Grass Seeding After Installation

It is important to re-seed with grass those areas that have been disturbed by the excavation process during the installation of your septic system.  A healthy stand of grass will prevent erosion and the infestation of weeds, and the deep-rooted dry land or prairie grass mixtures help your disposal or leach field operate by aiding the evapotranspiration process, which removes 20%-30% of the water in a traditional 3’ deep absorption bed or trench system and 70%-90% in shallow low pressure pipe or drip irrigation systems.

There are myriad varieties of grasses that are suitable, including the prairie or dry land pasture mixes, tall fescues, blue grama, crested wheatgrass and brome.  Most mixes cost about $5/lb and you will need between 3-8 lbs./1,000 SF of area to be covered, depending on the variety.  The seed can be purchased at most rural feed and tack stores, or from Rocky Mountain Seed in downtown Denver.  The seed is best planted between mid-March and mid-September. The seed will need watering to get established, so Spring is probably the best season to take advantage of rains or snows.

You can broadcast the seed by hand, or use a small, inexpensive hand spreader.  After broadcasting, scratch the seed in with hand rakes or a drag cultivator.

Once established, you can leave the grass at its natural height, or mow to 3”.