Step 3: Amend the Soil
This is your best opportunity to add amendments such as fertilizer, organic matter, and lime or sulfur. Use a soil test to determine the best amendments for your particular soil. The best way to test your soil is to send a sample to a Cooperative Extension Service (CSREES), which is usually located at or affiliated with a state university, or to a commercial soil tester.
Typical recommendations are 2 pounds of actual (elemental) phosphorus and potassium, 50-100 pounds of lime (in areas with acidic soil), and 3- 6 cubic yards of organic matter (such as compost or peat moss) for every 1,000 square feet of new lawn. Recommendations will vary based on your soil’s nutrient, organic matter, pH levels, and your particular soil type.
Ensure even application of amendments by dividing the recommended amounts in half and applying half while walking in one direction and the other half while walking in a perpendicular direction. Till the amendments into the top 6 inches of soil.
If an overabundance of weeds was one reason for redoing the lawn then allow the weed seeds in the turned soil to sprout before planting. If you rake through, or till under the weed seedlings, you can eliminate most annual weeds.
- 1. Use a garden rake to remove stones and debris, such as weeds and leaves.
2. Use a power tiller to work amendments, including fertilizer and organic matter, into the soil.
3. Use a landscape rake to level; then you are ready to plant your lawn.
