What do I need to do for preparation?
Surface should be cultivated soil that has been leveled, rocks removed, and hand raked. Topsoil is not required if native soil is not too rocky to provide a good seed bed. Amending the soil by rototilling compost into the native base is always good. To amend native soil with compost or organic matter, add approximately 4 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet.
If you are importing topsoil, consider rototilling 1/2 of the soil into your native base and layer the remaining portion. The last step should always be raking to provide a soft surface for the seeding process.
Can you access my back yard?
We carry 300 feet of hose and generally have no problems in accessing all parts of a site.
If your site is more than 300 feet away from where we would park our truck, let us know and we will come prepared to handle your project for a small additional fee.
Will the spray get into my flower beds?
Our equipment and experience allows us to install our product neatly and accurately. However, hard compressed surfaces make the product bounce instead of stick. Hand raking prior to our visit eliminates this problem.
How often do I water?
The mixture should be kept wet continuously during the initial germination period. This means short frequent waterings until the first mowing.
When can I walk on the surface?
Walking on the surface will not cause any damage to the seed. However, the soil is soft and will not tolerate traffic.
Keep activity on the area to a minimum until the area has been mowed approximately 3 to 4 times.
Watering
The most critical factor in the success of your new lawn is watering. When Rapid Gro Lawn is newly planted, we recommend short frequent waterings to maintain the moisture in the lawn.
As your new Rapid Gro Lawn matures, longer less frequent waterings are needed.
At 30 days, waterings should be long and deep. This allows moisture to seep well into the soil and encourages a deep root system and drought resistance. In all cases, monitor waterings to avoid run-off.
Fertilizing
Rapid Gro Lawn comes complete with long-lasting fertilizers, which will nourish your lawn for the first 60 to 90 days. (The time depends on soil quality) When the lawn begins to lose its deep green luster, it is time to fertilize.
Specially prepared Rapid Gro Lawn fertilizers can be delivered with just one telephone call. Each bag of Rapid Gro Lawn fertilizer is custom blended for each stage of your lawn's development and growth. Your lawn will remain green and lush for 60 to 90 days, depending on soil conditions.
If you wish to purchase fertilizer from a store, we recommend a fertilizer with a basic ratio of 3:1:2. These three numbers represent the percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium/potash (K) in the fertilizer. A mixture of 21-7-14 with a minimum of 40% organic (water insoluble) nitrogen is a good mixture.
Spread fertilizer with a broadcast-style spreader when the grass is dry, to avoid burning. Two or three passes help to ensure proper coverage and eliminate striping. Staining of concrete areas is caused by iron in the micronutrient package. Wash off all concrete areas to avoid staining. After applying fertilizer, water deeply.
Drop spreaders, while good for applying herbicide or insecticide, are not recommended for fertilizer application.
To achieve proper coverage, fertilizers must be applied in two or three passes. Drop spreaders make this difficult. Striped lawns are a result of improper drop spreader application. For this reason, Weed & Feed products are not recommended. See Mowing & Weed Control.
Mowing & Weed Control
Your Rapid Gro Lawn is ready for its first mowing, depending on the weather, in about two to three weeks.
We recommend a mowing height of 1.5 inches for one month to kill coarse or succulent weeds. These weeds may appear as a result of weed seeds in the soil.
After the first month, mow your new lawn at a height of 2 inches. Never mow more than 1/3 of the lawn height at any one time. To maintain a mowing height of 2 inches, the lawn should never exceed 3 inches before mowing.
To avoid lawn damage, do not apply any weed control within the first 60 days.
After that period, use hand tools or a liquid herbicide to control lawn weeds that may appear. Follow directions carefully when using these products, to use them safely.
Since broadcast spreaders are best for fertilizers; and drop spreaders are best for herbicides, Weed & Feed products are not recommended. When a Weed & Feed is applied with a broadcast spreader, herbicide is thrown into the shrub beds and gutter. This causes damage to your shrubbery, as well as being environmentally unsafe.
Slow Growth
While we at Briar Group Inc. convey growth expectations to the best of our ability, sometimes misunderstandings occur.
You should start to see single blades of grass in 5 to 7 days. After your first blades are visible; three days later the lawn area should be covered with new growth. If the weather is abnormally cool these times may be slower. Warmer temperatures result in faster growth.
You should expect to mow your new Rapid Gro Lawn in three weeks.
Remember, ground temperatures are the determining factor, not air temperatures.
Copyright for Rapid Gro Lawn© by Briar Group Inc.
Page Updated 7/01/2011
