STEPS FOR SEEDING YOUR LAWN

  1. Soil test to determine pH, nutrient needs. This is an excellent opportunity to incorporate lime and fertilizer directly into the soil. We periodically check your pH (soil acidity), but there may be other issues (i.e. road salt, heavy traffic) that may be creating a problem. Call us with any questions.
  2. Get the right seed. Buy the best. You’ll be living with it for a long time. In our area, most seed blends contain Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue. Just like almost everything else in life, you usually pay more for cheap grass seed in the long run. There are improvements being bred into turfgrasses every year. These usually mean better color, vigor, drought tolerance, disease resistance, etc. These improvements cost more, so expect to pay more for top quality seed. Each bag/box of seed will have the varieties of grass types listed on it.Your best bet is to go to a reputable garden center and tell them if it’s a shady or sunny site and if it’s for play or for a showcase. Then ask them for their best blend of seed for those areas.
  3. Remove any dead thatch. You must get down to the mineral soil. The dead grass mat will not be a good growing medium for your new grass. If the mat removed is thick, and it leaves a deep hole, then you may want to top it off with some topsoil to even it out with the surrounding lawn. Another option is to pulverize it into the soil with a thatching machine to add organic matter.
  4. Loosen the soil to a depth of two inches. This will give the new grass roots a better chance to grow into the soil. Seed thrown on top of hard ground will yield poor results.
  5. *Broadcast the seed at the recommended rate. Use a spreader or other means of spreading it evenly and consistently. Do not over apply; otherwise there will be too much competition for best establishment.
  6. Apply lime (if needed, per soil test results) and starter fertilizer. Use a spreader and apply at recommended rates.
  7. Mix the soil lightly. Drag the back of a leaf rake over the area so that the seed is mixed into the top inch of loose soil. The seed should not be readily seen after this is done properly. This will ensure good seed-soil contact and increase the chance for successful germination.
  8. Tamp it down. Use a lawn roller, which is a water-filled drumwith a handle, or some other means of packing it down (your feet work well for small areas). This will improve the seed-soil contact.
  9. Apply mulch to retain moisture. Do not use bark mulch. You may use straw (not hay) or a specialized paper product similar to what is used by hydroseeders. This product usually comes in pelletized form and can be used on small or large scale projects. It’s usually dyed green so that it’ll blend in better with the rest of your lawn. Whatever you use, be sure you can still see the ground through it otherwise you may smother the seed.
  10. Keep seeded areas moist. Seed will not germinate successfully without constant moisture. Water from 1-3X daily for 20-30 minutes each time per area/zone, depending on the weather. Do this for 6-8 weeks, or until the new grass reaches mowing height. After it has been mowed, you may back off on the watering to once daily or once every other day. After a few more mowings, water as you would your established lawn.
  11. Keep traffic to a minimum until it has been mowed 2-3 times. Give the roots a chance to “dig in” before there’s any regular traffic. Even after 2-3mowings the new grass will not have the extensive root system of an established lawn, so continue to tread lightly for the rest of the first season.

*Note: For small spot repairs, there are products that incorporate seed and green paper mulch. Just spread the product, as directed on the label,over the bare spot and tamp it down. These products let you avoid the above steps 5 – 9. (Scotts Patchmaster, etc.)