The notebook
Page 3 of 4.
How Long Does Grass Seed Take to Grow? The Honest Answer
One extension service publishes approximate germination days by species. What governs the wait is soil temperature and never letting the seed dry out.
Lime for Your Lawn: Only If a Soil Test Says You Should
Penn State says never guess at the amount of limestone needed. Lime raises pH and nothing else — when it helps, and why it hurts a lawn at pH 6.5.
Garden Soil vs Potting Soil vs Topsoil: Which to Use
Garden soil vs potting soil comes down to one thing: soil-less mixes drain in a pot, garden soil compacts. Six products compared, and where each belongs.
How Much Is a Yard of Dirt? Coverage and Cost
A yard of dirt is 27 cubic feet and covers about 108 square feet at three inches deep. What a cubic yard looks like, how far it goes, and bags versus bulk.
How to Add Nitrogen to Soil: 8 Ways That Work
Blood meal at 12% nitrogen feeds a crop within a month; feather meal at 11-15% can take a year. How to add nitrogen to soil, and which source suits when.
How to Raise Soil pH (and How Long Lime Takes)
Raise soil pH with ground limestone and expect four to six months, per UMass. Sandy soil needs about 25 lb per 1,000 sq ft per pH unit, clay closer to 95.
How to Lower Soil pH: Sulfur Rates That Work
How to lower soil pH: 7 lb of elemental sulfur per 1,000 sq ft on sand, 14 on silt loam, 28 on clay for a one-unit drop. Ohio State rates and limits.
What do the three numbers on fertilizer mean?
The three numbers on fertilizer are N-P-K percentages by weight, and the middle one is phosphate, not phosphorus. How to read a bag properly.