Rake Smooth and Firm

Rake the area to be replanted until it's smooth. Remove any stones larger than a 1/2 inch in size and vegetative matter brought to the surface during tilling.

Whether you're planting seed or sod, it's helpful to roll the prepared soil to provide a firmer base on which to work and to foster adequate soil structure. For example, seed planted in soil that is too loose generally ends up being planted too deeply. The tiny plants may die before they reach the surface. Fill a lawn roller about 1/3 full of water for this job, and roll the soil until your footprints are no deeper than 1/2 inch.

Broadcast Fertilizer and Seed

Broadcast a good "lawn starter fertilizer" over the entire soil bed at rates recommended on the bag. If you applied composted cow manure or Milorganite, a starter fertilizer will not be necessary.

Then broadcast the seed at the rate recommended by the seed packager, usually given in pounds per 1,000 square feet. Consult with a professional at your local independent nursery and garden center to determine what type of grass seed might be best for the conditions at your property. Use a shoulder-type or rotary walk behind spreader to broadcast seed. Refer to the seed rate chart below for typical spreading rates:

• Bermuda Seed (Turf-Type) - Broadcast 2 pounds per 1,000 square feet
• Centipede Seed - Broadcast 1 to 2 pounds per 4,000 square feet - NOTE: When planting a Centipede lawn from scratch, blending the Centipede seed with Bermuda or Fescue is recommended. Blend 1 pound of Centipede seed with 4 pounds of Bermuda and broadcasting with a hand-held spreader over a 4,000 square feet area. The reason for blending Centipede with other grasses is to allow two seasons for the centipede grass to fully establish itself. You could end up with lots of bare dirt space if you don't blend. Eventually, Centipede will choke out the other grasses, and any weeds too!
• Fescue Seed (Turf-Type) - Broadcast 6-8 pounds per 1,000 sq ft

To ensure even distribution and coverage, when broadcasting grass seed make two passes, first in one direction and then in a perpendicular (opposite) direction. If you don't want to purchase a hand-held spreader (cost about $10-15) for spreading smaller grass seeds such as Bermuda and Centipede, and would rather use your walk-behind or larger rotary spreader, bulk up seed with dry sand. Fescue seed can be spread with a walk behind or shoulder-type rotary spreader, no sand added.

Follow up with a light raking to work the seed into the top 1/8 inch of soil; a light rolling with an empty roller will ensure good seed contact with the soil.

Mulching

Finally, cover the seeded area with a light coat of wheat straw or hay to help retain needed moisture and reduce erosion. A thicker coat of straw may be necessary on inclines.

Seeding sloped areas is difficult because the seed tends to run to low points when it rains. One solution is to contract with a hydroseeding contractor. Hydroseeding involves spraying a suspension of fertilizer, mulch, and water onto the prepared surface. Make sure that the contractor uses the specific type of seed that you want planted.

Watering Your Freshly Seeded Lawn

In the absence of rain, apply frequent light waterings to seeded surfaces to keep them from drying out. Be careful not to water so much that it causes run off. Doing so can cause seed to wash. When seed has germinated you can go back to a regular watering cycle.

A month or so after having seeded your new lawn, have your soil tested to measure pH and determine nutrient needs. Use the results of this test to apply sufficient amounts of lime and/or nutients if needed.

Now, sit back for a while and watch the grass grow until it needs mowing.