Grow A NEW LAWN From SCRATCH In 10 Days

This year I decided to try my hand at growing a brand new lawn from scratch, from fresh seed, in the shortest amount of time possible. This is what I was able to accomplish in only 10 days, just a bit more than one week.
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► Alfalfa Meal Fertilizer I Use
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[@TurfMechanic]

►►► Want to fix your lawn for the long haul but don't know where to start? I can help! Click here right now and get started today: turfmech.link/dont-know-where-to-start ◄◄◄

[@Seth4Jesus]

I love how educational this video is! I’m going to use the 25% of the information that I currently understand, but will save this video for reference if I need to learn more. Thank you!

[@thisisdotcom]

I'm about to start a small lawn from scratch, and watching the way you primed your seeds was excellent. This is exactly what I was thinking of doing and your vid confirmed it's a good idea.. did you soak the seeds overnight?

[@thisisdotcom]

I commented before watching how long you'd said lol, thanks for the tips brother this is a good video

[@manscapedoutdoors]

What do you think about using peat AND straw blanket?

[@bigjigg5672]

Love the details, thanks Brian. Your next door neighbor is going to be jealous!

[@TurfMechanic]

That's a side benefit for sure! 😃 I'm just excited to get my kids playing on my front lawn over the neighbors for the first time since moving into this house! 😆

[@bigjigg5672]

@@TurfMechanic I just know I'd be pissed (this guy just moved in and now he got a WHOLE section on grass in two weeks I been here for YEARS trying to get this straight!) Is what he's thinking..... Then you hit him "I'm the Turf Mechanic!" After that, IT'S ALL GOOD . LOL Great job, I'm sure the entire family is happy now.(not just the kids)

[@positivevibrations.4607]

I really enjoy this video.

[@deathnote7467]

For starting a new lawn on just soil (exsisting front yard is weed and dirt) could i use a tiller to stsrt off the prep?

[@BackwoodsLawnCare]

Always enjoy your Videos, very in-depth and informative. Although we may have different techniques we get similar results. Keep up the good work! #lawnseason

[@TurfMechanic]

Love it, techniques vary, no one way to skin a cat they say! 😆

[@drew-shourd]

Great video boss, thanx. 🙏🌱💚

[@rubenharris9241]

Good stuff Brian. This is the kind of stuff that pulled me into your channel originally 👍.

[@TurfMechanic]

Thats what I like to hear! I'm finally getting back to project vids, they are fun to make and present.

[@DkNy2kX]

So you placed their rye grass as a temporary lawn until next season for planing warm season grass? Is this for HOA reasons why you needed grass in 10n days?

[@Piccolo_Re]

Trying to get a soil test delayed my whole lawn-care process significantly. I had to go buy the kit from my local college that didn’t have hours that fit into my work schedule. Then I had to wait for the ground to thaw enough to get a bunch of sample spots. Then I had dry and to clean out the soil from contaminants like thatch and stones. Then I had to mail it out. I’m hoping it is worth spending that time and money on. Just waiting on my results now.

[@vintageswiss9096]

Could have had an actual lawn by now...

[@laurensiemens1436]

What type of grass seed would be a good one.

[@PushaDee]

I've had perennial rye germinate in under 24 hours.

[@mariebee3146]

Did you tamp before or after the peat moss?

[@BenjaminT.Minkler]

I am just starting this same process again on a 55'X20' area, my "sports court"...I actually did it before on the same area two years ago, but then I had just removed a huge sick pine tree(needle drop) that was right in the center of it; so I needed to let the ground resettle, now I'm refilling where the stump and roots where and moving more dirt from the higher end to the lower end to get it as flat and level as possible the annual rye grass surprisingly looked very nice when mowed, much better than I thought it would; but then I just let it go to see what it would do un-mowed at its tallest naturally - and it got to be around 18" before I weed-wacked it down to rebuild organic material in the soil ... this time it just has to last thru the summer to get some root structure in the soil and hold sand in place as I do final smoothing and leveling to the surface, so I'll be keeping it mowed pretty short(or at whatever height it performs best, depending on weather conditions) the first batch lasted about 18months actually, started early summer after the tree was fell(and thats when it was kept trimmed), but somehow much of it did come back the next spring(but maybe I tossed leftover seed down in the fall?) but then wasn't as full as it was before; and I did some leveling/filling where the ground sank as what was left of the tree decomposed or I was able to remove roots, but I could tell that I'd have to do more work before I could get my 'forever grass' in that fall(so I did more dirt moving then, and didn't seed, so that I could do more now this spring) I could tell last year it did a lot to improve soil health, by just having something growing in it to feed glucose to the microbes, for "living soil" - compared to now when from last year the dirt was left 'dead', but now I'm able to get the level where I want it and restart the process to get life back ....even if I kill it off at the end of summer(and don't disturb the soil) it will leave the root structure underground to simply have _grown in_ organic maternal(vs top dressing), help with compaction and water penetration/retention, and provide those pathways for new roots to follow in down deep annual rye is often overlooked, but it is a very affordable way to reform dirt into good soil

[@barbaravanerp4598]

This is just what I needed. I bought Buffalo grass last year and I bet this is just the thing to get it started. Annual rye is really smart. Thanks

[@jasonh6531]

Two questions: 1) Will the alfalfa meal have any benefits for new cool season sod and/ or vegetable plants? 2) when everyone refers to soil temperature how far down am I looking for that magic number for seed germination? My top inch of soil is fluctuating based on day part but further down it's still cool

[@TurfMechanic]

Alfalfa meal contains naturally occurring tricontinol which focuses plant energy on root development which sod or most any plant can benefit from. See this vid for more on soil temps kzbin.info/www/bejne/gp-0hqeklNuqhac

[@davidgonzales-ec8bo]

Hey Brian, how do we get content ideas to you . Is there a preferred way. I would like you to talk about low growth fertilizers, like low to now nitrogen and high other nutrients like potaium,iron, etc. I really think you would make a great video on this topic.

