Rocky soil as a base for grass seed requires some pre-planning, as it tends to present unique challenges to initial and ongoing dirt management.
Whether rocky soil is from a new build property or an older unamended plot, there are plenty of methods to create a good foundation for seeding a lawn. Combining the right additions, fertilizers, and grass seed varieties will ensure a better success rate for year-to-year beautiful lawns.
Assessing Dirt Composition
Many times, homeowners can take a sample of their soil and get it tested at the local university extension office. Alternatively, consumer kits can be purchased from various lawn and garden sources.
Knowing what type of garden soil you have is an excellent jumping-off point for figuring out how to amend your yard and which grass seed types may be best for your landscape.
Amending or adding different substrates to the soil can include:
- topsoil
- clean fill dirt
- leaf mulch
- vermiculite
- organic compost
Amending the soil may also be necessary for adding nutrients and altering the pH level in the soil. What you add to the soil composition will have a long-term effect on the soil quality expected to grow different grass seed types.
Adding nutrients while amending the soil is needed when rocky soil lacks enough nutrients for a rich planting medium.
Methods for Removing Rocks From Soil
Rocks can be amended by removing rocks through raking. The use of rakes can help with larger rocks in the soil that can be more easily removed than smaller stones.
No matter how many inches of added amended dirt, it is beneficial to remove larger rocks to create a flat, even grading soil for planting.
Screening can also be done to help remove various sizes of rocks and stones from the soil. Screening can be done with machines as well as more DIY apparatus.
Imagine someone screening rocks and sediment that settle in a riverbed in search of gold; the same process can be done to screen out rocks from soil. A rock tumbler-like apparatus can also be used to help screen out rocks from the soil.
Additionally, depending on the ratio of rocks in the soil, using a rototiller is also a good option. Rototilling can help ensure that the grass seed has a good depth of clean fill dirt to germinate and hold roots.
Tilling the soil is a good practice for adding amended materials into the ground while also removing rocks and other debris that hinder lawn growth.
Rocky Clay and Compact Soil
When the landscape gives you rocky clay soil, clay’s compact nature hinders water drainage needed for grass seed. Clay soil, like rocky soil, requires some amending to make it suitable for growing grass successfully.
It is still possible to turn clay soil into seeded lawn provided you choose the right grass varieties for the soil and improve the ability for water to drain properly.
Ways in which to improve clay and compacted soil include:
- Loosening the soil
- Adding leaf compost
- Adding manure
- Adding gypsum
Adding layers of soil and mulch onto an existing rocky clay soil can be an option when raking, screening, and tilling the garden is too exhaustive in time and money.
The addition of clean fill dirt brought in to top dress existing rocky clay soil is another option. A good depth of soil for growing grass seed generally is between four and twelve inches of soil.
Amending the soil each year with thin broadcasts of compost and mulch help continue to improve the quality of the ground. Additions that consist of small particles that clump together like sand and peat moss will only further hinder the issues related to clay and compacted soil.
Ample ability for drainage in the soil and further breakdown of the clay is vital for improving grass soil.
What fertilizer is best to use with new grass in rocky soil?
Fertilizers can enhance the growing capacity of grass seed to grow in rocky and clay soil types.
Milorganite, a wastewater by-product sold at many large box stores, is an excellent slow-release fertilizer for lawns and gardens. Using natural fertilizers like Milorganite and gypsum will help minimize leaching and further break down tough compacted dirt.
Choosing a grass seed variety specific to your rocky or clay yard is also important based on the season, zone, and soil types of your lawn.
Grass types that tend to be more drought tolerant and have deeper roots fare better in rocky soil. This link provides information about how Bermuda grass and Zoysia grass are two of the grass varieties best suited for tough growing conditions.