Having a soil test can truly save you money in the long run. Who wants to purchase fertilizer if it is not needed? Likewise, you may hurt your lawn by adding things to it that it does not need. Lawn grass grows best when it is planted in soil that has a pH of 6.2 - 6.5. What this means is that your lawn grass will receive the most nutrients if it is planted in soil within this pH range. However, if they manage to spread a blanket all over the lawn, they are going to dehydrate the grass by not allowing it to get water. That is the reason why it is necessary for you to have a good rake. The collected leaves can be used as compost. The rake can also be used in the winter to remove the snow thatch from the surface of the grass and giving your lawn air to breathe. Make sure the garden hose you purchase will stretch to all the others you want to water. You should probably invest in a rack or reel for your hose. It will just eliminate a lot of tangles when it comes time to wind up your garden hose. Every gardener needs a wheelbarrow. You can use a wheelbarrow for many different things around your house. After you apply the turf fertilizer, you should water your lawn. This will help to prevent burn. You should protect your new lawn from trauma. Keep lawn traffic to a bare minimum during the first month. Do not allow anyone to drive onto your new lawn, ride bikes or do other activities that would damage your new lawn – such as playing a game of volleyball, setting up an elaborate outdoor party, etc. The soil should be tilled to at least six to eight inches. After you have loosened up the growing soil, add any amendments/fertilizers that are needed based on your soil test and till them into the soil. After tilling, rake the growing area free of debris and you can start sowing your seed, planting your sprigs or plugs or installing sod. The seedbed needs to be tilled to at least six to eight inches. You should till the seedbed in two different directions. When you have completed tilling, you may notice that the tiller has brought debris and stones to the surface. Rake these out of the seedbed. Any amendments that need to be added to the soil should be added at this time.