[@davidgonzales-ec8bo]

I don't think nitrogen is so important since w we aren't trying to maximize our yield. We aren't trying to grow corn only have a nice green lush lawn. What are your thoughts on this

[@TurfMechanic]

Right now comments are the best way, I see them all even if I don't have time to respond to them all.

[@andreamastrangelo1065]

I have an area similar in size and it’s covered in weeds. Should I apply weed killer to kill all the weeds and then dig it all up, and plant new grass? This is my first attempt at improving my lawn and the Spectracide weed killer says you can seed until 10 weeks after use. Should I just dig up the weeds and plant? What weed killer do you initially use so you can then plant new grass?

[@nyacoustics8373]

so what outside temp is good to seed your lawn?

[@TurfMechanic]

considering it's June in three days I would strongly advise you to wait until Mid-August to seed unless you are seeding a warm season grass type. Right now your soil is warm enough for all cool season grass types to germinate quickly but they will be so immature during the heat of summer that you will experience a lot of die off. By mid august day's are not quite as long as they are in June and by the time sprouts really start growing quickly it will be September and the harshest heat will be in the rear view mirror. If you absolutely wanted to seed now you could do so knowing you'll lose some to the summer and then have to overseed to fill in dead spots in mid august. Before you drop seed any time of the year it's best to water the soil heavily and then seed afterwards so that the seed is sitting on super damp soil. lightly watering seed regularly will then get that seed to germinate quicker and more uniformly.

[@johngrinnell]

We should get a video on how to pre germinate seeds

[@TurfMechanic]

I'd like to do that to, difference between priming and pre-germ would be my angle probably. On the list.

[@auntbea1664]

🎉 Thanks!🎉

[@pckecha]

What did you guys do about hungry birds?

[@TonyMiller-ic6cq]

Looks good Brian, what grass are going to so there eventually? I'm just south of Sydney Australia just sowed rye grass and it's really growing well coming into autumn/fall

[@TurfMechanic]

this specific portion of the lawn will eventually be Whittett Kikuyu (an improved variety over the common stuff most people have). I'm going to wait to true hot weather though to see if any more bermuda comes up out of winter dormancy and if need be I'll nuke it all one more time before overseeding kik into it in late Spring. A lot rides on what (if any) old lawn grasses emerge over the next 45 days. Not sure what your winter is like but here in SoCal the Kik should over winter just fine so this rye is the annual variety and not meant to inhabit the space for very long or to cover dormant winter grass. Love seeing you Aussies here in the comments BTW! Don't be shy!

[@yoko180]

Great video Brian. Can I use the scarifier to create a seed bed on a thin lawn or will it damage too much of the existing grass? I was thinking of using the scarifier or just a garden weasel to break up the surface.

[@TurfMechanic]

I would do it this way even on a thin lawn. So much easier and although you might kill of some of the existing grass the new stuff can sprout so much easier that it's worth it imo.

[@vintageswiss9096]

If your lawn is already shit, why are you trying to hang on to it? Do the correct process (and dethatch it), and start with a healthy lawn.

[@yoko180]

@@vintageswiss9096 dethatching the lawn thins out the lawn as well so it’s basically the same process. Not all lawns start off as a healthy lawn right away, it takes time.

[@eyeswideopen627]

Hi Brian. Should I be concerned with low reading of boron in my soil test?

[@TurfMechanic]

I wouldn't be too concerned but I also know that decent boron readings help by making more resilient grass to various stressors. I wouldn't go out of my way to find boron but an application of azomite can help improve boron levels a bit...as well as many of the other trace elements that no one talks about.

[@eyeswideopen627]

@@TurfMechanic thank you my friend

[@tomnwmi]

Is there really much difference in germination times between annual and perennial Rye grasses?

[@coveyking]

naw

[@thomasmcshane2085]

How short are you mowing daily with the reel mower?

[@TurfMechanic]

when I cut with it it's a bit below .75 inch. Its on the bottom. These days I'm usually cutting with a rotary mower at about 1".

[@PNWlawnguy1973]

what height did you cut with your reel mower?

[@TurfMechanic]

First two cuts were around 1" starting day 11 I dropped it to around .75". I'll probably keep it there for a month or so before bringing it back up closer to 1".

[@almaburns6562]

​@@TurfMechanic What if I don't have a reel mower, should I cut my new rye grass with a regular mower?

[@TurfMechanic]

@almaburns6562 yes but rotary mowers rarely cut cleanly or uniformally below 1.5". To go that low for baby grass though you absolutely have to ensure your lawn mower has the sharpest blades you can put on them to prevent tearing or uprooting of the sprouts. If you have an unlevel lawn then definitely make sure you wait till those blades are taller to hit them as high spots are easily scalped and damaged. For sharpening regular mower blades I just use an angle grinder. It's not the best but its close enough without buying expensive tools that only do one thing well.

[@justhumblemeclarke7292]

I'm concerned because I had a bad grub infestation last season. I'm not sure I want to do a preemergent this year because I assume my grass is attempting to grow new roots. My neighbors lost large patches of turf but I was able to save most of mine. I've already treated for grubs this year with grub ex. Any suggestions or comments welcomed!

[@vintageswiss9096]

Just use your normal maintenance routine. You already treated it. Trust the process.

[@Alexb_1775]

Awesome

[@davidgonzales-ec8bo]

Funny cat...

[@TurfMechanic]

I've got paw prints in my grass now 🤭

[@mastershadow7837]

Doesn't this guy look like Keanu Reeves?

[@TurfMechanic]

I am the one