Also, you can use a black sheet instead of newspaper. You keep a newspaper for seven days, it prevents the light of the sun from entering beneath and hence kills the unwanted plants. Saturating the newspaper that you place on the ground every day helps in the decomposition of the plants that die in this process. Here are some important tips to be kept in mind before applying fertilizers on lawns: Mow the lawn and moisten the soil before using fertilizers as a dry lawn can get burnt while sprinkling fertilizers. Remember, application of fertilizer is not same as the weed control. Hence both the products should not be used simultaneously or in combination. Cool Season Grass Cool season grasses grow best in the spring and fall. If you are planting a new lawn with cool season grasses, it is best to sow your seed in the early fall. During this time the ground still has enough heat to germinate the seed. You can sow your cool season grass in the spring, but keep in mind that it will not have as much time to establish itself before the hot weather season. There are some grasses, which are considered warm season grasses and cold season grasses, which are quite suitable for the climate of North America. One has to remember that if there is some rain during the summer months, the grass is going to be dormant. The grass types which are good for cold climates, which mean the winters are cold and the summers are hot, are Kentucky Bluegrass, Red Fescue, Ryegrass and Bent grass. If you are going to be digging, you should purchase a shovel that is shaped like a spade. If you are going to be picking up clutter and debris from your soil, you will want to have a shovel that has a flat head. When purchasing a shovel, keep in mind the length of the handle. The longer the handle, the easier it will be to lift when it is full of dirt. Do you want to know what the most important thing is when it comes to starting a new lawn? It is soil preparation. If you have soil that is good condition, your lawn will be easier to keep up in the future and it will cost you a lot less money in the long run. Prior to starting a new lawn, you should get the soil tested.