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Now you are ready to seed your lawn.  If the planting area has been leveled smooth and all debris has been removed along with the end of construction activity --- you are now ready to seed your lawn. LETS GET STARTED!

Determine the amount of grass seed you will need for your lawn.  You can use the chart at www.lawngrasses.com or look on the seeding page for your particular lawn grass species.  Once you have the seed and are ready to start --- Continue on to Step (1)

NOTE:  COMMERCIAL CONTRACTORS OFTEN USE
A METHOD CALLED HYDROSEEDING

PLANTING METHODS?  How can I plant grass seeds?
SEASON TO PLANT? When can I plant seeds?

This method can help avoid erosion problems and is an efficient way to seed large areas of turf.  For more about seeding with this method, read our page above.

Step (1) Your lawn area should be already tilled.  Secondly the final level smooth surface should have been obtained.   If not, now is the time to remove hills and depressions so that you have a nice smooth lawn for years to come.

Step (2) Plant the seeds.  You can use a commercial turfgrass planter or sow the seeds by hand (not recommended), or just as easy and much preferred, buy a broadcast seeder  (hand held models are available for $8-30) like the one above.  Set the seed for the correct seed application rate.  Remember, you can always seed a second or third time, but it is pretty hard to pick up the seed you broadcast if you only planted 1/3 of your lawn and ran out of seed. 

We suggest you use a 2-step PLANTING process... Divide your seed into two equal quantities.  Set your seeder rate so that you will cover the entire lawn with 1/2 of the total seed.  You will need to determine how far the seeder is throwing the seed as you walk.  An ideal use is to walk in a pattern that allows double coverage (seeding) of all areas.  Most seeders come with instructions that explain this planting principal.   

Plant the first 1/2 of the seed walking in one direction with your seeder.  Then plant the second 1/2 of the seed walking in a direction 90 degrees to the first time.  This double spreading provides for a more uniform broadcasting of your seeds and also insures that you get complete coverage of your lawn area.  Always sow lawn seeds at the recommended rates.  Good quality lawns require lots of seeds in order to achieve the correct plant density.  You will save very little money by cheating on the quantity of seeds to plant.

Step (3) Once your seeds are sowed, rake or drag the seeded area, so that as many of the seeds as possible are lightly covered (1/4 inch is ideal covering for grasses). Be sure and use the correct rate for seeding your particular lawn seed.  You can also drag a small fence post or preferably a piece of chain link fencing behind a mower, 4 wheeler or tractor.  This will drag the soil so as to cover your grass seed.  Not every seed will be covered by these methods, but a large quantity of them will, and over time soil and wind action will also work to cover additional seeds.

Step (4) Water the lawn area you have planted as on a regular basis - usually daily for newly seeded lawns unless rain is occurring.  Apply fertilizer in intervals through the growing season, and practice a regular mowing schedule.  Mowing the weeds that will grow in your new lawn area faster than the grass, allows the grass to compete better for scarce nutrients and sunlight.  Mow the first time about 6 weeks after planting then at regular times and at the correct height. - Special Note: freshly seeded lawns require more frequent watering, usually once to twice daily.

BE SURE AND READ OUR AFTERWARDS SECTION ON LAWNS
This section contains valuable and important information about your newly seeded lawns.  Just because you have the lawn planted, doesn't mean you can go on vacation.   There is still necessary procedures to observe until your lawn gets to the "adult" stage in its life cycle.

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