Homeowners remove trees from their yards for different reasons. When a stump is removed, a hole is left full of wood chips. Replanting the area with grass is not an easy task. The soil needs a lot of work to get it ready for the grass to grow.
Before planting grass, the site needs to be adequately prepared to correct the pH range. When the site is not well prepared, the grass will turn yellow and won’t thrive. Some people may never even get grass to sprout. This is because there is carbon in the tree stump and woodchips, which affects the soil.
Stump grinding is an efficient and quick way to get rid of troublesome tree stumps. This process can influence the soil negatively. Let’s look at planting grass after stump grinding.
What Happens to the Soil After Stump Grinding
Grinding the tree stump helps remove the wood by effectively pulverizing the roots and stump. Planting grass is hard after a tree has been cut down because the soil doesn’t have enough nitrogen. The sawdust, wood chips, and the roots that remain in the ground need to compost and break down. This can take years.
Planting Grass After Stump Grinding
Adding nitrogen to the soil will help break down the organic matter. Removing the wood chips helps get rid of the carbon from the soil. The following tips can help you restore the natural balance of the soil:
Remove Sawdust
Remove as much sawdust as possible to reduce the amount of carbon that’s allowed to leech into the ground. If the sawdust is left in the soil, nitrogen restoration may take one year.
Add topsoil
When all the sawdust has been removed, good-quality topsoil should be added. The topsoil can be turned over and mixed into the area using a shovel. You can then rake the area to flatten it.
Fertilization
For grass to grow and stay healthy, there should be enough nitrogen in the soil. The soil can be prepared by adding fertilizers rich in nitrogen before planting the grass seed. The area will not require too much fertilizer as it is small. Use a fertilizer combination of slow-release and quick-release nitrogen to boost the soil health and ensure there’s a healthy nitrogen supply when it comes to planting the grass.
Sow the grass seeds
Use a good quality grass seed for better results, rapid growth, and good-looking grass. You can sprinkle some soil over the seeds, so they are covered to about a quarter an inch. After that, ensure the seeds are properly watered.
Caring for the grass seeds
It may be a good idea to cover the newly planted area with mesh to stop birds from eating the seeds. This helps to improve the germination rate.
Water the area every morning and evening until the seeds start to sprout. Be careful not to overwater as you can wash the seeds away.
Planting Grass After Stump Grinding: Conclusion
About 60 days after planting, the grass should look nice. You can then apply fertilizer high in nitrogen every month. This maintains the nitrogen levels on the ground and speeds the process of decomposition.
After the grass is well established, you can water it deeply twice a week.
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