With Keith Savage, our recently hired landscaping supervisor, joining our team, THS now installs lawns from scratch, so we wanted to share what actually goes into building a real one, because it’s not just a matter of throwing some seed down on the weekend and watering a few times.
What you're starting with
Most properties around here aren’t growing grass. They’re growing clover, broadleaf weeds, and crabgrass that look green from a distance. A real lawn replaces all of that.
What it actually takes
A proper base
At least 4 inches of screened loam or 50/50 mix. No shortcuts here — thin soil is why most lawns fail before they start.
The right seed for the right spot
Full sun, shade, or mixed sun all need different blends. Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and seasonal rye each have a job to do.
Soil temperature above 58°
That's the threshold for germination. In central NH that means early May at the earliest in spring, or while soil is still warm in late summer.
Cover
Straw or CoverGrow over the seed — keeps birds out and holds moisture.
Consistent water
Two to three short waterings per day until germination. If you're not on-site daily, irrigation isn't optional. As Keith puts it: "If you want a championship lawn, you need an irrigation system."
A real fertilizer schedule
Starter fertilizer at seeding, then every 5–6 weeks through the season. Lime and aeration in the fall to balance pH and break up compaction. New England lawns are more disease-prone than most — feeding them properly is what keeps weeds and disease out. A healthy lawn crowds out problems on its own.
When to do it
Late August through early September is the ideal window
Cooler nights, soil still warm, and far fewer weeds competing for space. It's also the only window where you can use fertilizer with weed and pest control built in — spring seeding rules that out.
Spring (early-to-mid May) works too
if you want to get going sooner. Just expect to manage weeds separately the first season.
When you'll have a lawn
Plan on roughly four weeks from seed to first mow. A full, established lawn takes a full season to come in.
Irrigation
If you want a championship lawn, or you're a second homeowner who isn't here to water regularly, irrigation is the answer, and we can install an irrigation system.
Want to learn more?
Fall is the right time, and it’ll be here faster than you think. If you want to talk through whether your property is a fit, we’ll come out, walk it with you, and put together a plan. Reach out to us and we’ll get an assessment on the calendar.
While we're out there
Lawn install is new, but it’s joining a full slate of yard maintenance work we already do — spring and fall cleanups, mulching, pruning, weekly mowing, and recurring property care through the season. If you’re thinking about a lawn, it’s a good time to talk about the rest of the property too. We can build it all into one plan.
