Preparing Your Lawn For A Backyard Wedding — A Timeline

Do you plan to host a backyard summer wedding? If so, then now is the time to start preparing the lawn for its big moment. To help you with this potentially challenging task, here are a few steps to take and the timeline in which to take them.

Three Months Before

As soon as you know your yard will serve as a wedding backdrop, begin by consulting with an experienced lawn care service. They can assess the condition of the lawn as well as the soil to determine what effort will be needed. A relatively healthy lawn may simply need some additional care and attention while a brown lawn may need a full replacement. Find out early. 

At this time, too, check the soil and make sure your irrigation system is running at its optimal configuration. By making the best environment for grass now, you help ensure that it will green up as much as possible and that new plantings have the best chance. 

Two Months Before

If you need to plant new grass from seed, try to start it about two months before the big day. This gives you time to ensure that the new seed takes and sprouts properly, or it buys time to try again if things don't go to plan. You want that seed to become well-rooted and healthy so it can withstand the trampling that will inevitably occur before and during the wedding. 

A completely new lawn planted from seed needs the full 60 days to become a healthy lawn. But use the same time frame even for individual patches that need to be reseeded so they will grow in as full as possible. 

One Month Before

Need to fill in some spots with sod? Or have you decided that the whole lawn should be made of clean, new sod? Then, schedule its installation for about a month before it needs to be ready. Sod looks great from the start, but it will also need time for roots to grow and take solid hold so as to be resilient to foot traffic. And if you will only replace a portion of the existing grass with sod, this allows time to make it blend. 

If greening up an existing lawn, check the fertilizer recommendations for your particular type of grass. Generally, you should probably have it aerated and top-dressed with organic fertilizer to provide a boost just before the wedding. 

Whether you face specific challenges in your particular lawn, or you simply don't have time to devote to the project, start by meeting with a lawn care service in your area. Together, you can create a beautiful carpet that will complement any set of nuptials.