Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Replace a Lawn With a New One

Apply the Right Herbicide

• Before you can plant a new lawn, you must kill the existing lawn using a selective herbicide designed to kill the type of grass currently growing. If you’re not worried about killing anything else in the near vicinity, use a nonselective herbicide, such as one containing glyphosate, to kill the grass.

Remove the Existing Grass

• Use a lawn mower and bagger to cut and collect the dead grass. Rake up the remaining grass debris using a rake to reveal the soil below. The goal is to remove as much of the existing lawn as possible to make room for new growth. You don't want parts of the old lawn growing up through the new one, so be as thorough as possible. You may need to apply a second round of herbicide.

Prepare the Area for New Grass

• Amend the soil so that the new lawn can easily take root and flourish. To do this, till the soil to a depth of 2 inches and take soil samples to test the pH of the soil. It is important that that the soil is the proper pH to support the new type of grass being planted. Based on the results of the pH test, add soil amendments, such as a lime or sulfur product, to make the soil the ideal pH level. Fertilize the area with a starter fertilizer that is higher in phosphate than other nutrients. So for example, a 10-20-10 fertilizer contains twice as much phosphate as nitrogen. The goal is to create the perfect growing environment for new grass. Once the soil is amended, level and roll the newly exposed dirt.

Install the New Lawn

• Decide whether you would like to plant grass seed or sod. Grass seed is less expensive than planting sod, but one of the drawbacks is that it takes more time to propagate and is more susceptible to failure than laying sod. To plant seed, use a garden spreader to spread the seed evenly in the desired area. To lay sod, simply roll out the strips of grass and lay them end to end. Sod must be arranged so that the seams are staggered. Settle the sod with a lawn roller once it has been laid.

  Water the newly planted lawn within the first half hour of planting. From there, water it once or twice daily for a period of two weeks, at which point the roots will have time to establish.