Subsoil taken from the basement of a new house-often containing plaster, cement, lumber, and other debris-is a poor soil for a lawn. Every house-building contract should specify that all topsoil be piled separately for the final grading and for debris to be removed-not buried on the site.
For most homeowners, the problem will be one of using the soil they have. Soils are generally poor because they lack acceptable structure and are deficient in many necessary plant nutrients. The lack of nutrients can be overcome by applying fertilizer. Poor physical composition of the soil is a much more serious matter. Soils of the average graded lawn contain a high proportion of clay. These soils dry into hard crusts, are sticky and impervious when wet, slow to absorb water when dry, and furnish little water to plants. High temperature and drought stresses affect plants growing on these clay subsoils more quickly than lawns grown on good topsoil.
Turfgrasses can be grown on clay, even subsoil clay. However, these lawns will require more skill and work to achieve the high levels of vigor and quality of lawns grown on soils of good physical composition.
Even on good soils, a lawn requires some work. A perfect lawn will appear only after proper planning and use of good cultural practices.