Step 1: Have your soil tested
- Take a one inch plastic PVC and drive it into the ground 7″ inches deep.
- Place 7″ sample of soil taken with PVC pipe, knock it out into a zip lock sandwich bag, and label the outside of the clear sandwhich bag with corresponding number, type of tree, type of plant, or kinds of garden vegetables in that area.
- Spread out your five plugs over front/back yard (see sample pics below)
* Our store will freely test up to five samples of yards, trees, gardens, or any other soil areas that you’d like to get the results for your soil. We charge a $1.50/sample above five.
We test for..
- Soil pH
- Soil porosity (penetration of H2O)
- Salinity (possible toxicity).
These varying factors will drastically affect the germination and growth of a new lawn as well as the health of your plants, trees, and garden.
Step 2: Add organic material and soil amendments
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Most soil in Kern County has heavy amounts of either clay, hardpan, sandy, or silt, and contains little to no organic material.
Tilling in organic matter such as our E.B. Stone Redwood or Fir-mulch, is one of the best amendments on the market. This soil amendment introduces a significant micronutrient, aeration, and moisture retention quality, to an already compacted and nutrient deficient soil.
This will greatly benefit your lawn, plants, gardens, and trees, for up to a decade or more afterwards. Once you’ve received the results of your soil samples, till in this organic material into your lawn 6″ inches deep, blending it with your native soil. Blend in redwood with your soil for your plants, gardens, or trees.
Watch your plant thrive in your newly amended and microbially rich soil!
Step 3: Sow new grass seed
To get an even spread, we suggest using a hand held spreader, do not spread it by hand (unless you are spot seeding). Our employee’s will help you determine what the rate of spread is based on type of seed you buy.
Step 4: Add Fertilizer
When planting a lawn, we suggest using our Trophy Blend – 7-20-20 + 4%fe fertilizer, when planting a new lawn. This fertilizer encourages root growth and over-all health for your lawn and other plants.
Step 5: Seed to soil contact
If this is a bare dirt area use the back side of a leaf rake and go over the area. This mixes the seed and the soil together. When mixing the soil and seed, make sure that the seed does not go deeper than 1/8th of an inch into the soil. The entire area should be packed with a water roller (rental). If seed is just on top of the soil it has a very high mortality rate. If you are planting over a dead lawn, use a spiker (rental) aerator to push the seed down through any grass so that it is touching the soil.
Step 6: Top with compost
Adding compost as a “topper”, is beneficial as it helps with temperature fluctuations, and adds some micronutrients. Most importantly, toppers help keep the seed moist. Our E.B Stone – Firmulch is the best product as a topper. This step is optional if you feel that you can keep the soil moist throughout the day.
Step 7: Watering
Run your sprinklers several times a day. A recommended watering schedule is 7am, 10am, 1pm, and 4pm. Each watering should be light (3-5 minutes each), so that puddles do not form. However, the seed must stay moist. If the days are hot and dry or there is a light breeze, this can contribute to the new seed drying out and cracking. This will result in a high mortality of the seed. In these cases remember this general rule of thumb..
“Keep moist all day without puddles or run-off”