How to Kill Grass & Grow New Grass

A patchy, yellow lawn can be replaced.

The amount of care you put toward your lawn can mean the difference between a gorgeous, green yard or a sea of dead brown and yellow grass. If you happen to be the owner of the latter, you can correct the problem by killing your current lawn and replacing it. The process takes time, but the result is rewarding. A full, green lawn is a point of pride for many homeowners.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Black plastic sheet
• Weights
• Shovel
• Rake
• Soil
• Grass seed
• Seed spreader
• Starter fertilizer
• Peat moss and spreader
• Hand roller

Kill Old Grass

1. Cover your entire lawn with sheets of black plastic. Use weights to keep down the corners and sides, so the plastic will not blow away.

2. Leave the plastic on the lawn for up to a year, until all of the old grass dies. Maintain the black plastic, by repairing holes and rips, and by ensuring all of the sides stay down.

3. Remove the plastic from the lawn, once the grass has died. Use the shovel and rake to remove any remaining grass. Turn over and level the remaining terrain.

Plant New Grass

1. Spread a layer of top soil over the area you are preparing to seed. Level the terrain with a rake and remove any rocks, stones or other debris that may impede growth.

2. Set the rate of your seed spreader for sowing seed. Fill the spreader with seed, then spread the seeds across the area, diagonally, in one direction; then, crisscross the lines, by spreading seeds, diagonally, in the other direction.

3. Spread a starter fertilizer, on your lawn, after the seed has been spread. Spread it in the same fashion as the grass seed. Fill a peat moss spreader with peat moss, or similar organic matter. Spread approximately an eighth- to a quarter-inch of the matter over the entire area.

4. Fill a hand roller half way with water. Use the hand roller to roll over and compress the area. Roll the perimeter first, then the remaining area.

5. Water the area gently, so that the area is moistened up to eight inches below the surface. After the initial watering, the top inch of the area should be kept moist, until the seeds germinate. If in doubt, water, according to Donnan.com.

Tips & Warnings

• If the seeds dry out before germination, they will not germinate.

References

• For Dummies: Planting a New Lawn From Seed
• Gardening Knowhow: How to Kill Grass Naturally
• Donnan: Planting New Lawns

Resources

• Garden Counselor: Getting Grass To Grow