chance that the roots are still alive and will send up fresh green growth in the spring.

For more information on lawn care and related topics, check out our articles on making a garden part of your home’s landscape and choosing the best lawnmower for your lawn.

FAQ

1. What is the best time of year to plant a lawn?

The best time to plant a lawn depends on the climate in your region. In general, it is recommended to plant cool-season grasses in the early fall or early spring. This gives the grass enough time to establish roots before the hot summer months. Warm-season grasses should be planted in late spring or early summer when the soil temperature is warm enough. It is important to make sure the soil is moist and not too dry when planting.

2. How do I prepare the soil for planting a lawn?

Before planting a lawn, it is important to prepare the soil properly. Start by removing any weeds, rocks, or debris from the area. Then, use a rototiller to loosen the soil to a depth of at least six inches. If the soil is compacted, you may need to use a garden fork to aerate it. Next, spread a layer of compost or topsoil over the area and mix it into the soil. Finally, level the soil using a rake or lawn roller.

3. How often should I water my lawn?

The amount of water your lawn needs depends on the type of grass, climate, and soil. A good rule of thumb is to water your lawn deeply once a week, rather than frequent shallow watering. Water the lawn early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid evaporation. Use a rain gauge to measure how much water your lawn is receiving. In general, your lawn needs about one inch of water per week, including rainfall.

4. How do I mow my lawn properly?

Mowing your lawn properly is essential for a healthy, lush lawn. Start by making sure your mower blades are sharp. Dull blades can tear the grass and make it more susceptible to disease. Set your mower to the correct height for your type of grass. In general, you should only mow the top one-third of the grass blades. Leave the grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and add nutrients back into the soil.

5. How do I fertilize my lawn?

Fertilizing your lawn can help promote healthy growth and prevent weeds. Start by testing your soil to determine what nutrients it needs. Then, choose a fertilizer that is appropriate for your type of grass and soil. Apply the fertilizer evenly using a spreader. Be careful not to apply too much fertilizer, as this can burn the grass. It is recommended to fertilize your lawn in the spring and fall.

6. How do I prevent weeds and pests in my lawn?

Preventing weeds and pests in your lawn is important for maintaining a healthy lawn. Start by keeping your lawn well-watered and properly fertilized to promote strong, healthy grass. Mow your lawn regularly to prevent weeds from going to seed. If you do have weeds, use an herbicide that is appropriate for your type of grass. To prevent pests, such as grubs, use a pesticide in the early spring or late summer.

Brody Stewart

Brody is a skilled craftsman and gardening expert. From renovating living spaces to cultivating lush gardens, Brody’s knowledge and passion shine through, inspiring readers to embark on their own home improvement and gardening journeys with confidence.