A perfectly manicured lawn of emerald green grass not only looks nice, but provides a number of benefits to the homeowner as well. A healthy lawn improves curb appeal, provides a good playing field for children, and helps enhance air quality and prevent soil erosion around the home.

Of course, this kind of lawn requires some effort to create. Many homeowners struggle with tufts of crabgrass or sections of bare earth.

Planting new grass is one way to improve the landscaping around your home, and taking this step in the autumn will allow you to enjoy a newly revitalized lawn in the spring. For this process, you can choose to either spread grass seed or put down sod.

Seeding

Autumn is the best season to seed new grass. Joseph Truini, writing for This Old House, says there will still be enough sunlight and rainfall for grass seed to germinate before winter. The cooler temperatures also reduce competition from weeds and crabgrass and help keep seeds from getting too dry.

Choose the type of grass you'd like to establish at your home. The University of Minnesota Extension says you should consider factors such as how shaded your yard is and how often people will be walking over the grass. You should also be aware of whether the grass will require a lot of maintenance to stay healthy.

It is especially important to test the soil in your yard. Thomas M. Rathier, writing for the Connecticut Agricultural Station, says this process will let you know the acidity of the soil and its levels of nutrients. You may have to amend the lawn with fertilizer, or with lime if the pH is too low.

You should also be aware of any issues that may be affecting your lawn, such as poor drainage or persistent weeds. You'll need to take steps to address these problems before seeding, since they will also affect your new lawn.

It is possible to plant seeds over an existing lawn. Tara Shore, writing for SFGate, says you should cut the grass to a short height and remove clippings. Aerate the soil, using a pitchfork or mechanical aerator, to help the soil absorb water and nutrients.

The magazine Family Handyman says crabgrass can be controlled in the spring and summer by plucking the sprouts or carefully applying herbicide. If crabgrass has run wild in parts of your yard, however, you can rake it up to expose bare soil for reseeding.

Truini recommends removing any visible rocks or roots in the lawn. The resulting holes should be filled with topsoil and smoothed out.

In bare patches or areas of new lawn, put down a layer of sand and compost. This material can then be mixed with the soil using a rototiller. You can then add amendments such as lime or fertilizer, then rake them into the soil.

Use a handheld mechanical spreader to distribute grass seed over the lawn. Rathier says you should be careful not to overlap areas of the lawn, and that you should complete this process when there are not any strong winds. Lightly rake the lawn to cover the seeds with a small amount of soil.

Putting down a layer of straw can help keep the seeds from drying out and prevent weeds from establishing themselves in the lawn. A thin protective layer of mulch may also be necessary if you are seeding on a steep slope or in hot weather.

Proper moisture is essential for germination. Truini says the lawn should be watered two or three times a day for the first week, but for no longer than 10 minutes to avoid washing the seeds away. Once the new grass becomes visible, you can water less frequently and focus on keeping the lawn from drying out.

Sodding

Purchasing precut rolls of sod is an alternative to seeding, and allows you to simply roll out your new lawn. The University of Minnesota Extension says sodding can be done at any time during the growing season, and is a good choice for hilly lawns. However, it is also more expensive than seeding.

Don't neglect the soil preparation steps when sodding. Getting a soil test and adding any necessary amendments will help improve the health of your lawn. The University of Illinois Extension says the sod you choose should be grown on soil similar to that found at your home.

Time is essential when sodding a lawn. You should look for the freshest possible rolls, ideally those that have been cut within the past 24 hours. Sod should also be put down within a day of delivery. The soil should also be tilled, smoothed out, and moistened before sod is laid down.

When aligning the rolls of sod, stagger the joints in a fashion similar to brickwork. The University of Minnesota Extension says sod placed on hills should be perpendicular to the slope, using stakes to secure them as necessary. Fill in any gaps between the rolls with soil.

Run a roller over the sod to give the roots better contact with the soil. The sod should be watered regularly until the roots are established. At that point, you can gradually reduce the sod the lawn receives.

The University of Illinois Extension says sod should be mowed regularly after it has been put down. Remove no more than one-third of the grass height each time, keeping it at a height of about three inches.

After a few months, you can treat sod like an established lawn. Running an aerator over the grass will help strengthen the sod's root system.