How to Plant Grass in the Southwest

Prepare the lawn area in mid- to late March to seed for Bermuda grass. Aerate the soil with a tiller, working into the topsoil approximately 1 inch of compost. Rake the surface to smooth.

Determine how much grass seed you need. Measure the length and width of the area and round up to the nearest foot. Multiply the length by the width to get the area's square footage.

Plant Bermuda grass before mid-April. Check the bag for the manufacturer's recommendation for coverage. The average variety of grass seed offers 400 sq. ft. of coverage per pound. A 5-lb. bag of grass seed covers 2,000 square feet.

Water the lawn the evening before the seed will be planted. Sprad the seed onto the damp ground, filling the spreader with half the amount of seed needed. Walk back and forth across the lawn, spreading the seed over the entire area. Fill the spreader with the remaining seed and cover the area again, this time at a right angle to the previous coverage.

Rake the seed into the topsoil and water lightly. Continue to water lightly each morning with a gently spray to keep the ground moist. Decrease watering to twice a week when seedlings begin to show. Water deeply once a week throughout the summer months to maintain the lawn.

Prepare the lawn in September for seeding with rye grass. Cut the Bermuda grass down to approximately 1 inch in height. Cease watering the lawn so the grass dries out.

Rake the lawn, removing any built-up thatch. Remove the thatch and use a tiller to aerate the soil. Add approximately 1 inch of compost to topsoil.

Plant the rye seed by mid-October. Water the lawn the night before the seed is to be planted.

Plant the rye grass seed using the same method used for the Bermuda grass seed. Keep the ground moist with a light watering each day for the first week. Reduce watering times to once a week when seedlings begin to sprout. Water deeply once every 10 days throughout the winter months.