After moving to El Dorado County several years ago, all I did at first was try to maintain the existing beds of perennials and native plants as well as hand-pull all the yellow starthistle.  I more or less ignored the small, struggling patch of lawn in front of my house because of the environmental conditions here -- no rain for half the year and long stretches of 100+ degree summer heat.  Also, I didn't want to be burdened with high water costs and time-consuming lawn maintenance nor did I want to be a property owner who let precious water turn into chemical waste with fertilizers and weed killers flowing into storm drains. Therefore, I planned to eventually replace most of the front lawn with low maintenance, drought-resistant plants.  I stuck to my plan until two years ago when my son asked me why we didn't have a front yard.  When I pointed to the beds of California Fuchsia, Poppies, Western Redbud, Ceanothus and Flannel Bush, he said, "No, I said a yard; you know, with grass!"  At that moment, I admit to how much I missed having a front yard of real grass, so I decided then and there to do a little research and figure out how to responsibly and properly plant and maintain a little section of lawn. 

In our area, the actual planting of turfgrass seed, stolons or plugs as well as the laying down of sod is done most successfully in late September through the end of October.  Use the time now to mark off and measure your selected site, begin soil preparation and do some research into appropriate turfgrass selection and method of planting.   

In my case, our lawn site was a predetermined area that consisted of tightly compacted clay soil, so I knew I needed to amend it with lots of organic matter after first removing the existing vegetation.  Amendments should consist of a 1-2" layer of compost plus a starter fertilizer of no more than 1 lb. of nitrogen and at least 1 lb. of phosphorus per 1,000 square feet; these should be tilled into the soil to a depth of 3-6".  For my soil, I also added a shallow layer of composted horse manure; this is considered to be an organic amendment, not a fertilizer.  If you expect annual weeds, irrigate your site to allow weeds to germinate and follow up with a shallow cultivation or an application of a nonselective herbicide such as glyphosate (follow the label directions carefully). Repeat this process if necessary.  Soil solarization is another effective way to control weed germination prior to planting, and is ideal for those of us who want to avoid herbicide use.  Soil solarization is done by placing clear polyethylene plastic 1-2 mils thick over the moist soil surface and leaving it in place 4-6 weeks. 

Proper turfgrass selection is key to a lawn's success.  Since turfgrass species differ in their tolerance to extreme temperatures, shade, drought and amount of wear, make your selection according to your conditions.  The UC Guide to Healthy Lawns website is at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/TOOLS/TURF and is a wonderful resource for what types of turfgrass do well here, but cool-season, tall fescues seem to adapt best to our county's conditions.   Warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass, St. Augustine grass and zoysia grass grow well in our hot, dry summers; however, they go dormant and turn brown during winter months when soil temperatures drop below 52° F.

Planting methods include seeding, hydroseeding, sodding, sprigging, stolonizing or plugging.  The above website has useful descriptions of each as well as information to help you compare cost, usage time frames and maintenance requirements.  All require a well-prepared site and light, frequent watering until the root system is developed. 

As far as lawn problems are concerned, 80% stem from inappropriate watering.  In-ground, overhead sprinklers set to an automatic timer is the preferred method of watering, but must be maintained periodically.  For instance, broken sprinkler heads and improper spacing of sprinklers will provide uneven coverage.  It's also very important to determine how much water your particular lawn needs.  Turfgrass needs to be irrigated deep enough for water to penetrate the soil to a depth of 6-8". Then, don't water again until the top 1-2" of soil is dry.  In general, warm-season grasses only need to be watered once or twice a week; cool-season grasses require more frequent watering -- up to three times a week in hot weather. 

Fertilize your lawn three to four times a year.  Follow all directions carefully, applying no more than 1 lb. of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet.  Over-fertilizing can cause thatch which is a layer of organic matter that develops between the grass blades and the actual soil surface.  Frequent mowing can keep the thatch layer reduced.  Speaking of mowing, a standard guide is to remove no more than one-third of the grass height at a time.  Be sure your mower blades are sharp and avoid mowing when the grass is wet.  Lawns on heavy clay soils with lots of foot traffic may need to be aerated a couple of times a year to alleviate soil compaction. 

Insects are not a common cause of lawn damage in this county, and is more likely caused by lack of proper cultural care as well as incorrect grass species selection.  The university's website on lawns is a wonderful resource to help you identify insects, weeds and lawn diseases and also gives information on damage assessment and control.