Lawn Seeding

By following the basic steps in starting a lawn with seed, you can have a sod quality lawn in 18 to 24 months. Follow these steps to success!

Spring Seeding Tips
The spring seeding window is from late March to mid-April, but establishing a good lawn with spring sowing is almost impossible due to the growth habits of turf-type grasses.

Fall is always the preferable season but sometimes you have no choice, so here are a few spring seeding tips from Purdue University:

• Seed as soon as possible so the seed is in the ground and ready to germinate as soon as the soil temperatures rise.
• Improve the seed-to-soil contact by raking the soil before seeding. After seeding, a light raking will push the seed into better contact with soil.
• Water lightly to keep the seed bed moist as soil temperatures warm to 50° and the seed starts to germinate.
• Avoid any herbicide applications to the seeded areas until the seedlings are established and mowed at least 3 or 4 times (this might be May or later depending on the weather).
• Since the seedlings will not develop a good root system until fall, keep newly seeded areas well-watered all summer.

Soil Testing may not be necessary if you have black or dark brown topsoil but many homes built today have their topsoil covered by the excavated basement soil or stripped away during construction. Consequently, to ensure your lawn's success, have it tested three to four weeks prior to seeding. Send soil samples to:

Mowers Soil Testing Plus
117 E. Main St.
Toulon, IL 61483
(309) 286-2761, or
(800) 354-8197

Or you can bring your samples to the Garden Center and we can send the sample to the testing lab for you.

The soil test report will indicate what adjustments you need to make to the soil.
Weed Removal is needed to eliminate competition with the tender seedlings. To control existing perennial weeds (for example, quackgrass, dandelion) which can grow back from small pieces of root, spray unwanted vegetation with Round-up (glyphosate) or Finale. Wait ten days prior to cultivation to ensure complete kill and retreat if necessary. If it is necessary to respray, wait 3 to 7 days to cultivate.

To prevent annual weeds such as crabgrass, foxtail and seedling broadleaf weeds, apply Scott’s Step 1 for Seeding containing Siduron®, a pre-emergent herbicide that prevents the germination of annual weed but has no effect on perennial turfgrass seed. Siduron® allows immediate seeding after application.

Soil Fertility is amended according to the soil test. If phosphorous or potassium is needed, incorporate it into the soil. Since turf prefers slightly acidic conditions, any lime or sulfur is better incorporated into the soil and only as indicated by a soil test. Adding these without incorporation greatly reduces their effectiveness. Do not apply lime to a lawn without first having the soil tested. Add nitrogen after seeding, using a starter fertilizer or regular lawn fertilizer without herbicides. If a soil test is not taken, incorporate two pounds per 100 square feet of an all-purpose fertilizer such as Fertilome's Gardener's Special.

Soil Modification isn't economically feasible for large lawns, but it can make a significant difference in the turf's performance on poor soils. Compost, sphagnum peat, and manure can all be used as amendments. By adding these to clay or sandy soils, you'll improve the grasses' chance to root deeply, take up nutrients, resist diseases, and be dense and dark green.

Grade to create a level final grade before seeding. Rolling never sufficiently reduces bumps or mounds and damages the soil's structure. The level and slope are determined by the quality of rough grading. So, move soil where you need it or add or remove as required. One ton of topsoil covers about 300 sq. ft. at a one-inch depth. Add enough soil along the foundation to give a 2 - 3% slope away from the house.

Rototill or cultivate fertilizers and amendments to a six-inch depth to loosen compacted soil. The soil should not be powder-fine, pea-sized soil particles are best.

Seeding is done after final grading. Using a drop spreader or calibrated cyclone-type spreader make two passes, one perpendicular to the other, over the entire lawn at half the rate that would be used if sowing once in one direction. Then lightly rake the entire area covering the seed no more than 1/8 to 1/4 inch. A very light rolling with a roller 1/4 to 1/2 full of water or even walking over smaller areas will help to ensure good seed to soil contact without damaging the soil's structure.
It is very important with seeding to get seed to soil contact. Broadcasting seed without working up the soil yields very poor results.

Mulching the new seeding with straw hastens germination and protects the young seedlings from the sun and heavy rains. When using straw, apply water immediately to prevent it from blowing away. On slopes, mulch reduces erosion; use erosion net, excelsior, burlap, or seed germination fabric.

Wheat straw contains fewer weed seeds than oat straw. The new, white seed germination fabrics create optimum growing conditions; following germination, remove it and reuse it. Anchor the fabric with "U" staples.

Watering is the critical aspect of seeding because too much or too little alters the success and the seedlings are most vulnerable to drying winds and temps immediately after germination.

Unfortunately many people stop watering too soon. Too little water after germination is the chief cause of failure.

Apply ¼" of water in a fine spray once per day; twice per day is ideal, while avoiding standing water and puddling. More frequent watering is necessary in hot and windy weather. Maintain watering daily until all seed germinates and until the second mowing. Bluegrass germinates in four to six weeks, the longest for turfgrass seed.

As an alternative, check into purchasing our legendary Hardy Turf® sod for an instant lawn!