Home & Garden Tips
Planting Lawns in Burke County
By Roosevelt McWilliams County Extension Agent
In Burke County, most lawns are established by seeding. Always purchase quality seed, that is, one with a high percent germ ination and purity. This inform ation should be given on the tag. Inexpensive seed often ends up being expensive because of low ger- mination and purity. Reputable seed dealers are always willing to help customers select quality seed.

The best way to apply seed is with a mechanical seeder that will distribute the seed uniformly. There are four basic types of mechanical seeders available: drill, gravity, broadcaster, and hydroseeder. For small areas, such as home lawns, the gravity flow or broadcaster works best.

When seeding, divide the seed in two equal parts and then seed in two directions at right angles to each other. Fertilizers and pesticides should also be applied in this manner to insure a more uniform distribution. For some small seed, it may be helpful to mix the seed with a carrier such as dry sand to distribute the seed evenly. If this is done, frequently mix to prevent separation of seed and sand.

Once the seeds are planted, rake lightly into the soil. On small areas a hand rake works fine. This increases the contact of the seed with the soil, thus increasing the chance of the seed surviving. After raking, roll the seeded area lightly to firm the soil. Then place mulch over the soil. A mulch serves two purposes. It helps prevent soil erosion and it helps retain moisture necessary for the seed to germinate. If straw is used, find a source that is free of weed seed. One bale of straw (60- 80 pounds) will cover approximately 1000 square feet.

Fertilizer and lime is necessary for a lawn to reach its full potential. Centipede may be fertilized in the spring after it has fully greened-up. Other warm season grasses may be fertilized when they are about half green-up in the spring.

The simplest way to adjust soil fertility and pH is to take a soil test and then apply fertilizer and lime accordingly. Each of the grasses that I discussed in my article last week grows best at a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. When pH is too low, it's best to use dolomitic limestone as the source of lime.

Care and maintenance include mowing at proper height, fertilizing as needed, removing thatch when it exceeds one half inch thickness, controlling weeds and allowing birds, spiders, toads and earthworms to use your lawn. And don't forget that aeration is necessary in some cases.

For additional information, call me at the Burke County Extension office at 706-554- 2119.