Guide to Sowing Lawn Grass Seed

Every authority states unequivocally that fall is the best time to seed, preferably in September after the months of hottest weather and when there is a good moisture condition.

If you seed in the fall the grass will thrive, but, nevertheless, the heaviest sales of seed are in the spring. If you do seed in spring, start as early as the weather permits so that there will be good root growth started before hot weather sets in.

May plantings usually suffer from competition with crab grass and other summer weeds as well as from heat and inadequate moisture. Usually it is best to make a temporary lawn of rye grass where seeding is necessary in late May or during the summer, and then turn this cover under for permanent seeding in early fall.

Grass seed is relatively small and must not be planted deeply. Cover larger seeds such as rye grass and chewing fescue with soil to provide enough contact with the moist soil for germination and growth.

Small seeds such as the bent grasses need only partial covering in moist seasons. You will need 4 pounds of seed for 1,000 square feet of lawn; heavier seeding will not make up for poor-quality seed or a poorly prepared seedbed as it merely causes an excess of competition between seedlings.

If possible, use a mechanical spreader. Whether by hand or a spreader, sow by dividing the seed and spreading part in one direction, then the rest crosswise to the first. This insures even coverage and lessens the chance of missed spots or windrows.

Rake the seed lightly, or drag a flexible steel doormat over the area. Then roll lightly to firm the seed into the soil. Small lawns may be top-dressed with 1/8inch or so of screened soil or compost.

Slopes require special treatment as new seedings on them are likely to be washed by heavy rains. You can use straw to cover them, but it must be picked up as soon as the grass gets started.

Or the new seeding can be promptly covered with open mesh burlap or cheesecloth or a special garden-supply stock of open mesh cloth that can be left in place to rot and become part of the soil.

This prevents soil erosion and keeps the soil surface moist, protecting the young seedlings from damage by exposure to the sun. Ordinary burlap should be removed when grass sprouts are 1/2 to 1/4 inch long.

Natural rainfall is best for new seeding, but if the weather is dry it is necessary to water for prompt germination. Do your watering in the morning, with a fine mist like spray to avoid pooling or crust formation.

Once the seed has started to sprout, the moisture supply must be constant or the plants may die. For level places use a sprinkler and get the soil wet at least 5 inches with each watering, but don't keep watering until the soil is waterlogged and too compact.

For slopes use a canvas hose, or wrap the hose in porous canvas, so that the water will ooze out slowly in big drops and go off into the soil quickly. Seed mixtures in new plantings develop unevenly.

The "nurse" grasses (such as rye grass), and the semi-permanent types will grow rapidly. To prevent their damaging the slower-starting permanent grasses, such as the bluegrasses, by their shade or competition for moisture and soil nutrients, begin mowing when the tallest grass is 2 inches. Do not mow shorter than 1 1/2 inches.

Where the subsoil is thick or clayey, it is essential for the well-being of the lawn that subsoil drainage be installed. Even in sandy soil, it is a good idea to use subsoil drainage, since it brings about the quick and even distribution of moisture throughout the lawn or garden area.

The first problem in drainage is to find an area to receive the flow. If you are on low ground, on to which water from higher areas flows, this run-off area is extremely important. On high ground, an underground pipe leading out over a slope will be enough.

If you are building your own drainage run-off, perhaps the easiest is the dry well. The dry well is nothing more than a pit, 4 to 6 feet in depth and diameter, and filled with rubble and rock. Your dry well should be marked after it is covered, so that you know where it is if water starts to back up on your lawn.

Subsoil drainage is best accomplished by the use of tile lines. The semi-circular lines of tile are laid in the topsoil, about 1-| to 2 feet deep, in lines from 2 to 4 feet apart.

The tile lines should be covered with about a foot of cinder or crushed stone before the soil is re-laced. The minimum effective grade for tile lines is 3 inches for every 100 feet in length.

When backfilling, be sure to put all the subsoil you have removed back in and tamp it down, if necessary. Any slight mound left after restoring topsoil will disappear after the first winter.

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