Cost to Seed a Lawn
The dense, velvety green lawn ensures a tidy appearance of the garden and emphasizes the beauty of the ornamental plants planted next to it. However, a lot needs to be done for such a lawn to be kept in perfect condition. One of the fundamental tasks of the lawn design is seeding.
How Much Does it Cost to Seed a Lawn?
The cost to seed a lawn is influenced by several factors such as the company you plan will hire, the local labor rate, the type of seed, and the size of your lawn. In general, you should expect to pay anywhere between $95 and $190 per 1,000 square feet to reseed (renovate) an existing lawn or to seed a new one.
The seeding cost starts at around $155 according to the Home Advisor website. However, the average prices are anywhere between $580 and $860.
Expect to pay around $1,000 for very large yards.
Lawn seeding overview
The majority of the lawn care companies offer two types of seeding services for the existing lawns: replacement and renovation.
Renovation refers to the process of grass seed planting in order to fill in thin or patchy areas, while replacement refers to the creation of a new lawn. This is recommended in general when more than half of the lawn is covered with weeds or bare.
You might also like our articles about the cost of lawn mower blade sharpening, lawn sprinkler systems, or lawn painting.
The replacement process is very complex. This involves the utilization of a sod cutter in order to remove the old lawn, followed by the turning of the soil with a rotary tiller. After that compost, sand and fertilizer will be added, and the soil pH will be measured and corrected. You can try to replace the soil on your own but this will take a lot of time and commitment. You will also have to budget for the rental of the necessary equipment.
The best time of the year to seed is fall, especially in cold climates. You should avoid planting seeds in the spring because at that time weeds flourish, plus the weeds may be washed by the constant rains. Also, summer is not a good time for planting seeds because it would be really difficult to keep the soil moist enough to support the growth of the grass and plants.
However, the lawn can be seeded in March, June, July, August, November, if the conditions are favorable. It cannot be seeded when there is a danger of frost. In fact, the days of heat and drought should also be avoided. Regardless of the period in which the seeding is done, it is obligatory to ensure the necessary humidity for the soil for germination. Seeding is ideal when the soil is warm. It is not advisable to sow the soil after rain or wind.
Important things to consider
After the lawn has grown, it should be watered daily or every other day for 15 minutes, depending on the outside temperature and the period in which it was exposed to the sun, as well as the type of soil. Watering the lawn regularly will keep the grass green for longer periods of time.
Lawn fertilization should be done every two months when the grass is dry. Fertilizer is vital because it contains potassium, which protects against disease, and phosphorus, which helps strengthen the roots. After applying the fertilizer, it should be spread evenly over the entire surface of the lawn.
The first mowing of the lawn should be done when the grass reaches 4 inches and it should not be mowed more than a third of its height, and only the tips should be cut.
The optimal height of the grass is 2.7 to 3 inches. You must do the same for the next 2 to 3 cuts until the lawn will thicken and will be more resistant. Afterward, you will have to cut it once a week, especially in spring and autumn, during the growing season.
If the lawn begins to dry out, turn yellow, or thin out, it may be contaminated with a fungus. Lawn diseases are caused by fungi, and some can be difficult to treat, and the reasons for this may be excessive watering or planting in inappropriate places. Some fungi can go away on their own, and then the lawn will begin to gradually recover in the next year.
Tips and tricks
Plan your lawn irrigation in advance: from the beginning, think about how you want to irrigate your lawn. You need to plan for automatic plant irrigation in advance, as pipes and sprinklers must be dug inside.
Use the right seeds: think about the demands of your lawn and use the right seeds. There is a wide range of decorative lawns for playground and sports turf, as well as special blends such as shade turf or dry turf.
Arrange the lawn only after building the house: new house, new lawn. Logical, isn’t it? Do not start with the lawn until all other work on the outside and inside of the house has been completed. If craftsmen, moving operators or heavy vehicles have to go across the new lawn, it will not look fresh. Make sure there is no debris left in the ground under the future lawn surface.
How can I save money?
You may be able to save some money if you choose to seed the lawn yourself. Though this is not very cheap because you should plan on spending anywhere between $55 and $110 for seed for an average-sized yard, plus another $110 to $210 for necessary equipment rental. Obviously, this cost doesn’t factor in aggravation and time.
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