"Garden Lawn Recipe!" To produce a clean cut rich green garden lawn, the soil must be fairly high in nitrogen. If you're starting your lawn from scratch, test the soil first.
If your existing garden lawn is showing signs of yellowing and sparse growth or over-excessive weeds, you probably are lacking in nitrogen..well, the soil is, not you! Add nitrogen regularly to your lawn, as it disappears from the soil very quickly. Nearly all plants take up nitrogen, and the soil will need replenishing often.
 A healthy garden lawn will also need potassium and phosphorus. Get a soil analysis done and you will be able to adjust the soil nutrients easily. Apply lime and nitrogen to the soil before you sow your grass seed if possible. For an existing lawn, apply as the manufacturer recommends. As a rough guide, you shouldn't need to add more than one pound of nitrogen to every 1000 square feet of grass. Don't be tempted to add too much nitrogen to get a better colour or density. Too much nitrogen will burn the roots and the grass will perish....
When you buy your grass seed, check for Arm yourself with information and you'll become the local garden lawn grower "extra-ordinaire!"
Here are a couple of online grass seed suppliers.
Work the top 6-8 inches of soil well, and add nutrients as required. Rake over the area and remove any large stones, and EVERY weed you see. Sow the grass seed as per instructions on individual product. Generally, you scatter the seed as evenly as possible, and gently rake over again. The biggest problem now is keeping the birds off. To them, your newly seeded patch looks like a banquet. Net if you can, or put up bird scarers ( old CDs strung together and hung over the area from canes in the ground work well ). Whatever you do, keep those birds away. Water the seed in and let it grow!
If you've got a house full of kids, animals or you just are too strapped for time, you could create a lawn in a day - but it will cost more. Get a delivery of turf from your local garden centre and borrow a garden roller. Place all turfs and press together so you have no gaps. Water well and roll into shape. Again, when you buy your turf, choose well, and get as much planting information as you can.
For the first couple of years, you may need to feed your grass with nutrients, described above. Grass will need regular watering until well established. If it doesn't rain too much in your area, don't forget to give the grass some water. -This isn't a regular job in the UK - we get plenty of rain! In the autumn, using a grass rake, remove all dead leaves and plants from your lawn. The rake will scratch the surface of the soil and help to aerate the lawn.
Check on your variety of grass for the recommended cutting heights. Most grass should be cut regularly - about 3/4 inch to an inch and a half is normal. The more you cut, the more it grows. A garden lawn is very much like a head of hair..apart from the colour and one or two other things. Keep clean of weeds Cut regularly to remove split ends! Water if needed Condition or fertilize once or twice a year.
All the ingredients for a lush green garden lawn to play on or lay on for years to come!
Happy Gardening! More "Garden Lawn" Reading
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