How to Seed a Lawn

Learning how to seed a lawn is more difficult than you might first expect. To increase your chances that your lawn seed will establish itself and create a lush carpet in as little time as possible, you need to understand what equipment to use, what grass seeds to use, how to properly prepare the planting base for your lawn, how to plant lawn seeds and what care your newly planted lawn will need. As you can see, there are a lot of different steps that you need to familiarize yourself with before you get started. Fortunately, each step is pretty easy to master.

Step 1: Select the Right Equipment
For lawn prep, you'll need a rotor tiller to loosen the topsoil and break up the root structure of any weeds. As a rule, you'll want to till to a depth of three to six inches. You can rent a tiller at home centers and rental stores. If you've got a large area to seed, it's a must.

You'll also need a heavy rake to grade the lawn (a leaf rake isn't strong enough for the job) and something to spread the seed. A fertilizer spreader will do the trick, but rinse it thoroughly if it's been used to avoid burning the grass seeds. If you're planning on installing an irrigation system, now's the time to get it, or you can opt for a sprinkler.

Some growers like to use a weighted lawn roller. If you've got difficult soil or can't stand raking, these can be used to grade out the area, but the soil compaction they create can make it challenging for your lawn seeds to take root.

Step 2: Pick Seed, Fertilizers and other Materials
Starter fertilizer and a weed controller will be required to help your lawn germinate and build a root system. Depending on the quality of your soil, you may need compost, lime or other amendments. It's a good idea to test the pH of your soil early in the seeding process, as your soil may favor certain types of grasses. Since grasses tend to be less demanding of soil than other plants, you'll get adequate results from a home test kit. Sending a soil sample to your local Extension Service will give you a detailed report on your soil quality and what's needed to improve it.

Choosing grass seeds depends on your climate, your soil type, your tolerance for allergies and your dedication to lawn maintenance. When it comes to allergies, there's not much you can do. Some hybrids boast lower pollen production, but growing lawns and cut grass remain two of the top sources of allergies in the landscape.

You'll need to select a grass seed that is appropriate for your region of the country. The United States is broken up into three regions for grass growing. The northern part of the country is considered the cool season grass region, the southern part is the warm season region and the middle section is a transition zone.

If you live in a cool season zone, then you will want to select bentgrass, bluegrass, fescue and ryegrass. For the warm season zone, choose varieties like zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede, carpetgrass, Bermuda and Bahia. For people who live in the transition zone, a combination of warm and cool season grass varieties can be used. Check with your local garden center to see what grows well in your area.

Maintenance falls into two categories: watering and trimming. Grasses that tolerate drought, such as Bermuda grass, also tend to be highly invasive if they're not trimmed regularly. Slow-growing grasses can also be fast-dying grasses if they don't get enough water. Make sure you know how much work you'll need to put in to keep a given grass happy and contained.

Step 3: Prepare your Planting Base
For most grasses, preparation begins with tilling up your planting area so that the top three inches of soil are loose. Use your rake to remove clumps of old sod, roots and other yard debris. Dispose of these well away from the lawn area; some weeds will regrow from their roots.

Next you will need to grade the lawn, which happens in two steps. First, work out the rough grade, which should allow rainwater to drain away from your home and toward the street or a water collection area. Aim for a grade of one foot for every 50 feet away from your house (a 25-foot lawn would drop 6 inches from your house to the curb). Next, add in any soil amendments that are needed and your starter fertilizer.

Once that's done, you're ready for the final grade. You can use a weighted lawn roller or the back of your rake to smooth out the planting surface.

Step 4: Spreading the Seed
There are a couple of ways that you can spread your grass seed. The first way is to simply spread it by hand. To do this you will grab a handful of grass seed and toss it so the seed fans out on the ground. To ensure that your lawn doesn't have bare spots, you will want to scatter half of your seed in one direction and then turn around and scatter the remaining seed in the other direction. For this method, choose a still day to prevent seed from blowing around.

Another option is to use a spreader. Most prepackaged grass seed will provide a setting to use with spreaders that provides even coverage.

Once the seed has been spread, gently rake it into the soil, then use your lawn roller or the back of a rake to smooth the area. The seed will need to be protected from wind and erosion as it grows. There are germination blankets available, or you can use straw mulch. Once this is in place, water the area thoroughly.

Step 5: After Care
The first few weeks of a lawn's life are critical to long-term success. First, you'll want to keep the soil from getting compacted. Keep kids and adults off the growing area with fences or string. Avoid walking on the planting area as much as possible and vary your routes to prevent paths from forming.

Watering is the key to successful germination. The area should be kept moist but not soaked, which usually means watering two or three times a day. Seeding a lawn in spring or late summer when temperatures are cooler will help to preserve moisture in the soil. If you're in a cold climate with freezing winters, it's better to plant in spring to reduce the risk of new grass freezing.

Once the seedlings reach a height of one inch, you can cut back watering to once a day. Let the grass grow to a height of two or three inches before mowing during the first year or two. This helps the grass to reseed itself and develop a strong root structure.

After the third mowing, you should be able to cut back watering to once a week. This is also a good time to use weed controllers on your lawn.

In the cold zone and parts of the transitional zone, you'll want to cut back on watering and use a late-season fertilizer to protect your new lawn through the first winter. You should also adjust the height of your lawn mower to